Got a late start out of LA, arriving at the trailhead at 6:40AM with my car's temp gauge registering 37 degrees. Ten minutes later I was back on the trail—it had been almost exactly two months since I finished summited Mount Whitney, finishing the Nüümü Poyo (JMT) in 8 days, and I'd put off finishing my Six Pack. I guess I've been a little worried that after experiencing the beauty of the NP, nothing else could compare.

I'd read that this was a steep trail, and I suppose that's true—noticed this more on the way down than up. There was a big trail running race, and at the junction with the PCT I saw my first of many runners. The trail had hints of fall foliage, which was unexpected (I don't know why) and a real treat (I love the changing of the seasons). I made Little Round Valley by 9:30AM, and among a throng of trail runners, scrambled up the summit of Mount San Jacinto at 10AM, having hiked in the shade virtually the whole time.

After downing a Pro bar and nuun tab, I picked my way back down the boulders and trail at 10:30. The whole way down I had a variety of trail runners approaching behind, and the late starters meeting me on my descent. This combination of traffic slowed my progress significantly—that and my knees.

I finished my hike around 1:15pm. The Marion Mountain trail was gorgeous, and completely wiped away my concerns about the NP/JMT ruining future trails for me. A great way to end my 2022 challenge.