Dana

Dana

I did a little solo hike up to the old townsite of Dana, which is high up on Tioga Hill in Yosemite National Park. It was a great short hike along the crest of the Sierras. The views are fantasitic even if the mosquitoes were thick. Dana was the first camp for the Great Sierra mine up on top of Tioga Hill. The Great Sierra Consolidated Silver Company moved their camp to Bennettville to access the Sheepherder lode from the base of the hill and a little more out of the weather.

First located back in 1878, it only lasted until 1884. Hardly anything remains of the old camp, but it makes a nice destination for the day.

Bennettville is worth a stop too, if you are in the area.

I stopped on the way to Tioga Pass at Olmsted Point.  Half Dome rises out of a sea of granite. I stopped on the way...
View towards Tenaya Lake and Tuolumne Meadows.  I'm headed this way. View towards Tenaya ...
The view from my parking spot up at Tioga Pass.  Nice day. The view from my par...
Up the hill from Tioga Pass.  Looking up Parker Pass Creek. Up the hill from Tio...
The trail near the top of the ridge approaching Gaylor Lakes.  Dana Meadows, Mount Gibbs, Kuna Peak, and Mammoth Peaks are in the distance. Gibbs is the tallest at 12,773'. The trail near the t...
Looking forward on the trail at Middle Gaylor Lake and Granite Lake Cirque beyond.  My elevation here is about 10,540'.  If you look close, you can see a million mosquitoes and the trail following the shore of the lake around the right side and then up the creek. Looking forward on t...
Trail along the lake.  The mosquitoes aren't joking around with me.... Trail along the lake...
Hiking up the creek drainage to the upper lake you get quite a view of Moraine Flat and the Cathedral Range beyond. Hiking up the creek ...
Upper Gaylor Lake and Gaylor Peak.  I've left the mosquitoes behind. Upper Gaylor Lake an...
The remains of the Great Sierra Cabin in Dana. The remains of the G...
Ruins of the Great Sierra Cabin. Ruins of the Great S...
It had a nice view, but I can only imagine the winters here. It had a nice view, ...
At one time, this must have been quite a place. At one time, this mu...
Stone cabin ruins. Stone cabin ruins.
Another view of a cabin ruin. Another view of a ca...
Dana. Dana.
More stone cabin ruins. More stone cabin ruins.
Stone cabin ruins.  The one on the right could have been the blacksmith. Stone cabin ruins. ...
Possibly powder storage. Possibly powder stor...
Blacksmith? Blacksmith?
One of the shafts. Ruin in background. One of the shafts. R...
Main double compartment shaft.  Flooded.  Nothing remains of the wooden shaft house. Main double compartm...
The wooden buildings are long gone from Dana. The wooden buildings...
Lifting winch.  My boot is in there for scale. Lifting winch. My b...
"W. I. Tustin. Pioneer Manufacturer of Windmills Horse Powers Pumps and Tanks S.F. Cal." "W. I. Tustin. ...
Side view. Side view.
View of Dana from the west.  13,057' Mount Dana in the background. View of Dana from th...
After exploring Dana, I started wandering around the high country with the rest of my time up here.  The beautiful Granite Lakes are right nearby.  I didn't see anyone else the whole day.  Very nice spot. After exploring Dana...