![]() Stay right onto the new trail, which is still quite steep, but offers some reprieve with the continual wide switchbacks. Mount Rainier is right there, and the Middle Fork valley lines the ground ahead in green.Ĭheck the mailbox, sign the register, maybe leave a trinket, and then head down the rocky section to where the trails meet. You’ll crest the peak, which sits at the end of a ridgeline. From now until the summit, you’ll gain closer to 293 m of elevation in 0.8 km. This stretch is rockier, so watch your step. The straight-up ascent goes on for about 6.4 km, at which point you rejoin the new trail for the summit ascent. Watch your footing and take it slow if you need to. It’s much more direct, making the elevation gain more demanding. Where the new trail has wide switchbacks, this trail does not. Start climbing! You’ll be gaining about 259 m of elevation per mile, and it doesn’t relent until the peak. Stay left here, as Grouse Ridge Way goes off to the right. Don’t go this way- stay right to take the old trail. A hundred yards past the gate, you’ll see the entrance to the new trail. You’ll walk for a bit along a paved path, skirting around a gate. Come prepared with lots of water- this trail is a real feat. We recommend taking the old trail up as it’s a bit too steep to descend comfortably, particularly with a noticeable lack of switchbacks. You can hike this loop either way, either ascending or descending the old trail. It’s not for the faint of heart, but it’s an adventure! However, the old trail still exists, and bold hikes can link the two to make a loop. The old trail for this hike was fraught with injuries and rescues, and a monumental effort built a new, safer trail. The Mailbox Peak Loop leads you to a viewpoint adorned with a sticker-clad mailbox where hikers from all over leave goodies for the next groups up. The LWCF is a critical program that helps to establish local parks and access to our public lands, protecting clean water sources and creating jobs through outdoor recreation.įormer Greenway President Bill Chapman and Greenway Board Member Vik Sahney hiked up Mailbox Peak and put the letter in the iconic mailbox for Secretary Jewell as a reminder to her Washington roots and as motivation for her to continue to be a champion of the LWCF and the conservation of our public lands, including Mailbox Peak.What’s in the mailbox? Besides the trail register, sometimes it’s trinkets left by other hikers, snacks, or notes. The same day as the grand opening, the Greenway Trust also “mailed” a letter to the Secretary of the Interior, Sally Jewell, from atop Mailbox Peak in support of the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). Rainier or just enjoying a stroll through a beautiful area, the new trail offers something for everyone,” said Public Lands Commissioner Peter Goldmark. “This is the final segment of a much-loved trail for mountain climbers and hikers alike. Both trails remain open for hikers to choose which route they want to take up to the peak. Hikers still need to climb 3,800 feet to the peak, and the trip definitely pays off with stunning views into the Middle Fork Snoqualmie River Valley and toward the crest of the Cascades. The newly designed trail employs switchbacks on the north side of the mountain to ascend at a much more reasonable pace. The old Mailbox Peak trail is a daunting ridge route that is plagued by erosion due to its extremely steep grade and hikers routinely lose track of the trail. Funding for the trail was provided by WA-DNR, Spring Family Trust, Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program, and the Federal Highways Administration. The upper 3.5 miles were constructed by Greenway Trust trail crews. The first two miles were excavated by McClung Construction and finished with Greenway Trust, EarthCorps, and Washington Trails Association volunteers. The 4.7-mile trail was designed and constructed with the leadership of the Greenway Trust recreation team. After three summers of construction work, the new Mailbox Peak trail officially opened to hikers in September 2014.
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