Mailbox Peak - Old Trail — Friday, Nov. 15, 2002

Snoqualmie Region > North Bend Area

It was perfect weather. Good ol' Steve Pool was calling for Rain and winds of 20-30mph, and he was right on the button. Got to the trailhead and started our way up the gated logging road at about 9am, being my first time up this one I had no idea what I was getting myself into. The crest toothbursh is now lashed to a tree right on the trailhead by the way =). Three hundred yards up the trail I was shocked by the cruel reality of this straight shot up the mountain. This is a great trail for conditioning or just staying in shape (I just wouldn't reccomend it in the rain, little slick). There are several smaller trails heading in all sorts of directions as you plod up this trail, but for the most part the main trail is fairly easy to follow. As I arrived at the boulder field the wind had picked up to a steady and sustained 30mph with gusts exceeding 40mph and the percipitation was confused, meandering from rain to snow to sleet and sometimes all three at once. Finally on the summit ridge I found myself the victim of stinging horizontal snow and a slippery trail. As I clumsily signed the summit register and contemplated how in the WORLD someone got a fire hydrant to the top of this insanely steep trail, oh well, must get off the summit ridge!! Slippery desced, otherwise uneventful. Stats: About 7miles roundtrip 4100' elevation gain 1.5 hours up, 1.5hrs down