Beautiful cool day with temps in the 40s, perfect for hiking with a light breeze and sunny skies. A storm was predicted by mid to late afternoon so others cancelled. Perfect lightly traveled trail with about 500′ gain in each of the first 2 miles, then less gain after that. 8.3 miles to the summit where I met up with another group of hikers that took a shorter route to Mt Pinos but they also went on to bag Sawmill and Grouse Mountains as well. Several mountain bikers were on the trail but they were very courteous and friendly. It was a great day with the perfect mix of alone time in nature and socializing with fellow explorers. I plan to go back to camp at one of the campgrounds along the way, that allow dogs and campfires, and explore Sawmill and Grouse Mountains.