 |
|
A test before the Enchantments
Reviewed By: Dutch on Monday, July 13, 2009 @ 12:13:58 AM
Rating: 



Difficulty: 




Review:
Great views up top, well worth sticking it out. Just set a slow steady pace and it's not that bad. If you've hiked the cable line trail on Tiger Mt., just double the distance and you'll have an idea of what you're in for.
I'm hiking the Enchantments via Colchuck then up and over Aasgard so what better way to test the lungs and leg strength than on Mailbox!?
A lot of people I talk to about Mailbox say they only want to hike it once. Now that I've hiked it I don't know why. It's really not that bad... and I'm a 40-year old slightly overweight tech guy. My hiking partner was in a hurry the day we went up so I didn't get a chance to enjoy the peak, so I'll definitely go back up before the snow hits in the fall. Sure, my legs hurt for a couple of days after this one but, again, for a middle-aged dude that's acceptable.
So, get a good night's sleep, have a healthy breakfast, stretch, put your game face on and hit it. Great views await you.
Sweet hike, stop yo whinin haha
Reviewed By: Vermont Rocks on Thursday, November 20, 2008 @ 01:38:34 PM
Rating: 




Difficulty: 


Review:
Mailbox peak was tough, but my recommendation is just stick with the trail. That rock pile mentioned above is just that... a rock pile, not the trail. Enjoy the hike, yeah it might take some time and gain some elevation, but come prepared, take breaks and enjoy it. The success is in the trying. Peace.
Tough and beautiful.
Reviewed By: Josh H. on Tuesday, July 8, 2008 @ 10:32:17 PM
Rating: 




Difficulty: 




Review:
This is a tough, but rewarding hike, at least if it is done on a clear day. I would imagine that without the views it would be rather thankless. Bring treking sticks. No joke. I don't usually use them, but they were nice here.
Quick walk to the trail head. First few hundred yards easy, past a nice stream. Then its up and up and up. Up is tough, but the trail is very poor quality, so you can't really move that fast. Be careful. I'm a reasonably nibble person in good shape, but I found the decent a bit treacherous, especially the short section in the woods next to the rock slide. Your legs are cold from hanging out on the summit. Lots of slippery roots and rocks hidden in a cake of mud, all at some steep angles. You can be a bit more gung ho in the bottom section.
When the trail opens up at the base of the rock slide, there is a trail to the left that follows its edge, perhaps 50 ft in to the woods. It can be difficult to see, and there were still minor snow fields in some places on July 8th. I ended up going about half way up the rock slide before reconnecting with the trail. The top section to the summit was very beautiful. High mountain prairie, flowers, and amazing views. Like I said, go on a clear day. If you don't this is going to be good for training, and thats about it.
Very hard, pleasing hike. The effort yields a nice reward.
Good early season conditioner
Reviewed By: Jennifer on Sunday, June 22, 2008 @ 09:39:26 PM
Rating: 


Difficulty: 




Review:
This year (2008) it seems mid-June is "early season." In any event, I attempted this with a friend this weekend. We found the part through the woods easier than expected. It is steep, no doubt, but doable. If you can hike Granite Mountain or Mt. Dickerson, you'll have no problem with the forested / ridgeline section of Mailbox Peak. I wouldn't describe it as hazardous and it was very easy to follow the trail, partially because of the reflective trail markings nailed to trees.
We stopped at the large rock pile, near the top. Many people were climbing it, but my legs were shot and the rocks were wet (and slippery) and the snow looked hazardous. Hopefully I'll come back and climb it another day. Because of the last section - the rock pile - I give this hike the most strenuous rating. It was cloudy the day we hiked it, so there were views to speak.
There is still snow covering the majority of hikes, and this one was clear of snow up until the rock pile. It's a good early season hike. In addition, there are no leash laws, so it's a fantastic hike for dogs. There isn't any water after the beginning, so you'll need to bring some for the pooch.
Mailbox Peak For Rehab
Reviewed By: Anonymous on Saturday, June 7, 2008 @ 10:44:07 AM
Rating: 



Difficulty: 



Review:
I hiked Mailbox Peak on May 30, 2008.
First I will say, this hike is very much worth it. When I started at 1200 it was overcast and cool. By the time I reached the top at around 1415 it was a beautiful sunny day with the temperature at the top perfectly cool and crisp. The views were great and the mailbox contents made for an interesting goal.
I did mailbox peak as rehab for a neck injury I recently sustained and had surgery to correct. The hike on the way up delivered just that. Once you start there are no easy stretches more than about ten feet in length. I felt the way down was a tedious decent where I spent more time trying not to fall than enjoying myself or exercising. Although I did find the first (and last) third of the hike (after the warning sign) to be the least difficult, if for no other reason than the trail is well defined here.
The Hike
Treed portion: This portion of the hike you are simply doing your best to follow the trail. There is absolutely nothing worth seeing here. It is all dark forest of varying density. While the trail here is difficult, it does not allow for a fast pace and thus is more of a strength and balance test than cardiovasucular. For this reason you can hike straight through without having to stop to catch your breath.
Upper Clearing: Although the hike does not get any less difficult once you leave the treed portion, I found it to be easier to stomach as I felt as though I was finally getting somewhere. You also face a variety of obsticules here, making things more interesting. First (when I went) you have a choice between climbing snow or a rock slide. On the way up I chose the rock slide as I felt it would be more challenging and a bit safer. Second you find a small winding dirt trail that takes you to the peak. Again pretty straight forward on the way up.
Peak: The peak was unbelievable. As mentioned above, by the time I reached the peak it was perfect weather. It has plenty of area to sit, eat lunch, and read the mail. I left here at 1515.
Down: I found the down portion to be by far the most difficult. Since the sun had been shining on the top, the dirt trail was baked dry and thus was very slippery. On the way down I attempted the snow next to the rock slide I had chosen on the way up. It only took me about five feet to realized I could not stand well enough to feel safe decending. By this time the sun had made the snow very slippery. I retreated back to the rockslide where I again had an easier time. Through the trees, the damp soil that had made traction easy on the way up was slippery under the jarring weight going down. This was made worse by my still recovering neck. I made it down at 1700 ... so five hours total.
Things To Note
I did this hike alone. I would not recommend this as there are many sections that have a high likelyhood of injury.
Wear appropriate gear. Hiking shoes/boots with traction. Water. A phone is a must (since you are over I-90 you should get reception in places)
Go at an appropriate time. The possibility of getting lost in the daylight seems pretty high. Thus nighttime would be nearly impossible.
I was supprised how many other hikers I saw. I did this hike on a Friday and saw around 20 other hikers.
Capital 'B' Route - Beautiful & Brutal
Reviewed By: H2OBoy on Monday, May 26, 2008 @ 11:23:28 AM
Rating: 




Difficulty: 




Review:
Pinchy the Hobbit and I did Mailbox Peak on Sunday May 25th...
We left the trailhead at about 7:00am and made the peak by 11:00. My advice to anyone thinking of doing this route is to read the warning sign at the trailhead and take it seriously! Trailhead altitude: 868ft. Bring lots of water! There is no water available once you've past the small creek!
It is a beautiful and rewarding hike... I'll do it again anytime. Dragging novice hikers, kids, dogs or friends who aren't really into it is pure folly.
This trail starts with a walk up the road to the trailhead. It then moves through a nice forested section. These are by far the easiest stretches on this trail! The trail then begins, almost immediately, to switch back. The switchbacks start between 950 and 1000ft and continue to about 4100ft. We encountered snow at 3600ft, but it was easily
passible all the way to the top. When you come out of the trees and see the moraine you'll want to stay to the left. This moraine is extremely treacherous and unstable... head back to the left and ascend around the moraine. Once you've topped this section a small, winding, steep traip moves up the ledge to the mailbox.
The views you'll get from the top are worth the punishment you'll endure to see them.
This trail is NO JOKE... it is steep and tight enough that my GPS had us stopped for longer than it had us moving... we never stopped on the trail.
If you go, have fun, a positive attitude is a must on this hike! Some pictures can be found at www.flickr.com/H2OBoy007.
Write a Hike Review of MailBox Peak, Mt. Baker National Forest-Snoqualmie