Gothic Basin — Sunday, Jul. 26, 1998

North Cascades > Mountain Loop Highway

I had heard about this cool miners trail into Gothic Basin for a number of years and finally had the chance to see it myself. What I saw was a crew ""working on"" the trail. What they were doing was digging a shallow, three foot wide, muddy trench in the forest, crisscrossing the original trail. I stuck to the original as much as possible, and soon left the mess behind. As predicted, it soon got warm, but the waterfalls made up for that. We walked into the basin and toured the lower tarns before heading up to Gothic Peak . Very hazy views. Nice day.I am saddened and appalled that in such a historically rich area as Monte Cristo, those responsible for the travesty at the Weden Creek trail didn't have the sense to take that into account. If maintenance must be done, it should be as an enhancement to the nature of the original style in which it was built.That trail is a classic and should have been left in it's original state. [Online editor's note: The lower Weden Creek Trail is a horrendousrooty, muddy mess and is in the process of a much needed re-route.]