Start time 5:45am. Finish time back to car 1pm. A bit over 7 hours for 12.0 miles clocked with Apple watch and iFitness.

Devil's Backbone to Summit and then Ski Hut back down to Manker Flats. Summited around 10am and ate hard-boiled eggs for a nice breakfast.

This is the hardest trail I've ever hiked. The incline is pretty serious whichever way you go, but steeper and a couple miles less on the Ski Hut side, which is also more shaded and why we opted to go down that way when the sun was higher in the sky. We used both All Trails app and the HikerGuy for guides along the way and we are glad we did!

Devil's Backbone was windy and cold but didn't feel too treacherous. After 7 miles of increasing incline, however, I did need to stop and catch my breath on the last 3/4 mi. up the backbone to the summit.

The mountain felt like pure emptiness and strength. Not the most alluring by appearance but grand and venerable.