I actually tried for this one the day before, but the wind and cold were a little too much for the layers I brought, so I had to turn around at mile 3. Came back the next day feeling much more optimistic and dressed more appropriately for the chilly weather.
Started off going pretty easy for the first few miles to warm up. By mile 4 I was warm and ready to party! I felt energetic and really good, so I decided to push a little harder. I hit the summit in just under 3 hours and wondered if I could descend in half the time. I think I spent a grand total of about 15 seconds up there (the one other hiker up there looked at me like I was crazy as I arrived, took three photos, then immediately turned around.)
I felt pretty phenomenal on the way down. I love techy downhills and there are some sections of this trail that are steep and rocky. With about a half mile to go, I hit some loose rocks and rolled my left ankle. I felt a pop and some tingling in my left foot, took a few limping steps (luckily I didn't fall), and then continued to jog out the rest of the route. I still finished in under my goal time, so I was pretty happy!
Special thanks to the Mt. Shasta Trail Association for doing a bunch of recent work on this trail and keeping the trails around Mount Shasta in tip-top shape.
The Hoka One One Evo Mafate 2 shoes were great on this route! Nutrition was strictly Tailwind.