What a fun and challenging hike! I started at 7:20 a.m. when the temperature was low 60s and the wind was blowing pretty good. The beginning of this hike is a gradual climb. Take advantage! You will miss this when you're nearing the summit.

When I got to a point where you could either turn left or right, I got a bit lost. All you see is a huge incline to your right. I knew that couldn't be the trail, so I opted to go to the left. It was another steep climb, but much more doable. When I got to the top, I could tell something wasn't right. I trusted my instincts and turned around.

I did a little more searching and found the trail which is partially hidden. When you get to the fork, turn right toward the crazy incline, but then look to your left and you'll see the trail tucked away. Then you are walking on a ridge for a good while. If you're afraid of heights, beware of looking over the edge! Enjoy this relatively flat part of the hike.

Finally, you will see a sign for Strawberry Peak. This is where you're going to climb for around 2 miles. It's tough! Not only are you rock scrambling at some points, but there are I think 3 false peaks before you get to the true top. It's quite the mental challenge. The winds were also blowing like crazy, which put me a little off balance. I was so happy and relieved when I got to the top!

I met 2 fellow challengers at the summit who were kind enough to take my picture. It was nice to chat for a bit. After snacking and rehydration, I made my way back down. It was so much easier and faster. I was back at the bottom by 12pm and the weather was warmer. Glad I picked an early morning Monday to do this one.