Gothic Basin

Gothic Basin lies just 50 miles almost due east from my last post at Point No Point. And what a world of difference - landscape, weather, geology. M was grading papers all day Saturday and I figured I had time to get in a hike and still get back with time to shower before we met friends for dinner. Barely, as it turned out, in part because I didn't get as early a start as I normally do and partly because the hike was harder, or I was slower, than I anticipated.

I kept my fingers crossed that the sun might break through the overcast by the time I reached the top, but no such luck. Fortunately, it only rained for about 30 minutes -- the 30 minutes I spent sitting on a wet slab eating my lunch above Foggy Lake. It looked like it did eventually clear - from the view in my mirror as I drove back out the Mountain Loop Highway towards Granite Falls after hiking out.

I think I see why this place is called Gothic - particularly on a bleak day like this one!