I loved this hike! Truly one of my favorites for the views. Went up around noon on Saturday 7/3 with my partner and dog. I was worried the switchbacks would be monotonous but I actually really liked them. It was hot enough to be in shorts and a tank and still be hot. I didn't find the grade to be that steep but there really were no flat parts – a few sections felt almost flat. I loved the little breeze we got every so often. The scenery was beautiful and we didn't see too many other people on the trail. Only 3 or 4 other dogs. The view from the saddle and the Wally Waldron tree were both incredible, as were the views at the top. There were lots of festive flags at the summit, making this a very appropriate hike for the 4th of July weekend. Coming back down felt long but still lovely. I read some reports of this trail that had it at around 8 mi but my watch logged around 9 mi. I do think that after conquering Baldy a few weeks ago we were perhaps overconfident…I don't know if I paced myself well enough because despite feeling great during the day, I was a zombie back at home that night and was completely wiped out. Would definitely do this hike again – it's one of my favorites I've done!