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']

The road leading to the beginning of the trail is temporarily full of trees that are being logged on Department of Natural Resources managed land. The agency confirmed that access to the trail is still open and that the logging will not encroach on the trail itself. The trees should be removed in the next week or so and allow easy access to the trail. The timber sale, by the way, is on the lowest slopes of Mailbox and covers only about 35 acres. DNR has been helpful in making sure that access to the trail is preserved.

DISASTER AT MAILBOX! Loggers have cut down several dozen trees above the road which leads to the trailhead. The trees fell across the road and still have all of their branches on them, turning the road into an impassable bushwack. It might be possible, if one is especially skilled, to get past this mess but Mailbox is hard enough without this added obstacle at the beginning and end. This clearing undoubtedly has been done within the last few days since the fir on the trees is still fresh. Maybe they will clear it out in the next couple of days and we'll only have a barren hillside to look at on our way to and from the peak, but for now, one should have an alternative hike in mind if the mail can't be delivered.

Two brand new tooth brushes at the start of trail. Bugs were very hungry. No one else on trail. Views from the top were great. We watched the sunset, then hiked down in the dark. When we were driving out(about 300 yards past the church camp) a very large cougar jumped onto the road. I think he was headed toward the homes by the river for a midnight pet snack.