Gothic Basin — Tuesday, Aug. 1, 2006

North Cascades > Mountain Loop Highway

The Hike-a-thon begins! I'm warming up with some day hikes over the next week and a half. Today, it was time to brush off the bar exam cobwebs. I finally visited Gothic Basin. My dad, a musician, says that some pieces of music are so beautiful that it hurts. Well, Gothic Basin is so beautiful that it hurts. I was literally moaning as I scrambled around the orange polished rock slopes. There was a cold breeze up there. It felt, and even smelled, like fall. Such a relief after the heat wave here and then the hot muggy weather out east where I was the past week. Natural, crisp, cool air! Is there any point in talking about trail conditions? It's the steepest bona fide trail I have ever been on, bar none. And that actually includes the new switchbacks in the woods, although I'm sure it's still much better than whatever rooty, muddy mess was there before. (i.e., they are very very steep, but smooth) It's not overgrown or brushy (despite warnings to the contrary on the trailhead sign), the stream crossings are all easy, and although believe it or not there are some snow patches in the basin, they are no problem. There are campsites melted out up there, if you're masochistic enough to take a heavy pack up that trail. I saw a couple who had done just that. Bravi! That pair and a party of five that had attempted Del Campo (a snowfield that was too steep for just poles turned them back) were the only folks I saw all day. That includes on the Monte Cristo road. No bugs! What an amazing day.