Early mornings or winter days are the best times, but the trail is open year round. Time this hike during cooler temperatures and come prepared for quite the workout. Proceed carefully and take breaks often, because heat and fatigue can cause slips and injuries, and watch closely for trail markers because the path can be tricky to follow near the top. In one place there is another handrail but in others you have only the stones to use for holds. Above there, the ascent continues a bit less steeply but remains just as rocky. You may have to use your hands on the rock section, but a sturdy handrail is in place to help. A staircase of railroad ties is followed by a more natural but even steeper ramp of sandy rock. The trail threads between vertical rock on one side and a fence on the other that protects desert vegetation. This section can be slow going because it is steep and narrow. The climbing begins almost right away as Echo Canyon Trail cuts beneath an overhanging cliff face of the mountain.

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