Getting up to Idyllwild was a breeze, as well as, retrieving my permit from the Ranger Station. I left Palm Desert at 4:00am. I wasn't sure what to expect as I knew this hike was challenging and it was my first peak out of the six I set out to accomplish. I barely slept the night before, maybe 4 hours. I was both excited and nervous. I was going alone like I do every hike. I started at the trailhead around 5:45am and it was still pitch black outside. I got my headlamp and started walking hoping the sun would rise soon. The silence was indeed beautiful, but amongst the darkness it was maddening. I decided to just continue walking instead of waiting for light. I found comfort in the sound of my shoes on the trail, which was the only noise out there at that time. I didn't see much wildlife other than some squirrels rustling in the trees. The weather was freezing the majority of the hike with temperatures around 30 degrees. I accidentally forgot my gloves so my hands were frozen most of the time. I had barely made it through the “no snow” window as coming up later in the week, the peak was going to have snow storms. I did see some ice on the trail right before Little Round Valley, but none was seen elsewhere. I saw one person on the trail on the way down and had the peak to myself. I summited at 10:00am. I was only able to hang out for about 20-30 minutes as I was hearing thunderstorms in the distance and I knew I needed to get back down the mountain. I did not have trekking poles for this hike, but I highly recommend them as it was pretty brutal on my knees. The hike took me from start to finish about 7 hours. I feel I could have been more prepared in certain aspects (trekking poles, heavier jacket, gloves, battery pack, etc). I also learned how much I have to rely on myself when alone in the wilderness because how I prepare can determine if I succeed or not. This hike challenged me both mentally and physically. It truly was an epic journey.