Climbed this many times with my climbing partner training for the larger cascade mtns. A great conditioner. The trail gains about 4k in 3 miles! It goes through the forest, which feels haunted because it is so dense and the trail becomes less and less prominent. Good times! Just go up, and follow the obnoxious green dots on the trees. If you want a killer exercise, pack up about 50lbs up of water, dump it at the top and RUN down! Whoooo! Legs were sore for about a week!
ericd - Sep 4, 2006 10:18 pm Date Climbed: May 13, 2005
3000' in 3
This is a convenient "stair-stepper" workout. Elevation gain is very balanced 3000' in 3 miles across soft forest ground. A similar climb recommended is McCellan Butte, 5150' elevation gain in 4.5 miles which is nearby across I-90.
osatrik - Aug 27, 2006 6:07 am Date Climbed: Jan 6, 2002
3rd summit
OSAT Ecuador Expedition conditioning climb in winter conditions. This was my third time to the mailbox.
1:20 to the top from trailhead, but i'm a runner and i had a light pack:)
larryN - Jun 15, 2006 6:01 pm Date Climbed: Jun 14, 2006
No snow left
After hearing stories about this trail, I was surprised to find it in such good condition. There was reasonable traction even on a rainy night. If you end up too far to the right (south), there's a flagged trail that starts to traverse through the more dense, new growth forest. Go back to the open forest and head straight up until you intersect the trail.
dyscti - May 6, 2006 5:38 am Date Climbed: May 5, 2006
Fun and tough
I wasn't really sure what to expect on this one or even how to get to the trailhead. Very very steep, much more so than Si. Everything from the boulder field on is awesome and the perfect weather added to it. Summitted an hour and 45 after leaving the car. My legs will be sore tomorrow.
Brian Massey - Apr 17, 2006 4:13 pm Date Climbed: Apr 9, 2006
Winter wonderland
Great early season training hike. The lower trail was in good shape with just a moderate amount of mud. Just before breaking treeline, the snow/ice predominates the trail and we enjoyed the snowy upper reaches which allowed for knee deep postholing to the summit. No view :-( due to dense clouds and snowy weather.
G.J.Heins - Feb 21, 2006 9:46 am Date Climbed: Jul 18, 2005
with Adam (gimpilator)
(gimpilator) was hauling ass up and down. Thanks to Adam we made it. Cold day, but the wind chill factor was great. Never do this one without a camera or by yourself. Also remember that at the top on a clear day the view is perfect.
Started at 7:00 am in the dark. Reached summit in 3 hours. Hard rain for the first hour, then reached snow level about 1,000 feet from summit. About 3 inches at the mailbox. Good trip but quite slippery with all the wet roots on the trail. Talus field also a little tricky with the new snow. That slowed us down a bit.
Route Climbed: Middle Fork Road trail Date Climbed: July 18, 2005
Clear weather this time and the best view of Rainier I've seen from any summit yet. The deck of cards I left last time was still in the taller mailbox. This hike always seems twice as long on the way down.
Route Climbed: Middle Fork Road trail Date Climbed: June 2005
Lots of rain and no view on top. My boots were soaked inside and out before we even got on the trail. This is a steep unrelenting challange of a hike. You shouldn't try it unless your in good physical condition.
Route Climbed: Main Trail/Rock Field Date Climbed: May 5, 2005
Nice day for hike. Someone took the Green Eggs and Ham book, but it has been replaced by Winnie the Poo and Tigger too, so there is still some lite reading available at the top.
Route Climbed: Standard Trail Date Climbed: October 9, 2004
Good wet weekend in the Northwest, time to visit Mailbox! The trail is in very good shape, with only a few sections lacking definition. Some one apparently likes a little more clarity, for there are a few yellow blazes on the trees in the least-defined part of the trail. Weather was threatening all day, with only a few drops on the final ridge climb to the summit. The mailbox is in tact, but no views today. 2'33" to the top, and a nice day overall. Still very few hikers on this thigh-buster!
A great way to start an otherwise unproductive Labor Day. Bluebird sky and awesome views, from Rainier to Baker, and from the Olys to the Snoqualmie Pass summits. Up and down in 4 hrs. No more Green Eggs and Ham, and the hydrant is gone.
littlefrantz - Apr 8, 2007 9:01 pm Date Climbed: Apr 8, 2007
Hate that mountainGood training mountain, but it reminded me of why I hate trees.
gimpilator - Apr 1, 2007 11:53 am Date Climbed: Mar 31, 2007
RainGood to be back, even in the rain. I have never seen so many people on this trail. 14 on the summit.
Dundeel - Mar 18, 2007 3:53 pm Date Climbed: Mar 17, 2007
Going PostalOnly patches of snow near the summit.
Krylon - Mar 1, 2007 12:41 am
MailboxI can't remember how many times I've been up here, but there have been at least two different mailboxes.
nodbod - Jan 16, 2007 5:23 pm
Haunted MailboxClimbed this many times with my climbing partner training for the larger cascade mtns. A great conditioner. The trail gains about 4k in 3 miles! It goes through the forest, which feels haunted because it is so dense and the trail becomes less and less prominent. Good times! Just go up, and follow the obnoxious green dots on the trees. If you want a killer exercise, pack up about 50lbs up of water, dump it at the top and RUN down! Whoooo! Legs were sore for about a week!
ericd - Sep 4, 2006 10:18 pm Date Climbed: May 13, 2005
3000' in 3This is a convenient "stair-stepper" workout. Elevation gain is very balanced 3000' in 3 miles across soft forest ground. A similar climb recommended is McCellan Butte, 5150' elevation gain in 4.5 miles which is nearby across I-90.
osatrik - Aug 27, 2006 6:07 am Date Climbed: Jan 6, 2002
3rd summitOSAT Ecuador Expedition conditioning climb in winter conditions. This was my third time to the mailbox.
supermarmot - Jul 9, 2006 7:10 am
great day to check the mail1:20 to the top from trailhead, but i'm a runner and i had a light pack:)
larryN - Jun 15, 2006 6:01 pm Date Climbed: Jun 14, 2006
No snow leftAfter hearing stories about this trail, I was surprised to find it in such good condition. There was reasonable traction even on a rainy night. If you end up too far to the right (south), there's a flagged trail that starts to traverse through the more dense, new growth forest. Go back to the open forest and head straight up until you intersect the trail.
dyscti - May 6, 2006 5:38 am Date Climbed: May 5, 2006
Fun and toughI wasn't really sure what to expect on this one or even how to get to the trailhead. Very very steep, much more so than Si. Everything from the boulder field on is awesome and the perfect weather added to it. Summitted an hour and 45 after leaving the car. My legs will be sore tomorrow.
Brian Massey - Apr 17, 2006 4:13 pm Date Climbed: Apr 9, 2006
Winter wonderlandGreat early season training hike. The lower trail was in good shape with just a moderate amount of mud. Just before breaking treeline, the snow/ice predominates the trail and we enjoyed the snowy upper reaches which allowed for knee deep postholing to the summit. No view :-( due to dense clouds and snowy weather.
G.J.Heins - Feb 21, 2006 9:46 am Date Climbed: Jul 18, 2005
with Adam (gimpilator)(gimpilator) was hauling ass up and down. Thanks to Adam we made it. Cold day, but the wind chill factor was great. Never do this one without a camera or by yourself. Also remember that at the top on a clear day the view is perfect.
cmiff - Oct 29, 2005 6:51 pm
Date Climbed: october 29Started at 7:00 am in the dark. Reached summit in 3 hours. Hard rain for the first hour, then reached snow level about 1,000 feet from summit. About 3 inches at the mailbox. Good trip but quite slippery with all the wet roots on the trail. Talus field also a little tricky with the new snow. That slowed us down a bit.
dicey - Sep 4, 2005 2:24 pm
Route Climbed: North Ridge via granite creek rd Date Climbed: January 23, 2005minimal bushwhacking near the summit.
gimpilator - Jul 26, 2005 12:52 pm
Route Climbed: Middle Fork Road trail Date Climbed: July 18, 2005Clear weather this time and the best view of Rainier I've seen from any summit yet. The deck of cards I left last time was still in the taller mailbox. This hike always seems twice as long on the way down.
gimpilator - Jul 26, 2005 12:48 pm
Route Climbed: Middle Fork Road trail Date Climbed: June 2005Lots of rain and no view on top. My boots were soaked inside and out before we even got on the trail. This is a steep unrelenting challange of a hike. You shouldn't try it unless your in good physical condition.
Jeffrey Zickert - May 5, 2005 6:26 pm
Route Climbed: Main Trail/Rock Field Date Climbed: May 5, 2005Nice day for hike. Someone took the Green Eggs and Ham book, but it has been replaced by Winnie the Poo and Tigger too, so there is still some lite reading available at the top.
sixsigmafool - Oct 11, 2004 12:37 am
Route Climbed: Standard Trail Date Climbed: October 9, 2004Good wet weekend in the Northwest, time to visit Mailbox! The trail is in very good shape, with only a few sections lacking definition. Some one apparently likes a little more clarity, for there are a few yellow blazes on the trees in the least-defined part of the trail. Weather was threatening all day, with only a few drops on the final ridge climb to the summit. The mailbox is in tact, but no views today. 2'33" to the top, and a nice day overall. Still very few hikers on this thigh-buster!
seth - Sep 7, 2004 4:35 pm
Date Climbed: September 6, 2004A great way to start an otherwise unproductive Labor Day. Bluebird sky and awesome views, from Rainier to Baker, and from the Olys to the Snoqualmie Pass summits. Up and down in 4 hrs. No more Green Eggs and Ham, and the hydrant is gone.
skook - Apr 12, 2004 9:52 pm
Route Climbed: Trail from Fire Academy Date Climbed: April 5th 2004The annual fire recruit hike to the top of mailbox peak. It gave a good break from the studies. Too bad we missed the views.