Been wanting to get up to Gothic Basin for the longest time this season. The first half of the trail was quite pleasant and wide but gets pretty steep as you approach the Basin. There are a few downed trees and some beautiful waterfalls along the way. Plenty of running water!

Gothic Basin still has a decent amount of snow but it’s melting pretty fast. I didn’t spend much time there as I was intent on climbing Del Campo Peak.

I brought crampons and an ice axe but never used them as I felt fairly comfortable on steep snow that had gotten soft during the heat of the day.

We got fooled by an obvious gulley to the right of Del Campo. At the top of the gulley there is a sheer drop off with dangerous terrain. There is also quite abit of unpleasant loose rock in the gulley.

Was able to backtrack a bit via a series of class 3/4 ledges and get back on route. AIM for the largest trees and you should find yourself on class 2/3 terrain with big jugs and handholds..There are alternative options that look more like class 4/5 climbing. There is some exposure and I would highly recommend a helmet. Rockfall is significant hazard on route.

Got to trailhead at 10:15 on a Monday. Lot full, but plenty of spots on the road. Only saw maybe five or six other groups the whole day. A little bit of overgrowth and a few downed trees but easy to go around. A few bugs but we got very few bites. The first half is in the shade and easy, and the second half is steep with scrambling and and a few snow fields to cross. We managed with just boots and poles, no spikes. It was a little slippery so it would be better to bring them if you have them. The snow is starting to melt rapidly now. We didn't go to the upper lake because of the snow looked harder to cross and we were exhausted. Plenty of places to fill up water, lots of waterfalls. Very beautiful hike. 

There’s still a significant amount of snow near the peak, and as you approach the lake, the trail becomes very snowy and can be quite treacherous without snow spikes. The lake itself is mostly frozen at this time. There’s a lower basin area that’s currently a safer and more comfortable spot to relax and enjoy the scenery.
Be cautious—there are hidden crevices beneath the snow, especially if you attempt to reach the main lake. Always test the snow carefully before stepping forward. Also, be prepared for a lot of bugs; they’re relentless right now. Wearing long sleeves and bringing plenty of bug spray is highly recommended.
Overall, this hike is best saved for later in the season, once the snow has melted and conditions are safer.

Is this quietly the best early season waterfall hike in the area? 

Gothic Basin has been on my list for a long time, so I decided to try to knock it out after I hit Vesper in the morning. Legs started out feeling relatively fresh, but faded on me as the ascent wore on. 

The trail has maybe 3 very large blowdowns that have to be bypassed. The trail gets rough enough towards the end that these won't be the worst of your problems, but just be aware. 

The big surprise of this trail to me was the waterfalls. There are 4 big waterfalls, or series of waterfalls, that would be a huge attraction if you dropped them down a mile long trail in a national park. I think going about 3.2mi will get you all the good ones, but they'll obviously shrink as the snow pack that's feeding them melts away. 

The last mile or so had a lot of snow on the trail and was a bit sketchy at times. I'd left my ice axe in the car, but would've probably swapped a pole for it for this section if I'd brought it. I did have my microspikes, but I was able to kick in enough to leave them in my pack. Descent was arguably worse. 

Everything is still under a thick layer of snow at the basin. It was beautiful, but I do suspect this is a destination that's more enjoyable late in the season. 

Arrived at a mostly-empty trailhead around 8:30am. TH bathroom is open and in good condition. The lower trail is in good shape. A couple large blowdowns that are too big to go over, but going around is not too difficult. River crossings are not too challenging right now, and are all melted out, so no sketch snow bridges to worry about.

The snow stars around 4800'. We had spikes but did not use them--snow is fairly soft, but did switch poles for axes. There are a few sections of traversing slopes that are steep enough they were useful, though we may not have been taking the optimal route at that points. Postholing was a constant concern, particular over areas with audible running water below, though we only actually punched through a couple times.

Reached the basin around 11:30am after three hours. Made it to Foggy Lake around noon. It lived up to it's name, we couldn't even see Del Campo. Started back down around 12:30pm, back to the car at 3:30pm.