Erik (aka flamey) is an adventurous postcrosser from Sochi, in Russia. Sometime ago, he heard about a mysterious postbox on top of a mountain nearby and decided to go check it out — here is the report of his cool adventure, which was first published on his blog and is reposted here with permission.
"As a postcrosser – and in general – I’m lucky to live in a city that is beautiful, touristy, hosted a wide variety of World class sporting events, interconnected with a UNESCO WHS, and borders a “rare” country. There were also many postage stamps issued dedicated to our city, events that took place here, our flora and fauna, which is also nice. All this is a great basis for postcard exchanges!
Last year I discovered yet another interesting and cool way to postcross: a postbox at the top of Black Pyramid mountain in our city! And a year later I decided to try it out.
Sochi, which is squeezed between the Caucasus mountains and the Black Sea, has several great skiing resorts. One of them – “Krasnaya Polayana” (formerly known as “Gorki Gorod”) – has a postbox at the top of the mountain the resort is based around. It sits right at the top of it! You need to hike and climb to it from the highest lift station. Not far, but still, it’s probably not for everyone. At first, it felt like a tourist trap: its pricey to get there, and why else would it be up there?! But then… there’s very little info about it online (and none on the official site), resort’s staff knows about it, but, as it turns out, doesn’t even know where exactly it is located, and there are no postcards or stamps sold anywhere near it. So, it’s a bit of a mystery why it’s there exactly, and who picks up the mail from it. But the staff assured me it’s being serviced, so let’s do it.
I live in Adler – a seaside part of the city. The trip starts with a picturesque drive up to Krasnaya Polyana town area, where all our skiing resorts are located. While grabbing some food I looked at the thick clouds covering the mountain, contemplating if going up actually makes much sense that day. When buying lift tickets I asked about the postbox, where it is, and if it is hard to get to. The answer: not hard, it’s up there, on our territory, just ask the staff when you get to the last lift station. Something similar I heard from the customer support rep when I called in advance.
The lifts start at 540 meters above sea level. The gondola lifts take you up to 960m, then to 1460m, then to 2200m. From here you have to take two short (but really slow) chair lift rides. The line to the first one was so long, I decided to follow the staff’s suggestion and take a walk to the next one, because it was actually downhill. The line to the final lift was short, the ride was steep, and after a little while I was at the highest lift station on the Black Pyramid mount.
It was windy, and cold, just 10C, compare that to cozy 24C I left in Adler. I looked around, but saw no postbox anywhere near. I asked: oh, it’s at the top of the mountain! you have to hike up there by this trail. The trail looked easy, and had a safety rope set up along it, but I could not see past the nearest turn. It costs additional $7 to go up the top. They dressed me up for a climb, and instructed on use of the safety lines, and rules on passing other people — seemed excessive at that point, but turned out to be needed beyond the closest turn.
The easy trail turned into some mild climbing very quickly. It was fun. It probably took about 15 minutes to get up there. The postbox sits right at the top. The views are fantastic! Clouds just highlighted where I was, and did not spoil anything.
I took a few photos, a selfie for a “proof”, and dropped the postcards into the box. The sound of cards hitting the bottom of it told me it was empty. Who picks mail up? How often? And, again, why is it here in the first place? Mystery. But I hope somebody does pick it up, and all 15 people will receive their cards!"
Hurray for nice postal adventures! Erik was very kind to mail a postcard to Postcrossing’s PO box from this excursion, and it arrived some time ago. So the mailbox works, and reading his report of the trip made us appreciate it even more.
Are there any special postboxes where you live? And what kind of postal-themed adventures would you like to embark on?
78 comments so far
I'm so glad to see this post. I'm one of the fortunate ones who received this card from Erik. Kudos to him for sending cards in such a special manner, and creating a very good memo of it.
I have taken a print of his blog to keep along with the postcard :)
My precious!!!
What a great place and a lovely story.
Thank you for such amazing post.
How amazing! I hope we can receive an update on who the postcards were sent to so we can check them out! I love stories of unique and interesting mailboxes such as these.
This is just fantastic!! Thanks for sharing :)
Wow!! So cool!
Очень круто 👍🏻
Fun story and photos! What an adventure to that post office. I’m picturing a postal officer climbing up there to empty the mailbox with their mail bag and uniform!
What a fantastic story! I love your dedication to adventure, and Postcrossing, Erik!
Очень интересное приключение получилось! Здорово!
How unique is that?! Thank you for your effort!
Wow !!! Thanks for sharing this incredible story.
Wowwwww
Awesome story and adventure!
I'm curios to know if the cards sended in that postal box Will arrive to somebody ❤️ .
Unusual!
Eleonor, the cards did arrive!
What a wonderful story - thank you for the lovely trip! :)
Awesome! What a fun story, thank you for sharing. Those are 15 fortunate folks receiving those cards. I'm glad the adventure was successful!
d
Thank you so much for taking us on your postal adventure!
Great story!
Here in Germany we have a post buoy, located on a lake called "Steinhuder Meer". You can drop your mail from the boat only and it will be collected by the local sailing club and forwarded with a special cancellation. You can read about it here (unfortunatly in german only):
https://www.travelbook.de/ziele/seen/steinhuder-meer-briefkasten-postboje
That is so incredibly interesting!
I hope he posted one to himself.
A great adventure story told n well presented. Thank you Erik. Cheers....
WOW! thank you for sharing this with us Erik, what a wonderful adventure.
what a great climb and story. I would do the same if it was nearby. Probabky, he can get the second half of the story (who/ when the mail is picked up) from the nearest post office!
What a fun adventure! I would love to track down that mailman and get his story! What a job that must be!
awesome
This is an interesting story. It would certainly be nice if a special postmark were also printed on the cards or letters sent through this letterbox. That way, as a recipient of this mail, you could also recognise that you have received something special.
One of my favorite Postcrossing blog posts. It was a treat for me to see the mountain views. Maybe Erik will be sending more postcards via this location? Continue adventuring!
Great, this is a very nice and interesting storry.
I liked to read it and look at the nice pictures.
Unfortunately I dont´t know a similar postbility in my region
Hey Erik, what a great adventure. Thank you for share this with us...!
What a fantastic story!! I’m always happy when the mail at my local post office actually gets picked up. But this is beyond amazing! 😃
This is so interesting! Thank you for sharing the story. 📫📮
This is just the COOLEST thing ever !!!!!!!
Thank you for sharing!
We get so many expired postcards, especially during the COVID lockdowns, and then we get this amazing story of cards being collected from the top of a mountain. Thanks Eric, you have given us all a lift with your story.
What a fantastic adventure to get your postcards posted. Wonderful story.
Amazing adventure! Thanks so much for sharing this with us!
We have Mailbox Peak here in Washington! https://www.wta.org/go-hiking/hikes/mailbox-peak
It doesn't seem to be on any mail carrier's route. ;) I wonder what kind of letters or postcards people put in it.
cooooooooooooool ,
Thanks for sharing Erik. Your story is very interesting.
That's very cool! I'd love to visit it. And amazing that it gets serviced! That's a dedicated postal service for you...
Love story, it is so inspiring! :)
Now I will check interesting postboxes where I live :)
Thank you,Erik. I really enjoyed reading about your adventure. I love “off the beaten path” places! This most definitely is one!
What a joy to read of your adventure, Erik! I felt lots of emotions: suspense (would guides help you? would you find it? would you be safe on the hike?), wonder and awe (the view, the clouds, the lone postbox standing above the world), and joy: at your arrival and at the success of the mail delivery. Thank you for sharing!
Just when I didn't think this hobby could get any more exciting Erik climbs a mountain in Russia to mail 15 cards. What great photos, too.
I love this story! The chair lift in the fog is my favorite photo. Erik, I love your sense of adventure. It took a lot of dedication to climb a mountain to mail some cards! I would be thrilled to receive one of your cards from the mountaintop mailbox.
Wonderful read!!
Thanks Erik for a fascinating story, which raises more questions in my mind: Why on earth is the box located precisely there in such a remote place? and is there a dedicated mailman? guide? hiking club member? who empties the box? I'd like to hear more on this story.
Thank you Erik for sharing this Post crossing story about your trip.
What an awesome story and top views Erik ! I commend your dedication to adventure, and Postcrossing, keep up the good work man.
I would like to personally get to this mountain!
What if I get a postcard from this mailbox?!
It seems to me that if Eric has been there once, he will return there again!!! Let's hope so!
Happy New Year -2022 , Eric, and all postcrossers !
So wonderful to read, thank you so much for that breathtaking blog, dear Erik!
I wish I could receive a postcard from that very special place.
Wishing all Postcrossers a wonderful, peaceful and happy New Year!
Thank you for sharing, Erik! Very cool! Thank you also for the others who put the link of extraordinary postboxes.
That's so great! I was in this place few times, but never heard about this mailbox! Very funny! Thank you
How cool is that!?!?
Splendid postbox and very beautiful cards!
That's what I call dedication. :-)
Love your story!!
Super
Merry Christmas
Christopher CWA Atlanta
Love this post! And what a wonderful treat for those lucky 15 people who received a postcard from a postbox tucked away in the clouds. How I wish I was one of them!
Hoping for more such stories on little-known, mysterious postboxes.
How crazy is that amailbox on top of a mountain. Thank you Erik!!!!
That's crazy, a mailbox on top of a mountain. Hope someone empties it.
On the mailbox you can see the sticker of a very well known character in Spain "el risitas". Surely someone who knows him ( Spanish ? ) has climbed up there.
wonderful -Eric - wunderbar - a story like this and you the Legend ! ! ! ! Merry Christmas Eric and Meiadeleite :-)))
Потрясающе и удивительно! Буду в Сочи - повторю твой подвиг! Возникла идея поискать почтовые ящики в России, которые требуют подобных авантюр!
Thanks for sharing, Erik, I really enjoyed the post. The pictures are wonderful, and I kept thinking "not something I would do, but glad he did" Love the armchair traveling aspect of Postcrossing.
Thank you for including us all in your adventure. Well done Sir!
Была в Сочи и в Розе Хутор, но ни разу не слышала про этот почтовый ящик :0
During a trip, I found a mailbox in a mysterious canyon, and I sent a postcard to my friends. Sadly, the postcard never arrived. I want to go on a unique mailbox adventure just like Erik!
I live at the foot of this mountain, I see it through the window every day. A unique place!
The only thing I didn't understand: where did Eric get these branded cards? When the snow melts, I will definitely go up and repeat it! so cool!
What a nice story! Want to find another unusual postbox places...
Russia is full of nice surprises and this is one of them!
pretty cool!
I love it! Thank you for telling your story Eric.
Here in Oregon, USA we have an unusual postbox that at one time was normal and widespread. The Portland Zoo railroad has a special cancellation if you drop your mail in the box on the train, or leave it at the desk where you buy your train ticket. Its the last railroad postbox in the continental USA.
Finding something like this is rare. I feel the same way when I stumble across a good old fashion glass phone booth with a functioning payphone here in the USA.
Amazing!
Amazing.
Cool! An interesting place for a mailbox :)
How fun! Thank you for sharing your journey!
Amazing place! I hope your postcards arrive soon to its destination. Cheers from Mexico!
This is amazing!
What a fabulous adventure! So glad you braved all the obstacles and took all the steps!
↑ Back to top ↑