We went up as a party of two (see other trip report). The trailhead was already pretty full with cars by 6:30am when we arrived, by the time we got back around midday, there must have been some ~70 cars parked along the very narrow road back from the trailhead. This hike is far more popular than it should be given its difficulty. The parking situation is one reason why you want to start very early into the morning at the trailhead.
The road itself is very narrow, there is not much space for two cars to pass each other. The road condition is fine. We made it in a Mustang. No need for a Jeep for this one.
There is no more snow on the trail all the way to the peak of Vesper. No need for spikes, ice axes and so on. Hiking poles are a great idea though given how steep the trail gets. There is loose earth, rocks and scree. The last bit climbing up to the peak is on steep rock slab. You want appropriate footwear.
There are multiple opportunities to filter water, it's worth packing a water filter on this hike.
The wildflowers are still beautiful. Headlee pass is covered by yellow flowers at the moment.
There is a lot of sun exposure on this hike and midday the heat can be brutal as you climb Headlee Pass. We started at the trailhead at 6:30am in the morning and with a steep pace and no dillydallying, we made it to the peak and back to the trailhead in six hours. Another reason to start early is to avoid the midday heat.
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