Mailbox Peak

First time here! We opted to take the new trail up and the old trail down. I didn’t really know any better on which to do, but it turned out the new route was pretty chill.

We hit snow partway up, and that was my sign to put on microspikes. Stella used her built in crampons, and I followed diligently behind the furball.

Near the top we ran into a boulder field and some strong winds. The path through it was still relatively straightforward, and eventually we reached some light steep snow. Mind this steep snow section, it’s slippery! We kept moving and popped out onto dirt and rocks, and behold, the infamous mailbox itself.

Surrounded by 360 degree views of the Snoqualmie peaks, it is quite a sight to take in all the frosted caps. Stella handled the weather, the snow, and the boulders like a champ.

Proud pup about to bag the summit. The steep snow was almost bare

We scurried back down what felt like a straight line on the old path. Watch the icy mud on the way down too. If you take your spikes off too early you might go unintentionally skiing in your hiking boots. We were back to the trailhead before we knew it, pumping heat in the truck to warm up those paws and ears. Stella was a happy girl with another mountain under belt.

I was stoked to have accomplished what at the time felt like a major objective, and a big step in the direction of mountaineering. My Mount Baker trip is only a few short months away, so I brought my full pack for training with the weight. It felt good to know I could comfortably knock out 4,000 ft of gain with a full pack and snow.

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