My dog, Maggie May, and I started this hike around 9:45 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 7, and finished around 5 p.m., but that included stopping for lunch at Icehouse Saddle and then hanging out at the top for a bit because we had it all to ourselves. (Yes, ideally we would have started sooner — see previous hike log for reference that I'm not great at mornings)

WEATHER: The trail is mostly in the shade. The weather forecast suggested there might be rain coming, and the moment we started hiking, the clouds and mist started moving into the canyon (hence my cheesy hike log name). It briefly (like 10 drops) rained on us at Icehouse Saddle. Overall, it was super gorgeous. This hike can get real chilly, so make sure to check the weather. There were a few windy spots, including at the peak, and I was glad I brought my rain jacket / wind breaker (REI Co-op Rainier Rain Jacket – Men's, got it on sale, works super well, has pit vents). I also brought a lightweight fleece. The wind at the peak was quite cool, maybe around 40 degrees. Definitely worth packing a beanie. Gloves if you're going on an actually cold day.

WATER: The creek that flows along the first portion of this hike is still flowing and has plenty of water left to refill any water bottle with a filter. However, most of the hike doesn't have water.

CROWD: The trail wasn't busy on a Thursday, probably saw around 20 people total. Parking lot had lots of spots left.

PERMIT: I did it online beforehand. You just drop it off in the box at the trailhead.

GEAR/OTHER SUPPLIES: I would definitely recommend trekking poles, especially on the way down because there are some spots with loose dirt and rock. Bring plenty of snacks (otherwise, why do we do this?) and water. Compression socks for hiking would also be great.

FYI: Once or twice, we got off trail and accidentally used the shortcut that some jerk cut through the trail. I try to avoid those, but this trail makes it a little bit tricky to miss them. My best advice is to keep an eye on your map on AllTrails or other app.

DOGGO: I took my dog, and she did well, but I wouldn't recommend the trail if your dog hasn't done long hikes. And I wouldn't recommend bringing them if it's a hot day because there are a few places where the rock and sand could get pretty hot.

Overall, it was a really lovely day hiking.