A steady, relentless 3000 ft climb over 3.6 mi to the summit. The trail is mostly forested until you make the ridge, about 100 ft (elevation) of the summit, then you get spectacular views of Rainier, Adams, St Helens, and the Goat Rocks. The summit is exposed with a few nearby trees. It also is a repeater site for the USFS. When I was there, it was HOT and really no where to get out of the sun.
Access is south on FR20 (well signed) from SR12 which is several miles south of Packwood. There are a few pot holes but easily navigable by a street clearance vehicle. There is room for at least 6 cars at a wide-spot for the trailhead, also well signed. The first mile of trail is negotiating some blowdown but easy to crawl-over, under, or around. In early summer there are a few streams but in September they were dry. The trail is good, and aside from the blowdown, easily hiked.
I had to pick a non-optimal location to set up my antennas, mostly to get out of the sun/heat. With more favorable weather, there is a large flat area that would be ideal for setting up HF antennas. I had no 2m activity nor was there any interference from the repeaters.
Here's my Garmin Connect track: https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/9543549377