Flora Peak Loop... counter clockwise loop up and over, then down the SW Ridge.
I needed a shorter 3/4 day to avoid what I thought would be a wet weather start so decided to revisit a hike I have done a bunch of times in the past but never to my recollection in pure summer conditions.
I like this hike for its steep'ish switchbacks through cooler forest, its steep sidehilling traverses and high shear drop off exposed north aspects to the peak, its sub alpine foliage and interesting SW ridge decent with some veggie belay, route finding and some mild scrambling.
Bumped into two overnighters with huge packs on the way up and four more hikers with a heavily packed Golden Retriever on the way down. I like solitude so that number of human sightings checks the box for a place I thought would have been busier on a sunny summer Sunday.
Notes:
- Water sources in the form of creeks you traverse, are just a trickle at the moment, I recommend you pack what you need for the entire day
- If you use my GPX track, you use at your own risk... I saw some flagging along the ridge descent part of the route but it was sparse and unreliable
- Spotted a rare and industrious "Park Ranger" near the trailhead and thanked her for her service :)
- Be aware that if you decide to overnight in the area that the Post Creek parking lot is a hot target for smashed windows and items relinquished from your possession.
Time: 4:30 hrs
Distance: 12km
Cumulative Gain: 1500m
Be safe, have fun and maybe I will see you out there.
Regards,
Rex