Really Tough for a 7-Mile Hike

We chose to do Diablo as a one-way hike as we neared the shortest day of the year. We left a car at the summit and joined the rest of our group at Mitchell Canyon, hoping to get the earliest possible start. It was nice to hit some milestones at Twin Peaks and Eagle Peak on the way up, and the views on this route were great, even with fog below us in multiple directions. It was a demanding climb, and I wouldn’t want to head down this way due to the steepness of the trail and the many sections with loose rock. We made a brief stop at the visitor center, had a quick bite just below the summit and barely made it back to Mitchell Canyon before dark. It still felt like quite an accomplishment, and my muscles seemed to agree that it was hard work!