10.2 mi, 4,122 ft gain, 5:15, Fasted, 1 ATH (Lytes)
🪜 Stairs Equivalent
~388 flights ~6,596 steps StairMaster Time: ◦ ~115 min @ Level 6 ◦ ~75 min @ Level 10 ◦ ~55 min @ Level 12 🏙️ Motivational: “You just climbed the Burj Khalifa staircase again — and it felt lighter. Second time hits different.”
Hike Summary & Reflections
Kept test controlled: 1 electrolyte pack (ATH Lytes) pre-hike with coffee, 1 pack mixed for sipping on trail. Water intake = 2 liters (same as LMNT test).
Around 0.75 mi from Register Ridge junction, felt less focused and driven than with LMNT.
Final push to summit: energy noticeably lower vs LMNT week.
At summit, had to finish full ATH mix for strength to descend (contrast: with LMNT, still had half left).
Devil’s Backbone: body digging deeper, red-zone earlier than usual.
Summit rebound effect: ~1 hr after finishing full mix, energy restored, no longer dipping into reserves.
From Baldy Notch to trailhead: felt fine, steady, but total time ended 15 min slower.
Weather conditions same as last week, slightly cooler, after the rain day before
Wild Moments on the Trail
Bright sprays of California Goldenbush (Ericameria pinifolia) lined Devil’s Backbone, splashing gold against the granite — a reminder of resilience at altitude.
Summit views: sea of clouds rolling in below, contrast of Mojave Desert vs Inland Empire.
Crossed paths with multiple hikers wearing Salomon and Nathan packs — trail culture alive at 10,000 ft.
Saw someone with the new Hoka Mafate 5. Might try and review that in the future.
Why This Hike Mattered
This hike doubled as a controlled electrolyte test. ATH Lytes worked well for conditioning hikes but underperformed vs LMNT at TG-level summits. It revealed:
