What an incredibly gorgeous day for a hike!!! I finally got to do Gothic Basin which I had heard was a really nice area to get to and I even talked my friend into going with me (actually that wasn't too tough as she likes challenging hikes). The trail was steep and the rocks are a bit tricky, no boring nice trail here, but worth the sore feet. In addition, there was also not much of a ""bug"" factor. The Fall colors on the trees are spectacular with brilliant reds, oranges, and yellows. It was fun to climb on the boulders while the weather was clear. We got to walk into a waterfall where there were green ferns and mosses growing out of the rocks. Gothic Basin is a wonderful place to explore, so the next time I get up there will hopefully be a backpacking trip. Basically it was a great day spent in the woods! Happy Hiking :0)

Gothic Basin, 9.4 mile round trip, 2600’ elevation gain, cloudy, cool. Started from the gate at Barlow Pass around 8:30AM. Walked the road 1.1 miles to the trailhead just before the old bridge over the Sauk River. The trail starts off easy then climbs well maintained although very steep switchbacks through forest. Eventually reach open rocky slopes with a few creeks and traverse for sometime over a few sketchy sections of trail. We needed to use our hands and feet to climb over some rocks. I was glad it wasn’t raining out because it would make for a slippery trail. We climbed and climbed with Silvertip Peak, Monte Cristo, and Keyes Peak to our left above Glacier Basin. The clouds added to the scenery as they seemed to sever the tips of some of the higher peaks in the distance. The cool September day was inviting as we made the final ascent to the entry of Gothic Basin. This is a very rocky area with lichen, meadows, and small ponds. It was very breezy and chilly as we sat and ate lunch, so we layered some clothes on. We explored the area and looked way down on Weden Lake. There are a handful of campsites in the basin. After about two hours we decided to head down since the clouds were getting thicker by the minute and we certainly didn’t want to scramble down the trail in the rain. We would have liked to climbed up to Foggy Lake but didn’t want to take a chance with the expected rains. We said our good bye to such a neat place and made our way down. Just when we reached the car it started to drizzle, then rain. We got back just in time. It took us about 3 hours to climb to Gothic Basin. Fall is on its way. Josh Comen

Buffy, Hoss, and I declared Gothic Basin the destination for this weekend. We would not be disappointed, as the two nights there provided hours of frolicking, relaxation, exploration, and soul-salve. Gettin' There: We hit the trail sometime after 8:30 am on Saturday, Barlow Pass containing about six or seven other automobiles. We thought that odd, being Labor Day and expecting hordes and herds of boot clad humanoids. The day was bright and clear, a condition for high spirits and spunky steps. I found myself a trusty natural trekking pole with sufficient tensile strength and rigidity for trail use (bonus!). The trail, despite recent improvements over the years, is still pretty gnarly. It pleased the massochist in us as we lugged our full packs up over roots, rocks, and uphill marches. We exchanged notions about how the old trail must have been a real quad pleaser. Our tenacity paid off, and poof, Gothic Basin reared its slabs o' rock before us. We dashed (more like dragged) past Foggy Puddle and scrambled to a fine camp site before Foggy Lake and Del Campo. Bein' There: The basin is singularly unique, rock and more rock, slabs and chunks of the stuff. Lives up to its medieval title, and to a phrase I heard: ""Geologist's Wet Dream."" After the requisite nap and camp set-up, I chucked my pale carcass into Foggy's cold waters. Yarr! Ahhhh... refreshing after you catch your breath. I also scampered up to the ridge saddle below Gothic for some good views, and then to the snow pack in Foggy Pass for a weak glissade attempt. Sunset on Monte Cristo, Wilmon, and Silver Tip was a nice treat, a prelude to Mars popping is shiny red orb over their crests at nightfall. Next day: We chugged up Del Campo as far as the ""notch"" where we called a halt. We leave no man behind, and didn't have 100% group comfort in continuing. No importa, the view was spectacular, the summit will always be there, and the basin full of other treats. Hoss used the altitude to squawk on his mobile HAM unit for a bit. We returned to our camp and all of us chucked ourselves into Foggy's clear blue waters. Hoss and Buffy paddled and splashed around like seals...""c'mon man, you get used to it!""... so I joined the party for a few moments. Eureka! We found the mine! And curses, we forgot our headlamps!! Still a neat find and we will plumb its dark recesses when we return. Note: It might have been just Labor Day, but the basin was CROWDED. Being little to no tree cover, you can see and hear your neighbors and fellow hikers as clean as day. I apologize to those with more delicate sensibilities, but this made relieving yourself a game of cloak and dagger (could almost hear the Mission Impossible theme as you skulked about with sanitary implements in hand). Gettin' out: After so much rock hopping and overall frolicking, the legs were soaking up the abuse on the way out. Buffy grazed on huckleberry's until her lips were purple. My knee began to rebel, but I squashed its insignificant uprising with sheer will. On the way down, we passed 38.5 (.5 being a kid in carrier) people!!! Some with really late starts (1:00 pm approx.)!! I committed my trusty natural trekking pole back to nature, *sniff*, it served me well. Buffy actually jogged part of way... psycho. Contrast to the start, Barlow Pass parking lot was overflowing. Overall this is a fantastic destination, lots of exploration potential, peaks, mine, lakes, waterfalls! I'd go back, hopefully with less of a crowd being present (maybe it was more serene without the improvements?? hmmm). Maybe try to get down to Weden lake and up to Sheep Gap. Gothic Basin gets a certified seal of, according to Hoss, ""Where it's at.""

Perfect weekend in the basin. Light clouds saturday, then sun all day sunday. Hardly any bugs, not much snow left up there, but this trail still lives up to its tough reputation. Trails up to del campo and gothic peak looked totally clear, but we didn't go up them... The views at the top ridge of the basin were stunning enough. Finally found the mine to the left of the entrance to the basin, down a beautiful but VERY STEEP valley. Didn't go in very far, just liked knowing what the trail was there for. That would have been a very difficult job, pretty walk to work, but very difficult

After spending several vacation days working on the house, I saved time for a backpack trip. Gothic Basin camping in the summer had been on my list to do for some time. A morning decision was made after watching the weather forecasts to go a day early to make this a Thursday - Friday trip. From Barlow Pass (2,360') at 1:40 PM, I headed toward Monte Cristo on the gated gravel road, then hung a right onto the Weden Creek / Gothic Basin trail # 724. The trail starts in good condition as it parallels the Sauk River without much elevation gain. As the trail turns away from the river, the elevation gain becomes serious. Multiple switchbacks through forest provide shade. Higher up, a few trail sections are rocky, but passable. After 5 miles I entered Gothic Basin (5,000') at 5:00 PM and was greeted with a different scene than prior visits when snow covered all. Now the snow has all melted out, except for a few widely scattered patches in shade. The lakes and ponds are all melted including Foggy Lake (5,300'). The glacier smoothed rock formations are a rock scramblers dream with excellent boot traction. Trails are sketchy in Gothic Basin probably due to extensive rock and normal snow coverage. Another couple chose the upper basin to camp, so I went back to the lower end of the basin and found a good level site with outstanding views all around. The trip back down and out was nice too. Mild temperatures, partly cloudy / mostly sunny, with mild bugs.