Trip Details:
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Arrive trailhead |
06:56AM |
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Start hiking |
07:12AM |
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Reach official Trailhead |
07:22AM |
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Snack break (log at 3535 ft) |
08:58AM |
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Resume hiking |
09:11AM |
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Out of mole stroll (3705 ft) |
09:28AM |
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Base of Talus (4110 ft) |
09:55AM |
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Rejoin main trail (4327 ft) |
10:17AM |
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False Summit (4656 ft) |
10:30AM |
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The Mailbox (4846 ft) |
10:35AM |
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Leave Summit |
11:26AM |
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Enter mole stroll |
12:27PM |
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Snack |
12:58PM |
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Trailhead kiosk |
02:08PM |
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Gate at parking area |
02:17PM |
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Snow |
No snow until trail hits Talus slope. Was discouraged by various parties from trying trail and stuck to going up the slow going talus slope. Small snowfield on extreme edge of talus that people were trying with varying degrees of success. Some snow just off summit area but none in walking areas. |
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Bugs |
No bug bites. Some flies and such but they weren't really a bother. I did use Avon combo bug/sunscreen before starting. |
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Weather |
Pleasant early in morning. Of course highs ended up being in the mid 90's in North Bend. Nice breeze at summit. Almost no breeze in the mole stroll. I think I was sweating more descending than I was climbing. |
| Crowds | Early not bad. By the time I was leaving the summit ~ 11:30 the conga line was coming up. Didn't see a ton of people down below, but the summit area isn't that large and is not suitable for a ton of people. At least on a place like Si you can kind of spread out in various areas. |
| Scenic Value | Can't beat the summit for views. Up to about 3700 feet you are basically involved in a grueling mole stroll under the canopy of trees. The payoff is late. Summit views worth every ounce of sweat. |
| Difficulty | Well this is Mailbox. Just be ready for a good extreme workout. I found the trail not too bad considering all I had heard. Hiking poles help especially on descent on steeper parts where you can get some slippery loose dirt. Didn't find hiking poles useful on boulder scramble. Gloves might have been on a few sharp rocks I grabbed. |
Narrative:
Well finally the day to do Mailbox. Amazingly enough I had never attempted it.
Arrived at the trailhead just before 7AM and was hiking a little before 07:15. Attempting to beat the heat of predicted mid 90's in North Bend. There were a few cars in the parking lot. In fact a couple of people asking me if this was the mailbox parking area. I suspect they had read the recent article.
Walked up past the gate and within about 10 minutes was at the "official" kiosk trailhead complete with warning sign and all. No more mystery about where to start up.
So far I saw no one hiking. I entered the forest. At first the trail is not steep and fairly pleasant.
It then starts up steeper with some short switchbacks to help some. Follow the white reflective diamond markers up. There are various branches and such, most probably all end up there eventually.
It is really a mole stroll with no views/under the canopy of the trees which at least keeps the sun out, but also not much breeze either. At least in the morning the heat hadn't set in too bad yet.
Finally you start to break out and get some views.
The talus area is reached at about 4100 feet or so. The trail continues left but was told by various people it was too icy and that everyone was just going up the talus slope. OK...Not long but time consuming/annoying with wobbly rocks. I quickly ditched the trekking poles and just scampered up. Down was less fun. At least you break out above the trees and can look to the west now.
Looking up the summit isn't that far away. What you see here though isn't quite it (but close).
After the mini false summit the end is in sight.
The top is reached. A handful at the top when I arrived. Eventually everyone left and I was alone up there for about 25 minutes.
Around the horn 360 degree shots going clockwise.
After a bit it got more crowded...Then the conga line was seen. Time to depart in haste. The bugs while seen were not a bother to me really. I did bug off up before going up so that may have helped. Had it not been/about to be more crowded I would have stayed longer.
Down, down, down, down, down.... It was heating up even once back in the trees. No breeze. A few parting shots.
Once back on the road and almost back to the car, a few more shots.
It was nice to see the car again, although my parking choice wasn't too smart as it was baking in the sun. I had hauled up a 3 liter camelback and 72 oz of Gatorade. Not much of anything left at the end. A rewarding trip. It went better on the knees coming down that I thought. Didn't feel any pains or the need to consume Advil.
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Last Updated 06/30/2008
