| Previous :: Next Topic |
| Author |
Message |
Schmidt Alti-Dude
4th class poster
Joined: 06 Jul 2007
Posts: 1361 | TRs | Pics
Location: Looking for Adventure 201! |
I'd be much more worried about those kids selling lemonade without a business license or food handlers permits. They're probably infecting the whole hiking community with lemon flu!!!!!
Anything stated by me in no way reflects the attitudes or opinions of my wife
Anything stated by me in no way reflects the attitudes or opinions of my wife
|
| Back to top |
  
|
|
Redwic
Unlisted Free Agent
Joined: 23 Feb 2009
Posts: 3294 | TRs | Pics
Location: Going to the Prom(inence) |
|
Redwic
Unlisted Free Agent
|
 Sat May 02, 2009 1:26 pm |
|
|
OK... I climbed Dirtybox Peak today. In fact, I was the first person to reach Mailbox Peak (probably because I left the car at 5:00 AM). I followed the ridgeline, occasionally downhill just south of the crest of the ridge, for the entire length between Mailbox and Dirtybox.
Several things worth noting:
1) A LOT of snow has melted in the 5-6 days since Team Schmidt Altitude (& Yukon222) did this trip.
2) In fact, I did not see any traces of anyone having been up there (but I know you were, from your report and photos). Not even whippet tracks... what's up with that?!?!?! 
3) There is a large cornice at the top of the ridgeline, overhanging the north side. WATCH OUT. 
4) Following the top of the ridgeline SUCKED. In future winter ascents, I would totally recommend following the snowy slopes down below the north side of the ridgeline and then up to the summit. That would probably be a Class II route only. But following the ridgeline the entire way between the peaks is a large part Class III (at least it was today). I would not recommend traversing down below the south side of the ridgeline, as it is too steep and too prone to avalanche dangers and falling rock dangers (which are very exposed now).
5) However, during summer ascents, following the top of the ridgeline would probably be the preferred route between the peaks, as every once in a while I would find a faint dirt trail exposed from the snowmelt. It would still involve some Class III sections (i.e. scrambling), but nothing like today (which was NASTY!!!).
6) I did not like the traverse I took to Dirtybox, today, but I am glad I went there just because a lot of people do not. 
60 pounds lighter but not 60 points brighter.
60 pounds lighter but not 60 points brighter.
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Nordic
Member
Joined: 04 Sep 2007
Posts: 390 | TRs | Pics
Location: North Bend |
|
Nordic
Member
|
Sun May 03, 2009 9:41 pm |
|
|
| Redwic wrote: | | OK... I climbed Dirtybox Peak today. |
I followed your tracks (for the most part) there today (it was a totally "spur of the moment" thing - after all it was supposed to rain the whole weekend so naturally I didn't plan anything since I had other things to do...)
I went to it on the ridge and came back on the north side. I actually didn't find the ridge to be too bad. Maybe one or two spots that involved some down-climbing and some loose handholds but other than that pretty hard snow (i.e. no post-holing).
Now, the north side on the way back was a different story - I didn't like that one bit. The snow was super soft and deep and I post-holed with almost every step (I don't think that snowshoes would have made any difference). What got me really concerned 'though were numerous shallow slides I observed on the whole north side of the ridge (but mostly off the Mailbox Peak). I'm not sure where exactly you got back to the ridge (from the north side) - I got there as soon as I could (probably 2/3 of the way back).
I can finally cross this one off my "list."
BTW - lots of people on Mailbox today...
|
| Back to top |
|
|
seattlehikertoo
Member
Joined: 26 Jun 2008
Posts: 582 | TRs | Pics
Location: Finding an alternative to Mailbox Pk |
All this talk about the best route to Dirty Box, but did anyone stop to see if there is a new bottle of Crown Royal in the mailbox?
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Nordic
Member
Joined: 04 Sep 2007
Posts: 390 | TRs | Pics
Location: North Bend |
|
Nordic
Member
|
Sun May 03, 2009 10:05 pm |
|
|
| seattlehikertoo wrote: | | did anyone stop to see if there is a new bottle of Crown Royal in the mailbox? |
I don't think there is one... When I was at the summit (enjoying my lunch), a girl that just got there, opened the mailbox and pulled the register out. I'm sure she'd notice a bottle of Crown Royal had it been there...
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Redwic
Unlisted Free Agent
Joined: 23 Feb 2009
Posts: 3294 | TRs | Pics
Location: Going to the Prom(inence) |
|
Redwic
Unlisted Free Agent
|
Mon May 04, 2009 4:48 am |
|
|
| Nordic wrote: | | Redwic wrote: | | OK... I climbed Dirtybox Peak today. |
I'm not sure where exactly you got back to the ridge (from the north side) - I got there as soon as I could (probably 2/3 of the way back).
I can finally cross this one off my "list."
BTW - lots of people on Mailbox today... |
I'm not certain about the conditions of the north side. I basically followed the ridgeline to Dirtybox most of the way, until I noticed a lot of non-snow sections southwest of the peak and went downhill to those areas and then up to the summit. I then went back down that southwest slope and followed various sections downhill from the ridge on the southwest side for most of the way back.
Saturday was a madhouse for hikers. There were more people than I have ever seen at Mailbox Peak. I counted over 20 vehicles at the "Road Closed" parking area. It's becoming the new Mount Si. 
Apparently, some books now show and recommend the Mailbox Peak Trail, and word is spreading about it. Oh, great. Now the rugged updated trail will become as dangerous as the old one (but not necessarily for the same reasons). 
60 pounds lighter but not 60 points brighter.
60 pounds lighter but not 60 points brighter.
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Nordic
Member
Joined: 04 Sep 2007
Posts: 390 | TRs | Pics
Location: North Bend |
|
Nordic
Member
|
Mon May 04, 2009 8:38 am |
|
|
| Redwic wrote: | | I'm not certain about the conditions of the north side. |
Sorry - I thought you actually came back on the north side...
I guess, I misunderstood your previous post.
Well, in that case - I was following tracks on the north side made by someone else...
|
| Back to top |
|
|
yukon222
Member
Joined: 12 Mar 2007
Posts: 1894 | TRs | Pics
|
|
yukon222
Member
|
Mon May 04, 2009 10:12 am |
|
|
We stayed several hundred feet below the ridgeline on the north side when we came back from Dirtybox. Continued west until we hit the ridge running back to the Mailbox summit, ie, directly north of Mailbox summit. That is a nice smooth ascent back up to the summit.
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Nordic
Member
Joined: 04 Sep 2007
Posts: 390 | TRs | Pics
Location: North Bend |
|
Nordic
Member
|
Mon May 04, 2009 1:53 pm |
|
|
| yukon222 wrote: | | Continued west until we hit the ridge running back to the Mailbox summit, ie, directly north of Mailbox summit. |
I thought about that, i.e. the only possibility of the "north side return" being easy had to be somewhere there (i.e. N/NW) although it's not visible from the middle of the ridge (when all you see is NE side of Mailbox which is pretty steep) and I thought about taking that route but the numerous slides that I observed in progress on the NE side made me climb up the ridge well before Mailbox.
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
