Lone peak via Jacobs Ladder is one of the most rewarding hikes I’ve ever done, with amazing views of the peak almost the whole way and a great experience up in the cirque. The views from the peak are unmatched. That being said, this is probably the hardest hike I’ve ever done. I am an averagely experienced hiker, and I would definitely recommend doing lots of shorter hikes/leg workouts before attempting this trail. Make sure you start at the Peak View Trailhead, this trail will take you to Lone Rock and then to Jacob’s Ladder (there are other routes to access the peak, like the cherry canyon logging trail, these instruction only apply to those who want to go up the Jacob’s Ladder route. AllTrails has outdated info on this trailhead, which is why I go into detail). Once you pass Lone Rock (about 2 miles past trailhead), you begin to climb the “ladder”. This section of trail is essentially a straight up climb of the mountain for 2 miles. It is brutal going up, and harder going down due to loose rock and dirt. After passing Enniss Peak, there is about .5 miles of flat trail where you go through a beautiful meadow. There are a lot of great campsites up here. After you pass the meadow, the trail mostly consists of following cairns until the peak. Once you get into the Cirque, head to the left side following the cairns and you have to scramble your way to the top. The last 1.5 miles to the peak are very challenging as well, just take your time and be safe close to the edges. The peak is not as scary to sit on as you would think, there were 7 of us up there at once and no one was in danger of falling. Just be smart and stay away from the edges as there are 600 ft cliffs on 3 sides. I started at around 4:45 a.m. and got back to the trailhead at around 3:15 p.m. so definitely plan around 10-12 hours for this hike. There is not a lot of tree cover on the majority of this hike, so I would HIGHLY recommend starting early to avoid the afternoon heat/sun on your way back down.