Since I had done this hike before from Highway 67, I figured I'd try the approach from Lake Poway this time. This turned out to be not such a great idea, especially since there was a high heat advisory in effect that day, and the trail offers no shade whatsoever. The route from Lake Poway is probably 2 or 3 times more strenuous than the (relatively leisurely) ascent starting at Highway 67.

I had to take frequent breaks to prevent heat exhaustion, and luckily I had enough water with me (I thought it would be more than enough, but in the end, on this 90+ degrees day, it was just barely sufficient).

You're pretty much going up, up, up, all the time, under the merciless sun. Other than the nice views of Lake Poway during the first mile or two, the landscape is not particularly remarkable, just dry, rocky, and dusty. I only encountered few other hikers on this side of the mountain, except for the area around Potato Chip Rock that was (as usual) crowded with hikers that came from the other side. Personally, I don't recommend to start this hike from Lake Poway, especially not on a hot day.