It was a rainy morning everywhere West of Snoqualmie Pass, but Hibox was just dry and sunny enough to attempt a summit. I started from Rachel Lake trailhead around 9:15 and greeted plenty of backpackers and day hikers making their way to Rachel Lake and beyond. The fork off the main trail was not obvious, but once you make it past all the logs you'll spot the trail. From there on it seemed I had the whole mountain to myself. There were very few bugs out thanks to the chilly weather. There's a bit of bushwhacking to do and I lost trail quite a few times. The trail gets easier to follow as you clear the tree line and are greeted by gorgeous patches of wildflowers. There are some loose talus slopes that as far as I could tell can't be avoided.
The final scramble to the summit appeared daunting because of the exposure, however most of the rock was secure, dry, and grippy. No snow. I hit the top around 12:45 and took my time to enjoy the solitude and intermittent sunshine. The summit log capsule was open, its contents spilled out into the cracks below and replaced with some rodent droppings. I washed it out but didn't have a notepad to chip in, and the cap is missing anyway, so the whole thing needs to be replaced. As mentioned in past reports, there's a history of hornets nesting on the summit block, but they've yet to make their way up this year.
I returned to the Rachel Lake trail and continued up to the lake and then to the saddle en route to Rampart Ridge for some scenic afternoon views. I contemplated quickly making my way up Alta Mountain and back, but it was getting late and evening showers were likely, so I called it there and made my way back.
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