Del Campo Peak

I changed the start time to a leisurely 8:00 AM. Approach was straightforward, the Weeden Creek trail is as steep as I remember it. We cut off immediately after entering Gothic Basin and followed the way trail up the ridge towards the summit block. There is no snow to be seen anywhere along the route and all the lakes were completely free of ice; ice axes were left at the car. This is the first time in the 24 years I've been visiting here that such conditions exist in July. We passed a party of two who were off route in the gulley to the left of the actual route above the talus field and corrected their error for them. We left the car at 7:42 AM and summited at 11:43 AM. At least three other parties joined us or were passed coming up while we descended the ridge. Both of my party members were competent in all facets, and frankly I was content to take a small party as the original sign up limit was five plus myself. The summit was swarming with thousands of flies, shortening our stay to about fifty minutes. After descending we took a detour to the outlet of Foggy Lake allowing me the opportunity to take a refreshing and cold swim. Gothic Basin has become quite the destination, we encountered over fifty people in the Basin and when hiking out were passed by at least another thirty. Hoping that the potential impact will not result in limits resulting in Enchantment-style quotas. One of my favorite places in the Cascades. We reached the car at 4:14 PM, 8:32 total time car to car. I'll be back.