This was my first solo hike, as well as my first overnight hike and hike over 10 miles roundtrip and due to my work schedule, I got to the trailhead at 19:50 Friday and nobody had been on the trail for at least a few days. You are alone.
Drive has potholes aplenty, be careful (one was 2 feet deep, marked with several branches sticking out of it).
The first 3.5 miles are quite punishing, almost like a staircase at points, something I was equipped for, but was out of shape. I stopped to eat around 22:30 and got back on the trail about 23:15. After hiking up the trail about 20 yards, I found a mountain lion hiding under a log, probably waiting for me to finish eating and leave to see if I'd leave anything behind. I fell back screaming in the dark and fired one shot into the sky, scared out of my wits. It ran off. I got back on the trail and hiked another mile. Hiking in the dark is hard on this trail, as it is as narrow as 12 inches in places and the grade in many parts has to be around 90 to 100 on the fall off next to you. Spookier still in the dark, your steps in front of you are uncertain and the ones behind you seem to disappear. You are alone.
I collapsed to sleep at around 01:00.
It was supposed to be a rolling thunderstorm into the evening and break around 11:00 Saturday, but it was clear the whole time. In my tent, I was freezing. I forgot to pack a pad to sleep on, so the ground sapped my body heat for the three hours I slept. I woke up at 04:30 and started hiking again.
I came to a split in the trail around the 4.5 mile marker. I did not pay attention to the map at the trailhead and there were no signs, so I didn't know which way to go. I went right and flat. I packed in 2 quart canteens full of water and ran out around 5:45. There's a couple creeks and streams on this second path (I later found out was Camp Lake trail) that you can refill at. Beautiful view at this point onward, since you're no longer hiking switchback after switchback up the mountain, but rather up upon the ridge. The clouds expand for what feels like eternity. You are alone.
After hiking around 3 miles past the turn, I realized I hiked all the way around to the south side of Round Lake and was heading towards Camp Lake trail. It was 07:28. I turned around and went back to the split, heading up 50 yards of incline to find Round Lake. Beautiful view of a lake viewed by only a handful of people in this vast state and fewer abroad.
Hiked back with no problem, enjoyed my last meal at the car at the trailhead, passing three separate groups of hikers on the way. Its isolated enough nobody broke into my car. Nice stuff. I do not recommend taking pictures. They don't capture the beauty of this place.
10/10 will come back.
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