Fortunately not much traffic driving back into the Bay Area on a weekend night (although sometimes there are backups due to nighttime road work).
I realize that long(ish) drives are not everyone's cup of tea, but if you go with a hiking partner then it's not so bad since you can take turns driving. Besides, I love to hike in the Sierras even if it weren't just a "practice" hike, so it's way worth it to me.
