It was a beautiful day for this mega hike. More than 4,000 feet of elevation gain and close to 5,000 in accumulated elevation in 18 miles. On my last trip there in October 2004 it was very windy at the peak. Not so on this hike. Cool air, sunny skies and very light breeze made for perfect hiking conditions. Sun_Hiker and I did this in 10 hours (she a little faster than me) with some breaks along the way and lunch at the base of the peak. Highly recommended for fit hikers.