Anyone interested in a little trip into Kings Canyon next weekend 6/11-13. Thinking of leaving Bay Area Friday morning and heading to Florence Lake. The trip would be a little over 50 miles and go from Florence lake to Goddard Canyon and do a loop off-trail in the snow. The route would go up North Goddard Creek past Davis Lake and cross the pass to Wanda Lake. From there a short hop across Muir Pass leaving the JMT/PCT before Helen Lake and head into the Ionian Basin past Martha Lake returning to Florence lake via Goddard Canyon. I expect twenty miles of continuous snow and I'm planning on snowshoeing a good chunk of that.

I have to fly out of SFO Sunday evening so I'll have to leave Florence Lake by 4pm.

I did the Rae Lakes Loop two weeks ago and it was ideal snowshoeing and zero people out and about. Why wait for summer and your snowshoes are lonely?

Any takers?

That sounds like a great trip, Greg, but we're at a soccer tournament that weekend.

Plus, you walk so freakin' fast! ; )

Greg, my vacation starts the week after...the 14-15. My back is soooooo much better, if your time coincided with mine, I would be sooooo in!! Darnit!!!

Unfortunately, my sister is graduating on Sunday. This sounds like another great trip for you Greg. I am still looking forward to your Rae Lakes report. Have a great adventure and take plenty of pictures.

How many hours a day will you be hiking?

I would expect Friday to go fairly late into the evening due to late start) unless by some miracle Goddard Canyon is snow free quite a ways up. Saturday will be a fairly long day, 6am-7pm? This is the day the the snow covered off-trail section is accomplished. Sunday would likely be a shorter day 6am-3pm, all downhill.

Overall, this looks like a fairly aggressive trip so the hours will be longer and the miles harder to come by. But the snow conditions will dictate the pace and the hours.

If I didn't have plans this weekend already, I'd be up for trying to keep up with you! Have a great, and safe, trip!