This is the first mountain I ever summited, and a great way to start this new adventure! The trail was in good shape, but I would never have known what I was doing without the turn-by-turn from hikingguy.com. Even with them, there were a few times I worried I was on the wrong track, but there were confirmations every couple of miles, so not bad. I like to hike by myself, but encountered many people on the trail. It's been a chilly winter, so I came prepared for cold, but I was sweating within minutes of starting off. I got a late start to the day, so I started off at a pretty brisk pace. By the time I got to the last two (steep) miles of switchbacks I was regretting it. The hot/cold of sweating from exertion in brisk temperatures gave me an appreciation for how important proper gear, training, and pacing is going to be when I take on more challenging ascents. Buggier than I expected – I inhaled at least one gnat while catching my breath. There were a few rock slides over the toll road on the way back down, but nothing serious. Definitely a reminder of the fact that conditions are always changing, though.

All in all a great first experience – one that left me sore and wanting more!