I had a Friday off and instead of working even more I headed out to tackle Santiago. I was not looking forward to sharing the road with a multitude of vehicles as I hiked, but I really wanted to hit the high peak of OC. I had no trouble getting to the trailhead in my 4 Runner. It was chilly but after the first hour I shed my outer layer and was comfortable the rest of the way. Being a Friday seemed to pay off as I only ran into a few trucks and motorcycles on my way up and down and no other hikers at any time. It was an easy hike with no significant steep sections. Coming down I headed down the back way until the first turn and took the path across the canyon to join up with the main road I had taken on my way up. This was a really pleasant way to go and a nice break from walking on the road. It was surprising to see the remnants of a bronco along the trail. All in all a nice hike.