Mailbox Peak 3.30.04

What a difference a day makes! Yesterday's record temps degraded into some wet and unsettled weather today. I was a little jaded about doing anything in the pouring rain because I haven't been feeling 100. I thought I at least should give it a shot. It was pouring in North Bend so I wasn't too optimistic. However when I reached the Mailbox trailhead it was dry. Despite my sickness I had good legs today as I made my way up Mailbox unrelenting steepness. The trail was just wet enough to soften the tread to provide good traction. There are a few blowdowns and it can become confusing to which trail to follow. I made great time to the big rockslide just below the summit. It now began to snow, and to snow very hard. I chose to use the melted out rockslide instead of using the hard to follow trail. The snow sticking on the rocks made for cautious travel, but was manageable for me. Too bad it wasn't as easy for the Beagle, he became a bit scared and refused to continue. Baxter is usually game for anything so I decided that he probably was trying to tell me something. I descended through the mounting snow with caution, but when I reached to snowless slopes I opened it up. I love dropping on this trail with just a bit of reckless abandon. I am sure my quads will be screaming at me in the morning.