More than 4 years ago, when Lupe was just 13 months old, SPHP took her on her very first Black Hills, SD Expedition on 1-15-12. Lupe got to explore Deerfield Trail No. 40 from the Silver City trailhead going W up Rapid Creek past Canyon City all the way to the confluence of Rapid Creek and Slate Creek. Lupe had such a wonderful time, that Lupe and SPHP returned to repeat the journey again a week later on 1-22-12.
No photos exist from those earliest Black Hills, SD Expeditions, because SPHP hadn’t brought a camera along. However, Lupe and SPHP have returned to this portion of Deerfield Trail No. 40 a couple of times since then, simply because it is such a pleasant, easy (virtually no elevation gain), and scenic path along the largest stream in the Black Hills.
On 3-23-16, Xochitl was back in the Black Hills. She wanted to go on a hike somewhere with Lupe and SPHP. Overnight, a spring snowstorm had dropped several inches of heavy, wet snow. The initial plan was to head N from the Deer Creek trailhead of Centennial Trail No. 89, but when SPHP failed to notify Xoch in time to make the turn to the Deer Creek trailhead, it seemed like a good idea to just continue on to Silver City, anyway.
The sky was still gray and thickly overcast when Xochi, Lupe and SPHP reached the Silver City trailhead of Deerfield Trail No. 40. The scene was a winter wonderland. Fresh, clean, white snow clung heavily to the dark pines. Lupe got to blaze the way along the pristine path, sniffing along with her nose and half of her face buried down in the cold, white stuff.
Lupe in a winter wonderland on Deerfield Trail No. 40, shortly after setting out from the Silver City trailhead.Xochitl joined Lupe and SPHP on Expedition No. 163. It was really her idea to go!Xoch looking good on the trail.
Deerfield Trail No. 40 crosses Rapid Creek a number of times on the way from Silver City to Canyon City. Very nice sturdy bridges are at each crossing. The bridges make it possible to go all the way to Canyon City and beyond to the confluence of Slate Creek and Rapid Creek without fording the stream.
Lupe on one of the sturdy, wide footbridges over Rapid Creek.Rapid Creek from the bridge.
Xoch, Lupe and SPHP were in no particular rush. It’s only a little more than 2 miles on the trail from the Silver City trailhead to Canyon City. There was plenty of time to enjoy the quiet solitude and snowy scenes.
Xoch in her new North Face coat and boots. She was plenty warm and comfortable. Temps were in the upper 20’s °F, not too far below freezing.Another bridge over Rapid Creek.Xoch sends greetings to SPHP and all of Lupe’s fans.
A look along the length of the bridge.Loopster on the same bridge, but looking back the other direction.
Maybe half way to Canyon City, there is a lovely American Dingo cave right along Deerfield Trail No. 40. The cave doesn’t look natural. It was probably excavated in connection with some exploratory mining dig many years ago. The cave only goes back 20 feet or so into the rock, but that’s plenty of room to keep a Dingo out of inclement weather.
Looking out from the American Dingo cave.Lupe agrees this Dingo cave has lots of good features including 20 feet of solid rock protection from inclement weather, a beautiful view, and convenient location along Deerfield Trail No. 40, plus fresh running water year round from Rapid Creek! Even so, Lupe indicated she wanted to know a little more about the local squirrel population before deciding to move in.
Shortly before reaching Canyon City, there is one minor side channel of Rapid Creek to be crossed without the benefit of a bridge. Once across, Canyon City is only another couple hundred yards upstream.
Xoch and Lupe arrive at the edge of the little side channel (L) of Rapid Creek prior to reaching Canyon City.Lupe gets some love from Xoch. Carolina Dogs give lots of love, and enjoy being on the receiving end, too.
Although it might be tricky crossing the side channel when water levels are unusually high, there were plenty of snow-covered stepping stones providing an easy way across this day. Xochi, Lupe and SPHP all crossed, and were soon at Canyon City.
There’s nothing really at Canyon City these days, except an intersection with a trail coming down to Deerfield Trail No. 40 and Rapid Creek from the end of USFS Road No. 142 about 0.25 mile to the N in Kelly Draw. The confluence of Rapid Creek and Slate Creek was another 0.33 mile upstream, but Canyon City was as far as Xochitl, Lupe and SPHP went on Expedition No. 163.
Xochitl near a big rock formation at Canyon City.Xochi and Lupe at Canyon City. Photo looks N along the trail to USFS Road No. 142 in Kelly Gulch.
Xochitl, Lupe and SPHP returned to the G6 back along the same route on Deerfield Trail No. 40. Lupe found a bird or squirrel to bark at up in some trees along the way. A little Carolina Dog barking echoing in the canyon helped make the day complete.
The trek back in the peaceful, secluded woods was both beautiful and relaxing. Lupe, Xochitl and SPHP shared a great time together on the trail at winter’s end. Lots of new changes, challenges and adventures were in store ahead, but for a little while, none of that mattered yet.Links:
Lupe and SPHP were on the road before 6:00 AM on 8-2-13, Day 24 of Lupe’s 2013 Dingo Vacation to the Beartooths and Canadian Rockies. It had rained steadily during the night. It wasn’t raining now, but the low mountains of southern British Columbia were shrouded in fog. Just S of Roosville, Lupe crossed the border back into the USA. She really was on her way home now.
It was a long drive clear across northern Montana. At first, it was scenic and damp. There were mountains and intermittent rain. Lupe headed SE to Whitefish on Hwy 93, and then cut across on Hwy 40 to Columbia Falls. Hwy 2 took Lupe through the mountains around the S end of Glacier National Park.
The mountains disappeared in the rear view mirror first. For a while, E of Glacier National Park, the rain did not. In fact, Lupe went through two cloudbursts. When it wasn’t raining hard where the G6 was, downpours could be seen scattered here and there in various directions.
An hour E of Shelby, the G6 finally got ahead of the rain. Low gray clouds still stretched out to the horizon in every direction. SPHP stopped the G6 twice to get out and stretch. Lupe and SPHP took walks in the little towns of Chester and Chinook.
Neither Lupe nor SPHP had ever been in central or eastern parts of northern Montana before. To SPHP, it was rather disappointing. There were no mountains. There wasn’t even anything noteworthy on the horizon most of the way. The Bear Paw mountains could be seen in the distance S of Havre, and there were some ridges SE of Saco, but otherwise the land was gently rolling and featureless.
Lupe certainly wasn’t disappointed in northern Montana, though. She was having a field day! Cows were everywhere! The dingy Dingo leapt wildly from window to window trying to bark at all of them at once. It was exhausting, but clearly exhilarating, work. Outside the G6 was a placid, pastoral scene. Inside it was deafening almost non-stop action. At least the American Dingo had to stop for water, and to catch her breath now and then.
It was evening by the time Lupe and SPHP paid a short visit to the Fort Peck dam on the Missouri River SE of Glasgow. Fort Peck Lake was vast and stretched to the horizon. It seemed lonely and remote. No doubt it would have been fun to explore the huge lake by boat. More fun than seeing it from the land, as Lupe soon found out.
Lupe near Fort Peck Lake. This view is of a smaller lake below the dam.Lupe with a view from the dam of Fort Peck Lake on the Missouri River in NE Montana. The lake was huge! It stretched far away to the horizon and beyond.Buildings along the Fort Peck Dam. SPHP presumes they were somehow related to power generation.Lupe near Fort Peck dam shortly before the cactus incident.
While sniffing around in the weeds near a viewpoint, Lupe’s left rear paw stepped on a cactus. She whirled around to bite whatever was biting her. She got the piece of cactus off her paw, but was rewarded with a cactus spine stuck in the roof of her mouth. SPHP had to use tweezers to remove it. All evening, the poor Carolina Dog tried to lick her own mouth to sooth the sore spot.
Still in Montana, Lupe and SPHP called it a day in Wolf Point. Before turning in, SPHP bought a milkshake at the local McDonald’s to help cool and provide some relief to Lupe’s sore mouth. Lupe proved quite willing to take this medicine. The milkshake was highly effective. Lupe’s sore mouth was cured.
The next morning, Lupe and SPHP started out shortly after sunrise again. Lupe was still going E across northern Montana on Hwy 2, but now she wasn’t far from North Dakota. North Dakota was about to join the American Dingo nation, and become the 9th Lupe state!
While in North Dakota, SPHP planned to take Lupe on a little tour of Williston. SPHP wanted to see what Williston looked like. The once sleepy, very remote town had been transformed by the Bakken shale oil and gas boom, which was in full swing. Lupe might also get a chance to visit her great Uncle Andy and Aunt Connie, meet King III, their old yellow lab, and see their farm near Beach, ND.
Before Lupe reached North Dakota, SPHP started seeing new housing subdivisions in tiny, formerly dying towns in NE Montana. The first new subdivision was in Poplar. There was a bigger one in Culbertson. Lupe started seeing a few oil wells. There were stacks of big blue pipes N of Hwy 2. Then a big blue pipeline appeared, not yet buried. Overall though, the effects of the oil and gas boom didn’t really look all that great, until Lupe crossed the border into North Dakota.
The first stoplight was 7 miles W of Williston. From then on, there was heavy traffic, especially truck traffic. Even though it was Saturday morning, Williston was a swarming hive of activity. Everything on the W and N sides of town looked brand new.
There were rows of metal buildings housing energy related companies, both famous and unfamiliar. Stacks of materials and lots of machinery were kept in adjacent fenced yards. New houses, new apartments, new restaurants, new businesses, new roads, new everything was all over the place. Williston was a genuine boom town.
Lupe and SPHP went and found a park in the old part of Williston. There were big old trees here, and a lot less going on. Lupe struck it rich, and found a squirrel in the very first tree she checked. She made such a ruckus about it, SPHP decided it might be best to move on. SPHP called Lupe’s great Aunt Connie in Beach. Right away, Connie invited Lupe and SPHP to come on down to Beach for a visit.
So before Lupe got in trouble for disturbing what little peace there was in Williston, she and SPHP headed S for Beach, ND, a tiny town along I-94 barely across the border from Montana.
Connie and Andy had an old yellow lab named King. Technically King was King III, the third in a line of yellow labs that Connie and Andy had. When Connie opened the door at their house in Beach, King III was right there. King III could hardly believe his eyes! Here was a cute little Dingo wanting to come in for a visit! King III loved the idea. He wanted to play! Lupe growled. King III was mighty big!
SPHP was interested in seeing Connie and Andy’s farm, but didn’t even have to ask for a tour. After visiting with Connie and Andy for a short while, they asked if Lupe and SPHP would like to see it. Of course! So everyone piled into Connie and Andy’s car, both dogs included, with SPHP between them to keep the peace. The farm was 16 miles S of town. Lupe and SPHP got the grand tour.
The G6 at Connie and Andy’s house in Beach, ND.Lupe’s great uncle Andy, great aunt Connie, and King III out at the farm.
The farm S of Beach, ND. Wow, after crossing central and eastern Montana, that hill in the distance is a veritable mountain! Crops are looking good, too. Wheat and lentils.
Lupe enjoyed the tour of the farm. She and King III got to get out and sniff around, and run after the car for exercise. King III was an old farm dog, but it was all a new and interesting experience for Lupe.
Connie, Andy and SPHP spent so much time visiting, that Lupe and SPHP got invited to spend the night in Beach. The next morning, Lupe, King III, Connie and SPHP all took a walk to the edge of town. After breakfast, it was time for Lupe to finish her trip home. It was now 8-4-15, Day 26 of Lupe’s great Dingo Vacation to the Beartooths and Canadian Rockies, and time to get back to the Black Hills.
Of course, SPHP dawdled along taking roads never seen before, instead of just taking the most direct route home. Lupe’s vacation continued all day. Lupe went back into eastern Montana. She went through Baker and Ekalaka. She passed Medicine Rocks State Park.
A forested section of hills in the Custer National Forest looked very similar to Lupe’s Black Hills back home. S of the Custer National Forest was a rather impressive long high ridge, topped with rock, which stretched far off to the SE. The Little Missouri River valley was beautiful. Cows and horses kept Lupe busy. She took up the sport of barking at hay bales, too, just for good measure.
The 73rd annual Sturgis Motorcycle Classic (Sturgis Rally), a week long event that brings huge numbers of motorcycle enthusiasts to the little town of Sturgis, SD on the NE edge of the Black Hills every year, was just beginning. Before Lupe even left Montana and entered Wyoming, there were bikers on motorcycles pouring in from all over.
SPHP had planned on getting Lupe a little blue ice cream at the store E of Devil’s Tower National Monument. All the parking lots at the KOA campground were totally jammed with motorcycle enthusiasts here for the annual Sturgis Rally, held the 1st full week of August each year. SPHP decided Lupe would have to wait for ice cream.
Actually, the place was packed. There were hundreds of motorcycles. Everyone seemed to be in good spirits and having a great time. There was a big party going on. The store was doing a brisk business. Lupe got lots of compliments from the friendly bikers. She was loving it and basking in glory.
Lupe at Devil’s Tower, WY. She is looking pretty happy about it. She was basking in the glory of a lot of compliments from the friendly bikers.
It has been a tradition with SPHP to buy blue ice cream at the store just E of the monument on each visit to Devil’s Tower. SPHP had intended to get Lupe some. This time, though, it looked like it was going to take a long time to get waited on. It was too hot out to make Lupe wait in the G6 that long.
So Lupe didn’t get any blue ice cream at Devil’s Tower(5,112 ft.). Lupe and SPHP headed S for Sundance, WY. There were 6 bikers riding 2 abreast ahead of the G6. They were taking their time enjoying the scenery while winding through forested hills W of the Black Hills of Wyoming, also called the Bear Lodge Mountains. Before long there were 50 or 100 motorcycles following the G6. It was fun! It was like Lupe was leading a grand motorcycle parade!
Lupe and SPHP left the motorcycle parade at Sundance. SPHP stopped at the grocery store there. Since Lupe hadn’t gotten any ice cream at Devil’s Tower, SPHP was going to make it up to her. SPHP came out with a box of 6 Eskimo pies. Lupe was forced to help devour every last one of them as fast as possible, since they were soon melting fast. She was completely up to the task. She would have been willing to do more, if only the need had arisen.
Instead of heading home on I-90, SPHP took Lupe S on Hwy 585 from Sundance. Lupe saw Inyan Kara(6,360 ft.) mountain. She was soon back in the Black Hills of South Dakota. In the Black Hills, Lupe went on the final exploration of her entire 2013 Dingo Vacation. From Black Fox campground, she headed up the Rhoades Fork of Rapid Creek following USFS Road No. 233 for more than a mile.
Of course, she drank from the cool, clear stream! Of course, she posed for the final pictures of her 2013 Dingo Vacation!
Lupe gets a drink in Rhoad’s Fork of Rapid Creek upstream of Black Fox CG.
A little more than an hour after returning to the G6, Lupe was home. Her 26 day summer of 2013 Dingo Vacation to the Beartooths and Canadian Rockies was finally over. It seemed like a long time since Day 1, when she went to the Elysian Fields of PuppyHappiness and spent the night on Bald Mountain(10,042 ft.). It had been a wonderful trip, but it was still good to be home!
Lupe’s final photo of her 2013 Dingo Vacation to the Beartooths and the Canadian Rockies. Here she is on 8-4-13 back in the Black Hills of South Dakota about 1.5 miles upstream of Black Fox campground.
It did feel like spring! With a Leap Day in 2016, spring had officially arrived on the calendar yesterday on March 19th, as early as it ever does. Yesterday hadn’t felt like spring, though. Squall lines blew through repeatedly trying to snow on the Black Hills. The snow hadn’t amounted to much, just a skiff, but it was a cold, gray, hint of winter day.
Today, though, was different – crisp, clear, blue skies, with light breezes and perfect temperatures for a Lupe expedition in the Black Hills! SPHP parked the G6 at the intersection of USFS Road No. 170.2B and Vanocker Canyon Road a few miles SW of Sturgis (10:23 AM, 41°F). Lupe started following No. 170.2B toward her first peakbagging goal of the day, Deadman Mountain(4,943 ft.).
At first, No. 170.2B rose steadily at an easy to moderate pace. After a little while, though, the road reached a meadow where it leveled out, and then started to wind its way N around several fingers of the mountain coming down from the W. Almost as soon as the road leveled out, Bear Butte(4422 ft.) came into view off to the NE.
Bear Butte from the E slopes of Deadman Mountain along USFS Road No. 170.2B. Photo looks NE using the telephoto lens.Lupe stands in the skiff of snow on USFS Road No. 170.2B on the lower E slopes of Deadman Mountain.
Following No. 170.2B as it wound around on the level was easy and fun, but it wasn’t going to get Lupe to the top of Deadman Mountain. When No. 170.2B showed no sign of wanting to resume its upward climb after winding around several fingers of the mountain, Lupe and SPHP abandoned the road, turned W and resumed climbing.
Lupe went only a few hundred feet before coming across a faint jeep trail. The jeep trail climbed aggressively right up the mountain. Lupe and SPHP followed it through the forest. For a road, the jeep trail was steep, but on paw and foot it was no problem. The road eventually reached the top of a ridgeline.
Here, the jeep trail improved and leveled out. It continued W along the N side of the mountain. The ridgeline, however, angled SW continuing to gain a little elevation. Lupe and SPHP stayed on the road after it leveled out for just a couple more minutes. A rock outcropping near the top of the ridgeline a short distance S of the road looked interesting. Lupe left the road to go check it out.
Lupe checks out the first rock outcropping up on Deadman Mountain. This was the first one she came to on her approach from the NE. Although it was only 10 to 15 feet high, it was the largest of several formations she encountered on her way to the summit.
Lupe and SPHP continued SW along the ridgeline. Along the way, Lupe came to a couple more rock formations, but the first one was the biggest. The ridge was broad and almost flat, but did gain elevation slowly as it continued SW. The entire area was forested, so there were no views in any direction. Although there had been only scattered deadfall timber all the way up Deadman Mountain, there was more of it along the ridge, but not enough to impede progress for long.
After following the ridge for 5 or 10 minutes, Lupe came to what appeared to be the highest part of the mountain. A stretch of the ridge 200 feet long was all at about the same elevation. Toward the SW end were three big trees close together. They seemed to SPHP to be standing at the true summit.
Lupe reaches the 3 tree true summit of Deadman Mountain! Photo looks SW.Looking NW along the summit ridge. Yes, it all looks pretty much the same. Choose your own true summit point, if you don’t like Lupe’s!
It sure seemed like Lupe was at the true summit of Deadman Mountain, but SPHP wasn’t 100% certain. After all, it had been a long trek up through the forest with no views since seeing Bear Butte way back down on USFS Road No. 170.2B. Maybe there was another higher point around up ahead? Lupe would have to do some more exploring to confirm her success.
SPHP studied the topo map. From the summit of Deadman Mountain, there was supposed to be a saddle about 100 feet lower to the NW. The saddle led to a slight rise along a wide level ridge that went N, and then NW to the edge of Deadman Gulch about 0.33 mile away. Peering down between the trees, it did look like there might be a saddle to the NW. It wasn’t very far away. Lupe and SPHP went to investigate.
Before Lupe even got all the way down to the bottom of the saddle, she came to a clearing in the woods where there were views off to the W. There was even a handy Carolina Dog display stump to facilitate the addition of extra beauty and grace to the scene.
Looking W from the N slope of Deadman Mountain, not too far from the summit.
Lupe and SPHP crossed the saddle. An unmarked road coming from the W side of Deadman Mountain farther S went up a gentle rise (shown on the topo map), and continued on to the N. A fainter road soon veered off to the NW. Lupe and SPHP followed the fainter road along the nearly level ridge. The road slowly lost elevation.
Lupe arrived at the edge of Deadman Gulch. There was no question about it now. It was clear that she really had been to the top of Deadman Mountain. The forest pretty effectively hid the views of Deadman Gulch, although there were glimpses of it here and there. Lupe and SPHP explored to the N near the edge of Deadman Gulch, but the ground kept losing elevation and the views didn’t open up.
Lupe and SPHP gave up on going any farther N, and doubled back to the S. This time, SPHP noticed a narrow rocky point protruding out to the SW from where Lupe had first come to the edge of Deadman Gulch. Lupe and SPHP went out on the point. There were some views from here!
Looking W over Deadman Gulch.Looking NW over Deadman Gulch. Lupe had recently been to Crook Mountain(4,930 ft.) (long high ridge R of center), and Whitewood Peak(5,140 ft.) (closest pointy hill in middle of L side of photo) on Black Hills, SD Expedition No. 160.Looking S at Veteran Peak(5,333 ft.). Lupe visited Veteran Peak back on Black Hills, SD Expedition No. 155 on 2-6-16.Lupe out on the point overlooking Deadman Gulch. Photo looks WSW.
Lupe had two more peakbagging goals for Black Hills, SD Expedition No. 162, but they were both on the other (W) side of Deadman Gulch. To get over there, SPHP thought it best to return to the G6. It would be a lot easier to drive over to a closer starting point, than try to find a long route on paw and foot around Deadman Gulch.
Lupe and SPHP returned to the summit of Deadman Mountain one more time. It was practically on the way to the G6.
Lupe returned briefly to the summit of Deadman Mountain. Her 3 tree true summit point is near the center of this photo just to the right of the big bush in the background. Photo looks SW.
Lupe and SPHP took the same route back to the G6. It was still early afternoon when Lupe arrived (1:33 PM, 50°F). Plenty of time remained for more fun and adventures! SPHP drove SW a few miles, and parked the G6 again (1:45 PM, 51°F). This time, Lupe would start out from the intersection of USFS Road No. 170 and No. 171.1 (1:45 PM, 51°F). Lupe and SPHP headed N on No. 171.1. Lupe’s new peakbagging goal was Red Hill(4,690 ft.), more than a mile to the N.
By now it had been warm long enough so yesterday’s skiff of snow had melted almost everywhere, except in very shady spots. The moisture made No. 171.1 soft and muddy. Lupe soon passed a big open area where several roads met. There was a lot of garbage strewn around here, including some broken glass. Lupe and SPHP hurried on by.
Beyond the intersection, No. 171.1 continued N gaining a little elevation before leveling out. This was actually the high point on Lupe’s journey to Red Hill. Before long, Lupe came to some heavy equipment sitting idle along the side of the road. Even though this area is all Black Hills National Forest land, a big thick underground power line is being installed along the road. Three huge spools of cable were up on a truck trailer. No one was around. The equipment was idle.
Past the equipment, the road lost elevation gradually. The equipment had recently been at work along this stretch. The roadbed was freshly churned up and very soft. So much mud clung to SPHP’s boots, that SPHP quickly gave up on the road. Lupe and SPHP went through the forest. Lupe liked going through the forest better than staying on road, anyway.
The road improved again by the time Lupe reached an intersection with USFS Road No. 171.1B. Lupe and SPHP followed No. 171.1B W to an intersection with No. 171.1U. This was the low point of Lupe’s journey to Red Hill. From the intersection, No. 171.1B turned N and started regaining elevation. Soon Lupe was getting close to one of two possible locations for the true summit of Red Hill.
Looking at the topo map, Red Hill is shaped like an upside down “U”, except that the bottom half of the SW side is “missing” – it’s not really part of the high ground. Red Hill features two areas enclosed by the 4,680 foot contour. The largest area is at the NE corner, and a smaller area is at the SW end of the high ground. Lupe would have to visit both areas to be certain of reaching the true summit.
No. 171.1B stopped gaining elevation and turned NW. Peering N through the forest, it did look like the terrain gained elevation in that direction. Lupe and SPHP left the road. Within 5 minutes, Lupe was standing on top of a small hill in the forest next to a fairly impressive cairn.
At the NE high point of Red Hill, Lupe found this well constructed summit cairn. Photo looks W.Red Hill was Lupe’s 2nd peakbagging success of Black Hills, SD Expedition No. 162.
The impressive cairn seemed to indicate that Lupe was already at the true summit of Red Hill. Just to make certain, Lupe and SPHP did go looking for the SW high point. About 0.5 mile away, Lupe found it at a very flat piece of ground only marginally higher than the surrounding terrain. There was no cairn here.
Lupe at the SW high point on Red Hill. There was no cairn here. Although definitely a little higher than the surrounding terrain, this did not feel like it was the true summit of Red Hill. Due to the forest, it was impossible to tell for certain. Photo looks NW.
The NE hill with the cairn definitely felt like the true summit of Red Hill. Whether it was or not, Lupe had visited both the NE and SW high points. Both high points were buried in the forest. Nearby trees were the only views. Lupe and SPHP went back to USFS Road No. 171.1B, and followed it back to No. 171.1.
The truth is, Red Hill is not an impressive mountain. It hardly seemed like a mountain “peak” at all. The whole area was an unremarkable part of the forest comprised of undulating terrain without any significant elevation changes. It made SPHP wonder why Red Hill even had a name. Not too far away are other higher and much more impressive hills that seem far more deserving of attention. Nevertheless, Red Hill was shown on all the maps.
Lupe and SPHP turned N again on No. 171.1. Granite Peak(4,424 ft.), more than 2 miles N of Red Hill, was Lupe’s 3rd and final peakbagging goal. Getting there was basically just a road hike along No. 171.1. Lupe came to a junction with No. 171.1C, but none of the junctions she came to after that were marked. At the turn to the NW toward Granite Peak, big pieces of white limestone had been placed across the side road to block it.
The sun was getting low by the time Lupe reached the summit of Granite Peak at the top of a small wooded hill. Leafless scrub oak mixed in with the pines made the forest less dark. It was possible to see a little more here than at Red Hill, but there still weren’t any clear views.
Lupe was ready for a break. She wasn’t hungry, even though she hadn’t eaten all day. She just seemed a bit tired, or perhaps just bored? Maybe she was just disappointed that she hadn’t found many squirrels in the forest?
Lupe reaches the summit of Granite Peak as the sun is casting long shadows. Photo looks SE.Looking WSW from Granite Peak.Lupe didn’t want water or her usual Taste of the Wild. She seemed kind of sleepy up on Granite Peak actually, and just wanted to lay down for a while.
Granite Peak was another unremarkable high point. If it hadn’t been so late in the day, Lupe would have continued another 0.50 mile NW to a sharper edge of the mountain where there might have been some views. A narrow look to the N was the best view from the summit of Granite Peak.
Looking N from Granite Peak using the telephoto lens.
Lupe and SPHP lingered up on Granite Peak for a little while. SPHP ate an apple. It really was a beautiful evening out. The air was cool. Yesterday’s snow squalls had cleared the air, and it was possible to get glimpses at buttes and very distant ridges far out on the prairie beyond the Black Hills to the N and E. Crook Mountain was off to the NW.
It was probably close to 5 miles back to the G6 as the road went. Lupe and SPHP returned to No. 171.1 and followed it all the way. For a while, the high cliffs NW of Deadman Mountain were lit up by sunlight on the E side of Deadman Gulch. SPHP kept busy collecting Lupe Treasures, crushing them in order to be able to carry as many as possible. Lupe sniffed around in the woods near the road.
SPHP thought Lupe would be ready to jump right in the G6, when she reached it at 8:14 PM (45°F). She wasn’t. It was dark out. Nearly a full moon was shining in the clearing. As Lupe stood there sniffing the air in the moonlight, she was transformed into the ferocious and wily were-puppy! The were-puppy attacked SPHP in mock battle, and then raced dizzyingly around and around the G6.
The were-puppy played in the moonlight with great energy and enthusiasm for more than 20 minutes. It refused to be enticed into the G6. Finally it found something valuable. The were-puppy refused to let SPHP see what it was, but was suddenly seized with the desire to carry this glittering prize into the G6. OK, fine, if that’s what it took to get Lupe to jump in.
Pie! Ordinarily, SPHP is fond of pie, almost any kind of pie. Almost, but not quite any kind. In the light in the G6, it turned out the were-puppy’s glittering prize was a big chunk of dried cow pie. Bleh! Well, when in the wild, you have to be realistic and prepared to settle for the kind of pie there is. Blueberry, cherry and apple pie are in short supply in the forest, but cow pies are plentiful.
Very true, but that didn’t change SPHP’s attitude. When the were-puppy finally dropped the precious cow pie, out the window it went. We can do a lot better than that Lupe, there’s Alpo with whipped cream waiting at home!
Lupe poses for a Dingo profile view on Deadman Mountain.
Note: Lupe Treasures collected on Expedition No. 162 included 43 aluminum cans, 8 plastic bottles, 3 glass bottles, and part of a dried cow pie. (The dried cow pie was unceremoniously re-released to the wild.)
Links:
