This hike was serious but if you take it seriously you'll be fine! There was a lot of up on the way down but I paced myself from the beginning and brought a lot of water – I think I drank 3L but carried 4.5 because I read reviews and was worried about how difficult it would be. I started around 8:15 and took about 7 hrs start to finish, but took breaks along the way. Most of the people I passed on my way to the top were actually going in the other direction. The day was cloudy when I started but the sun was out by noonish. Definitely recommend starting early (earlier than me!). If you're in good hiking shape you'll be fine – this was challenging but the views from the top and sense of accomplishment were great!