[jimmymac]

I tried to salvage what I could out of sinking weather forecast for the west side. Thursday 7/14 looked to be fair game. Gothic Basin seemed like it would provide some options if the weather hung in there; if not, then the area seemed like it would offer a pretty easy exit. The trail doesn't mess around. When it's trying to gain some elevation, it gets right with it. Fortunately, the switchbacks were generally under cover, while the upper traverse segments were in the clear, offering great views across the Weeden Creek drainage. The upper portion of the trail to the basin hasn't been worked over like the first couple of miles. It's rocky, but not really rooty. I found exactly one place where I had to use my hands. At its worst, this trail is better than the current trail down into Blanca Lake. Accessing the climbers path to Del Campo Peak was fairly simple. I stayed to the right of the outlet stream and pools that are first encountered before reaching Foggy Lake. At least two routes head CCW around the right side of Foggy Lake. One is higher and seems to skirt closer to Point 5415. Both end up at the narrow, little lakelet east of Foggy. By circling this pool CCW, I found the toe of the ridge that carries the climbers path. From the topo map, I was expecting more of an ascending bench on the approach to Del Campo. In fact, the fairly decent trail follows the crest of a separate ridge that sits out in front of Del Campo's east buttress. The talus field beneath the east buttress is almost without snow. Currently, the snow starts about where the climbers path ends. My only other observation has to do with the rock that lies left of the slot that separates the east buttress from the summit block. The best advice I could find noted that the floor of the slot is to be avoided. The sloping rock that projects above (and to the left of) the NE trending slot is said to be the ticket. The rock closest to edge of the slot was generally still "part of the mountain." It was excellent, blocky stuff. The farther I got away from the edge of the slot (in other words the closer I got to the headwall of the summit block) the crummier the surface got. Yeah, there was dirt and vegetation; it "felt" less complicated. But much of the inner track was made up of broken slabs. These horizontal plates of rock - even pretty big ones - were no longer part of the mountain. They tended to want to go farther down the mountain, regardless of any intervention by shallow soil or vegetation. On the north side of the peak, I did a little calculating. I decided that a late afternoon solo scramble for the summit just didn't pencil out for someone with my limited experience. Physically, mechanically it looked alright. But the idea of continuing up when I was the only human in the basin just seemed indefensibly imprudent. Maybe it's the number of accidents we've seen this year? Anyway, back down I went, disappointed at my lack of resolve. I also had that good feeling you get when you walk away from the purchase of something you want, but can't afford. When I got back to camp, I switched mental gears and enjoyed a great evening on the lake. The bugs weren't all that bad, and there was an almost eerie absence of rodents. Not a one of them. There were birds singing and there was water falling off of Gothic Peak. That was about it. After dark it was just the water falling across the lake. At one point during the night, I heard a faint rumble. It faded in and out, but was clear enough to be unmistakably mechanical. It sounded a little like an old B-25 bomber from a World War II movie. The pulsating rumble seemed to be made up of separate mechanisms, running in and out of phase with each other. But the sound went on longer than a passing propeller plane would have. Then it was gone. But came back, about a half-hour later The only explanation was freight being hauled up the grade on Stevens Pass. The character and the frequency of the noise fit. I was impressed at the reach. The rail line was 15 mountainous miles away. The red sunrise was a warning, but I actually made it to within a mile of my car before the showers commenced. The road walk between the trailhead and Barlow Pass was kind nice with a little light rain.

The really dramatic views start as soon as you step up into the basin.

Del Campo comes into view before Foggy Lake is reached.

Del Campo Peak and Foggy Lake

Gothic Peak and Foggy Lake

View from the vertical slot in Del Campo Peak

Foggy Lake and upper lakelet

Camp

Not a hint of fog tonight

Ready for stars but prepared for rain

Daybreak and the weather bomb is already ticking

[b00]

foggy lake and del campo is a wonderful trip. do not feel bad for not making the top, knowing when to turn around will increase your margin of safety in the mountains. good job! the rest of the scramble is actually quite easy, but could be intimidating to someone without experience. try following someone experienced who has been there before and watch where and how they scramble. following will be a lot easier. be sure to follow closely and wear a helmet, as you have already seen, there is some loose rock up there. the view from the top is excellent. have fun :>)

[Guiran]

Nice pictures. The last stretch of rock on Del Camp is more sound than the climb up next to the gully. But the exposure is worse. Both times I've been up there, I've made the mistake of descending the dirt benches to climber's right of the rock. Keep on the rock!

[wildernessed]

Great pics, looks like a great trip in and of itself. I turned down a couple trips, packed my daypack and that's as far as I got, I guess I can call it a week of vacation.