Hey All,

So, here's the deal.  If you've already had the pleasure of hiking this trail you will be able to appreciate the following.  If you haven't completed this hike yet take what I'm posting as something that a 60 + year old dude felt on my 5th time on this trail.

While I peck this post out my knees are feeling a wee bit put upon, but a couple/5-ish Lagunitas IPAs should put paid to that soon enough.  This hike is called the hardest one in the area because it is.  It's only a tad shorter in elevation gained than the Mt Palomar hike, but it is 2 miles shorter.  The climbs for the most part are STEEP.  They aren't interminable, but they're long enough to make a person question themselves with a heartfelt WTF.  That said, you are guaranteed that on this out and back trail you will be seeing those same gradients in the near future as you make your way back to the car.  Those downhills are steep enough to really slow down the pace, and if I'm honest they scare the living bejesus out me because I'm too proud to use sticks yet (maybe next year).  The WX was perfect.  We've done this hike in the Spring and Summer and once the sun is up in those months you really feel it on the way back to the parking lot.

We only met about a dozen other hikers during the approximately 4.5 hr hike, so that sense of solitude I want when I'm out there on a trail really wasn't affected at all.   There were some flowers coming out on the Manzanita's but that varied by where you were in elevation. Once you get some height you can see that all the surrounding valleys are that bright Kelly green that we are blessed with after a bit of precipitation.

Views:  These views in my opinion don't compare with what I've seen on the Hot Springs and Corte Madera hikes in that hit you in the face drama kind of way, but if it's your first time up you'll definitely feel the reward for your effort.