We planned this hike as part of a weekend trip to Palm Springs where the forecast ended up being for 110! Heading into this hike we were a little concerned about the heat, but it turned out that once we were at the top of the tram the weather was comfortable and amazing. In hindsight, I would recommend booking your tram trip in advance to ensure availability, but we got lucky that there was still space available on the first couple of trips up the mounting in the morning. The tram-ride itself was spectacular, both in terms of the views and the engineering marvel of the tram itself. For anyone visiting Palm Springs, I recommend the tram ride even if you don't plan to do any hiking. The top of the tram gives you respite from the summer heat, you can grab a bite or a drink, and capture some epic pictures.

We didn't find the hike to the peak to be very difficult, with only one small stretch with any challenging climb and the scramble at the top was a nice change compared to other hikes. That said, the hike itself was spectacular. Walking through the forest gave a real impression of being far away from city life and the ability to enjoy the peacefulness of nature. This was complemented with some amazing views at a couple of outlooks, our favourite about half way up looking over the forest hills in the rest of the mountain range that rivaled the view from the peak. At the peak we enjoyed a peaceful lunch overlooking the rest of the mountains and were able to capture some fun photos (attached). Another nice bonus, once we got back down from the peak, we were able to enjoy a couple of cold beverages before heading down into the Palm Spring heat.

Overall, this has been our favourite hike we have completed as part of the challenge this year. We would happily head back in the future to explore the many other trails that exist in the surrounding area.