My first SOLO summit of Mt. Diablo (elevation 3849) today. Hiked from the base to reach Diablo's peak, marked by this tower with a museum inside. Total miles hiked today: 13.97 .  My first Diablo summit was a three-peak hike tagging Mt. Olympia, North Peak and Diablo, on International Mountain Day, 12/11/21, supported by a guide.

Weather today: Perfect, starting cloudy in the low to mid-50s, winter sun breaking through at noon. Now is the BEST time to hike Mt. Diablo, this devil will be unbearably scorching hot in summer (even spring, in my opinion).

Trail conditions: Impeccable. Super impressed to see our rangers checking the trails in their ATVs. Trail was being cleared of felled trees. One big thing to watch for: no potable water as yet! Either do your water carry (ugh) or bring a filter and water purification tablets. I had two liters (this is 5 pounds) but because of cool weather, I only drank 1.5 L water.

I met another challenger on trail. She is no newbie, she's been doing the challenge a few years now. She's already completed four of the six peaks. Retired and with her long silver hair, I was so inspired to see one of our seniors just killin' it on Mt. Diablo, also solo, like me!

Some folks on trail wonder if it's safe for a woman to hike alone. The answer: YES. Hike responsibly, pack the ten essentials. I dedicate this hike to Martin Luther King Jr., the Ohlone and Nisenan tribes of Mt. Diablo, and all people of color who to this day are persecuted for speaking up.