I had a great weekend. And by great I mean, I hiked a really flippin’ steep mountain.
A group of us decided to attempt Mailbox Peak off of I-90 (exit 34 in North Bend for those who are from Seattle) on Saturday…the majority of the group had no idea what the hell it was and two people were hiking it to train for Mt. Rainier. So yeah, that should tell you a little something about the level of difficulty. Not really getting the level of difficulty from that? Well we gained 4,000 ft. of elevation in 2.5 miles. Which is basically like climbing stairs for 2.5 miles.
Ok, enough of the math. It was hard but super rewarding and fun (which I can say now that I’ve completed it). It’s actually a gorgeous hike through a densely wooded forest up to a snow field and up some more to the peak. At the top you have a 360 degree view of the Cascades and even the Olympics…it’s breathtaking. My favorite part was sliding/running down the snow field coming back from the top of the peak. My least favorite part was the blisters I got from Kat’s mountaineering boots (thanks Kat!).
I would totally recommend this hike for anyone who has ever hiked before but wants a SUPER intense workout. Don’t do this as a first hike. Trust me, it will turn you off to hiking faster than you can say ouch my quads hurt. Here are some pics thanks to Leslie:
Now, a full 24+ hours after the hike, it’s difficult to get up from sitting down yes. But goddamn it, it’s such a good and fullfilling hurt.
notten this life. 