Local

Wash. man hikes Mailbox Peak on birthday, replaces missing mailbox with donated one

Photo from Eric Piggott.

NORTH BEND, Wash. — A local man hiked to the top of Mailbox Peak for his birthday this week -- to replace a missing, legendary mailbox with a new, donated one.

Eric Piggott works at the Home Depot in Bellevue. His store donated the mailbox.

Piggott was born around 5 in the morning, 30 years ago in St. Joseph, Michigan.

"The last time I saw the previous box was three weeks ago on my last hike there," Piggott said. "In my talks with various people, I've learned that there have been as many as eight other mailboxes over the years."

The box at Mailbox Peak has drawn hikers for years. Hikers inscribed their names on the old mailbox, leaving treats and touching mementos. A 2008 Seattle Times report on the difficult hike says references to the mailbox began in the early 1990s.

The latest mailbox may have been swept away by recent high winds. If it’s found, the Department of Natural Resources would appreciate its return.

"Signing the box is a right of passage for those scaling the trail," Piggott said. "The old box was covered from front to back in signatures. People also left treats for other hikers to come such as cliff bars or candy. In the past I've found little trinkets, snacks -- even mementos of loved ones who enjoyed hiking but had passed away."

Piggott likes to leave snacks for others to enjoy once reaching the top.

The hike is a challenging one: steep and around 4,000 vertical feet from the trailhead to the peak.

When making it to the top, Piggott says “all the effort and work feels worth it and a rush of accomplishment washes over you.”

“I think the [mailbox] is also more than just a goal, but an icon on hiking in western Washington,” Piggott said. “Seemingly everyone who hikes knows of it -- and the response I've gotten from the community has shown me just how important it was to them.”

The varied landscapes of Washington inspire Piggott, who loves that he can be in downtown Seattle and then nearly any other landscape in the same day: “the ocean, an alpine lake, any number of mountains or national parks, even [the] flat lands of eastern Washington.”

He and his small hiking group ran into others on the trail excited by the prospect of the new mailbox’s installation.

"David had hiked up for the sunrise and cleared the snow from the mailbox's post as well as spread the word that we were coming up," Piggott said. "So when we reached the top, there were over 10 people waiting for us. Everyone was very excited and even sang me happy birthday."

Piggott says he has many other hikes around Washington to try, and that he’ll likely return to hike Mailbox Peak, though not for some time.

“I’ll keep tabs to see how the new box is progressing,” he said.