The weather for this hike was fantastic. Although I got a late start, it actually turned out very well. Due to the low sun angle in November, I was in the shade early on in the hike, not emerging back into sunshine until I reached the saddle and began descending the west facing side of the mountain. I consumed about 1.5-2.0 liters of water. I worked definitely carry more in the hotter months. The initial climb to the saddle is strenuous, but I wouldn’t consider it “Difficult”, however from there to the summit, it fits that description. The downhill portion from the saddle is very steep and somewhat slippery in places. The cables are very helpful, perhaps necessary. Going back up on the return was much less difficult in my opinion. Overall this is a challenging hike and the views are worth the effort.