What is the trail like?
Between the Trailhead and Mirror Lake it is fairly easy. The trail is dirt and the climbs are relatively easy. However, the trail gets much harder as you enter granite country, steeper climbs, lots of steps and you are starting to feel the effects of being over 11,000′. The trail work done in 1999 and 2000 is starting to be undone by the annual freeze/thaw cycle and rock fall. This is most notable from Trail Camp to the summit. We there was a noticeable change between 2004 and our last trip in 2009. The going was slower along the westside and the 97 Switchbacks.