SPS (133/247)

My final tune up before the 2023 Sierra Challenge. In a last ditch effort to grow more red blood cells, I planned a day hike to Mt Florence in Yosemite National Park. I convinced Zee and Levi to join me, and proposed a 5am start time from Mt Lyell Trailhead. Everything was suggesting that it would be a great day in the mountains until I overslept my alarm by 2 hours! I told Levi and Zee to start off without me, and I hit the trail myself a little after 6:30am. I power walked through up the very gradual Rafferty Creek trail to Vogelsang Camp and Pass. Then I jogged down the switchbacks to the Lewis Creek Drainage, left the trail and headed cross country towards Lake 10,541. I booted up the steep but soft snow up to the notch at 11,200+ feet. I noticed two people way above me on the western slopes of Mt Florence and made an effort to catch them. At around 12,000 ft I caught the first person but he was neither Zee nor Levi. Then I climbed over the false summit and saw the others resting on the true summit. They ended up only having to wait 45 minutes for me, which means I shaved off 45 minutes from their time. We spent a long time on the summit then began our hike back down. Climbing up and over Vogelsang Pass wasn't too bad. Levi went for Vogelsang Peak as a bonus, but Zee and I resigned to simply take the 9 mile walk back to the cars. While I did have energy remaining, I mostly wanted to get back home at a reasonable hour. I got back to the car at 9:45pm then drove all the way home, completing a 24+ hour home to home push.