What a hike! The drive to the trailhead was further than expected due to the road closures but my friends and I got there a little before 7 and there was still plenty of parking left. It was full when we finished our hike around 11.30 so get there early to avoid the crowd and make sure you bring your pass!

The hike started with an incline right away, though tiring but it was a great warm-up. At about the 1-mile mark you’ll see a bench overlooking the mountains. I think it would be a really great spot to watch the sunset or sunrise. Anyways, be prepared. The next ~3 miles are all inclines. There were barely any flat areas and there were a lot of switchbacks. Also, there were quite a few fallen trees that we had to go over or under throughout the hike but it’s nothing too challenging.

As we get closer to the top there were more snow patches that made us had to do detours and go off the trail but again it was doable just go slow. At some point, we almost missed a sharp turn to continue the hike up. Luckily, there were other groups who came back from a dead-end and informed us. The last bit of the trail to the peak reminded my friends of the devil’s backbone trail, I've never been but it was a great view. The view from the top was breathtaking and you can see Mt.Baldy right across. It got really windy up there so we didn’t stay too long.

Overall, though the hike up was tiring but the hike down was a lot easier. I didn't have poles but I think it might be helpful if you do. I believe the hike was more mentally challenging as you know you can do it but your mind would be like “I’m tired”. In spite of that, I would say it was one of my favorite hikes so far! There’s also a less challenging but longer trail to reach the peak so if you would like less elevation gain, you can check that out. One last thing, right before you reach the peak, you’ll pass by a tree that people were saying it was at least 1500 years old!