Incredible Hike!

Comments: What an exhilarating hike! We hiked up on a warm mid-80s(at bottom) Friday, August 12th. Left base at ~10:30am and was perspiring most of the way up. Boy is this trail steep. Steeper than the Basin hikes at Big Bend. ~3 hrs up, and ~ 2 hrs down. Stopped close to the campground on the way up and had a wonderful picnic lunch at an area of incredible scenery. Was a bit cooler up here, but still warm enough to take off my shirt and let it dry. There were thunderclouds around us in the Guadalupe area, and even had a thunder scare up towards the peak, but no way were we going to go back down now. Thankfully the thunderstorm proceded northeast away from the peak after developing across the canyon in the bowl area. The ladybugs up at the top were incredible and so dense on the bushes. Had a nice rest at the top and took plenty of pictures. We did have a brief sprinkle on the way back down when we were within sight of the parking area. We were thankful to have ponchos with us. We would love to go back out there next year and try the bowl loop hike and maybe McKittrick Canyon.