We hiked on a Sunday morning with light showers forecasted. Started at 7:30 AM from the Mt. Wilson trailhead and packed snacks and 2.5 L of water each.  You can get away with less and refill at the top. Highly recommend starting earlier since the first few miles have no coverage and expect the hike back to be hot at the end.  The ascend was challenging, but the foliage and shade were great! Views were also beautiful and it was awesome seeing how the foliage changed with elevation. There was an initial service road but there’s so many large rocks that it’s obvious it isn’t being used. The second service road is clear and in use. DO NOT get on the actual service road. We did that by mistake therefore adding an extra mile to our ascension .  We were both tired and ready for a break by the time we reached the summit. There was plenty of shade and table available for having lunch and the temperature was nice.  The hike down was great until the no coverage section. Was very hot by that time (around 2).  Overall the descent kicked my butt more than the ascent. Fitness wise, I’m just getting back into my routine and able to do 5 miles running no problem. 14 miles of pure elevation was a butt kicker and my legs were sore for a couple days after.