Hiking Del Campo Peak near Mountain Loop Highway
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Del Campo Peak Hike Information
Difficulty: Difficult
Distance: 17.20Km (10.7 miles)
Elevation Gain: 1,326m (4,350ft)
Highest Elevation: 2,007m (6,585ft)
Average Gradient: 15.41%
Effort/Reward Ratio: High / Very High
Time Needed:
– Slow: 9 – 10 Hours
– Moderate: 8 – 9 Hours
– Fast: 7 – 8 Hours
Dogs Permitted?: Yes
Season: ~July – October
4×4 / High Clearance Required? No
Scrambling / Exposure: Exposed Class 3 scramble
Del Campo Peak Trail
Trailhead Coordinates: 48°01’33.3″N 121°26’37.5″W
Del Campo Peak Overview
Del Campo Peak is a summit situated within the specially designated, ecologically sensitive Gothic Basin in the Morning Star Natural Resources Conservation Area. While Gothic Basin makes for a very popular area for both hikers and campers thanks to its stunning mountain scenery and alpine lakes, with Del Campo Peak being one of the major sights, summiting Del Campo itself is a demanding ascent requiring fairly sustained & exposed class 3 scrambling. This is not a hike or scramble for the faint of heart as a fall could readily result in serious injury or even death, but for those that do summit Del Campo the rewards are some stunning panoramic views from the top.
As noted Gothic Basin is an incredibly popular region in the summer, drawing many visitors every weekend. The hike up to the basin is a rugged and steep one. The miners that first constructed this trail did not follow the usual WA mantra of manicured, well graded switchbacks up the mountain, instead preferring a steep, direct and rocky climb. The first 3km of the hike are a practically flat walk along the Sauk River, meaning the entire elevation gain is really spread out over the remaining 5.6km of hiking to the summit, for an average gradient of over 23%.
Del Campo Peak is certainly possible as a day hike, but many parties will opt to break this up over a weekend by camping at Foggy Lake and summiting Del Campo the next day. Some parties will also summit the nearby Gothic Peak as well, which is an easier Class 3 scramble than Del Campo. Camping within Gothic Basin is on a first come, first served basis, so get there early if you intend to go on a weekend. Camping should remain within designated campsites on flat, firm ground so as not to damage the ecosystem.
Parking for Gothic Basin is from Barlow Pass along Mountain Loop Highway, with lots of overflow parking on the side of the road available if needed. It is all 2WD accessible. You will need to buy a Northwest Forest Pass to park here.
Del Campo is predominantly a summer hike, with the main season running from July to October. Mountain Loop Highway closes in the winter, typically reopening around Memorial Day and closing again once the snow arrives in the late fall/early winter. In the late spring and early summer you can expect to encounter snow for sections of the trail, and Foggy Lake may remain frozen until mid-summer. You may want to bring an ice axe and crampons in the early season as the approach up to the scramble can often involve some steep snow travel.
Dogs are welcome in Gothic Basin but it’s unlikely that most dogs will be able to scramble up to the peak.
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Is Del Campo Peak worthwhile?
Del Campo Peak is the crown jewel of Gothic Basin, which is itself an incredibly scenic area and a playground for outdoor enthusiasts, offering stunning views, pristine lakes and dramatic peaks every which way you look. This scramble should be left to confident and capable parties experienced in scrambling with exposure. There are plenty of other options in the area for parties not confident enough for Del Campo.
For those that do summit Del Campo, the views are breathtaking and well worth the additional effort from Foggy Lake. Many people enjoy the scramble as it is technically quite straightforward thanks to solid, blocky holds throughout and relatively straightforward route finding.
How difficult is the hike to Del Campo Peak?
Del Campo Peak is a difficult hike/scramble both physically and technically. The entire elevation gain comes over just 5.6km, which makes for a persistently steep grunt up. Most parties will take a long rest at Foggy Lake before continuing on to the summit, which thankfully should only take another hour or so to ascend from Foggy Lake.
Technically speaking the hike up to Foggy Lake is straightforward, albeit on some very rough and ready terrain, with plenty of boulders to navigate throughout. From the lake the hike up to the scramble is also quite simple when there isn’t any snow remaining. The scramble itself ascends the last 100m or so to the top, requiring constant use of hands with moderate exposure throughout. A helmet should absolutely be worn during the scramble. The rock quality on the scramble is very approachable for most abilities, with plenty of solid, blocky holds and ledges throughout.
Del Campo Peak Route Information
As noted, parking for Del Campo Peak is from Barlow Pass. There is a designated parking area with a washroom and picnic table here, but there is also a lot of parking along the side of Mountain Loop Highway. All of it is 2WD accessible.
From the parking lot you’ll walk to a junction where the Monte Cristo Trail begins beyond a gated road. You’ll now follow the Monte Cristo Trail adjacent to the Sauk River, which is a wide gravel road, for the first 1.5 kilometers. Some people bring a bike and cycle this portion, but it won’t save a lot of time. Keep an eye out for an outhouse and signage indicating Gothic Basin as you’ll now be departing the groomed trail and heading into the forest.
After turning off the Monte Cristo Trail it’s still an easy stroll through the forest for another kilometer before the hike truly begins in earnest. Shortly after crossing Weeden Creek you’ll begin climbing steeply. Initially the trail will be simple forest travel on dirt, but it soon becomes more technical, transitioning to rock. At around 1,100m you break out of the forest and begin traversing across the steep eastern slopes of Del Campo Peak. Here you’ll scramble across several creeks, and in the early season snow bridges may still be lingering and require careful navigation.
The trail remains rugged throughout, but eventually at around 1,500m elevation you will reach Gothic Pass, the gateway to Gothic Basin, where you will want to follow a trail to the right and continue your journey to Foggy Lake.
You’ll now pass by Gothic Lake following a fairly obvious trail, but shortly ahead the terrain will become primarily rock and talus, with any semblance of trail vanishing. Cairns will usually aid in your navigation, but as long as you keep climbing, in short order you will reach the shores of the vast Foggy Lake. There are a number of campsites dotted around the lake, but locating them all can be a challenge as the terrain hides them well. Most parties will stop at Foggy Lake to soak in the views and re-energize before continuing on to Del Campo Peak.
Once ready to continue you’ll have to navigate counter clockwise around the lake, which involves some maneuvering across some boulders on the lake shore. You’ll soon pick up a faint trail as you approach a smaller lake, which again you’ll work your way around counterclockwise. The trail now begins climbing again, following an obvious boot path through some light bushes on a mixture of dirt and rock. The views of Foggy Lake will continue to improve as you gain elevation.
Shortly ahead you’ll reach the talus slopes as you begin to head towards a notch between the true summit and a lower eastern summit. Once you’re there you’ll be at the base of the scramble, with a very obvious gully to your right, with a blocky wall left of it. Some people opt to go in the gully, but if you do you want to make sure you get out of it before the top as it eventually becomes class 4 at the end. Most parties suggest (myself included) avoiding the gully and instead scrambling up the blocky wall left of it. There is often a cairn here to indicate approximately where to begin, but in all honesty you can pick your own way up this wall, there are plenty of options and an abundance of good holds to work up.
The scramble has two portions, with the first climbing up to a saddle between the true summit and the lower eastern summit. This section of the scramble is marginally less steep and it shouldn’t take too long. You may want to pause on the saddle to collect any nerves, it’s not far to the top now.
From the saddle there is a brief section of steep hiking before you begin the second scramble up to the true summit. This quickly steepens and involves some more challenging moves as you work up due to the rock being slightly less forgiving. It’s still quite straightforward, but the exposure and difficulty certainly increases just as you reach the top.
Once you reach the summit the views will be panoramic, with a stunning vantage above Foggy Lake down below, as well as the entire Gothic Basin. On a clear day you’ll be able to see all the way to Mount Rainier, Mount Baker and Glacier Peak. The summit is a fairly small area, but usually there won’t be many people up here due to the technical nature. After resting up you descend via the same route, taking care not to rush. For the most part you are able to descend facing out, but some sections may require facing in briefly.
Once you’re back at the talus slopes below the scramble you simply hike back out the same way you came. Unfortunately the rugged terrain makes for a very slow and draining exit and you’ll be thankful to reach the forest once you get there.
When should I hike Del Campo Peak?
Access to Gothic Basin and thus Del Campo Peak will only be possible once Mountain Loop Highway opens for the year, usually around Memorial Day. Even so, spring and early summer will be a challenging time as snow will be abundant at these elevations well into early summer, so the prime season is really July to October. In the early season you may want to bring snow gear for the approach.
Top Tip
Capable parties may want to consider adding on Gothic Peak and making a full day or weekend of it. Gothic Peak is easier than Del Campo Peak, so if you aren’t sure whether you can do Del Campo, try Gothic first before deciding.
If you intend to camp in the basin on a weekend you will want to start very early. While there is plenty of space up there, campsites can be tricky to find as much of the surface is uneven rock.
