I am thinking of doing Mt Florence this weekend and wondering if anyone knows the current conditions, especially for snow, around the north couloir for an approach from lake 10541 to the saddle. We will be a small team of 3-4 and might have to bail out if it requires crampons etc. Fall back option will be to do Fletcher peak and Vogelsang peak.
Current plan is:
Start from TH around 8:30am. Drop packs/bear canister around Fletcher lake and head to Florence with a daypack. I am assuming 3.5 hrs to the Fletcher lake, 4 hrs to the summit, 3 hrs back (including summit stay). So back at campsite around 7pm.
HIke back and camp around Townsley...as recommended by the experts
Another option is to shoot for Mt Florence on day 2, before heading back all the way. If there is snow, this may not be a viable option due to snow/ice conditions in the morning. This whole week looks clear so far with no forecast for snow..Will acclimatise at Porcupine or Hodgdon Meadows on Friday night.
Would appreciate any tips/suggestions.
Thanks