Finally made it up Granite Creek to explore potential traverse from Mount Defiance to Mailbox peak. This is near the prominent switchbacks seen while heading up toward Snoqualmie Pass. Due to the distance we biked up the Granite Creek road to the vicinity of Granite Lakes. The unmarked road is the first gated road up stream of the Mailbox Peak trailhead. The road is in quite good condition with only shallow trenches as far as the Thompson lake trailhead about 6 mi. The branch heading over toward the west side of the ridge connecting Mailbox and Dirty Harry’s Peaks has been trenched and “put to bed”. This includes 2-meter trenches across the road at 10 to 30 meter intervals when on the flats. We dropped the bikes and started walking. Higher up the brow has been cut away and piled up on the uphill slope creating a slope where the road was. There is an approximation of a path created by tree planters that makes the road an acceptable trail. Good views of Granite lakes and the surrounding ridges. The tree planters left planters, shovels, aprons, bottles, and several bags of seedlings along the road remnant. At the last switchback a spur goes around a buttress and heads for Mailbox Peak but ends 600 vertical feet short. There is no path but a cross-country route through the brush appears feasible. Two years ago there was a path. Continuing east the road ends at 4200’ in .33 mi. You may easily scramble to the ridge from here. If you continue along the ridge you may traverse to just under the summit of Dirty Harry’s Peak, Unfortunately, a short cliff prevents easy access. We headed back down retrieved the bikes and made a fast run to the car. This area would make for good hiking especially for solitude lovers. The routes could be cleared by judicious lopper use.

Hit the trail around 11:00 am. Only one in the parking lot on the way up and down. Significant erosion along the first log ladder in the first half mile. Bugs very thick ( mosquitoes and flies ) above 1500'. Turned around at 3700', when one of my canine companions decided she had enough. Frustrated again in my bid for the mailbox!

Great afternoon for a hike up to Mailbox peak--sunny, mid-70s, and we were tired of sitting in our offices. The trail was very easy to find with the combined directions of ""korth"" and ""Weekend Mailman"" below (except we didn't see any sign nailed to a tree at the trailhead). We hit the trail at 4 pm and made it to the top at 7 pm. We thought we were doing pretty well until, on our way down, we were passed by a woman RUNNING UP. Otherwise, we were the only ones on the trail. Made it back down by 9:30 (I think it's even steeper coming down -- good thing there are so many trees to break your fall!) and didn't even need to pull out the headlamps. Good news and bad news. The bad news: The woods right at the trailhead are being logged as we speak. Go now, before it gets worse. The good news: Wildflowers have exploded! Go now, before they're gone.

Headed out 3 hours later than anticipated. What a difference that made in on-trail comfort. Started out from the trailhead around 12:00 with my trusty canine companion. Acheived the rest point before the rock field at 4200' around 2:30. Sat down , enjoyed the views of a very hazy downtown Seattle and an uncluttered Rainier vista. All the while serving as a all you can eat buffet for the mosquitoes. Pushed on the trail up to around 4800' when there was a mutiny in the climbing party, the dog laid down in the middle of the path and refused to go on. Sat on a ledge, enjoyed a snack , and beat a hasty retreat to the trailhead. Ran into a few folks training for Rainier with full packs (Thanks for the extra water!). The ferns are a bit wild near the rock field, covering portions of the trail.

Started early and hit the trailhead at 7.30 AM. Some muddy sections, but mostly dry trail to the top. Great views of Rainier, Baker, Glacier, the Olympics, Seattle, and Tacoma. The mailbox is in fine condition. 2.5 hrs up, 1.5 hrs down. No snow.