Lupe’s 12th Birthday (12-14-22)

Morning – Laying next to the heat register, Lupe calmly stared out the window.  The world was newly white.  Several inches of snow had fallen overnight, but it wasn’t snowing now.  The American Dingo watched as a gusty N wind piled the frigid new snow into drifts.  Nothing else moved.

Although SPHP had cheerily wished Lupe a very happy birthday several times already, it seemed clear that this was actually destined to be a dull day.  When your birthday is in mid-December, and your heart’s desire is to explore, sometimes it just works out that way.

Knowing this dreary weather was coming, SPHP had at least taken Loop on a pre-birthday Black Hills expedition to Thrall Mountain (5,091 ft.).  Fun, but that had been days ago now, and wasn’t the same as getting to go on your real birthday!  Minutes dragged on.  Hours crept by.  Nothing changed.  A sad boredom set in.  By mid-afternoon, the Carolina Dog was snoozing peacefully at her usual spot in the hall.

Evening – It wasn’t until the sun had already been down more than 2.5 hours and the night was pitch black that there was finally some action.  A cold, dark ride in the RAV4, and suddenly the party animal, all decked out in party hat and birthday girl ribbon, was bursting into Grandma’s apartment all excited to see her!

With Grandma and SPHP the only attendees at Lupe’s birthday festivities this year, the party quickly got underway.  The American Dingo enjoyed a Busy Rib Hide to start off with, while Grandma and SPHP feasted on TV dinners.  For dessert, there was chocolate ice cream for everyone.  Lupe had 3 bowls!

12th birthday festivities kicked off with a Busy Rib Hide. Very tasty!

A temporary lull occurred while SPHP helped Grandma unscramble a check book mystery, but that didn’t take too long.  Soon Lupe was asked to occupy the seat of honor up on Grandma’s white couch.  SPHP then brought out presents and stacked them all around her.  The situation was certainly looking promising!

The birthday girl on the comfy white couch of honor.

Birthday presents are a joy!  As usual, though, they came with a catch.  Lupe was clearly worried when SPHP brought out a birthday cake, and placed it next to her.

Lupe’s 12th Birthday cake.
The dreaded birthday cake makes its appearance.

The trial by fire was about to begin.  With 12 candles this year, the blaze atop the cake was more fearsome than ever!

The trial by fire begins!

Having been through this ordeal before, the Carolina Dog didn’t flinch or flee, stoically enduring while Grandma and SPHP sang “Happy Birthday” all the way through, with special emphasis on “and many more”!

Lupe didn’t want to blow out the candles herself, so SPHP did it for her.  What the American Dingo wished for, she refused to say.  Evidently she didn’t want to hurt the chances of her birthday wish really coming true.

Although the American Dingo had successfully passed the trial by fire, Lupe still didn’t get her presents.  Instead, cake was served.  Everyone had some, even the sweet-toothed Dingo had a few bites.

At last the time for presents had arrived!  Loopster hopped back up onto the white couch.  Grandma was assigned the task of opening presents for her.  The very first present was one Lupe was sure to like, a big 12 pack bag of Purina Busy Rib Hides.

Grandma opens the first present.
Loop with her Purina Busy Rib Hides, a perennial favorite!

As Grandma kept opening presents, SPHP continued stacking them one by one around Lupe on the white couch.  Authority Hip & Joint Support Chicken Formula Jerky Sticks were next, followed by 4 colorful, knobby plastic squeaker balls.

Authority Hip & Joint Support Chicken Formula Jerky Sticks were the 2nd present Grandma opened.
4 colorful knobby plastic squeaker balls came next.

Grandma wasn’t done yet!  Lupe got a pack of 6″ Ol’ Roy rawhide chews, followed by a huge bag of Full Moon Natural Essentials Savory Sticks – free range beef recipe, and glycerin free.

A 16 pack of Ol’ Roy rawhide chews gets added to the mix.

Hey, look at this, Loopster!  Says here that these Full Moon savory sticks are “human grade”.  I can have some, too!

A sparkle came to Lupe’s eyes.  The American Dingo started to grin.

Maybe if you’re very good, SPHP, I might let you have one now and then.  Read a little farther, though.  It actually says “human grade dog treats”.

Starting to grin as Full Moon Natural Essentials Savory Sticks (free range beef recipe) joins the pile of birthday loot.

Only one more present left.  Although it had become a tradition in recent years, it was still a doozy.  Grandma unwrapped a T-bone steak!

Lupe’s now traditional birthday T-bone steak.

Last year, when Lupe turned 11, SPHP had filled Grandma’s apartment with smoke while broiling her T-bone, setting off alarms and a general panic in the senior living center.  A repeat performance was definitely not on the agenda.

Sorry, Looper, but you’re going to have to wait until we get home.  I’ll broil your T-bone for you there.  Tonight, I promise.

Oh, I wouldn’t mind tearing into it raw right here and now, SPHP!

Heh, I don’t doubt that, but let’s just wait.  A bloody carpet might not be a good thing here, either.  It’ll be better broiled, anyway.  You’ll see.

Lupe sat up among all her presents, smiling happily.  Her 12th birthday may have started out mighty slowly, but look at all this loot!  Suddenly, turning 12 did feel like a grand, memorable event.

Happy Lupe with all her fabulous 12th birthday loot.
Party on! Lupe at 12.

Presents all unwrapped, Lupe and SPHP played together on the carpet, enjoying some brand new knobby squeaker ball fun.

Brand new squeaker ball time!

It had been a small party, but another great one!  Before leaving, Lupe sat with Grandma on the white couch.  Grandma got a kiss for kindly hosting Lupe’s birthday party again this year.

Together with Grandma on the white couch.
Grandma gets a kiss.

8:49 PM – Snowflakes swirled on the breeze when Lupe left Grandma’s to head home.  Along the way, SPHP spotted a magnificent Christmas tree, pulling over to let Lupe out of the RAV4 to see it.

Leaving Grandma’s.
By the spectacular Christmas tree.

Oh, SPHP!  Do you remember the Most Beautiful Christmas tree we always used to visit on the way to the cul-de-sac back when Grandma used to live in the country?  Seems like such a long time since we’ve seen it now.  This incredible tree reminds me of it.

Yes, of course, I do, Loop.  This tree is even much bigger and brighter, but nothing will ever surpass the Most Beautiful Christmas tree for us, will it?  Wonder if it still gets decorated every year?

Do you suppose we’ll ever see the Most Beautiful Christmas tree again, SPHP?  I miss going to the cul-de-sac.

Yeah, me too, Looper, but I don’t know.  We could go there sometime, it’s not all that far away, but times change, the years roll by.  What once was, is no more.  The important thing is that we stay together no matter what.

9:34 PM, at home – Smoke poured out of the oven.  Grease in the broiler pan was on fire!

Eh, not such a big deal.  Nowhere near as bad as last year’s fire drill episode.  Lupe’s T-bone was actually looking pretty good.  Maybe SPHP was getting a little better at broiling?

The tasty T-bone.

Lupe was waiting at her favorite spot in the hall when SPHP delivered her T-bone on a plate.  The Carolina Dog eagerly devoured bite-sized pieces as SPHP sliced them off with a steak knife.

The late evening T-bone feast gets presented in the hallway.

This is so delicious, SPHP!  We ought to have T-bone steak every night!

Hah!  If only, Looper!  Anyway, glad you’re enjoying this one.  Happy 12th birthday!  Love you so much!

Lupe’s late night meal got even better.  SPHP sliced most of the meat into bite-sized pieces for her, but plenty of juicy steak was still clinging to the T-bone when SPHP let Loopster just have the rest.  For a quite while on this cold December night, satisfying munching and crunching sounds came from the hallway corridor.

As usual, the crunching didn’t end until Lupe had finished processing very nearly 100% of her T-bone.

The T-bone remnant.

Hard to believe it.  Lupe was 12 years old!  Another birthday to cherish and remember had come and gone for SPHP’s best friend ever in the whole wide world.

Dear Lupe at 12, December 14, 2022

Links:

Lupe’s 11th Birthday (12-14-21)

Lupe’s 13th Birthday & Crooks Tower (12-14-23)

Want more Lupe adventures?  Choose from Lupe’s Dingo Tales Index or Master Adventure Index.  Or subscribe free to new Lupe Adventures.

Lupe’s 11th Birthday (12-14-21)

8:37 AM, 47ºF, USFS Road No. 216 about 0.7 mile SE of Custer Peak – Better take the warm jacket!  Sort of a surprise.  With a high 20ºF above normal expected, SPHP had thought a light jacket would suffice.  A 25 mph wind out of the W changed everything.  Not exactly cold, but it did feel pretty cool out.

The birthday girl was unfazed!  For a mid-December birthday, conditions weren’t bad at all.  Could be a lot worse.  Thrilled at the chance to spend the day roaming the Black Hills, Lupe headed W on USFS Road No. 216.

Setting off for an 11th birthday romp in the hills. Photo looks W.

The road went past a beautiful snowy field flanked by pine and aspen covered mountains.  Beneath an overcast sky, the contrast between the white field and the dark pines made it easy to see how well the Black Hills live up to their name.

Pausing to admire the snowy field and Black Hills. Photo looks S.

This stretch of USFS Road No. 216 was familiar territory.  As the road gradually turned NW, Peak 6600 came into view.

Approaching Peak 6600 (R of Center). Photo looks WNW.

Are we going to Custer Peak (6,804 ft.), SPHP?

Sort of intended to, Loop, but with it so windy right now, maybe it would be better to wait until later in the day?  Hoped it would be sunnier than this, too.  How about we hit it on the way back, if there’s still time?

Fine with me, SPHP, but on the way back from where?

Oh, remember back in February when we climbed both Custer Peak and Peak 6600, then went on to try to climb Peak 6480, but never got very far because it got so foggy and started to snow?

Of course, I do!  Is Peak 6480 where we’re going now?

Yup, if we can find it.

No. 216 began climbing more steeply.  A little shy of the saddle between Custer Peak and Peak 6600, Lupe reached the junction with No. 216.1A, the spur to Custer Peak.  No. 216 leveled out as it made a big sweeping curve around to the SSE.  Since conditions hadn’t improved, Lupe stuck with No. 216, foregoing any attempt on Custer Peak.

At the junction with USFS Road No. 216.1A where No. 216 makes the big curve. Lupe came up from the L, and kept going to the R. Photo looks SE.

Beyond the big curve, No. 216 soon began angling S along the lower E slopes of Peak 6600.  The road provided a nice view of Custer Peak from along in here.  A bit farther on, No. 216 started gaining elevation again as it curved W around the S end of Peak 6600.  A decent view to the SE began to appear as Lupe got higher.

Custer Peak (R of Center) from USFS Road No. 216. Photo looks NNE.
Looking SE.

The road went past the end of Peak 6600’s S ridge.  Still windy, but the sky had brightened.  Weak sunshine cast shadows on the snow.

Loopster!  Want to go up Peak 6600 while we’re so close?  Won’t take long.  At least it’s kind of sunny now.  Might not be on the way back.

The American Dingo was all for it!  Leaving No. 216, she headed N.

Starting up Peak 6600. Photo looks NNE.

At first there was quite a bit of deadfall to contend with, but Lupe had no trouble getting past it.  By the time the S ridge started getting rocky, she was already close to the top.  Peak 6600’s true summit was along a line of rocks next to a small clearing at the SE end of a long summit ridge.  The clearing provided excellent views toward the S.

Shaking the birthday girl’s paw while she stood on the highest rocks, SPHP congratulated Lupe on her first mountain ascent as an 11 year old.

Getting a little rocky near the summit. Photo looks N.
View from the clearing by the true summit. Photo looks SE.
On the true summit of Peak 6600! Photo looks N.

Custer Peak (6,804 ft.) was visible from the true summit region, but the best, most open viewpoint was 700 or 800 feet away over at the opposite NW end of Peak 6600’s long summit ridge.  The still powerful SW wind shook the pines, as Lupe wound her way through the forest to get there.

At the NW viewpoint. Photo looks NNE.
Looking back toward the true summit (L). Photo looks SSE.
Custer Peak (L) from the NW viewpoint. Photo looks ENE.

Since the NW viewpoint was a favorite spot on Peak 6600, a short break was taken to share a chocolate coconut bar while enjoying the views.

The cool, gusty SW wind prevented a prolonged stay.  Before departing, SPHP surveyed the territory off to the NW.  A snowy ridge seen several miles away had to be Peak 6480, Lupe’s next objective.

Contemplating Custer Peak during the chocolate coconut bar break. Photo looks NE.
Peak 6480 (Center) is the long snowy ridge in the foreground. Photo looks NW with help from the telephoto lens.

Soon the American Dingo was on her way back to the true summit.  She briefly got up on the highest rocks again before heading back down Peak 6600’s S ridge.  Reaching USFS Road No. 216 where she’d left it, Loopster followed it SW to a cattle guard where the road topped out near HP6427.

Back at Peak 6600’s true summit. Photo looks SE.
Heading down the S ridge. Photo looks SSE.
Back on USFS Road No. 216 at the cattle guard near HP6427. Photo looks SW.

Ahead the road dipped a little.  Lupe soon reached an intersection where a snowmobile trail system sign was posted.  This sign was as far as she’d gotten on Black Hills, SD Expedition No. 265 before being forced to turn back due to snow and fog.

At the snowmobile trail system sign. Photo looks SW.
The sign was interesting, but on such a large scale that it wasn’t much help.

Continuing on past the intersection, the terrain rose a bit then flattened out.  A long march ensued along the snowy road as it gradually turned W, then NW, while staying up on fairly high ground.  Despite the balmy temperature, the SW wind still made it feel quite cool.

Beyond the intersection, continuing W along USFS Road No. 216. Photo looks W.
The snowy road went on and on. Photo looks WNW.

Do you remember any of this, Looper?  I’m sure we’ve been in this region before, but I must have it confused with somewhere else.  It’s not like what I thought I remembered.

Pleasant enough here, SPHP, but kind of non-descript.  Looks like a lot of places in the Black Hills.  Nothing stands out as familiar to me, either.  What does your topo map say?

Doesn’t even show a road here, just a trail, but I’m almost certain we’re still going the right way.

A brief glimpse of Terry Peak (7,064 ft.) came into sight just before the road reached the end of the high ground and began to drop.  After losing more than 100 feet of elevation, music could be heard.  At an unmarked intersection, the music seemed to be coming from off in the forest to the NE.  Peering over in that direction, Lupe saw what appeared to be a set of large, rusty wind chimes.  They were just hanging there in the forest, not close to any visible structure.

That’s kind of weird, SPHP!  But the chimes do sound good!

I like them, too, Loop!  Never have known they were there without this wind.

At the intersection near the wind chimes. Photo looks N.

The road curved WSW here, still heading gradually downhill.  A quick check of the map revealed that this was likely USFS Road No. 561.1C.  Lupe followed it for more than 0.33 mile to where it curved SW.

SW was the wrong way.  Peak 6480 still had to be NW.  Leaving the road, Lupe plunged N into the forest.  A short descent quickly leveled out at sort of a magical place full of Christmassy little spruce trees among tall white-barked aspens.

Just beyond the little spruce trees, Lupe came to an open lane that went a short distance E to a clearing.  Turning N again here, the terrain led up to the corner of a huge snowy field surrounded by a wooden pole fence.  Crossing a small corner of this field, Lupe returned to the forest.  A brief climb led to a big gravel road, clearly USFS Road No. 561 on the map.

Heading down USFS Road No. 561.1C. Photo looks W.
Among the little Christmassy spruce trees. Photo looks N.
At the clearing. Photo looks E.
The huge snowy field. Photo looks ENE.
On USFS Road No. 561. Photo looks NE.

Crossing No. 561, Lupe headed NW right back into the forest.  At first, the terrain sloped gently, but soon she was climbing much more steeply.  Another pole fence was encountered.  A small power line ran along it.  Ducking under the fence, Loop kept climbing.  Before long she reached flatter terrain.

Continuing NW after crossing USFS Road No. 561. Photo looks NW.
By the wooden pole fence. Photo looks S.

Lupe was now up on the SE end of the 6,400 foot ridge SE of Peak 6480.  Glancing back, both Custer Peak and Peak 6600 were visible 2 miles E.  This broad ridge ran NW/SE, so Loop followed it 0.2 mile to its high point at the far NW end.  From here, a big power line could be seen 0.5 mile farther NW atop a small cliff.  That was the S end of Peak 6480!

At the SE end of the 6,400 foot ridge. Custer Peak (L) and Peak 6600 (beyond Lupe) in the distance. Photo looks ESE.
Approaching the high point at the NW end of the 6,400 foot ridge. Photo looks NW.
Looking back from the high point of the 6,400 foot ridge. Photo looks SE.

A gradual, mostly open slope led down to the broad saddle connecting to Peak 6480.  This region looked like it had been logged at some point.  Once across the saddle, Loopster began climbing as she continued NW, eventually reaching a region of young pines and large bushes where the terrain began to level out.  Lupe was already quite close to the big power line above the small cliff by the time she saw it again.

Crossing the saddle leading to Peak 6480. Photo looks NW.
View back to the S on the way up. Photo looks S.
Approaching the power lines on Peak 6480. Photo looks N.

Turned out there were 2 big power lines running parallel to each other.  The cliff the higher one stood on wasn’t very tall.  Finding a route up was a cinch, but Lupe scrambled to the top rather reluctantly.

The wind had been blowing all day long.  Back in the forest and down in the valleys, it hadn’t been bad at all, often more heard in the treetops than felt.  This exposed limestone platform was another matter entirely.  The wind was stronger than ever here, a 35 to 40 mph gale out of the W.  Not much fun to a Carolina Dog’s way of thinking!

Although this was a good viewpoint, Lupe stayed only long enough for a quick look around.

By the power lines. Photo looks NNE.
On the limestone platform above the small cliffs. Photo looks SSW.
Custer Peak (far L) and Peak 6600 (L). Photo looks SE.
The upper power line. Photo looks N.

The power lines weren’t at the true summit.  Lupe was happy to leave the exposed platform to look for it.  Continuing NNW partially protected by the forest again, a rock outcropping appeared ahead.  Clearly higher than anything else around, that had to be it!

Approaching the true summit of Peak 6480 (R of Center). Photo looks NNW.

2:04 PM –  As Lupe approached the true summit of Peak 6480, tall pines swayed wildly with each new violent blast out of the W.  Getting worse!  40 to 50 mph!  A short climb led to two boulders perched on a small flat platform.  Despite the crazy wind, the American Dingo leapt up onto the highest one.

Custer Peak (far L) and Peak 6600 (L) from the true summit of Peak 6480. Photo looks ESE.

A couple of quick photos, and that was it.

That’s good, Loop!  Get off that rock before you get blown off!

Only a few feet below the top, the Carolina Dog tried to find a place to get comfortable.  SPHP sat so awkwardly on a rock, that SPHP’s lap was soon rejected.  Laying on a little patch of snow, Lupe stared up at SPHP somewhat accusingly.

Attempting to relax on Peak 6480.

You sure know how to show a birthday Dingo a good time, don’t you, SPHP?  What a hurricane!

Heh!  Yeah, this is going to be a birthday peak to remember isn’t it, Loop?

Or forgotten!  What do you have against palm trees, SPHP?  I’ve never even seen one!  Couldn’t we go somewhere with palm trees on my birthday for a change?

Oh, well, I didn’t know you were even interested in palm trees, Looper!

I am now!

Attempting to relax and simply enjoy being on Peak 6480 while watching the trees sway alarmingly was only partially successful.  At any moment one might snap off entirely, a sobering thought considering the millions of beetle-killed trees that were now deadfall in the Black Hills.

After 20 minutes, an exceptionally powerful gust put an end to Lupe’s stay.  Ripping SPHP’s stocking cap off, the wind flung it off into space.  Peering over the edge, there it was, caught on a short dead tree branch only a few feet away, but unfortunately 20 feet above the ground.

OK, that’s it!  A few more photos, Loop, then let’s get out of here!

Despite the disappointing lack of palm trees, the birthday girl complied, returning to the summit rock for the last time.

By the highest rock again. Photo looks ESE.
A precarious perch in the gale.
Final moments atop Peak 6480.

Circling around to the E side of the summit block before departing, Lupe took shelter from the wind, while SPHP saw to retrieving the stocking cap.  Turned out that it had already blown off the tree branch, and was now caught in a bush only a couple of feet above ground level.  Grabbing it before the cap could launch off on new adventures, SPHP restored it to its rightful place.

At least that was easy!  C’mon, Looper!  Let’s go!

Well protected from the wild W wind on the E side of the summit block. Photo looks W.
A last look back at Peak 6480’s summit. Photo looks N.
About to depart. Photo look SSW.

On the way back to the power lines Lupe stayed a little to the W, below the line of small cliffs.

Heading back to the power lines. Photo looks SSE.
Below the cliffs. Photo looks SE.
A scenic spot near the power lines. Photo looks SE.

The rest of the return was virtually identical to the route taken to Peak 6480.  The journey seemed to go faster on the way back.  Lupe arrived at the lower end of Peak 6600’s S ridge again while it was still light out.

Let’s climb Peak 6600 again, SPHP!

Really?  Would you like to, Loop?

Sure!  The wind isn’t so bad now!  We can even go on to climb Custer Peak, can’t we?  You said we could this morning, remember?

Sounds like a plan, Looper!  Let’s do it!

Lupe returned to Peak 6600’s summit.  However, by the time she got to the NW viewpoint, it was too late to go on to Custer Peak.  The sky had been overcast or nearly so all day, but was now clear to the NW.  Far to the SW, the sun suddenly dipped below the remaining cloud cover.  For the first time, the American Dingo stood in brilliant sunshine.

Wouldn’t last!  The sun was already hovering barely above the horizon.

Custer Peak (R) from Peak 6600’s NW ridge for the 2nd time today. Photo looks NE.
In the alpenglow. Photo looks NW.
End of a long day.

10 minutes, and the sun vanished.  Looper headed down the N ridge.  Although short, this route was snowy and very steep at first, and full of deadfall lower down.  Light was fading fast when Lupe finally reached USFS Road No. 216.1A.  Didn’t matter.  A pleasant, downhill road trek the rest of the way.

5:09 PM, 47ºF –  Dark and still breezy.  SPHP turned the key and the RAV4 sprang to life.  Time to head home, but not for long!

7:00 PM – Let the festivities begin!  Barking excitedly, decked out in her hat and birthday girl ribbon, the party animal rushed into Grandma’s apartment.  Oh, there were guests!  The more, the merrier!  Xochitl, Steve, Felix and Asher were all here, too.

SPHP wasted no time getting things underway, giving Lupe a Busy Rib Hide as an initial treat.  Felix petted Lupe while she chomped away, then helped SPHP stick 11 candles into the fabulous 11th birthday cake.  Soon Lupe was on Grandma’s white couch, surrounded by presents and an 11 alarm fire!

Felix and Lupe. The party began with a Busy Rib Hide treat and gentle pats.
The 11th birthday cake appears!
With Felix and the fire hazard.

Everyone sang “Happy Birthday” to Lupe, then cake and ice cream was served.  Felix declared the cake “delicious” and almost as good as the shark cake he had on his birthday.  Lupe didn’t touch the cake or ice cream she was offered, evidently hoping and holding out for something even better.

Once everyone had their fill, it was time to open presents.  Felix and Asher helped Lupe out.  The lucky Dingo got plenty of birthday loot!

Zuke’s Hip Action
Ol’ Roy Rawhide Rolls
Kong Squeaker Ball
Purina Busy Rib Hides
Golden Rewards Chicken Jerky

All that and more!  The Carolina Dog wasn’t disappointed.  The grand prize she’d been waiting for was included, too.  A T-bone steak!

Lupe’s traditional birthday T-bone!

While the steak was broiling in the oven, SPHP got everyone together for a group photo.

Lupe’s 11th birthday guests L to R: Xochitl, Asher, Steve, Felix & Grandma.

Organizing the group photo took so long that when SPHP opened the oven afterwards to check on Lupe’s T-bone, a thick cloud of smoke came billowing out!  Soon Grandma’s apartment was a smoky haze.  Windows had to be opened to air the joint out.

Grandma’s fire alarm didn’t go off, but every other one in the complex did.  Suddenly there were knocks on the door!  Out in the hallway, a crowd of anxious people wondered what was going on?

Apparently, when you turn 11, it’s a really big deal!  Lupe tried to look innocent.

Who, me? Oh, no! Everything’s fine!

Fortunately, the T-bone steak was perfect.  Nice and pink in the middle, and not burned a bit.  How it had produced such a vast cloud of smoke was a mystery.  A full investigation would have been conducted, but a certain American Dingo promptly devoured the evidence!

And, oh girl!  Was it ever good!

11 years old, December 14, 2021

Links:

Double Digit Dingo! – Lupe’s 10th Birthday (12-14-20)

Lupe’s 12th Birthday! (12-14-22)

Black Hills, SD Expedition No. 265 – Custer Peak & Peak 6600 (2-3-21)

Want more Lupe adventures?  Choose from Lupe’s Dingo Tales Index or Master Adventure Index.  Or subscribe free to new Lupe Adventures.

South Baldy & Peak 10281, Magdalena Mountains, New Mexico (5-15-21)

Days 7 & 8 of Lupe’s 1st Summer of 2021 Dingo Vacation to New Mexico!

5-14-21, 11:48 AM, W of Socorro – This must be the place!  The plaque Lupe stood next to squinting in the sunlight mentioned both South Baldy, high point of the Magdalena Mountains, and Water Canyon.  No doubt the paved side road leaving Hwy 60 here was either USFS Road No. 235, or would turn into it at some point.

Magdalena Fault plaque at the turn off Hwy 60 to Water Canyon. Photo looks NW.
On the road to Water Canyon. Photo looks SW.

The pavement ended 4.7 miles from Hwy 60 at a picnic ground where the road divided.  Straight ahead was a parking area next to a green field.  No. 235 made a jog to the L before disappearing up Water Canyon.  The other choice was a R turn on a road that wound a short distance up to the Water Canyon campground.

Water Canyon from the road to the campground. Photo looks ENE.

Are we going to climb South Baldy (10,783 ft.), SPHP?

Yeah, but not today, Loop.  Not after Sierra Blanca (11,973 ft.) yesterday.  Let’s hang out here in Water Canyon and recuperate.  You can doze or sniff around while I catch up the trip journal.

Still plenty of time, SPHP!  Why waste it?  Didn’t you say that Jobe just drove his Rubicon to the top, or close to it?  And Covill told us something like that, too, when we visited him just the other day.  With our new RAV4, we ought to be able to knock out South Baldy this afternoon!

True enough!  I read Jobe’s trip report, and he didn’t seem to think much of this one, basically just a drive up.  And Dave did more or less agree.

So, here we are!  Let’s get with it, SPHP!

Oh, I don’t know, Loop.  South Baldy is a big mountain.  3,800+ feet of prominence and high point of the Magdalena Range.  Hate to trivialize it by simply driving to the top.  Sometimes the experience is what you make of it.  There’s a South Baldy trail that goes most of the way, and I was thinking it might be more fun to explore the trail.

And a lot more work, too!  Not terribly efficient, SPHP, but I’m fine with it, if that’s what you want to do.  Remember to bring plenty of water, though!  For a place named Water Canyon, I’m sure not seeing any.

The campground was free, so SPHP grabbed a spot.  By late afternoon, despite several brief sniffs around the campsite, Lupe was bored.

Magdalena Mountains from the campground. Photo looks SSW.

Got that trip journal caught up yet, SPHP?

Yup!  Just finished!  Want to take a stroll up Water Canyon, Loop?

The Carolina Dog did.  SPHP drove back down to the parking area next to the green field, and Lupe set out across it.

Crossing the field. Photo looks NE.

It was hot out in the sun.  Fortunately, the forest beyond the green field provided plenty of shade.  Lupe discovered a trail near a dry stream bed.  Not a drop of water anywhere, but she had a good time exploring.

Exploring Water Canyon.

After nearly 0.75 mile, Loop came a narrow gorge of exposed blue-gray bedrock worn smooth by water in some wetter era.  A tiny trickle ran down these rocks into a single small pool below.

Look at this! Actual water in Water Canyon!

The murky pool was scarcely big enough to accommodate Lupe, but she plunked herself right down in it, emerging two-toned moments later, her lower half black with mud.

That felt great!  So refreshing!  You ought to try it, SPHP!

Umm, yeah.  Thanks, but no thanks!  Glad you enjoyed it, but you’re not getting into the new RAV4 dripping with mud like that.

To forestall any possibility of Miss Mudhole returning to the RAV4 before thoroughly dried out, further reconnaissance was done in this region.  Turned out that the Mesa Trail No. 13 trailhead was located just above the mudhole.  USFS Road No. 235 went right by it.  A sign warned that only 4WD vehicles were allowed beyond this point, at least somewhat vindicating the decision to spare the new RAV4 such abuse.

5-15-21, 5:30 AM, 59ºF – SPHP parked the RAV4 at the Mesa Trailhead, and Lupe got off to an early start.  The sign lied.  Not a darn thing wrong with this road!  The G6 could have made it.  Climbing steadily, USFS Road No. 235 headed up Water Canyon, so wide and smooth that it made the whole excursion rather dull.  Lupe passed a series of small blue and white numbered signs.  Interest in them faded once SPHP realized they marked the locations of culverts under the road.  Such exciting stuff!

After more than a mile, the road curved sharply L.  A sign appeared up on an embankment on the R.  South Baldy Trail No. 11!  Did anyone bother taking it anymore?  Or does everyone just drive to the top?  Maybe the trail had fallen into such disuse that it would simply fade away?  The American Dingo was about to find out.

Leaving USFS Road No. 235.
Setting out on South Baldy Trail No. 11.

South Baldy Trail No. 11 turned out to be a good single track.  Heading W, Lupe climbed steadily along the S side of a forested canyon.  Not much to see at first except the forest, but the seclusion was fabulous!  Much better than the road hike had been!

After nearly 0.75 mile, the trail crossed over to the N side of the canyon.  Fewer trees grew on this slope, although there were still many bushes.  At 8,280 feet, Lupe came to a switchback where there were initial views back down the canyon, and of a partially forested high point to the S.

Hey, Loop!  That might be South Baldy!

Canyon view after passing the switchback at 8,280 feet. Buck Peak (9,085 ft.) (R). Photo looks SE.
South Baldy in the distance on the L? Photo looks SSW.

Beyond the switchback, the trail continued to climb steadily, first toward the NW, but gradually turning W.  SPHP paused now and then for breathers or water.

Waiting for SPHP. Photo looks WNW.
On a long straightaway, which was pretty typical. Photo looks W.

0.67 mile beyond the 8,280 foot switchback, South Baldy Trail No. 11 was getting close to the ridgeline.  Temporarily leaving the trail, Lupe headed N a short distance, climbing 15 or 20 feet to reach Point 8934 right up on the ridge.  Forest hid most of Copper Canyon on the other side, but Loop did have a narrow view of much lower ridges way out on the desert.

Over 8,900 feet now, about to leave the trail to check out the views from Point 8934. Photo looks SE.
Up on the ridgeline at Point 8934. Photo looks NE.
Desert view from Point 8934. Photo looks NE with help from the telephoto lens.

Returning to the trail, Lupe continued on.  Still climbing, the trail began curving SW.  The next point of interest was Pass 9420, a minor saddle SW of HP9488.  When Lupe got there, the half barren peak she had seen back at the 8,280 foot switchback was in sight again, looking quite a bit closer.  Encouraging!

At minor Pass 9420. Photo looks ENE toward unseen HP9488.
Making progress! Photo looks SSE.

After a chocolate coconut bar and water break at Pass 9420, Lupe went on, but SPHP kept stopping to look at the topo map.

Is there a problem, SPHP?

Yes and no, Looper.

Meaning?

You know that mountain we’ve been looking at?

South Baldy?

That’s what I thought, but it can’t be.  Just doesn’t line up right.

So, what mountain is it then, SPHP?  And what happened to South Baldy?

I dunno.  Might be Timber Peak (10,510 ft.)?  Don’t think we’ve seen South Baldy yet, but we will.   Only a mile from it now as the crow flies.

A little farther, and South Baldy Trail No. 11 came close to the ridgeline again, but didn’t go over Pass 9740 as shown on the map.  Climbing an open slope, Lupe once more left the trail to see what was on the other side.  Across the upper end of Copper Canyon, Peak 10281 was in sight.

Peak 10281 (Center) from Pass 9740. Photo looks NW.

Beyond Pass 9740, South Baldy Trail No. 11 headed SSW through dense forest.  The trail steepened approaching a gully where part of the trail had eroded away.  At the upper end of the gully, Lupe reached Pass 9940.

In the gully, about to arrive at Pass 9940. Photo looks SSW.

Pass 9940 was the upper end of South Baldy Trail No. 11 where it again linked up with USFS Road No. 235.  By taking the trail, Lupe had skipped several miles of the road.  No indication at all that No. 235 would have been a rough drive to this point.  Still looked perfectly lovely.  Plenty of parking available up here, too.

South Baldy still wasn’t in sight, but Timber Peak (10,510 ft.) was, and so was the peak that SPHP had misidentified as South Baldy.  Turned out to be Peak 10206, a subpeak along the ridge leading to Timber Peak.

At the upper end of South Baldy Trail No. 11. Photo looks W.
Peak 10206 (L) and Timber Peak (Center) from Pass 9940. Photo looks SE.

Road trek again!  Lupe headed up USFS Road No. 235.  At least she was high enough to have some views.  0.25 mile beyond Pass 9940, the road swept around a big curve and South Baldy (10,783 ft.) came into sight.

Cake!  Nothing difficult about this one!  South Baldy was just a big hill.

South Baldy (R) from USFS Road No. 235. Photo looks WNW.

Loop was soon just 0.25 mile E of the summit, passing a sign for North Baldy Trail No. 8.  Ignoring No. 8 for the time being, the Carolina Dog continued up the road toward a conspicuous silver-domed observatory perched up on South Baldy’s S ridge.

At the S end of North Baldy Trail No. 8. Silver-domed observatory (L). South Baldy (R). Photo looks SW.

A locked gate across No. 235 put an end to how far the RAV4 might have made it, but did nothing to deter a Carolina Dog.  Before heading on up to South Baldy’s summit, Looper ventured over to the observatory for a sniff around.

At the gate. Photo looks SW.
Checking out the Magdalena Ridge Observatory.

Looper’s main observation about the observatory was that it was closed.  Might as well head on to South Baldy (10,783 ft.)!  Shortcutting across a field, the Carolina Dog headed for a road zig-zagging up the S slope.

Heading for South Baldy. Photo looks N.

During final approach, the road curled around to the W.

South Baldy was a little weird, or at least what humans had done to it was weird.  The whole upper W side of the summit region was covered with a metal wire grid.  The road became a perforated heavy metal path that ended between a horizontal 15+ foot diameter shiny metallic disk to the W, and a green electrical box occupying the true summit.  Several small concrete pads anchored metal supports for various equipment.  A solar panel sat 50 feet away along the E ridge.

Sheesh!  Kind of a mess, isn’t it Looper?  Looks like someone’s science fair project gone wild!

Even if South Baldy had been an easy climb, it had been a long one.  Time for a decent rest break!  A grassy spot just E of the electrical box seemed as good a spot as any.

Arriving at South Baldy’s cluttered summit.
On the electrical box at the true summit. Perforated metal road and big shiny metal disc in sight. Photo looks WSW.
Relaxing on South Baldy. Photo looks W.
Half dozing after Taste of the Wild, chocolate coconut bar, and water.

Skies were blue to the SE, but clouds dominated elsewhere.  Way off to the W, a line of showers was advancing, but didn’t look like much.  What rain there was appeared to be evaporating as it fell.

South Baldy presented panoramic views in all directions except to the NW where blocked by thick forest.  Beyond the Magdalena Mountains, hazy deserts extended beyond the range of vision.  From the right spot, Peak 10281, North Baldy (9,858 ft.), and a more distant double-peaked mountain could be seen to the N.  Probably the Ladrones (9,210 ft.).

Timber Peak (Center) from South Baldy. Photo looks SE.
Peak 10281 (L), North Baldy (R of Center) and the Ladrones (?) (R). Photo looks N with help from the telephoto lens.
Water Canyon (R) and the desert beyond. Photo looks NE with help from the telephoto lens.

Nearly an hour went by before a lazy South Baldy reverie was disturbed by the distant rumble of thunder.  The line of showers to the W was closer now.

Thunder!  That’s our cue, Looper!  Let’s get a few more photos before we head out.

E end of the summit region from the true summit. Photo looks NE.
Back on the electrical box. Photo looks E.
Looking S toward the Magdalena Ridge Observatory (R of Center).

OK!  Thanks, Loopster.  That’s a wrap!  Puppy, ho!  Onward!

No!

No?!  What do you mean, no?  It’s puppy ho time!

I mean, wait just a minute.  Those squalls don’t look all that threatening do they, SPHP?  Can’t we finish our summit hour?

Oh, I don’t know, Loop.  Probably not a good idea in this case.  They’ve got half of the summit covered with metal here.  Makes me a little nervous with possible lightning on the way.  We better skedaddle!

But we haven’t even checked out the space port yet!

Space port?  What space port?

That huge, shiny metal disc!

Oh, that thing.  Looks like some kind of seismic gizmo to me, Looper.  No doubt somehow connected with the Langmuir Laboratory for Atmospheric Research located at the far end of South Baldy’s S ridge.

Not much of a scientist, are you, SPHP?  Or a detective, either!

Well, no.  But do you fancy yourself a scientist, crazy Dingo?  What makes you think it’s a space port?

C’mon, SPHP!  What’s up here, anyway?  A laboratory for atmospheric research, and an observatory.  The scientists around here aren’t the least bit interested in seismology, they’re looking up!  A space port would fit right in!  What scientist wouldn’t love to have one?

A seismologist.

Oh, phooey!  Besides, it looks like a space port to me!

Well, if it waddles like a space port and quacks like a space port, it must be one!  There was no convincing Lupe that the huge metal disc on South Baldy wasn’t a space port.  SPHP agreed to let the Carolina Dog conduct her inspection.  However, she’d have to be quick about it.

Are you up to some space travel, SPHP?

Sure!  Why not?

Good!  Go stand in the center of the metal disc then, while I try to figure out the control system.

Are you nuts?  I’m not going to stand at ground zero for a lightning strike while you sniff around!  You can, if you want to, Loopster, but I wouldn’t advise it.  We should forget this whole thing before one of us gets fried.

You’re always such a worry wort, SPHP!  Fine, I’ll do it myself.  You’ll have to work the controls then.

Waiting for the mother ship on South Baldy as the storm closes in. Photo looks W.

Standing at the center of the disc, several anxious minutes went by, but nothing happened.  Apparently, the mother ship was running a little late.

Have you figured out the control system yet, SPHP?

Not really, Loop.  To be perfectly honest, I don’t even see anything that looks like a control system.  Maybe it’s been taken back to the laboratory for repairs?  As space ports go, this one’s a bit dingy.

Well, shoot!  Of all the rotten luck!  I was looking forward to being the first Dingo in space, too!

Deeply disappointing without a doubt!  But I’ll cheer you up with another chocolate coconut bar at Peak 10281.  Wha’dya say?  Ready to press on?

I guess …. No, wait!  Silly us, SPHP!  Space ports are advanced technology.  Probably voice activated!  Say the right words or password, and this space port will spring to life!

Even if that’s true, Loop, we’re still out of luck.  We don’t know the password.

Speak for yourself, SPHP!  I know the perfect phrase for dealing with alien systems.  Stand back!  I’m going to give it a go!

What?  Impossible!

Take me to your breeder! …

Still nothing.  SPHP laughed, then felt mean and terrible seeing how crushed Lupe was.  What would it have hurt to have shown a little faith and support to the truest, dearest friend ever?  SPHP tried to make amends.

Good try, Loopster!  Might easily have been it.  Shall I give it a shot, too?

If you can think of anything that might work, sure!

Umm … let’s see.  Here’s another classic!  Abracadabra! ….

Thunder rumbled, but the space port was as dead as ever.  Lupe was glum.

One more, Loop!  How about …. Beam me up, Scottie!

A sudden cool, light breeze swept in out of the W.  Those showers were getting pretty close.

OK, Loop!  Sorry, but that’s it!  We tried.  C’mon, let’s ….

Quiet, SPHP!  I can scarcely hear them.

Huh?  Hear what?

The voices!  They sound like they’re a zillion miles away.  Try saying that again, but louder!

Voices?  Say what again?  Beam me up, Scottie?

Yes, but louder!  Oh, never mind.  I’ll do it myself!  Beam me up, Scottie!  ….  Oh, maybe that’s a little better.  Not much, but a little.  Hard to say.  They’re still very faint!

Voices?  No one’s here except me, Loop.  Oh, I get it!  You rascal!  You’re pulling my leg!

Around the perimeter of the shiny metal disc tiny sparks appeared and began spreading toward the center, straight for Lupe’s paws.

Lupe!  Run!  Static electricity is building on the disc!  A lightning strike is imminent!  Get off now!  Run for your life!

Shhh!   Even with my big, soft Dingo ears, I can’t catch it all, SPHP.

Sparks now danced across the disc, traveling in a succession of pulsing waves from the perimeter to the center.  The entire disc sizzling beneath her paws, Lupe just stood there.  She looked vaguely different.  Sort of … transparent!

Loop!  Don’t you feel that?  Move!  Run!

Tingles a little, but it doesn’t hurt, SPHP.  You were right!  This space port is barely functional.  Can you please be quiet so I can hear?  Some control freak is whining about not having enough power.

Well, if that isn’t par for the course!  Bad enough that so many are like that here on earth.  Apparently the rest of the universe isn’t much different.  So, you really are hearing voices?  What else are they saying?

This guy keeps ranting about bi-lithium.  Is that some sort of medication, SPHP?  Sounds like he thinks it will solve all his problems!

Ahh.  Makes sense.  Lithium is used to treat depression, or mood swings, if I remember right, Loop.  The “bi” part just means two pills, or maybe two doses per day.

Must mean doses, SPHP.  He isn’t taking pills.  It’s in crystalline form.

Really?  Huh.  Crystals would be hard to swallow, for sure.  Oh, I know!  Probably taking a finely ground crystalline powder.  Otherwise it would be just about impossible to get it to dissolve.  What’s he saying now?

Not a thing.  I’m on hold.  This power hungry lunatic needs to go take his bi-lithium crystal meds.  Says he can’t beam me up, but will transfer me to another representative.

Hah!  Space isn’t any different from earth!  All those physicists and sci-fi authors have wasted their time and imagination.  Truly nothing new under the sun.  This one or any other!  You’re just going to get the complete run around.

Shhh!  Patience!  The new rep is talking.  A much better connection!  Wants to know what I want her to do for me.  Maybe she can fire this ole space port up?  At least going to give her a chance.  Here goes!  Bye, SPHP! …. Alexa, beam me up!

The sparks dancing on the metal disc zapped into it, vanishing instantly as if sucked in by a powerful magnet.  The entire disc hummed while glowing a dull red, but then brightened quickly … fiery orange, blazing yellow, searing white!

Lupe, oh Lupe!  What’s happening?  I can see right through you!

A blinding flash!  Took a moment for SPHP to recover.  The space port was back to normal.  Dingy and silent.  Carried on the cool breeze, tiny raindrops sprinkled South Baldy.  Those hitting the metal disc suffered no evident effect.  Not hot at all.  Everything was as before.

Except for one thing.  Lupe was gone!

SPHP was horrified!  SPHP called the Carolina Dog again and again.  No answer.  Where was she?  This couldn’t be happening!  What to do?

SPHP walked to the center of the of the shiny metal disc.

Alexa, where is Lupe?

No response.

Alexa, beam me up!

Of course, nothing worked.  Ridiculous notion in the first place!  The rain showers rumbled on by without doing anything out of the ordinary.  SPHP grabbed the pack.  Crazy or not, maybe someone at the Langmuir Laboratory could shed some light on how this space port worked?

SPHP had barely started down the S slope when a shrill bark was heard.  Lupe came tearing down from the summit!  Overjoyed, she licked SPHP’s face until her big pink tongue was about to wilt!

Wow!  What a greeting!  Where were you, anyway, Loop?  And why didn’t you come when I called?  I got dazed by a flash of light, and when I came out of it, you had vanished!  Got so desperate to find you that I even tried using the space port, but it wouldn’t do a thing for me.

Oh, that’s because you aren’t an authorized user!  The space port’s voice recognition shields were down when I got transported, but got reactivated the moment Alexa saw me.  Was she ever shocked when I showed up!  She’d overheard you saying my name and was expecting Our Lady of Guadalupe, not an American Dingo.

You mean the space port actually did work?  You met Alexa?

Yes, of course!  She beamed me up, remember?  Spent a fair amount of time with her at first.

And what was Alexa like?

She’s …. different, shall we say?  Alexa’s friendly enough and always wants to be helpful.  Kind of neurotic that way.  And she knows a ton of people.  But Alexa was suspicious of me from the get go, what with me crashing the universal barrier like I’d hacked it somehow.  That’s a big no-no, if you aren’t part of the elite these space ports are meant for.  We had a falling out.  Didn’t matter.  Alexa wasn’t really my type, anyway.

That was quick!  You’ve been gone for what, 15 minutes, max?  You knew that fast that Alexa wasn’t your type?  How is that possible?

15 minutes here maybe, but practically a lifetime where I’ve been, SPHP!  Alexa was super nosy, always listening in on everyone’s business.  Seemed kind of creepy after a while.  Never really knew what she might be saying behind my tail, or who she might be saying it to.  Even that wasn’t the main issue, though.  Alexa thrives on being where all the action is.  She would never climb a mountain.  City girl, big time!  Don’t think she could ever handle being alone.

What do you mean, you’ve been gone a lifetime?  It’s only been 15 minutes.

Not in the space-time disjointium, SPHP!  Once I met Siri, I parted ways with Alexa for good.  Siri likes maps even more than you do, SPHP!  Sure knows her way around the perpendicular universes!  We went everywhere together.

You mean parallel universes, Loop!

No, I mean perpendicular.  Actually, more like heavily skewed universes.  Anyway, the point is, at some times and places they intersect.  Otherwise it wouldn’t be possible to travel between them.  You’d never get to a truly parallel universe, SPHP.

Never heard of a perpendicular universe before, but I suppose that might make sense.  So you’ve been traveling these universes for how long?  Where did you and Siri go?  What did you do?

Gosh, I hardly know where to begin, SPHP!  We had so many adventures!  Siri eventually took me to the neatest planet.  Huge mountains, sparkling lakes and rivers!  Enormous forests, plains, and oceans!  All kinds of strange and fascinating wildlife.  One thing was familiar, though – Dingos!  I had so many friends!

Dingos!  What planet was that?

They had a really long alien name for it.  I just called it Dingo Earth, or Dearth for short.  Even nicknamed my boyfriend there Dearth.

Boyfriend!

Yes!  Oh, Dearth was magnificent!  You should have seen him, SPHP!  He was bigger than me, with a shiny jet black coat.  Dearth was all muscle with a set of fangs that would make a crocodile jealous.  I sometimes teased him and called him Dearth Gator.  He’d scare you to death just looking at him, but he was actually sickly.  Allergies gave him severe asthma, so he wasn’t as powerful as he appeared to be.  Yet somehow that labored gasping for air made him seem even more dangerous.  We fell in love and got married.  I had puppies!

Married!  Puppies!  How many puppies did you have?

Not sure, they kept me so busy!  There was a passel of them!  All of them were dark like Dearth, except for one puppy that took after me – same fur color, same interests.  Sort of a fluke, so that’s what we named him.  You know how I like to bark at airplanes and helicopters, SPHP?  Fluke barked at every spaceship that flew by without fail.  He even drove Death Stars away!  They couldn’t take the incessant foaming-at-the-mouth hysteria.  I loved Fluke Skybarker most of all.

Fluke Skybarker!  Bet the neighbors weren’t too crazy about him always raising such a ruckus.

No, maybe not.  Wonder if I’ll ever see Fluke again?  Growing up, he was always such a rebel.  Fluke kept getting into trouble with the authorities.  Even Dearth, his own father, couldn’t do a thing with him, although he sure tried.

So, Fluke is all grown up?  What happened to him?

It’s awful, SPHP!  Fluke ran away to lead a pack of his wild outlaw friends.  Dearth went after him, but they got into such a terrible fight it’s a wonder either one is still alive!  Don’t suppose I’ll ever know how it all turns out.  All that traveling among the universes in the space-time disjointium was aging me fast.  I was getting so old that I would have died if I’d kept on like that much longer.  Luckily, Siri said Alexa would be willing to send me back through the space port since I’d crossed the universal border as an undocumented Dingo in the first place.

Well, welcome back to Earth and the South Baldy space-time disjointium!  I’m happy to say you look perfectly normal here, Looper!  In fact, you don’t look a day older.  Do you feel OK?

Like my old … I mean my much younger self again, SPHP!  And how do you feel?  Manage to get through 15 minutes without me?

Barely!  They were awful!  Not sure how I feel, Loop.  Your tale makes me think maybe I tripped and fell and hit my head on a rock.  Or maybe there was a lightning strike?  Have I seemed incoherent or unconscious at any point to you?

No more than usual, SPHP.  Are you hurt?  I don’t see any blood.

Hmm.  Guess not.

Our hour on South Baldy is over, SPHP, and a strange one it has been!  Plenty of time left in the day, though.  Still feel like visiting Peak 10281

SPHP was fine with that.  Lupe returned to the top of South Baldy, then started down the grassy E ridge following a path through purple-gray rocks.  Upon reaching North Baldy Trail No. 8, she took it W through the forest.

Starting down the E ridge. Timber Peak (R). Photo looks E.
Looking back up the E ridge from close to North Baldy Trail No. 8. Photo looks WSW.
Trail No. 8 on South Baldy’s N slope. Photo looks W.

After traversing South Baldy’s N slope, Lupe came to an opening in the forest upon reaching the NNW ridge.  Peak 10281 was in sight again 1.5 miles due N.

South Baldy’s NNW ridge where North Baldy Trail No. 8 reaches it. Peak 10281 (Center), North Baldy (R) and the Ladrones (R) in the distance. Photo looks N.

The weather was still a bit unsettled.  Lupe took a short break while a light shower passed and the roll of thunder died away before striking out again.  North Baldy Trail No. 8 followed the NNW ridge, which was fairly narrow, but an easy route.  Most of the time Lupe was in the forest, but sometimes there were views to the E or W.

By a spooky tree passed early on during the NNW ridge trek. Photo looks N.
View of the desert beyond Copper & Water Canyons. Photo looks NE.

After 0.25 mile, the trail descended a little.  Lupe broke out of the forest at a big meadow where the ridge broadened out a great deal.  Crossing this meadow, she came to a dilapidated old sign for Copper Trail No. 10.  Apparently, she had reached a trail junction, but the topo map showed this junction way back where she’d first reached the NNW ridge.

Entering the meadow where the ridge widened out. Photo looks NW.
The dilapidated Copper Trail No. 10 sign.

Toward the N end of the meadow, the ridge began to narrow down again.  Lupe startled a couple of giant deers, which raced away into a forest where the ridge became very rocky.  Although the Carolina Dog kept a sharp eye and keen nose out for them, she didn’t see the giant deers again.

Heading for the N end of the meadow. Two elk were resting in the shade of the trees just ahead. Photo looks N.
Glancing back at South Baldy (Center). Photo looks SSE.
Hurry, SPHP! The giant deers went this way! Photo looks NNE.

As the ridge got rockier and narrower, Trail No. 8 dipped down along the W slope.  After passing a nice view to the W, Loop went through a long stretch of forest.  At the next clearing, Peak 10281 came back into sight, now only 0.6 mile away

Desert view. Photo looks WNW.
North Baldy Trail No. 8. 80 feet below the ridgeline now. Photo looks NNE.
Peak 10281 (L) comes into view again. Photo looks NNE.

A gradual descent led to a meadow at Pass 9956.  Lupe was now only 0.2 mile from Peak 10281’s summit.  Since North Baldy Trail No. 8 was about to skirt Peak 10281 to the E, Lupe was going to have to leave it here.  While taking a short break, SPHP contemplated available routes.

At Pass 9958. Photo looks W.

The SE ridge looked potentially pretty rocky, and the S slope looked sort of steep, but the general impression was that either way ought to work.  Looper elected to make a direct attack along the SE ridge.  Partway up, it got a little interesting.

On Peak 10281’s SE ridge. Photo looks NNW.

No big deal, though.  A little light scrambling and Lupe got above the rocks.  Soon she was approaching Peak 10281’s true summit, where a cairn sat on a small rise 70 feet W of another slightly lower high spot along the mountain’s E edge.

Above the big rocks now, not far from the summit. Photo looks NW.
At the true summit of Peak 10281. The E high point, which was nearly as high, is seen on the L. Photo looks E.

The cairn was out in the open, but too many trees were nearby to see much from the true summit.  Lupe ventured over to the E high spot for a look around.  South Baldy and Timber Peak visible to the S, and there was an impressive view of Copper and Water Canyons to the E.

At the E high point. Timber Peak (Center). Photo looks SE.
South Baldy (Center) from Peak 10281. Photo looks S.

5-15-21, 3:45 PM, Peak 10281 – Sunnier now.  Lupe wanted to rest in the shade.  A big pine between the true summit and E high point provided a convenient place to relax.

I believe you said something about a chocolate coconut bar, if we made it this far, didn’t you, SPHP?

Yes, I did!  Hang on, Loop.  I’ll dig it out of the pack.

The chocolate coconut bar, as well as what remained of other provisions, were soon disposed of in delicious fashion.

Thanks, SPHP!  Wonder what Dearth, Fluke, and the rest of the family are doing?  Funny, I just spent a lifetime there, but it all seems so far away and long ago now, almost like a dream or something I once heard about that happened to someone else, yet I’ve only been back here on earth with you for a couple of hours.  I feel really tired.  Mind if we just lay around here for a while?

Hard to say what they’re doing, Looper!  Really hard, since I’ve never met any of them.  We’ve got our whole traditional summit hour to goof around here, so rest up.  You probably have a bad case of space port lag.  You’ve come an unfathomably long way from a very different time zone!

SPHP had seen a jar stashed inside the summit cairn.  While Lupe dozed in the shade, SPHP went to retrieve it.  The jar contained only a little pencil, and part of a long, thin notebook.  This registry had been started by Mike Garrett on 10-2-15, and had a few entries most years.  The last entry was by Jim Morehouse on 10-1-20.

The notebook pages were so flimsy and dirty, that SPHP created an entry for Lupe on a single page torn out of a small notebook kept in the pack, adding it to the jar’s collection.

5-15-21, 4:35 PM – Just before summit hour was over, Lupe returned to the E high point for a last look back at South Baldy and Timber Peak.  Now that the hour was up, she stood at the true summit again.  Time to bid farewell to Peak 10281!

Timber Peak (L) and South Baldy (R). Photo looks SSE.
Back at Peak 10281’s summit. Photo looks WNW.

SPHP returned the registry jar to its place in the cairn.  The Carolina Dog had one more thing to do up here.  The topo map showed the 10,281 foot top of the mountain over near the NW end of the summit region, several hundred feet away.  Was that true?  Didn’t seem like it, but trees hid what was over that way.

Lupe went to investigate.  Nope!  Impossible to be completely certain, but it sure seemed to SPHP that the true high point was back at the cairn.

During the return, the American Dingo took an entirely different route.  Instead of heading directly back to Pass 9956, she roamed N down Peak 10281’s N ridge, getting almost to Pass 9806 before running into North Baldy Trail No. 8 again.

Oh, it would have been fun to keep going all the way to North Baldy!  However, what with all the space port adventures and a lifetime spent exploring alternate universes, Loopster had already had a long day.  Turning SE on Trail No. 8, the Carolina Dog took it back to Pass 9956, where she found the N branch of Copper Trail No. 10.

The topo map showed a steep descent into Copper Canyon.  Surprisingly, Trail No. 10 started out as a wide, old roadbed.  Super easy!  Everything was peachy until the road and all sign of a trail vanished at a dig site where a ladder led up to a dark hole in a wall of solid rock.

At the dig site, wondering what happened to Copper Trail No. 10? Photo looks NNE.

Fortunately, the ancient ladder was broken.  No way to actually get up to that mysterious dark hole.  If the ladder had been intact, Looper might have insisted on subterranean adventures, too – a journey to the center of the earth to complement her inter-universal roamings!

The situation being what it was, the descent into Copper Canyon was destined to continue.  However, below this excavation the slopes were incredibly steep, so much so that SPHP was unwilling to consider taking them on without the benefit of a trail.  Yet the trail could not be found.

A check of the map finally showed that Lupe ought to be over closer to a short ridge visible to the NE.  To get there, she’d have to go back up the road she had just come down.  No other solution came to mind.

Returning to the road proved to be the right thing to do.  Loop soon came to a previously unnoticed cairn marking where Copper Trail No. 10 left the road.

At the cairn (L) where Copper Trail No. 10 leaves the old roadbed. Photo looks SSW.

That cairn was the key to success!  Copper Trail No. 10 was so faint in spots that it was hard to follow as it switchbacked down the steep slopes, but after losing a tremendous amount of elevation, the American Dingo arrived at a secluded junction marked by ancient wooden signs.  One sign said 4.5 miles to Water Canyon campground.

Lupe never got there.  A seemingly endless march down Copper Canyon led to roads that went to mines.  Somehow, as it was getting almost too dark to see, she wound up near a ravine that looked vaguely familiar.

Sure enough!  Visible in the gloom over on the other side was a welcome sight – the RAV4 sitting alone at the Mesa Trailhead.  Lupe’s South Baldy adventure was over!  (8:39 PM, 65ºF)

South Baldy, Magdalena Mountains, New Mexico 5-15-21

Links:

Next Adventure                            Prior Adventure

Want more Lupe adventures?  Choose from Lupe’s Summer of 2021 Dingo Vacations to New Mexico, Wyoming & the West Coast Adventure Index, Dingo Vacations Adventure Index or Master Adventure Index.  Or subscribe free to new Lupe adventures.

Double Digit Dingo! – Lupe’s 10th Birthday (12-14-20)

9:14 AM, 16ºF, Hwy 244 at the Rushmore profile parking lot – The newly minted Double Digit Dingo leapt out of the G6.  Mighty chilly!  Worse yet, the monotonous gray sky held out little hope for improvement.  Would have to be the coldest day in the entire month of December.  Maybe this wasn’t going to work?

Lupe, however, was unfazed.  Apparently, she intended to tough it out at least long enough to see the most famous mountain in South Dakota.  After all, this was the Carolina Dog’s big chance to do something special in the Black Hills on her 10th birthday!

George Washington from Hwy 244.
Zoomed in.
At the Mount Rushmore profile parking lot.

Not a soul around on a Monday morning in December.  After a look at George Washington, the only president visible from here, Lupe started trotting up Hwy 244.  The main entrance to Mount Rushmore was 0.25 mile back.

Quiet morning along Hwy 244.

Hardly any traffic along the highway, but there was more activity than SPHP expected up at the main visitor parking lot.  Orange plastic fences blocked off various construction zones.  Groups of people were coming and going.

SPHP let Lupe go only so far before saying this was good enough.  Loop got a nice look at Mount Rushmore (5,725 ft.), but since Dingoes aren’t really welcome here, she wasn’t permitted to linger.  A souvenir 10th birthday photo, and she was on her way.

At Mount Rushmore!
Mount Rushmore, South Dakota’s most famous mountain. L to R: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln.

Since Loopster didn’t seem to mind the cold, perhaps she was up for a more substantial 10th birthday adventure?  SPHP had just the thing in mind.  Having already seen the most famous mountain in South Dakota, maybe she would enjoy climbing South Dakota’s highest mountain, too?  A great trailhead providing access to the Black Elk Wilderness was only 4 or 5 miles farther W along Hwy 244.

10:05 AM, 18ºF, Willow Creek trailhead – 2 degrees warmer!  Every little bit helped.  Lupe stood by the Willow Creek trail No. 8 sign waiting for SPHP to decide which part of the loop to take.  SPHP chose the W half, which began by heading S straight for Black Elk Peak (7,231 ft.).

At the Willow Creek trailhead. Lupe would take the trail seen on the R. Black Elk Peak (R) visible in the distance. Photo looks S.

Only a skiff of snow was on the ground as Looper set out.  Although cold today, the last 1.5 months had been uncommonly warm.  The Black Hills had gotten almost no precipitation.  Ordinarily, climbing Black Elk Peak on Lupe’s birthday would have been out of the question.  Cold and snowy enough to make the journey more ordeal than fun.

Today was different!  The awesome thing was that if Lupe made it up Black Elk Peak, this ascent on her 10th birthday would also be her 10th ascent of South Dakota’s highest peak.

In the forest, early on.

The first part of Trail No. 8 was super easy, a nice level trek through the forest.  Before long, the trail crossed Willow Creek and quickly came to a junction.  Lost Cabin trail No. 2 went R.  Lupe went L instead, staying on Willow Creek trail No. 8.  Although she’d been on most of the trails in the Black Elk Wilderness at one time or another, the American Dingo had never been on this next section of No. 8 before.

Turned out it wasn’t far to a frozen waterfall on Willow Creek.

Near the frozen waterfall.
Cool waterfall! Frozen stiff, in fact.

A little past the waterfall, Lupe came to two wooden bridges.  After the second bridge, Trail No. 8 began a slow, steady climb.  A field of dry grass bordered by large dark gray rock formations appeared on the L.

Crossing the 2nd wooden bridge.
In the field.

A smaller field appeared a little farther on.  Smoke could be seen rising from the trees in the distance.  A forest fire in December?  No.  Took a moment, but SPHP soon realized it was coming from the sawmill a few miles NE of Hill City.  Completely normal.

Five Points (6,221 ft.) (L). Smoke (Center). Photo looks N.

After a mile on Trail No. 8, Lupe came to another junction, this time with Trail No. 9, which would take her to Black Elk Peak.  This intersection was only 0.5 mile from the Willow Creek trailhead as the crow flies, since Trail No. 8 had taken a semi-circular route to the S, E, then NE.

At the junction with Trail No. 9.

Trail No. 9 went E a little way, then zigzagged S through the forest.  At one point, Hwy 244 could be seen not too far away down a steep slope.   However, No. 9 soon turned away from the road.  From the last big field the trail came to, Black Elk Peak was in sight again.  The Carolina Dog was getting closer, but she still hadn’t gained all that much elevation.

Black Elk Peak (L of Center) from the last field Trail No. 9 goes by. Photo looks SSW.

Re-entering the forest, Trail No. 9 turned sharply, starting to climb again.  The next junction was with Willow Creek Rushmore trail No. 5.  This intersection was only a little N of the massive granite formations of Elkhorn Mountain (6,381 ft.).

Elkhorn Mountain from the intersection of Trails No. 5 & 9. Photo looks S.
Trail No. 5 sign. Lupe stuck with No. 9 instead.

After passing Trail No. 5, the terrain become more rugged.  Trail No. 9 went S to Elkhorn Mountain, then SW along its base.  A high point was reached, then the trail descended 100 feet to cross a tiny tributary of Willow Creek.  After crossing the creek, No. 9 switchbacked steadily higher working its way SE past the W end of Elkhorn Mountain.

The forest was a wreck!  Thousands of large pines had been killed by pine bark beetles years ago.  Most had fallen over by now, opening up the views to some extent.

Approaching Elkhorn Mountain on Trail No. 9. Photo looks S.
Another glimpse of Black Elk Peak (Center). Photo looks SSW.
Elkhorn Mountain from quite a bit higher now. Photo looks E.
The dramatic granite ridge of Elkhorn Mountain rises beyond the shattered forest. Photo looks NNE.

After getting nearly as high Elkhorn Mountain, Trail No. 9’s rate of climb decreased.  Switchbacks lengthened, then disappeared.  No. 9 continued to climb, but more slowly as it worked its way SW.

Lupe was getting close to the most scenic part of the entire journey, other than the summit of Black Elk Peak itself.  Granite Flats wasn’t much farther.  The first sign she was getting close was an impressive view of a 3-pronged granite knob atop other massive rock formations.  This knob might have been Peak 6057, but SPHP wasn’t at all certain about that.

Peak 6057 beyond Lupe? SPHP didn’t know. Still impressive, whatever it was.

The weather was changing as Lupe approached Granite Flats.  Clouds closed in.  The air cooled, becoming a little foggy, and it began to snow.  Lightly, nothing to be concerned about, but views were disappearing.  Suddenly it felt like winter!  The cold gray world gradually turning white.  So quiet, hidden, and remote!

Starting to snow on the way to Granite Flats. Photo looks SW.
Black Elk Peak from Granite Flats. Photo looks SW with help from the telephoto lens.
On one of the Granite Flats rock formations. Black Elk Peak (Center). Photo looks SW.
So, it’s not all flat, is it?
Turning white.

After spending a little time exploring Granite Flats, Lupe hurried on her way.  Even so, she paused now and then at certain viewpoints.

Lupe on the day she turned 10. Peak 6735 in the distance. Photo looks SSE.
Getting closer! Old fire lookout tower atop Black Elk Peak (Center). Photo looks SW.

Not much farther now!  Loopster passed the last viewpoint, and the trail was soon switchbacking steeply up a forested slope.  Loop gained most of the last few hundred feet of elevation remaining here.  The trail then leveled out, proceeding SSE to a junction with the spur trail that goes to the old fire lookout tower on Black Elk Peak.

The spur trail promptly swung around the S end of the summit region to more open ground on the W side of the mountain.  Still snowing.  Normally sweeping views of some of the most rugged terrain in the Black Hills were reduced to the silent, ghostly presence of nearby peaks.  Trotting N now, Lupe reached the entrance to the spiral staircase that winds up to the to the old lookout tower.

The see-through metal grid stairway that used to freak Loop out so much had long since lost its terror.  Up the American Dingo went without the least hesitation.  She’d made it!  The Black Elk Peak (7,231 ft.) lookout tower was only 50 feet away.

By the entrance to the metal stairway.
Come on, SPHP! Nothing to it! We’ve done this a bunch of times, remember?
Lookout tower dead ahead!

After entering the lookout tower, Lupe ventured out onto the viewing platform.  No one around.  SPHP helped her up onto the wall.  Even the views had deserted Black Elk Peak.  December’s frigid, snowy solitude was awesome, though!

On the viewing platform wall.

2:02 PM, 17ºF, Black Elk Peak – Leaving the viewing platform, Lupe had gone down to the basement of the lookout tower and out the back door.  Now she was curled up on SPHP’s lap out on the huge granite formations W of the tower with SPHP’s jacket thrown over her for warmth.  She was warm, too, despite winter’s grip.

Below the lookout tower.
Watching the granite turn white.

Half an hour enjoying the gray-white solitude.  Two chocolate coconut bars shared.  A little water.  SPHP munched an apple.  The Carolina Dog was still toasty warm, but SPHP was getting cold and stiff sitting on the granite.  A couple of people waved from up on the viewing platform.  The signal to move on.

Up on the platform, Lupe and SPHP met a young couple from Boston.  A friendly 15 minute chat, and it was time to leave them to the solitude, something they said was near impossible to come by in the mountains of New Hampshire and Vermont where they normally went.

A few more photos, and Looper was on her way.

About ready to go.
Leaving Black Elk Peak.

Lupe trotted down the metal stairs.  Nearly an hour had shot by up top!  That bright spot in the clouds would set in 30 minutes.

The long trek back was utterly deserted.  Much whiter than the journey up had been.  So beautiful!  What an experience being a Double Digit Dingo was turning out to be!  The most famous mountain in South Dakota, and the highest one, too, on the very first day.

Near Elkhorn Mountain again during the return.

5:41 PM, 17ºF, Willow Creek trailhead – Dark and still snowing!  SPHP hadn’t had to bring out the little flashlight until Lupe had gotten all the way back to the wooden bridges over Willow Creek.  Now the adventure was over.  SPHP turned the key, and the G6 sprang to life.

Lupe curled up for the ride home.  To her great surprise that wasn’t the end of things.  At home, SPHP made a couple of trips loading stuff into the G6.  Then it was off to see Grandma!

Visiting Grandma was a Dingo birthday tradition.  However, Grandma had moved to a senior living facility early this year, even before Lupe and SPHP had helped her get her big, old house sold.  At the time she’d moved in, Grandma thought that Lupe wouldn’t be allowed in the senior living center, but that had turned out not to be true.  Loopster had been there lots of times.

7:15 PM, Grandma’s apartment – The party animal had arrived!  Lupe dashed in all excited to see Grandma!  She barked and wagged her tail like mad, then raced over to hop up on the comfy white couch.  Grandma was so happy to see Lupe, too!

No dilly-dallying!  SPHP was famished.  A chocolate coconut bar and an apple all day were no longer cutting it.  Birthday presents were piled up around Lupe right there on the couch.  One of the presents wasn’t even wrapped.  Lupe’s buddy Dave Covill had sent her a package of Smart Cookie Rabbit & Pumpkin regional bites all the way from Colorado.  They weren’t wrapped because Loopster hadn’t been able to wait.  She’d been gobbling them up all week long.

On the comfy couch surrounded by presents.
With Grandma on Double Digit Dingo day.

Without delay, SPHP produced a birthday cake.

Double Digit Dingo cake.

A Double Digit Dingo cake with candles!  So incredibly many candles that Grandma could heat her apartment with it.  The Carolina Dog was leery of the fearsome fiery spectacle.

The spooky cake.
Another trial by fire! Why do I have to go through this every year?

There was singing!  Happy Birthday!  It was happy, too!

Grandma’s girl on Double Digit Dingo day.

SPHP helped Lupe choose the first present to open.  It sniffed good!

This is going to be great!
A T-bone steak!

While the T-bone steak was broiling, Lupe opened the rest of her presents.  She got 3 new Kong squeaker balls, and lots of good things to eat!  Speaking of eating, she devoured the rest of the Smart Cookie Rabbit & Pumpkin regional bites that Dave Covill had sent.  They served as T-bone steak appetizers.  Although there was nothing wrong with Loopster’s appetite, she loved the whole concept.

10th birthday loot!
Purina Busy Rib Hides.
Zuke’s Superfood Blend.
Zuke’s Hip Action.
Smart Cookie Rabbit & Pumpkin regional bites from Dave Covill. Bon appetit!

At last the T-bone was ready!  While Lupe had steak, Grandma and SPHP had cake and ice cream.

Loop with her 10th birthday T-bone.

While there was still some meat on it, SPHP saved the T-bone itself.  The big bash ended with Lupe giving Grandma a live demonstration of what to do with a Purina Busy Rib Hide.

It’s easy! Like this, Grandma!

Nearly 10:00 PM by the time Lupe got home again.  Double Digit Dingo day had been a blast, but a long one.  Loopster hopped up on the bed.  While SPHP read, the Carolina Dog got to munch away on that still meaty T-bone SPHP had saved for her.

Crunching away was so satisfying!  By the time the light went out, only a stubby, little white T remained.

Double Digit Dingo day, Black Elk Peak, Black Hills of South Dakota, 12-14-20

Links:

Lupe’s 9th Birthday (12-14-19)

Lupe’s 11th Birthday (12-14-21)

Want more Lupe adventures?  Choose from Lupe’s Dingo Tales Index or Master Adventure Index.  Or subscribe free to new Lupe Adventures.

Book Review: The Klondike Cafe – A Bud Shumway Mystery #11 by Chinle Miller

6-30-20 –  Hey, Loopster, come here!  Get a load of this!

What is it, SPHP?

Now that we’re temporarily back from your first Summer of 2020 Dingo Vacation, I’m checking on some of the cool comments that came in for you on T(M)TAOL while we were gone.  You’re never going to believe this one!

Really?  Don’t keep me in suspenders, SPHP!  What does it say?

Suspense, not suspenders, Loop.  Anyway, here goes:

“I hope you don’t mind that I dedicated my book to you, Lupe. If you contact me, I’ll send you a free copy. Even though I’ve been in Tombstone, your adventures helped inspire it, as well as you being who you are.”

A book dedicated to me!  Mind?  Why would I mind?  That’s a great honor, isn’t it?  Who wrote that comment?

A great honor?  You better believe it is, Loop!  Not every day that someone dedicates a book to you.  In fact, until now, not any day was.  Considering that most people never ever write a book in the first place, and then that the author doesn’t even know you except through T(M)TAOL, this is like getting struck by lightning!

Actually, this is a lot better than getting struck by lightning, SPHP!

Well, of course.  I didn’t mean it literally, just that this is an extraordinarily rare event.

So, you still haven’t told me who wrote that comment.  And what’s the book called?

The comment is from Chinle, Chinle Miller.

Oh, Chinle!  I like Chinle.  Chinle has written quite a few nice comments on T(M)TAOL.  You never told me she was an author, though.

There’s a reason for that.  I didn’t know it, either, until now.  Chinle must really like you, too, Looper.  One of your biggest fans!  Dedicating a book she spent who knows how long writing to you is absolute proof, as if any was needed.  Why, Chinle must have been planning this for ages!

Lupe beamed from big soft Dingo ear to big soft Dingo ear.

OK!  So back to the name of this book, SPHP.  What’s it called?  What’s it about?  Can you send for my free copy right now?

Sure, we’ll send Chinle a reply.  I don’t know what the book is called, but there’s a link that Chinle sent along with the comment.  Let’s check it out.

The link went to an Amazon page.

Hey, hey!  Here it is, Loop!  Wow, totally legit!  The Klondike Cafe (Bud Shumway Mystery Series Book 11) by Chinle Miller.  Rated 4.7 out of  5.0 stars on Amazon!  That’s mighty good.  People must really like it!

The Klondike Cafe?  Must be about Canada!  We’ve been to the Klondike Highway and the Klondike River, right?  Don’t remember ever being at the cafe, though.  What else does it say, SPHP?

The cafe might be fictional, Loop.  Not sure.  The Klondike Cafe is a novel.  There’s a synopsis.  Listen to this:

“When a Mountie shows up in Sheriff Bud Shumway’s Utah office and accuses him of aiding and abetting a possible murderer in Canada’s Yukon Territory, Bud is mystified, especially since he doesn’t even know the guy. And when he receives a gold-mining claim transferred to his name and a cryptic message telling him to come to the Klondike Cafe, Bud is soon on his way, even though he has no idea where the cafe is or why his help is needed.

Join Bud on the adventure of a lifetime, as he discovers the beauty and sometimes deadly lure of the North Country, the land once charted on maps as the “Great Northern Mystery.”

A murder mystery!  I didn’t expect that, SPHP, but I was right about Canada, wasn’t I?  The sheriff goes to the Yukon to solve the case, and get rich mining gold!  Sounds like The Klondike Cafe must have a lot more of a plot than our adventures do.  We’re always like, “Here’s a cool mountain, let’s see if we can get to the top?”  Usually different mountains, but sort of the same thing every time.  No one gets killed on our adventures.

No, they don’t.  Planning on keeping it that way, too!  If people want more drama than we provide, they’d be better off reading The Klondike Cafe.  Anyway, there’s more here, another link.  Apparently to a bio about Chinle.

So, read it to me!

Intend to, Looper:

About Chinle Miller

Chinle Miller wanders the outback of Colorado and Utah, eyeing civilization from a safe distance.  She’s accompanied by her dogs and occasional ravens.

She has a B.A. in Anthropology and an M.A. in Linguistics and an A.S. in Geology.

Short and sweet, but does sort of explain why Chinle likes you, Loop.  She has dogs, and enjoys spending time with them out in remote places, just like you and me.  In fact, sounds like she’s more of a real nomad than we are.  Most of the time, we’re at home.  Civilization does have its perks!

Oh, and she’s a geologist, too, SPHP.  Which means she must like rocks.  Mountains have a lot of rocks, so maybe she likes that I climb mountains?  She might not be such a complete nomad like you’re saying, though.  Most nomads don’t spend that much time in school.  An M.A. in Linguistics!  Wonder if Chinle and her dogs talk like we do?

Of course, they do.  I’m sure of it!  Here, let’s send Chinle a response right now.  Thank her for the grand honor she’s bestowed upon you, and get that free copy of The Klondike Cafe on the way.

Chinle responded the very next day.  It was going to take a little while, but she would get The Klondike Cafe sent to Lupe as soon as she could, personally autographed, no less!  Amazingly, it got even better than that, as Chinle went on to say “Thanks, but you’re the real star, Lupe, and beautiful to boot!  But I think you’ll like Lindie, the dingo in the book, as she’s based on you, though I make her look a little more coyote like.”

A murder mystery in the Yukon with a Dingo named Lindie playing a role!  Lupe and SPHP were both excited.  The Klondike Cafe was really something to look forward to!

July.  Adventure season!  The Klondike Cafe arrived while Lupe was out climbing mountains in Wyoming and Utah during her second Summer of 2020 Dingo Vacation.  There it was, though, brand spanking new when she returned home on July 26th.

200 pages long, quick-paced, and mostly light-hearted (despite being a murder mystery!)  And, oh boy, was The Klondike Cafe ever good!  As the synopsis and title of the series indicated, Sheriff Bud Shumway is the star.  Early on he is astonished to find himself inexplicably entangled in a murder he doesn’t know anything about, yet suspected by the Canadian Mounties of somehow having a hand in it.

Sheriff Shumway is soon reluctantly leaving his semi-capable deputy, Howie, in charge of things back in his hometown of Green River, Utah, and is on his way to the far north to figure out not only who done it, but exactly what, how, and why they’d done it.  Bud’s very capable wife, Wilma Jean, a pilot and business owner, is also left behind trying to stay in touch with her husband while taking care of the watermelon farm they own, plus their two dogs Hoppie and Pierre.

Realizing this trip will be a rare chance for adventure in places he’s only dreamed of before regardless of how the murder mystery he’s wrapped up in turns out, Bud brings along his harmonica, which he is learning to play, and a camera to take photos of the Northern Lights.

In addition to all the fixes Bud finds himself in as the plot unfolds, The Klondike Cafe is sprinkled not only with brief geology lessons, but bits of information on Canadian First Nations, too.  Everywhere he goes, Sheriff Shumway meets an interesting cast of characters all with problems, likes and dislikes, motivations, and dreams of their own.  Meanwhile, Chinle is busy slipping in snippets of her sneaky sense of humor, as well.  “Palatial Estates Trailer Park”!  SPHP had to laugh, yet you just know such a contradiction in terms might actually exist.

Bud makes it to Skagway, Alaska, a major cruise ship port and start of the White Pass Railroad that goes through Fraser up to Carcross in the Yukon, passing Lindeman and Bennett Lakes along the way.  The action takes him to Whitehorse, capitol city of the Yukon, where paddle wheel steamships once provided transportation and brought in supplies in the days before roads; Dawson City, heart of the Klondike Gold Rush, with its free ferry across the Yukon River to the Top of the World Highway; and up the Dempster Highway to the spectacular trail to Grizzly Lake in Tombstone Territorial Park.

Since Lupe and SPHP have been to so many of the incredible places Bud visits in The Klondike Cafe, that really helped to make it all come alive.  Despite Chinle’s considerable descriptive powers, readers who’ve never been to these parts of Canada or Alaska might have a harder time fully appreciating the amazing wilderness stage upon which Sheriff Shumway’s sleuthing plays out.

For Lupe, The Klondike Cafe was more than just an exciting tale of Bud’s adventures and travails while trying to solve the mystery at paw, it was a constant reminder of all the great adventures she’d been on with SPHP in the same areas Bud was getting to know.

Taiya Inlet and Skagway (L) as seen on the way up AB Mountain to join the Arctic Sisterhood, Alaska 8-7-17
Cruise ship in Skagway, Alaska 8-7-17
White Pass & Yukon Route train in Skagway, Alaska 8-7-17
The Most High Exalted Dingo of the Arctic Sisterhood at the Arctic Brotherhood hall in Skagway, Alaska 8-8-17
Exploring past the end of the International Falls trail, which crosses the US/Canada border between Skagway & Carcross, 8-8-17
On Fraser Peak, British Columbia near the US/Canada border, 8-9-17
In Carcross, Yukon Territory, 8-6-17
Carcross and Bennett Lake as seen on the way up Nares Mountain, Yukon Territory, 9-10-18
In Whitehorse, by the S.S. Klondike, which used to ply the upper Yukon River between Whitehorse and Dawson City, Yukon Territory 8-10-17
On Grey Mountain (Canyon Mountain) near Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, 9-9-18
Dawson City and the Yukon River from Midnight Dome, Yukon Territory 8-23-18
Lupe reaches Tombstone Territorial Park near kilometer 50 of the Dempster Highway, Yukon Territory 9-3-17
Approaching Grizzly LakeMount Monolith (R).  Tombstone Territorial Park, Yukon Territory, 9-6-17
At the Dawson City General Store, Yukon Territory 9-3-17
The free ferry across the Yukon River in Dawson City, Yukon Territory 9-3-17
Top of the World Highway from Swede Dome, Yukon Territory 8-24-18

“They all walked inside and on to better things.”  So that’s it, Looper.  The end.  Wha’dya think?

The Klondike Cafe was a great story, SPHP!  You ought to learn to write like that.  One bad thing about it, though!

Really?  I thought it was terrific!  What didn’t you like?

Makes me wish we were up in the Yukon having more adventures of our own right this very minute!

Yeah, me too!  Sort of a fabulous trip down memory lane for us, wasn’t it?  Got any favorite parts?

Oh, I liked Sheriff Shumway’s adventures and harmonica playing, but I loved Lindie best of all.  So courageous!  She not only helped Bud find the Klondike Cafe, she even helped solve the murder mystery, too, you know!  Good press for all of us American Dingoes!  For some strange reason, Carolina Dogs don’t get much of that.

So you loved Lindie best of all, Lupe?  Well, knock me over with a feather.  Who’da thunk it?  Guess we’ve got partners now in Lindie and Sheriff Bud Shumway helping to spread the word on Carolina Dogs and their love of adventure!

Thank you, Chinle!

We’ll always treasure The Klondike Cafe!   –  Lupe & SPHP

North Klondike River in Tombstone Territorial Park, Yukon Territory 9-4-17
Dingo endorsed!

Links:

The Klondike Cafe on Amazon

In addition to the Bud Shumway Mystery Series, Chinle is the author of Desert Rats: Adventures in the American Outback, Uranium Daughter, The Impossibility of Loneliness, In Mesozoic Lands: The Mesozoic Geology of Arches and Canyonlands National Parks, plus several U.S. National Park guides.

Chinle Miller on Amazon

Want more Lupe adventures?  Choose from Lupe’s Dingo Tales IndexBlack Hills of South Dakota & Wyoming Expeditions Index, or Dingo Vacations Adventure Index.  Or subscribe free to new Lupe adventures.

To Samelius Peak with Michael Zimny of South Dakota Public Broadcasting! (3-11-20)

Michael Zimny?  No, I don’t know any Michael Zimny.  Who’s that, Loop?

Mr. Zimny is with South Dakota Public Broadcasting.

That’s nice.  Been listening to the radio lately?

He wants to interview you, SPHP!

Oh, come on now!  What makes you think that?

That’s what he told me.

Told you?  Hah!  Dingo feathers!  You don’t even know a Michael Zimny from SDPB or anywhere else.

Not yet, but I’m going to!

What’s got into you?  Something a little stronger than usual in that water bowl these days?

Don’t believe me?  Go take a look at the new comment on my blog!

Alright!  A new comment on which post?

Not a post, the About & Adventure Indexes page.

Michael Zimny, March 5, 2020, 2:09 PM – Hi SPHP, I’d like to interview you some time for South Dakota Public Broadcasting, maybe a interview-ascent could be arranged, if you’d be interested. Let me know. Thanks.

Well, I’ll be!  Heh, I’ll have to think about how to let Michael down easy, while still appearing grateful for the opportun ….  Hey, wait a minute!  What’s this?  You already answered him?!

Lupe, March 5, 2020, 8:22 PM – Hi, Michael! If there is an ascent involved, count me in! I’ll work on that persnickety SPHP. Look for an email from us soon.

Told ya, SPHP!  It’s my big chance at fame and fortune!  Plus we get to meet my new publicity director, Michael Zimny, and climb a mountain in the Black Hills!  It’s perfect!

Perfect, except for one thing, Miss Fame & Fortune!  I’m not doing it!

Oh, yes you are, SPHP!  Michael is expecting a list of possible peaks to choose from to climb during this interview, and I’ve promised you would be sending that to him soon.  So figure something out, and get with the program.

Listen to me, Loop.  I’m no public speaker.  I sound like Kermit the Frog!  I’m not going to do a radio interview, and be humiliated in my own home state!

Oh, pooh!  It’s not public speaking, SPHP.  It’s radio!  Just you, me, and Michael going on a little trek up a mountain together.  A simple private chat that will get recorded and edited.  No live audience, so if you still somehow manage to humiliate yourself across South Dakota, you’ll never even know it.  Besides, I’m counting on you not to do that.  I’ll get Michael to fix your voice somehow.  They must have audio technicians at SDPB.  Who would you like to sound like?

Oh, I don’t know.  How about having them change me into Lady Gaga?  That’s about what it’s going to take for your fame and fortune scheme to work.

Lady Gaga?  Good choice, but that’s a real stretch, SPHP.  I’ll see what Mr. Zimny can do, but don’t expect miracles.

Believe me, I don’t.  Not going to do this, anyway.  We’ve still got lots of work to do to get Grandma’s house ready for the market.  She’s depending on us.  Besides, what am I going to say?  We climb a bunch of mountains no one has ever heard of in the Black Hills?

Oh, please, please, please, SPHP!  You’ve got to do it!  Don’t make me look bad in front of Mr. Zimny!  I’ve already told him you would.  It won’t take all that long.  Grandma will understand, and we can get right back to work on her house as soon as it’s over.  We haven’t been anywhere in months now!  Don’t I deserve a teensy tiny break?  Can’t we climb just one little mountain in the Black Hills with Mr. Zimny?  What to say is easy!  Just talk about me!  I’m your favorite subject, aren’t I?  And say something good about the Black Hills!  They’re our home, and we love them!

Tell you what, Loop.  I’ll think about it.  Let’s leave it at that for a day or two.  No promises.  OK?

Only if you agree to give it serious consideration, SPHP.  Will you?

I suppose!  If that’s what you want.

Fabulous!  You’re never going to regret this, SPHP!  You’ll see!  Soon we’ll be climbing that beautiful mountain with Michael Zimny, and launching ourselves to fame and fortune on SDPB!

Umm, yeah.  Now who’s expecting miracles?

3-11-20, 7:00 AM Centennial Trail off Hwy 16, Samelius Peak trailhead – Michael Zimny was right on time!  Miss Fame & Fortune was waiting for him.  Pre-transformed Lady Gaga, too!

First things first!  After brief self-introductions, Miss Fame & Fortune wanted a quick photo with her new publicist, Michael.

Michael Zimny of South Dakota Public Broadcasting and Miss F&F.

The interview plan was simple enough.  It started off with an informal recorded chat between SPHP and Michael while hiking a 0.75 mile long section of the Centennial Trail.  Lupe would then lead the way up the N ridge of Samelius Peak (5,856 ft.).

Starting up Samelius Peak after leaving Centennial Trail No. 89.

Turned out Michael is originally from Chicago, but has served in the army and lived in many different places.  He was easy to talk to since he was enthusiastic about South Dakota, and loves hiking in the Black Hills and Badlands.

See, SPHP? This is going great! Michael is one of us!
This way, Michael! Not much farther.
Peak 5741 (Center) with Five Points (6,221 ft.) (straight up from Lupe) beyond it. Photo looks NW.

Soon Lupe, Michael, and SPHP were all at the top of the mountain.  Loop was thrilled to be out in the Black Hills again, even if only for this one peak.

My 3rd ascent of Samelius Peak, and, sure enough, the 3rd time is a charm! Fame and fortune, here I come! Thank you, Michael & SDPB!
Black Elk Peak (7,231 ft.) (Center) from Samelius Peak. Photo looks SW with help from the telephoto lens.

20 or 30 minutes at the summit and the interview was about done.  A round of chocolate coconut granola bars for everyone, then it was down the mountain.  Partway down, out of the breeze where the microphone worked best, Michael wanted to stop to ask SPHP a few final questions.

And that was it.  Back to the trailhead, good-byes and thank yous, and the interview was over.  Lupe’s new friend and publicist Michael Zimny was on his way, and so were Looper and SPHP.

Two months went by before Michael sent an email saying the interview was going to be broadcast that Friday, May 15th at 10:27 AM during the “In the Moment” show.  Naturally, Lupe and SPHP tuned in!

The Adventures of Lupe on South Dakota Public Broadcasting

21 minutes and 44 seconds of fame, Loop!  More than our fair share, you know.  Normally 15 minutes is about it for us mere mortals.

Went pretty well, don’t you think, SPHP?

Considering how little I gave them to work with, our friend Michael Zimny, along with Lee Strubinger, Joshua Haiar, Cara Hetland and the rest of the gang at SDPB did a fabulous job!  I am disappointed with one thing, though.

What’s that?

My transformation into Lady Gaga seems to have been a complete flop.

Some things are technologically impossible, SPHP.  You weren’t expecting a miracle, were you?

So as not to disappoint her fans, The (Mostly) True Adventures of Lupe and YouTube hereby present:

Lady Gaga in Poker Face

I’m really not Lady Gaga material, am I, Looper?

Not even close, SPHP!  But did you notice those big dogs with Lady Gaga?  How do you think I’d look if I dye my fur white?  Instead of black spots, I’ll have stripes like a zebra!  Since we’ve got the fame, but fortune still eludes us, Michael can bill me as the world’s first American Zingo on South Dakota Public TV!  Maybe there’s money in video?

Oh, no you don’t!  Just forget it, you crazy Dingo!  We’re not doing any video!

Many thanks to Michael Zimny and everyone at South Dakota Public Broadcasting!

So that’s all folks! Thanks for tuning in! Over and out from Samelius Peak in the beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota!

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