Re: Any beta for current conditions around Mt Florence

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

I was gonna say some stuff but some guy is gonna do the JMT in < 4 days so.

Looks easy from here.



(honestly, I'd recommend taking pack over Vog and camping at tarn N of Flo Lake)
(8K and 20+ miles... and it gets dark before 7)

The Bear Lady had a pix of Vog pass and it showed a bit of north facing snow.
I'd think that the saddle up from 10541 should be fine... (I went up the ridge myself
and looked down on it... and said "dooable" )

That's all I know.

If you want more thoughts I can give them.

Weather looks great. I'll be out there too... somewhere... still deciding...

Have fun

---

Quote
chick-on
I was gonna say some stuff but some guy is gonna do the JMT in < 4 days so.

Ha! you can/should say it, I would better be forewarned . I did see you TR and you posted the route somewhere. Great reminder about elevation as I didn't take the full 1000' drop into account. One time when I made a worse mistake of not taking a 1500' drop off into account, we had to turn back with fading light and half way up the class 4 section at Mt Stuart (WA), after starting at 11am. Skipping plans for Mt Florence unless I can do it on day 2.

Quote
chick-on
If you want more thoughts I can give them.

Always! and really appreciate it. Any recommendations for the route in and out in terms of which is more scenic? I see that Lyell canyon is a bit of a slog with 4 miles flat and then slightly steeper than Rafferty Creek route.Hoping that horses are mostly gone by this time of the year.

If the group is not up for carrying backpacks all the way up to Flo lake, any other suggestions for campsites with a view? I am hoping to cover Fletcher and Vogelsang peaks with possibly sunset views from Vogelsang Peak.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/10/2017 08:38PM by nwhkr.

I dunno if I posted route. I think most go from 10541. At least I'm pretty certain of
that from inferring from knowing Sierra Club outings info and knowing they
stay at Bernice...
Anywho. I dooz the ridge both times I go. Only made it to top once. First time
a big storm came in and I was happy to be in my shelter at Babcock when it
snowed 6" overnight.
Anywho. I didn't take the trail in on either time either... from Elizabeth and Rafferty.
You can probably look at a map and maybe figure out which way I went.

I'd recommend, since you haven't been... to hit Vog Peak and Fletcher...
and Parsons... do a loop with Ireland. Parsons Plateau is awesome.

The area near 10541 looks awesome. I would think you could make
Bernice in a day pretty easy and then do it from there too... just don't
traverse too much... I did that once and it's a whole lotta rock hopping.

come down to here
https://mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4.php?ll=37.763522,-119.342101&z=15&t=t4

then back up in woods here
https://mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4.php?ll=37.758297,-119.346092&z=15&t=t4

I'd try to camp here
https://mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4.php?ll=37.750900,-119.337037&z=15&t=t4

or nearer to outlet of 10541
Sorry I've only been to the tarn N of Florence Lake. 10,541 is one of a few
WL lakes in the park I have yet to touch. I think of it often (I'm not kidding)

Here it is from the ridge:


and from saddle ish:


(looks simple)

Anywho. have fun whatever you do

---

Ugh. I cringe at "slog".

I understand... but ... sigh...

---

Thanks a lot for all the info. I am trying to digest all the info and see where we will land up. No plans of doing Florence and will look to explore other sections as per your pointers. Will probably skip going down to Florence lake and your rock hopping section looks crazy hardcore!
Thanks for the amazing info and tip!

Thanks all/chick-on! for great tips and pointers. Got to wilderness center on Saturday 7am and was surprised that there was no line at all, unlike two years back, until 8 am. Decided to take it easy and chill as two of five were having some altitude issues.
Friday night check-in at Porcupine after 11pm. Saturday 9am start from Rafferty creek TH with camping at Townsley. Return on Sunday with a side trip to Booth lake and a fun short solo hike/scramble across the Booth lake.

My friends scrambling up to HB lake


Almost at HB lake. Has anyone gone up to that pointy peak across the lake. From the pic, it looks like there should be a simpler path from that saddle on the right.


Pano of icy HB lake


Flowing water/frozen ice at the outlet of HB lake /inlet of Townsley


Pano of Rafferty peak and Townsley lake. Hat tip to chick-on for The Perfect camping spot suggestion


Boot shot from across the Booth lake (doesn't capture the sheer drop off)


Pano of Booth lake with my team chilling across on the other side


Susnet from the road just east of Oakdale




Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/20/2017 01:40PM by nwhkr.

Cool.

and

Yes.

https://yosemitenews.info/forum/read.php?3,67603,67608#msg-67608

Sorry Photosynth shut down.

(up and down)

But if you want to get to Hanging... it's WAY easier the way you went.

Tanks fur Sharon

---

Previous trip report from an early July summit w/ route https://yosemitenews.info/forum/read.php?17,89942,89942#msg-89942

Without snow the saddle looks fine. Thanks for that picture from the ridge chick-on

With snow (which there probably won't be) here is what it looks like up the saddle

Love the cornice!

Yowza.

It looked like a this last Thursday:



Be safe

---