R04/R01 TR: Florence, Goddard Canyon, Reinstein Pass, Upper Goddard Creek, Mt Goddard Summit 9/3-9/12 2022

[Wandering Daisy]

I am enjoying the trip report. I have been to all those places in the past. In fact, as part of one of my first backpacks in the Sierra in I think 1997, I bivouacked at Lake 9797 while doing an unintentional loop "day-hike" (another epic story) from Chasm Lake down to Enchanted Gorge and back up Goddard Creek and returned to Chasm Lake via the lakes north of Scylla. I also camped at the lakes below Finger Peak on my way to Tunemah Lake. It all is so wonderful I hope I can go back and spend more time like you did. I would love to explore the set of lakes north of those lakes.

In a high snowpack year, I climbed Goddard up a narrow snow gully on the northwest side of the peak south of the mini-glacier shown on the topo map. From the gully I intersected the SW ridge at 12600. It was a very steep snow gully and I had to use crampons and ice axe. The route avoided much talus. However, there were some tense moments in the snow gully. I wonder if there is snow in that gully, nowadays, other than early season.

I have gone from Martha Lake over Goddard Pass and used a high route, like the line shown on your photo but hit the drainage lower. Years later I reached Lake 11818 via Reinstein Pass and I think it was a bit easier, if longer. Martha Lake is so scenic. I never fished the lake- looks like I have to go back and do that!

I am looking forward to the next installment!

[kpeter]

"Just sublime" is a striking image. Spectacular photograph. I've enjoyed the whole report, but that image arrested and held my attention for a long time. Nicely done!

[kuhio]

"Just sublime" is a striking image. Spectacular photograph. I've enjoyed the whole report, but that image arrested and held my attention for a long time. Nicely done!

Thanks! That one really stood out for me as well. Easy to take good photos of that type of landscape.

[kuhio]

I am enjoying the trip report. I have been to all those places in the past. In fact, as part of one of my first backpacks in the Sierra in I think 1997, I bivouacked at Lake 9797 while doing an unintentional loop "day-hike" (another epic story) from Chasm Lake down to Enchanted Gorge and back up Goddard Creek and returned to Chasm Lake via the lakes north of Scylla. I also camped at the lakes below Finger Peak on my way to Tunemah Lake. It all is so wonderful I hope I can go back and spend more time like you did. I would love to explore the set of lakes north of those lakes.

In a high snowpack year, I climbed Goddard up a narrow snow gully on the northwest side of the peak south of the mini-glacier shown on the topo map. From the gully I intersected the SW ridge at 12600. It was a very steep snow gully and I had to use crampons and ice axe. The route avoided much talus. However, there were some tense moments in the snow gully. I wonder if there is snow in that gully, nowadays, other than early season.

I have gone from Martha Lake over Goddard Pass and used a high route, like the line shown on your photo but hit the drainage lower. Years later I reached Lake 11818 via Reinstein Pass and I think it was a bit easier, if longer. Martha Lake is so scenic. I never fished the lake- looks like I have to go back and do that!

I am looking forward to the next installment!

Nice! I have learned alot from all of your TR/posts on this forum.

[kuhio]

Great report so far. Sounds like a great trip! I climbed Goddard (south summit only - agree with you that the class 3 to the north summit not worth it) from Martha Lake back in 1977. At that time, there was a decent use trail that we followed all the way from the slope above the lake to the summit. Did you see any evidence of this use trail?
-Phil

Definitely a use trail in the chute on the way to the SW ridge. Slippery and a little annoying.

[kuhio]

Thanks for this great TR! Your pictures are stunning. I'm the one who said hi north of Martha on your second day. It's nice to see the pictures of the southwest ridge of Goddard. I ascent via the Starr's route and descent via a northwest chute to save some time but it's terribly loose. Also congrats on your monster goldens! I guess you'll take fishing poles with you for future trips from now on. There are also a variety of boletes in August/September in the high country that would pair with golden for a good meal.

Small world! That sounded a nice challenging day hike you were doing that day.

This was my first time fishing in the Sierra so I don't really have a reference to know if those are sort of typical or not. The bite was for sure on in Martha, I probably got 6 or 7 of those fishing for a couple of hours.