The hike was absolutely beautiful and it lived up to the challenge mentioned by most reviews. Two friends and I arrived at 6:10 am and the parking lot was already filling up. The first few miles were crowded with other folks who were hiking and a couple of trail runners passed us on their way down the mountain. My legs were burning and it turned into a mental game as the switch backs never seemed to end. Once we could see above the trees it made everything worth it. The trail was easy to follow and there was a bit of snow/ice at the top. It was very cold in the shade, but the rays of sun helped with the chill factor. We completed the hike in 6 hours and look forward to the next one!