[TR] I90 Corridor - Mailbox to Granite Traverse 08/11/2022

[Kyle M]

Trip: I90 Corridor - Mailbox to Granite Traverse

Trip Date: 08/11/2022

Trip Report:

I did the Mailbox to Granite Traverse after work last week, skipping Bandera and Pratt. It was a pretty full on adventure, and a ton of fun, although I probably won't revisit it for a little. Nothing is ever that hard, but there was just a lot of bush bashing and boulder hopping. To have such an adventure so close to home is pretty special.

https://climberkyle.com/2022/08/11/nordkurvengrat-mailbox-to-granite-traverse/

A little after Dirtybox.

The Dirty Harry's fixed line.

That primo Web to P3 section.

Beautiful sunset near Granite.

Gear Notes:
Running shoes, vest, filter, headlamp

Approach Notes:
Mailbox old trail

[Rad]

Sweet! It's a pretty special traverse.

I did that for the first time last year. We placed and left that fixed line. How did it look? 

Bandera would add some nice ridge, but it kind of puts you in the wrong spot on the E end of it.

We went much earlier in the season when there was a lot of snow. I imagine a lot more brush this time of year.

The next step would be to add Low Mtn and cross over at the Tooth and finish at Alpental. We ran out of daylight and decided we didn't want to do it by headlamp. 

Nice job!

 

[Rad]

Just read your longer report. Nice job!

FWIW, in the spring when there is snow on the upper ridges and N slopes (we went mid-May 2021) you'll avoid bugs, loose talus, steep pine needles, and most of the brush bashing. Sidehilling along steep S slopes of Pratt was the most annoying part for us. Next time I'll try to go up and over and down that instead. 

We dropped down to the N from Dirtybox rather than run that crest all the way there as it's quite brushy and has some slow-you-down rock tower features. Getting from there to the DH ramp was easy from that spot.

 

 

[KDW]

@Rad

Just "ran" from Mailbox to Defiance yesterday.  Thank you, thank you, thank you for those lines!  They're in great condition. 

https://www.strava.com/activities/7717681848

[olyclimber]

4 hours ago, KDW said:

@Rad

Just "ran" from Mailbox to Defiance yesterday.  Thank you, thank you, thank you for those lines!  They're in great condition. 

https://www.strava.com/activities/7717681848

That’s a nice one, will have to give it a go sometime 

[Rad]

6 hours ago, olyclimber said:

That’s a nice one, will have to give it a go sometime 

One of the nice things about this ridge is that you have cell service the whole way and can jump off at many points. Ideally, you can get a spouse or friend to pick you up and shuttle you back to the Mailbox TH as we did. SO much better and more flexible than stashing a bike or car at a specific point.

[Rad]

22 hours ago, KDW said:

@Rad

Just "ran" from Mailbox to Defiance yesterday.  Thank you, thank you, thank you for those lines!  They're in great condition. 

https://www.strava.com/activities/7717681848

Sweet! I've never been on that trail you took from Defiance back to the TH. How was it? 

[olyclimber]

1 hour ago, Rad said:

Sweet! I've never been on that trail you took from Defiance back to the TH. How was it? 

Its an old road up to Granite Lakes.  Lots of traffic up to there...don't know past Thompson lake, but I bet its pretty good. What appealed to me...you can C2C it.

[Kyle M]

@Rad fixed line is in good shape! I would have expected snow coverage / transitions to make things more annoying but I guess you would not have the pine needle issue. The continuation is to go over Low, do the Kaleetan Granite traverse, climb the west ridge of Chair, traverse Chair to Bryan to Tooth, run down to Alpental, hike up Snoqualmie and do the CURL (commonwealth ultimate ridge linkup: Snoqualmie - Lundin - Red, Kendall) or then into the GURL (gold creek) with Alaska, Thompson, Chikamin, Four Brothers, Alta, and come out Rampart Lakes. Start from Lake Washington, run Coal Creek over Cougar, Squak, Tiger, Rattlesnake, then Si, Tinereffe into Mailbox. An endless route!!!

[olyclimber]

1 hour ago, Kyle M said:

@Rad fixed line is in good shape! I would have expected snow coverage / transitions to make things more annoying but I guess you would not have the pine needle issue. The continuation is to go over Low, do the Kaleetan Granite traverse, climb the west ridge of Chair, traverse Chair to Bryan to Tooth, run down to Alpental, hike up Snoqualmie and do the CURL (commonwealth ultimate ridge linkup: Snoqualmie - Lundin - Red, Kendall) or then into the GURL (gold creek) with Alaska, Thompson, Chikamin, Four Brothers, Alta, and come out Rampart Lakes. Start from Lake Washington, run Coal Creek over Cougar, Squak, Tiger, Rattlesnake, then Si, Tinereffe into Mailbox. An endless route!!!

You'd probably want to get an early start with that link up.

[Rad]

2 hours ago, olyclimber said:

You'd probably want to get an early start with that link up.

Yeah, like when I was 25. That ship has sailed