I had read so many reviews that talked about the oppressive heat, the lack of shade, and the BUGS!, that I was kind of anxious about this hike! We must have gotten incredibly lucky, because we chose a day with unusually mild temperatures. We decided on a 5:00 a.m. start, to try and minimize the heat, but we were shocked to drive into a dense cloud bank after passing Anderson Lake! We couldn't safely travel any faster than 15 mph, so it was 5:15 by the time we arrived, and after 5:30 before we hit the trail head. This was probably a good thing, as it was cold and wet in the pre-dawn light, with a stiff wind blowing the water droplets into our faces.

Once we were on the trail, we warmed up nicely, and appreciated the magic of hiking in the fog, with the world around you disappearing into the mist. We quickly reached the climbing portion of Hobbs road, but again, with the cool, wet windy air, we felt quite a reprieve! We reached the ridge, and sat at a conveniently placed bench to take a break, and enjoy a snack. The wind was really blowing along the ridge, and soon we began to shiver. Time to get moving! It was less than half a mile later that we walked out of the mist and into clear sunshine. The walk to the peak was refreshing and beautiful. We were a little concerned with stopping for lunch, as it was on the cold side, but there is a small clearing on the peak that is somewhat sheltered, and sitting in the sun kept us warm.

After lunch, it was an easy walk along the ridge, a long, long, long gradual descent into open meadows, and then a final climb back up to the top. Over all, it was a glorious day, and we truly appreciated all that Coe has to offer.