Forest Road 4021 to Bear/Pinacle/Bathtub/Ashland/ect lakes has now been repaired at the major road washout damage. It was a SUV/4x4 hole when we went in at 9am and it was completed fixed when we came out around 5pm. That doesn't mean the road isn't rough and full of large potholes. This road sees little maintenance and is pretty rough, but you just have to go slow.
The trail to Pinacle Lake is roots, roots, and more roots. Elevation gain is modest (1200') from the TH to Pinacle, but roots slow you down until you get above the switchbacks. Still a little mud, but not like earlier. Once at Pinacle Lake we went left around the lake on rocks staying close the water edge around to the gulley heading up to Bathtub.
About 4 small snow patches in the gulley, all melting out. The first one collapsed over the stream while we were up at the lakes. Stay right in the gulley and head up Iodine Gulch which has a rough little bootpath up mostly near the creek bed. Nearer the top it leaves the middle of gulley and heads up the right side to the painted rock "Iodine Gulch sign" Once up to the saddle it's still a little ways across the basin to the Bathtub Lakes. You'll pass several small tarns before coming to the larger lakes.
about 6 people were camped out at Bathtub lakes. We settled in on a large rock to enjoy the views and lunch before heading down the steep gulley and back to Pinacle and eventually the trailhead. It really seems longer than 6.5 miles and 2300' of elevation, but that what my stats showed. We didn't bring poles, and regretted not having them for parts of the trail. Also be prepared for quite a bit of rock/root/boulder scrambles on the way up and down. And finally stay off of the snow bridges and don't be tempted to go into the "caves" that are under the snow in the gulley. The collapsing snow will crush you as the fallen chuches were about 6' square.
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