We hiked this trail on an overcast Friday afternoon. Hikers should be aware that this trail goes directly uphill most of the way. Needless to say we were thankful for the overcast weather. There have been stairs added to the trail, which saved us a lot of extra effort, but does give the affect of using a stair master for 3 miles. The trail itself is in pretty good condition, with only a few areas that are either still covered in snow, or needs somebody to clear the gravel/rocks out of the way.
The last saddle is the best part! It first begins with switchbacks, and the last stretch to the top of the mountain, the trail all but disappears, leaving hikers to find their own way up, as well as climb rocks. Only on your way down will you be able to see the orange dots, so elegantly placed with spray paint, to guide you. We should mention that this last part is not for the feint of heart or those who do not like heights (we ran into a group from Chicago that had to stop at this point because "it was too dangerous." Sam would like to interject that they didn't even know that the Blackhawks had won the Stanley Cup, so really, what could that say about their character ).
Though this hike is a pretty intense one, the final view makes it very worth it. There are epic sceneries all 360ยบ, including a very epic view of the entire city of Anchorage.
We started in the afternoon, and in total it took us just under 3 hours. We were lucky that Sam had a camelback, because it was small enough that it didn't add too much weight, but it has enough room to carry our lunches, plus a camera, water bottle and his cell phone. Though the hike was tough, we really enjoyed the challenge as well as the great view at the top.
We give this hike **** stars- for difficulty, as well as great views at the end.
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