We planned to start our hike at 6a at Chantry Flats, but took our time getting ready and arrived at 6:20a. The lot was completely full, though it was fairly easy to park along the road leading to the lot. I'd recommend getting there early to make sure you don't park halfway down the mountain or, better yet, arrive early enough to park in the lot itself.

The weather was in the high 60s/low 70s (was in the low 80s at the base of the mountain by midday) and most of the hike was shaded by trees. I wore a t-shirt and shorts (there is quite a bit of poison oak on the trail, so you either need to go with shorts and a cold shower or long pants) and brought 2L of water along with lunch and some snacks (this ended up being perfect for me, though others may differ). There is also a cafe and water station at the top for those that like to travel lighter. The trail also passes through some backpacker camps with water and bathrooms as well.

Initially starting the hike, I had one friend with me, but we ended up tagging along with the Tough Women Only (+ 1 man) group who were hiking as part of a Facebook meet up. These women were so much fun to hike with and were great guides and motivators. The trail itself was not particularly strenuous for someone who does day hikes regularly, though the trail is pretty easy to adapt to depending on your style of hiking (lots of shade for taking breaks, but easy to power through if you like to move quickly). Hiking in a group with different skill levels took ~8 hrs to complete the loop, but the time could definitely be trimmed down with experience/training.