Mailbox Peak — Monday, Aug. 5, 2019

I love hiking on weekdays. I arrived at the trailhead at 7:00 and there were only a few cars there. The trail was easy to find and in really nice condition. I selected the new, longer trail because I thought it was right for my fitness level. I allowed all day, but it took me 4 hours to get to the mailbox. At the junction where the old trail meets the new trail, I met a gentleman named Frank. We had two opprotunities to chat on the trail and I thought, if you'd be interested in a hiking partner, you should give me a shout. Assuming you see this :) There were wildflowers near the top and it was really pretty. And the views spectacular all the way around! The bugs swarming the mailbox were a nuisance, but they didn't stop me from checking the mail and snapping a few shots. I hiked with some really fun people along the way and hung out with a few more at the top. Not crowded, just a nice little group this Monday afternoon. I started heading down at 12:30 when the sun was bearing down on the trail. I also went down the new trail, which took me about 2.5 hours. I'm really glad I brought hiking poles because they really helped me navigate some critical areas near the top. During these warm summer days, make sure you bring plenty of water.