I was dreading Mt. Diablo as I heard it had little shade and watching the temps over time, I knew it would also be hot. We started our Out & Back hike at 8am and was pleasantly surprised at the amount of shade. I was appreciative that the autumn sun is less intense than the summer sun. The altitude gain was tough; but thinking back over the last 4 of the 6 peaks my friends and I have hiked I realized how much stronger I have become and how much my endurance has increased. I felt quite pleased and proud of how far I've come in my hiking journey. Mt. Diablo had a lovely breeze at the top. We sat and enjoyed a lunch before our return journey.