I love Dana; I took the exact same pictures that you took, and it was the first mountain that I hiked alone (drove up from the valley, hiked it, drove home -- happy birthday to me!) I have long said that Dana compares more to a Mini-NorthFork than Whitney Main Trail, as the grade is the same. In my not so humble opinion, the views are far more spactacular than Whitney, also (I also agree that Shasta is in a class by herself; I have hiked part of that route)

Any mountain hiked is worth talking about, so carry on with trip reports and snap away at the alpine views.

The body betrays and the weather conspires, hopefully, not on the same day.