We decided to take the long way up Mt. Pinos, which was great for practicing distance and endurance, and miserable for the lack of views and flat trail. While it was fun to walk through campsites and smell everyone cooking breakfast, this hike felt arduous in its entirety. We did have beautiful views from the summit and enjoyed a snack by a giant radio tower. Sadly, the summit sign has been destroyed and there weren't any California Condors to admire. If you'd like a quick trip to the top, I would definitely suggest driving to the highest trail and making this a four-mile hike instead of an eighteen-mile hike. Thankfully, there were beautiful wildflowers to look at, and there was some intermittent shade throughout the trail.