There was a lone biker at the top when I got there, who disappeared in a flash down the west Jeep road. They must have been flying.
It was a great sensation of being up here in the wind, nearly in the dark, but with light from the moon and setting sun. Everything looks so different, I just wanted to stand up there and enjoy the city lights. I did a very casual pace back down so as not to wreck myself on the rocks (see below).
Treachery:
Near the bottom, I spotted a shiny spot in the middle of the trail. I thought it was a raccoon at first, or a piece of reflective gear, and as I approached it hovered up into the air, a blur of pale beige, the glowing "eye" fixed on me, whirring away into the night like a helicopter. It was a bird, but it flew in an odd hummingbird-like way. Freaky.
Distance was 3.64 miles, time 1:13 (moving 47:53), elevation gain/loss 943 feet, avg. pace 20:16 (moving 13:10), and best pace 8:02.
