Conditions started as nice snow, and ended in slush on the way down. But it was at the top that the big problem happened. We got caught in an avalanche at about the 4500' level. Three of us were buried enough that we were unable to extract ourselves. Luckily, our fourth extracted me, and my shovel was used to get the one guy buried 3' under. He was under long enough to pass out. It was NOT a good day, and a real eye opener. I've put a more extensive report on a website. If I messed the previous sentence, look on http://www.eskimo.com/~sfox/SJF/h1998.htm. Well, hope everyone has a Merry Christmas. Anyone want my copy of ""Winter Climbs, One Day Ascents, Western Cascades, Canadian Border to Snoqualmie Pass"", by Dallas Kloke'! I'm thinking of taking up knitting or harmonica or something.

Well it looked like too nice of a day to pass up and so I thought I would try a quick walk up Mailbox. Having heard about Bill's ""Green eggs and Ham"" I wanted to see it before the winter snow's covered the mailbox. Yes it is as steep as the reports say and though the toothbrush is still there it is now joined by a sign placed high in a tree. Up, up, up and in a little less than three hours my tired legs carried me to the top. My pb+j sandwich was a pleasent repast as I enjoyed the cloudless view in peace and aloneness while conducting the required readings. Also now Jim Morrisons ""Wilderness"" I saw had joined the summit written repast. The fall colors are sweeping the slopes and the trail was in quite good shape I thought from the stories I had heard. Two hours later found me back at the bottom after encountering no other walkers... Great Hike!!!!

After a weekend in plastic boots and stomping onsnow all day, I was in the mood for some good oldfashioned DIRT. Something nice and easy... something relaaxing.How about... Mailbox Peak! Sheesh, I should get myhead examined. The trail is in good shape with few blowdowns untilquite high (and those are not a problem). No snowon any of the mountain. Those not familiar with thistrail: it is very steep and will test your will power(almost as bad as Rainier was a couple days earlier!) Up top, there were 10-12 Weekday Mountaineers ontheir weekly hike. Mighty impressive, as one fellowis 82 years old! I plan to hike up there in 41 years, soanybody want to schedule for late June of 2039' Bill Sunderland, your ""Green Eggs and Ham"" stillhas room for a few more signatures, as does theJim Morrison poetry book. Someone also placed abrand new spiral notebook in the mailbox. This was thefirst time I saw the mailbox, as my other climbswere in the winter. Great reading, I spent 90 minutes reading all the mail!

Said Bill I Am on the Web one day
""Try Mailbox Peak to have some fun today!""
I saw and thought I’d give it a try
With my new boots, wax not yet dry
""Try It! Try it!"" said Bill I am. ""Go up the trail by my toothbrush. The handles blue and turn left there.""
I looked and looked and couldn’t see
That toothbrush in any tree.
The trail was cool and green and fun.
And we started at quite a run.
And little dowels mounted to a log
Helped at the first mud slog.
I said ""Hey this trail’s too steep!""
As I could look at my feet
I do not like trails that go straight up!
I do not like them with a pup!
Bill I Am said ""The trail is fine! You can enjoy it with some wine!""
Up through dry woods we both did climb.
Up, Up, Up we went
Until our water was all spent
Then woods ended and then came brush
Which we climbed up in quite a rush
Then rocks hot and black
And my pace began to slack
This trail is dry!
This trail is hot!
I do not like it Bill I Am!
No I do not!
Said Bill I Am, ""Try it! Try it! The view is high!
You can look down on old Mt. Si!""
Okay! Okay! I’ll try it now
I saw the mailbox and its flag
And I stopped to pull the book from its bag
I looked around and saw the view
And clouds passed by in quick review
We started down and saw a trail go right in wood
We tried it, to miss the rocks and saw it was good
Then down through brush and dirt
And then my feet began to hurt
I do not like this Bill I Am!
I do not like it at all!
I do not like it with a fall
I do not like blisters at all
Then thunder boomed and wind blew
Into the car we quickly flew
When all was done all in all
Mailbox Peak was best of all!
[Online Editor's note: I am afraid a cult is beginning to develop here. It Just may be time to call in the de-programers.]

Well, it took two years for me to finally get up to the top of Mailbox Peak...uh, I mean that I've been meaning to go for two years now and I finally did it! David and I started off on the right foot as we easily found the blue and black tooth brush marking the trail (thanks Bill!). The trail appears to be your normal run-of-the-mill Alpine Lakes nice grade trail but then it goes vertical! Yes the trail is quite steep. It's a great workout for your calf on the way up and for your thighs on the way down. Anyway, the trail is in good shape...a little muddy but hey it was raining (at the bottom at least). After about an hour and a half of huffing and puffing through the woods it started to snow and we popped out at the bottom of the talus slope. Luckily there was enough snow (3-6 inches of new on top of old snow) to kick nice steps all the way to the top and the mailbox! The flag was up so we looked to see if we had any mail. None for us but we got a kick out of the summit register (a well used copy of Green Eggs and Ham, or is it Pam'). After signing the register and checking out the views between the swiftly moving clouds we started down. The snow made the talus field a breeze as we plunge stepped from the top to the woods in 15 minutes. The sun came out shortly there after and we ran into the first of only two other partieson the mountain. All in all it was a terrific hike. My only regret is that I didn't have anything to leave in the mailbox! Oh well, next time...maybe in 2000! [Online Editor's note: I'm glad to hear both the toothbrush and the bookare still there serving their traditional functions.]