Well, it turned out to be a great trip - with impressive views all around, but it was hampered by weather warmer than what they are predicted and a recent bug hatch. The trail begins as a road, with first one washout with rough path around before the real trail actually commences. The force of the river in a number of spots is impressive. I wonder if ever that road will get to be fixed? On the trail, the old VOW re-route to intersect the original trail is occasionally in need of some work: including brushing in the open meadows, a handful of trees down, and another washout through slippery clay soil which might stand a brief re-route. Intersecting the original trail, it's about in the same condition as I remember from perhaps 10 years ago - steep and rough. Once up to the first of many stream crossings, the views improve. The bigger streams are all relatively easy to cross with no extensive avalanche debris left. Further up, though, beginning around maybe 4500', snow patches start. They get bigger with smallish streams asking to melt out in the near future. On one snow patch, we just kept climbing up to intersect the ridge off of Del Campo at perhaps the 5400' level. From here, we enjoyed great views in all directions. Looking down at Foggy Lake, it is 98% frozen with just a couple of small aquamarine melt patches visible. We then contoured down into the basin, exploring around. The basin is mostly full with snow, with just rock ribs sticking out. Summer has yet to really arrive here, except for the bugs. We then caught up with the trail, and began the way down. This seems to take almost as long as the way up. A long and tiring day, but rewarding still. Much towards the bottom, we ran into many groups planning to backpack in. We gave them the sorry news that the lake was frozen and the tentsites snow-covered. Alas... On a trail work note, the first mile of the VOW reroute would be an excellent WTA project, between the trees and brush and the one re-route needed. Just a thought...

We didn't step foot on the Gothic Basin/Weden Creek trail. Just a note to say that the mudslide that washed out the road is passable via a high trail around the slide. So you can still walk the road to access the trail-head. The mudslide is spectacular and worth the short walk in to see the brand new terrain. The bridge over the S. Fork Sauk past the trailhead is half gone as well, but there are two trees down that allow access across a fork of the river to what's left of the bridge. The carnage wrought by nature upon all things manmade is something to behold. Oh and cheers to the steady stream of hearty souls who dragged their bikes over the horizontal trees become bridge to peddle the road to Monte Cristo. You're sure footed and strong backed, I'll give you that much. Your bravery or foolishness tottering across those trees toting your bikes I won't comment on!

Destination was Del Campo Peak via the Gothic Basin Trail. Monte Cristo Road blocked by slide in the usual area at 3/4 mile. Can take bypass up and around or walk through the slide area. Bridge out from 11/06 storm at 1 mile at the turnoff to the Gothic Basin Trail. No problem getting to trail. Trail was snow-free to the avalanche gulley at 3600'. The gulley and the two shortly thereafter were still snow-covered, but the roofs above the streams are getting thin and will probably collapse with 2 weeks. Caution required. Trail was snow-covered starting around 4000', and it's easy to get off-route. We turned NW off the trail at about 4400' and traversed 1/2 mile up onto the SE ridge of Del Campo at the north end of Foggy Lake. We could have taken the normal route into Gothic Basin, but the deep snow cover allowed this easy shortcut. Gothic Basin was still covered by snow, and Foggy Lake was still completely frozen, except for a little melt around the edges. Route up to the beginning of the summit block of Del Campo was also snow-covered, and provided great glissading on the way down. The last 300' of the summit block was mostly snow free. Ice axes recommeded for Gothic Basin hikers until at least 7/15. A fall on some of the steeper slopes could spell disaster w/o the ability to self-arrest.

A two day trip to an area new to me, and scrambles of Gothic and Del Campo Peaks. The trip report by Canis Lupus Feminalis who was also on this trip pretty much covers Saturdays hike into the basin and scramble of Gothic Peak. The route our leader chose, involved some not so fun, very mobile talus and some very fun slabs. Capped by a nice (if your legs are a little on the long side) rock climb to the summit. The forecast was marginal and it sure helped hold down the crowds. In fact our group of three who decided to stay over Saturday night were joined by only one other party. A group of 4 adult leaders and an unknown number (they move to fast to get a good count) of teenage boys out to do a little scrambling in the basin. Makes you feel real old when you're reminded how much energy you once had... The leader of our little group, who has done Del Campo many times, mentioned that the scramble was exposed, but not all that difficult. I kept looking up at the mountain across the lake from our camp Sunday morning wondering if he was talking about some other mountain. The one I saw looked plenty difficult to me. After breakfast we loaded a few essentials and water into our packs and headed out across the outlet of Foggy Lake. Weather was overcast, but the clouds were well above summit level so we were hoping for better views than we had on Saturday. We went around the E side of the lake, crossed the outlet of the little tarn N of Pt. 5415 and caught the boot path up the ridge in front of Del Campo. The path dumps you out on a talus field near what is now a smallish snow field, just S of the ""notch"". A rising traverse across a more stable talus field than the one on Gothic brought us to the base of the notch. We didn't enter the notch, rather we climbed the rock on the left side wall of the notch until we reached a short rib :) above and left of the top of the notch. From there it's a fairly short scramble NNW up to the summit. As b00 points out in a July WTA posting, the rock is good and not too difficult to climb if you're on the route. It is, for me at least, very exposed. A fact that's much easier to ignore on the way up when you're busy charting your course, than it is on the way down. Very airy leaving the summit for the trip back. We didn't get the views we hoped for from the summit, but the misty rain held off for us until we got back to the talus field. A great weekend, two scrambles I've thought about trying for some time and some of the best people I know to share it with.

A little bit rainy and foggy off and on but not too bad for this time of year. Lots of Blueberries! When we got to the pass leading into the basin we went down to the left to some campsites. We noticed that a tree down there had a little wooden sign on it that said ""3"" on it and wondered what that is about. Anyone know about this?