This can be a tough hike day hike but worth the burn. It starts out crazy steep in the forest, but the trail is clean and smooth... This is the "easy" part (you're a third of the way to the basin). Once you exit the forest, it gets rough in spots with lots of rocks and roots to look out for. The trail hugs the mountain for a little bit and the views open up dramatically. You'll also see that you still have a long way to go and it's up, up, up... Once you enter the basin though, you're instantly rewarded. It's huge!! And the terrain is striking... it's like you're on another planet. A picture just can't do it justice.
If you start at the parking lot, it's 9.4 miles round triip with a 3050' elevation gain. However, it's flat for the first 1.2 miles and then gradually increases for the next half a mile giving you plenty of time to warm up. The last three miles are pretty steep so it feels like much more.
Carrying only food and water it took us 3 hours to reach the basin and 2.5 hours to get out. If you're not camping out, allow yourself plenty of time to mess around up there because there's so much to see. Most people hiking in were going to camp out. Next time I may backpack in... but that trail is a killer... so maybe not... ha ha.
Bit of clarification on the route in late season:
From the outlet of Foggy Lake, head up to the obvious low point on Gothic's SE ridge. There is actually a user trail snaking upwards marked by the occasional cairn - although it's difficult to make out from the distance. Upon attaining the ridge, keep following the trail/route northwesterly (marked by occasional cairns) to a small tarn at the foot of a snowfield. Some people ascend the ridge directly, but the easiest way up is to stay in the scree, climber's right of the SE ridge. Follow this all the way up; the route was marked with numerous cairns as of Sept 2014. At the very top where you reach the summit block, cut left on a small "sidewalk" of downsloping rock (slightly exposed / easy friction slabbing) and switchback up right to the base of the summit block. The route looks to veer climber's left here, but instead scramble directly up from here. It's about 100ft to the summit.
Good clarification - one quick comment, i think when you say 'up right' in the above post, you mean 'up until you are just below'. If you head right (directionally) from the ridge at the base of the summit block it will take you back down the talus and there is no class 3 route here (I looked just for fun). Would be fun if you wanted Class 4 or 5 variations.
The elevation gain shown in pokeystick comment (3050) is wrong. Check the math, 6200-2400=3800. Does anyone know if the mileage shown (9.4) is correct?
pokeystik - Aug 10, 2005 2:49 am - Voted 10/10
Untitled CommentThis can be a tough hike day hike but worth the burn. It starts out crazy steep in the forest, but the trail is clean and smooth... This is the "easy" part (you're a third of the way to the basin). Once you exit the forest, it gets rough in spots with lots of rocks and roots to look out for. The trail hugs the mountain for a little bit and the views open up dramatically. You'll also see that you still have a long way to go and it's up, up, up... Once you enter the basin though, you're instantly rewarded. It's huge!! And the terrain is striking... it's like you're on another planet. A picture just can't do it justice.
If you start at the parking lot, it's 9.4 miles round triip with a 3050' elevation gain. However, it's flat for the first 1.2 miles and then gradually increases for the next half a mile giving you plenty of time to warm up. The last three miles are pretty steep so it feels like much more.
Carrying only food and water it took us 3 hours to reach the basin and 2.5 hours to get out. If you're not camping out, allow yourself plenty of time to mess around up there because there's so much to see. Most people hiking in were going to camp out. Next time I may backpack in... but that trail is a killer... so maybe not... ha ha.
mandrake - Sep 22, 2014 6:58 pm - Hasn't voted
Gothic routeBit of clarification on the route in late season:
From the outlet of Foggy Lake, head up to the obvious low point on Gothic's SE ridge. There is actually a user trail snaking upwards marked by the occasional cairn - although it's difficult to make out from the distance. Upon attaining the ridge, keep following the trail/route northwesterly (marked by occasional cairns) to a small tarn at the foot of a snowfield. Some people ascend the ridge directly, but the easiest way up is to stay in the scree, climber's right of the SE ridge. Follow this all the way up; the route was marked with numerous cairns as of Sept 2014. At the very top where you reach the summit block, cut left on a small "sidewalk" of downsloping rock (slightly exposed / easy friction slabbing) and switchback up right to the base of the summit block. The route looks to veer climber's left here, but instead scramble directly up from here. It's about 100ft to the summit.
mrjenks85 - Jun 8, 2015 1:09 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: Gothic routeGood clarification - one quick comment, i think when you say 'up right' in the above post, you mean 'up until you are just below'. If you head right (directionally) from the ridge at the base of the summit block it will take you back down the talus and there is no class 3 route here (I looked just for fun). Would be fun if you wanted Class 4 or 5 variations.
ps157328@yahoo.com - Aug 18, 2016 10:27 am - Hasn't voted
Elevation gainThe elevation gain shown in pokeystick comment (3050) is wrong. Check the math, 6200-2400=3800. Does anyone know if the mileage shown (9.4) is correct?