Great hike. Had my daughter on my back with a pack weight of about 45 pounds. It was definitely a challenge with the weight, but without I would rare the hike as average difficulty. The hike starts and is a constant grade without much breaks, the middle of the journey has most of the switchbacks which take most of the elevation and the last mile is relatively flat as you traverse to the lake. Had some lunch at the top where there are some logs and flat areas to sit. Lake 22 is a little more picturesque but this lake is far less crowded. I was the only person with a toddler on my back.