Hiking Mailbox Peak - 24 June 2000

A brutal, wet hike up to Mailbox Peak.
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     The Hike

 

The Hike

Another Sunday, and I was bored. So I flipped through my hiking books, and found a hike I hadn't tried before: Mailbox Peak. It boasted of a 4000 foot gain in less than 3 miles. I figured I needed to start doing some training hikes, to get in shape for summer.

This one really kicked my butt. On the Kendall hike (see Hiking Kendall Katwalk - 10 June 2000 ) I had never really got tired. There I had to turn back only because of the snow. On this hike, I never saw any snow, but I had to pause to rest my legs several times on the way up and down.

Like the Kendall hike, it was wet and rainy. The wind wasn't too bad, and fortunately my Gore-Tex and polypro kept me dry and warm.

I found the trailhead, parked my truck, and walked about a half mile (150 foot elevation gain) on an old logging road. Then I found the turn-off for the trail.

This was so hard to find that it was more like an in-joke than This was so hard to find that it was more like an in-joke than

The section from 950-1100 feet was all in a beatiful The section from 950-1100 feet was all in a beatiful

From 1100-4800 feet was relentlessly uphill. Looking up at From 1100-4800 feet was relentlessly uphill. Looking up at

At around 3500 feet you started to find clearings above At around 3500 feet you started to find clearings above

Close to 4000 feet is a big boulder field. Close to 4000 feet is a big boulder field.

Above the boulder field, it's alpine meadows to the peak. Above the boulder field, it's alpine meadows to the peak.

Looking back down the trail, to the valley. Looking back down the trail, to the valley.

Looking up: shadows, fog, and a mailbox. Looking up: shadows, fog, and a mailbox.

The hike's namesake. The hike's namesake.