Mailbox Peak - Old Trail, Mailbox Peak — Saturday, Mar. 11, 2023

tl;dr: snow starts around 2000ft elevation, both trails well packed and easy to follow, conditions at talus field and above are hard packed/chalky but doable with microspikes

Old Trail (up):

I got a real late start today at 2:47pm from the lower trailhead, and did the tried and true old trail up, new trail down. The old trail is in relatively good condition with no blowdowns, and the only obstacle being snow which starts around 2000ft. I put on microspikes around 2200ft, and made quick progress up to the junction with the new trail.

Summit Push:

The talus field had paths going up both the summer and winter trails. The summer trail (right) is well packed snow, while the winter trail (left) is a bit of a mix of packed snow and less compacted snow. I recommend going up the well defined boot path following the summer trail, just be mindful that there is major posthole potential if you stray far from the path. Following the talus field, the route is a straight shot up towards the summit. Several ill-defined boot paths meander up through the soft snow, which are made more difficult to follow by the scattered glissade tracks people used to get down. Once at the summit, the mailbox was just visible; it looks like someone decided to dig it out either today or late yesterday.

Summit Descent:

The descent from the summit was the only time I thought it may have been beneficial to have crampons, but microspikes felt secure enough. At the talus field, I descended via the winter route, and glissaded down about half way, using my poles to slow the descent. 

New Trail (down):

The new trail was in good condition with a well defined boot path the entire way. If you've done this before you probably know that it feels about 1-2 miles too long, but if you are able to jog down, it is likely quicker (and probably safer) than scrambling down the old trail. There were 3 trees on the trail, with 2 easily stepped over and 1 easy to go under. Snow started tapering off around 2100ft, which is where I removed my microspikes. On the final switchback about half a mile from the upper parking lot, two deer leapt away from the trail. That definitely got my heart going even more so! I managed to get back to the car just before I needed to whip out my headlamp.

Overall, a great late day hike on Mailbox. I was surprised by the number of people ascending so late in the day, with several groups likely still pretty high up the mountain as I got to the parking lot around 6:20pm. There are more risks associated with doing an alpine hike late in the day in the Winter, but if you are well-equipped and well-prepared, it can be a good way to thin out the crowds! I definitely recommend descending via the new trail if there is any chance of it being dark, though, and for sure bring a light source.

PS: shoutout to Nick and Mel the purple cat, hope you made it to the summit!

Gear:

• Microspikes (essential)
• Poles
• Raincoat (didn't use)
• Insulating jacket
• Waterproof boots
• Lightweight gaiters
• Ski Goggles
• Gloves
• Headlamp
• Flashlight
• First aid kit
• Food/water

Trip Time:

By no means use this as an estimation for how long this hike will take! Most people will take at least 5 hours.

• Start: 2:47pm
• Summit: 4:50pm
• Summit Stop: 5min
• End: 6:21pm
• Total Ascent: 2 hours 3 min (includes stops)
• Total Descent: 1 hour 26 min