Sun out and no rain! It was cool to start, but quickly warmed once on the southern side of Bishop Peak. Trail was muddy in parts, running water higher up, and a tree had fallen onto the trail, but it was hard to tell how long the tree had been there as there was already a social trail around it.

I felt pretty good on the hike for the most part. I haven't hiked much in the new year, rain, working some weekends, and a sense of January blahs kept me off the trail, so while I felt good, it was not the easiest hike I've done. I'm middle-aged, overweight, and have been battling runner's knee for a while and some of that knee pain returned with a vengeance on the way down. The trail has fairly tall rock stairs in parts and I can't tell you how many times my trekking poles saved me from more intense pain by taking the pressure off my knees going down the steps! I did at one point trip a little on a rock and fell into a sagebrush. I laughed it off and kept going. I'm a slow hiker, uphill and downhill. I stop to listen to birds and look at views. I'm sure I looked like I was struggling, but I wasn't, just hiking my own hike. Can't wait for the next peak.