Trail generally is in good condition. Wet on the the approach. Lots of snow on top. Crampons not needed, but ice axe recommended. As always, brutal, but worth the workout. The toothbrush was not seen. I'll plant a new one next time I'm out there.

I had to try out all my new x-mas gear and what better place than Mailbox. New backpack, poles, and a rain jacket. I didn't need the rain jacket, just sunglasses. It was very windy at the start. At 1500' the wind just stoped. It got realy warm. It got warmer all the way to the top. There was some snow near the top but hardly worth mentioning. It was awsome to see the rest of Puget Sound fogged in but the mountians were clear.

Overall, the trail is in excellent shape. A little muddy here, some water there, but nothing to complain about. The trail around the rockslide has been clearly stamped out in the snow by boots. Snow starts shortly before you break out of the trees, and there's 2-3 feet of snow on the summit. (The toothbrush is gone.)

The trail is in very good shape. The new trail register and mailbox are also in great shape and quite enjoyable. How about ""The Lorax"" for the next register' Too cliche' See the October 3rd review by Korth for perfect directions to find the trailhead if it's your first time. They worked for me. The logging appears to be over, at least for now, and the access roads one walks to the trailhead are clear. [Online editor's note: I have a copy of the Lorax that I'm planningon taking up there in the next week or two.]

Gorgeous Indian summer weather but we were too lazy to drive very far, so we thought we would try the hike to Mailbox which I read about on this website. To the best of my knowledge, it is not described in any of the hiking books. A FEW CORRECTIONS TO PREVIOUS DESCRIPTIONS IN OTHER REPORTS: The parking is on the left immediately where the pavement turns to gravel on the Middle Fork Rd. The gated logging road access to the trailhead is across the way, although the gate is now unsigned and un-numbered and painted white, not yellow. Recent activity in the area has changed things a bit -- looks like a big development or logging project is underway. Hike up the road a ways, passing two spur roads on the left, including a big new one. A bit further on the left is the trailhead, just before a stream. It is unmarked, no sign, but well-travelled. The trail itself was as advertised -- that is to say, after a brief pleasant meander through the woods it starts up and keeps goin up, straight up, up and up, forever. Our calves and achilles were screaming in agony. After finally breaking out of the woods nearing the top and working still up through grasses, we opted left at the boulder field and found a neat little trail up through trees on the edge. Onto the ridge and on up, to find a brand new mailbox and Green Eggs and Ham book on top! Nice job whoever lugged that solid post up there. Good views of Baker, Glacier, Rainier, and the Middle Fork valley. A bit of Indian paintbrush still blooming, otherwise, most of the color was from all the pink surveyors tape along the route. Looks like this area will be logged soon, so if you havent hiked this trail yet, you might want to try it before its too late. 2.5 hr up, 1.45 down. [Online editor note: My understanding is that the logging near the trailhead is over for now. Does anybody know any different']