Started in the dark around 5:30am. No one else was at the trailhead on a Thursday at this time. Only saw one other hiker the whole day, just below Icehouse Saddle on my way out. Saw a ton of chipmunks and gray squirrels. Also saw a single black squirrel and a white-headed woodpecker!

Temps were in the 60s and 7os most of the hike, warming to about 84 when I got off the trail. Meanwhile the IE and Sam Gabriel Valley were baking at 105-109 degrees.

Also flying about was a fire service helicopter. I love helicopters so it was fun to see it so close— one of the really big heavy life tankers (Sikorsky S-64 Skycrane). I think (hopefully) it was training and not an active incident. When I returned to the trailhead parking there were about 2 dozen CalFire service members mustering for some purpose. They had blocked off the parking, which might explain the lack of others in the trail.

Overall a great hike and my 4th of the six-pack. I can feel myself becoming more capable with each hike, averaging about 2.5 mph overall, completing the hike in just over 5 hours (not including two brief stops).