Forum Index > Trip Reports > Gothic Basin and Peak - 7/2/09
 Reply to topic
Previous :: Next Topic
Author Message
Schroder
Member
Member


Joined: 26 Oct 2007
Posts: 6696 | TRs | Pics
Location: on the beach
Schroder
Member
PostFri Jul 03, 2009 9:27 am 
After going up the abandoned Green Mountain trail last weekend with Quark and JimK, I decided I was sufficiently beat up to step up the punishment by going up the Gothic Basin trail. For those of you that have never been up this trail, it starts off by following the Monte Cristo Road to the washed-out Twin Bridges and then following a trail built in the 80's that meanders up and down on the bank of the Sauk River before connecting with the old miners trail. Then it's serious switchbacks to timberline where the trail turns into a succession of creekbeds. I persuaded Larry, Neil and Chris into going along with me. The trail along the river is cleared out and has one easy stream crossing. There are a couple of small walkaround blowdowns on the switchbacks and then you get into the fun part. There are several trees down once you start traversing and, of course, they are too low to crawl under and too high to step over. The gullys all have some snow in them that are easy to get around and the waterfall crossing is snow free.
Twin Bridges
Twin Bridges
skirting a snow patch
skirting a snow patch
Above the falls at 4000 ft, the snow becomes solid fairly quickly. We tried to stay on the trail route, but we ended up wasting half an hour at one spot trying to get over the last hump so we backtracked and took the early route straight up. When we came down via the trail, we found that we were only about 10 feet off.
heading up the spring route
heading up the spring route
approaching the lake
approaching the lake
We took a long break near the lake and admired the views into Monte Cristo and up to our destination of Gothic Peak.
Gothic on the left
Gothic on the left
We skirted the west side of the lake below Del Campo and just made a long ascending traverse up the snow to the beginning of the rock on the east ridge of Gothic Peak. Then it was a scramble the last couple of hundred feet.
Views from the top:
Looking over Sheep Gap toward Spire Mountain with Daniel and Hinman on the horizon
Looking over Sheep Gap toward Spire Mountain with Daniel and Hinman on the horizon
The Monte Cristo Group
The Monte Cristo Group
Sloan and Glacier Peak
Sloan and Glacier Peak
The now almost unreachable Red Mountain in Sultan Basin. Mt Stickney in the distant right.
The now almost unreachable Red Mountain in Sultan Basin. Mt Stickney in the distant right.
Sheep Gap and the Crested Buttes
Sheep Gap and the Crested Buttes
Spire Mountain, Daniel & Hinman in the distance
Spire Mountain, Daniel & Hinman in the distance
The forbidden upper Sultan River, Mt Pilchuck in the background
The forbidden upper Sultan River, Mt Pilchuck in the background
Left to right, most prominent - Vesper, 3 Fingers, Whitehorse, Big 4, Sperry, Morning Star, Jumbo
Left to right, most prominent - Vesper, 3 Fingers, Whitehorse, Big 4, Sperry, Morning Star, Jumbo
Starting back down
Starting back down
We headed for the east end of the lake down the snow
looking to Monte Cristo & Foggy (Crater) Lake
looking to Monte Cristo & Foggy (Crater) Lake
Looking back at Del Campo
Looking back at Del Campo
At the east end of the lake we picked up tracks of someone who knew their way down the trail. We found a few stretches of the trail melted out and soon we intersected our tracks where we turned around earlier.
We headed down quickly, motivated by the beer we stashed in the Sauk River.

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
Magellan
Brutally Handsome



Joined: 26 Jul 2006
Posts: 13116 | TRs | Pics
Location: Inexorable descent
Magellan
Brutally Handsome
PostFri Jul 03, 2009 9:44 am 
Love it! up.gif

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
seattlehikertoo
Member
Member


Joined: 26 Jun 2008
Posts: 582 | TRs | Pics
Location: Finding an alternative to Mailbox Pk
seattlehikertoo
Member
PostFri Jul 03, 2009 11:08 am 
Jeeezus Schroder...Going to have to get this one in. My brother and I tried to go up to the summit a couple of times, but couldn't find the a good way up. So, it looks like you head toward the notch from the Del Campo side...We too may have to stash some beer on a trip like this...

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
Schroder
Member
Member


Joined: 26 Oct 2007
Posts: 6696 | TRs | Pics
Location: on the beach
Schroder
Member
PostFri Jul 03, 2009 11:44 am 
If you come into the basin on the snow route you end up at a small tarn on the shoulder of Del Campo. From here the most direct route is to drop down on talus to the lake shore and traverse to the right onto the snow and then just head directly for the east (left) side of the summit rock. If you come up the trail into the lake basin it's shortest just to head from the lake outlet to the summit block. Here's another photo - a small pano of Vesper to Del Campo

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
11th Essential
Member
Member


Joined: 09 Jun 2007
Posts: 203 | TRs | Pics
Location: Shoreline, WA
11th Essential
Member
PostFri Jul 03, 2009 12:02 pm 
Thanks for the excellent trip report. What a great, clear day. up.gif Looks like a quite a bit of snow still up there in the basin. Looks tempting to maybe get up there next weekend for an overnight, popping up to Gothic and Del Campo plus some other wanderings in the basin. Hmm, wish I was there today....

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
Popcorn
Member



Joined: 20 Aug 2008
Posts: 151 | TRs | Pics
Location: Another Place
Popcorn
Member
PostFri Jul 03, 2009 4:42 pm 
Marvelous!

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
EastKing
Surfing and Hiking



Joined: 28 Mar 2007
Posts: 2082 | TRs | Pics
Location: 77 miles from Seattle!
EastKing
Surfing and Hiking
PostFri Jul 03, 2009 5:41 pm 
This is the first time I have seen a trip report of the area. now that I know it is doable I might alter my plans. Good TR and photos!

YouTube | SummitPost Saw the depths of despair. Now I am salvaging what time I have left on Earth.
Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
   All times are GMT - 8 Hours
 Reply to topic
Forum Index > Trip Reports > Gothic Basin and Peak - 7/2/09
  Happy Birthday speyguy, Bandanabraids!
Jump to:   
Search this topic:

You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum