I took on the 2nd peak (Mount Diablo) in the Six Pack of Peaks Nor Cal Challenge. Myself and 2 of my work colleagues started out bright and early at 7:30am and it was close to 7 miles to the summit, which took us roughly 3 hours of hiking. The climb to the top was probably (for me at least) the hardest hike I've ever experienced. My frame of reference is Mission Peak in Fremont and it felt 3-4 times tougher. The terrain was tricky with lots of loose/slippy gravel and grades that were close to 20% in stages. Though it was incredibly difficult, the views were stunning and that made it worthwhile. After having some well earned rest & lunch at the summit and snapping some pictures, we mapped out the return trip. Thankfully we avoided having to navigate the complex terrain down (we were all dreading that). We located another wider and more gradual decline back to the parking lot. The total distance was close to 14 miles with around 3900 feet of elevation and the elapsed time was roughly 6 hours with 5 hours of actual hiking time. Looking forward to the next one!