Departure: 6:50 am

Weather: Sunny, Clear, Mid 40-50s

Time to Summit: 2 hours 28 minutes

Time to Descend: 57 minutes

Total Time: 3 hours 25 minutes 13 seconds

As I like to do, I arrived at the trailhead right around sunrise and began my warm-up/stretching routine. As I was getting the last of my gear situated another hiker showed up and I asked if he'd ever done this hike as I had not previously. My biggest question to him was whether or not he felt carrying an ice axe was necessary. He told me he'd done the hike a month prior with complete snow/ice coverage and managed just fine with only MicroSpikes and poles; which is what he had with him on this morning. So, I decided I would follow his lead and take only my MicroSpikes and poles.

I started up the trail in shorts and my Nike Juniper trail runners with no poles and that worked-out well for all of 3/4 of a mile. At 3/4 of a mile there was already large patches of snow/ice covering the trail and I stopped to put on my MicroSpikes and grabbed my poles. The switchbacks were mostly visible with minor obstructions from fallen trees for the first two miles or so; after that it was just snow and most of the trail wasn't visible. I used my Gaia GPS to stay on track as much as possible. When my Apple watch indicated I was at 3.7 miles, I had started to get cold and could feel my trail runners taking on moisture from stepping through a lot of snow and postholing in places others hadn't traveled in prior weeks. So I stopped, leaned against a tree, and changed into my winter boots and added a pair of snowboarding pants on top of my shorts. With the addition of the warmer clothing articles and the fact that the trail was nowhere to be seen, I stopped following my GPS, turned my body towards the summit and started marching straight up the North Face.

Upon coming out of the treeline and approaching the saddle the snow disappeared for a bit but there was another bit of solid coverage between the saddle and the summit. Once on the summit I snapped my pictures, took in the views of the high-desert and other more southern peaks, and swallowed some calories to fuel my descent.

I had read a hike log on the All-Trails website from a few days prior and heard there was much opportunity to do some glissading down. Sure enough there was. I strapped on my helmet (SAFETY FIRST), plopped on my booty and started a controlled slip-n-slide down covering nearly a half-mile in a fraction of the time it climbing up. Once the fun part was over it was back to straight hiking except in 4 places where I wandered heavily off trail to retrieve some trash lesser people had sadly left behind.

About half-way down I encountered some folks on the way down asking if there was a lot of snow ahead to which I replied, yes. I gave their group a quick once over and seeing no hiking poles, no foot traction devices, shorts and cotton sweatshirts, and only a single water bottle per person, I strongly advised them not to continue: thankfully they took my advice and turned back. A short bit of jogging down the trail from there and I was back at the trailhead feeling exhilarated and giddy but sad at the same time. Like a kid having to come inside when the street lights come on, I wish I had more time: I would've happily gone back up and to slide down again… next year!!!

As of 4/11/21 there is an absolute need for winter gear. You need waterproof footwear and clothing. Crampons and an ice axe won't be necessary, but MicroSpikes and poles are still a MUST unless you like to risk your life unnecessarily.