Black Hills, SD Expedition No. 259 – Zimmer Ridge & Peak 6600 (11-28-20)

7:59 AM, 18ºF, Whitehorse Road 0.2 mile from Hwy 16/385 – Dang chilly out!  Supposed to warm up a bunch, though.  Lupe was in high spirits as she set off up shady Whitehorse Gulch.  Apparently, the Carolina Dog wasn’t cold, but SPHP’s frigid fingers were glad when the gulch widened out enough to become sunny.

Whitehorse Road wound NW for a little over a mile before Lupe left it.  Crossing a small field of dry grass on the R, she entered the forest.  The terrain immediately began to slope higher, and soon became rocky.  Not bad at all, though.  Getting up Zimmer Ridge (6,600 ft.) was going to be a snap, if it stayed like this.

Near the forest after leaving Whitehorse Road. Photo looks NE.
Starting up Zimmer Ridge’s SW ridge. Photo looks NE.

Heh!  Not to be.  The rock formations along Zimmer Ridge’s SW ridge grew in size, and the slope steepened as the American Dingo climbed.  Looper eventually found herself high up on a bunch of boulders with no safe way forward, forcing a 50 foot retreat.

Determined Dingo, still on Zimmer Ridge’s lower slopes. Photo looks SSE.
On a short, easy, protected ramp higher. Photo looks ENE.
By a cool boulder along the SW ridge. Photo looks S.
A glimpse of Peak 6600 (R) beyond Whitehorse Gulch. Photo looks NW.

A minor setback.  Swinging around the W side of the big boulders, Lupe came to a steepish region of moderate-sized rock.  Scrambling up that, she reached a longer stretch of doghair pine right back on the ridgeline.  Loopster searched for squirrels, but she wasn’t going to be sneaking up on anything with SPHP snap, crackle, and popping twigs and branches every step of the way.

More big rock formations were ahead, but they weren’t gnarly enough to put an end to progress this time.  The forest began to open up along the ridgeline.  Unfortunately, that was due to all the deadfall.  Extremely common these days in the Black Hills, but never a welcome sight.

Scrambling the rocks. Photo looks NNE.
Among the doghair pines.
Another rock formation along the ridgeline. Photo looks SSE.
Oh, boy! Deadfall! Our favorite. Not! Photo looks NNE.

Zimmer Ridge’s SW and S ridges merged together somewhere along in here.  Lupe was getting quite high.  The summit couldn’t be an awful lot farther N, could it?

Maybe yes.  Loop had climbed Zimmer Ridge once before a little over 6 years ago.  Back then she had come up the W slope instead of the SW ridge, but had reached the main ridgeline well S of the summit.  Both routes ought to link up, but nothing looked familiar yet.

The Carolina Dog came to several larger rock formations along the top of the ridgeline separated by stretches of often deadfall-laden forest.  Reaching the N side of one of these outcroppings, aha!

Loopster!  Remember this?  You were here before!

I was?

Yes, yes!  Remember this log sticking out toward Sylvan Hill (7,000 ft.)?  Looks like it has weathered some more, but this has got to be the same one you visited before!

Lovely, I’m sure, but it seems to have made more of an impression on you, SPHP, than it did on me.  I’ll take your word for it.  Is this particular dead log some sort of big event?

Apparently, not!  I just thought it was sort of cool to see a reminder of our first visit to Zimmer Ridge.  I’m certain you were here before.  Took a photo of you by or on this log, which may be why I remember it.  Let’s get another!

Whatever!  Fine and dandy, SPHP!  Perfectly glorious!  But let me know when you’re certain you see a squirrel!

Traveling the ridgeline from one big rock formation to the next. Photo looks N.
Black Elk Peak (7,231 ft.) (R) in the distance. Photo looks ESE.
Once again on the oh, so incredibly memorable log pointing toward Sylvan Hill (L). Photo looks SE.

Having seen this fabulous reminder of the good old days, SPHP now felt that maybe it really wasn’t too much farther N to Zimmer Ridge’s true summit, although after thinking about it, it had seemed like a bit of a trek 6 years ago.

Another clearly higher point was off in that direction.  Looked more like a pine-forested hill than a rock formation, though.  SPHP recalled the true summit as being quite rocky, and surrounded by young aspens.

Whether that hill was or wasn’t the true summit, Lupe still had to go that way, though.  She headed N across a semi-open region harboring more deadfall.  Off to the SE were nice views of Black Elk Peak (7,231 ft.), Little Devils Tower (6,960 ft.), Saint Elmo Peak (6,458 ft.) and others.

On to the next higher point along the ridge. Photo looks NNE.
Black Elk Peak (Center), Little Devils Tower (R), and Saint Elmo Peak (R foreground). Photo looks ESE.

The next high point didn’t turn out to be the true summit, but it could be seen from here.  SPHP was sure that next more heavily forested hill had to be it.  A few rocks and aspens were visible at the top.  Lupe had to lose a bit of elevation to continue over there, but it wasn’t long before she was scrambling on rocks just SE of the top.

True summit of Zimmer Ridge ahead! Photo looks N.
Just below the S (true) summit. Photo looks NW.

Circling around to the N, Lupe climbed up to a gap between several large rocks at the very top of Zimmer Ridge (6,600 ft.).  Three stones were in contention for title of true summit.  Two were side by side just E of this gap, and one was immediately W of it.  SPHP helped Lupe up onto the closest E rock first.

On the E rock. Photo looks ENE.

The W rock was clearly a few inches higher than the two E ones were.  The crafty American Dingo managed to scramble around to the top of it all by herself.

At the true summit of Zimmer Ridge. Photo looks W.

Trees hid the views to the E, but Lupe could see a huge swath of the Black Hills in other directions.  Peak 6600, her next objective, was in sight to the WNW along the ridge on the far side of Whitehorse Gulch.  Big ridges of the limestone plateau country were visible miles farther W.

Peak 6600 (immediately R of Lupe) with ridges of the limestone plateau beyond. Photo looks WNW.

Perhaps the most interesting sight of all was HP6583, the N high point of Zimmer Ridge off to the NNE.  Connected by a 0.5 mile section of the huge ridge, HP6583 wasn’t much lower.  Having been there before, Lupe knew it was a much better place to take a break.  The true summit of Zimmer Ridge was a cool airy spot, but with little room to maneuver and nowhere to relax except well below the highest rocks.

HP6583 (R), the slightly lower N summit of Zimmer Ridge from the true summit. Photo looks N.

Took nearly 50 minutes to get over there.  Not really much of a surprise.  SPHP remembered this trek as having been a terrible deadfall mess.  Now it didn’t seem much worse than a lot of other places in the Black Hills, but Looper was still getting a workout leaping over one dead tree after another along whatever snaky route looked like the path of least resistance at the moment.

Most of the time the going was easiest E of the ridgeline.  The deadfall didn’t get bad until Looper was halfway to HP6583.  With so many trees down, Loop enjoyed a sweeping view of Elkhorn Mountain (6,381 ft.), Black Elk Peak (7,231 ft.), Peak 6920 and others off to the E and SE.

Leaving the true summit region. Photo looks SE.
Elkhorn Mountain (L), Black Elk Peak (Center), Peak 6920 (next knob to the R). Photo looks SE.
A glance back at the true summit (L). Photo looks S.

Shortly before reaching HP6583, most of the deadfall ended.  Lupe passed through a short section of young pine forest which led to a small boulder field next to a big rock formation at the top.  Circling around the NW side, the Carolina Dog scrambled up from the NE.  A lone pine tree’s inopportunely situated branches made following Loop a little tricky, but SPHP soon joined her on top.

Not much room up here, either, but definitely more comfortable than Zimmer Ridge’s true summit had been.  A U-shaped rock formation open to the SE surrounded a small area where Lupe could relax on a bed of pine needles, if she wanted to.  SPHP tossed some prickly pine cones out of it for her.

Loop on the rock formation at the top of HP6583. Photo looks SW.

The views from HP6583 were quite similar to what they’d been over at the true summit.  Loopster and SPHP hung around for half an hour.  A couple of little chocolate coconut bars were shared.  Lupe also partook of some Taste of the Wild while SPHP munched the usual apple.

True summit of Zimmer Ridge (L) from HP6583. Photo looks SW.
Another angle. Photo looks SSW.
Peak 6600 is the high point on the next ridge past Loop’s head. Photo looks W.

Mighty nice day for late November!  Time passed quickly.  Before all was over and done with, Lupe had also visited a lower rock formation off to the NE which had a view of Five Points (6,221 ft.).

Five Points (L of Center) from the lower NE rock formation. Photo looks NE.

Peak 6600 on the W side of Whitehorse Gulch was the American Dingo’s final peakbagging objective for the day.  Abandoning Zimmer Ridge, Lupe started down HP6583‘s NW slope.  This was all densely forested, fairly steep territory.  For a while boulder fields were off to the L (S) as Loop worked her way W.  Some deadfall, but not bad.  No views except trees, a mix of aspens and pines.

Descending Zimmer Ridge. Photo looks WSW.

Looking for a minor hill on the way to Pass 5935, Lupe finally saw it a little off to the NW.  She headed over toward it, but turned W along the S slope instead of going all the way to the top.  Upon reaching the Pass 5935 region, Loop came to a clearing.  Nearby was a dirt road which she followed NW up to a junction with USFS Road No. 387.1B.

Looper reaches USFS Road No. 387.1B near Pass 5935. Photo looks WSW.

Taking No. 387.1B, Lupe followed it up a short rise.  Once it topped out, the road then headed SW down a ravine leading into Whitehorse Gulch.  At the bottom, No. 387.1B turned NW.  Before making the turn, Loop left the road at the bend, heading down to a little pond only 200 feet away.

This pond had been a pretty spot the last time the Carolina Dog had been here more than 6 years ago.  Today it was frozen over, and seemed sad.  Everything looked motionless and dead.  A moment of silent reflection, and Lupe returned to the road, now going NW farther up Whitehorse Gulch.

Nearing the bend in Whitehorse Gulch. Photo looks WSW.
By the frozen pond. Photo looks SW.

For about a mile, No. 387.1B wound its way steadily higher.  Lupe came to a new, unmarked dirt road that angled off to the L, but didn’t take it.  After a while, the air became more strongly pine-scented than usual.  The reason was soon clear.  Logging!  The forest that had been here ever since Lupe had last been this way was now mostly gone.

The loggers had been here just recently.  Lupe passed numerous stacks of fresh cut logs, and huge piles of branches still loaded with green pine needles.  The change opened up the valley view, but the freshly churned up ground wasn’t pretty, the damage too new.

Lupe was undeterred, still happily exploring ahead, but SPHP trudged after her in an increasingly melancholy mood.

Exploring upper Whitehorse Gulch. USFS Road No. 387.1B (R). Where the new dirt road on the L goes remains a mystery. Photo looks NNW.
Whitehorse Gulch. Photo looks NW.
Near the start of the recently logged region. Photo looks NNW.

At the extreme N end of Whitehorse Gulch, No. 387.1B came to an end at a circular turnaround loop.  A more primitive road went W from here, and soon climbed a short steep slope.  Up on top, now 0.75 mile due N of Peak 6600, Lupe found she had reached a minor pass.  A fence crossed the road, but the gate was open.  Beyond the fence was a meadow and views of nearby hills to the NW.

Leaving the road, the Carolina Dog headed S along a broad ridge leading to Peak 6600.  Loggers had been up here, too.  All large trees were gone, although small ones remained, the ground churned up with caterpillar tracks and littered with little broken branches still sporting bright green pine needles.  Zimmer Ridge (6,600 ft.) could be seen off to the ESE, the top of Black Elk Peak poking up behind it.

Zimmer Ridge (Center). Photo looks ESE.

The loggers hadn’t made it all the way to Peak 6600 along this ridge, but they’d gotten fairly close.  Lupe had to duck under the annoying ancient barbed-wire fence that also went this way a couple of times, but finally got past it, too.

Closing in on Peak 6600 (R). Sylvan Hill (L) in the distance. Photo looks S.

Little patches of snow were still slowly melting on the N slopes, as Lupe made the final 200 foot ascent to the top of Peak 6600.  Not particularly steep, just a forested, and in a few spots, snowy trek higher.

Peak 6600 has two summits, E and W, separated by 300 feet.  Coming up the NNE slope of the mountain, Looper reached the E summit first.  She scrambled up onto a narrow, vertical band of rock running N/S at the high point.  This was the same spot she had reached 6 years ago, where SPHP had taken a photo of her silhouetted as the sun sank in the W.

Not that late in the day yet this time around.  SPHP took a couple of new photos of Loop on the E summit, but from different angles than before.

Peak 6600, at the E summit. Photo looks S.
E summit from another angle. Photo looks NW.

Trees interfered with the views.  The W summit was a bit higher in SPHP’s opinion, although it couldn’t be seen clearly from here for the same reason.  Lots of deadfall between the two summits.  Lupe stayed near the N edge, trying to avoid the mess as much as possible, as she headed over to the true summit.

3:17 PM – Lupe stood poised at the true summit of Peak 6600 enjoying a sunlit reception.  45 minutes before sunset.  She would spend 25 of them right here.  This was a beautiful spot, with some room to move around.  The best and only open views were off to the N and W where a series of forested hills led to the high ridges of the limestone plateau country.

In brilliant sunshine at the true (W) summit of Peak 6600. Photo looks N.
Limestone plateau ridges on the horizon (L). Photo looks WNW.
Bear Mountain (7,166 ft.) beyond Lupe. Photo looks WSW.
At the S end of Peak 6600’s W summit region. Photo looks S.

The last apple vanished.  Lupe had more Taste of the Wild.  Water for all.  Conditions were awesome for late November, and the slanting rays of early evening sunlight made everything so beautiful!  Wouldn’t last.  Looper cooperated fully in getting a few more dazzling Dingo shots.

Green Mountain (7,164) (L) in the distance. Photo looks NW.
Evening on Peak 6600. Photo looks W.
Back on the highest rocks of the true summit. Photo looks N.

Would have been fun to stay and watch the sunset, but it was a long way back.  The most direct route would be steep and full of deadfall.  Better to leave early enough to not get stuck out among the worst of it in the dark.

Prudence was going to win out.  The sun wasn’t quite low enough yet to get a true silhouette shot this time, but SPHP tried anyway, hoping to get a couple that might be close before Lupe left Peak 6600 again.  This time she stood proudly atop the true (W) summit, instead of the E one.

Peak 6600, true summit. Photo looks W.
Final moments atop Peak 6600.

And the race was on!  The American Dingo started down Peak 6600’s steep SE slope, dodging all the deadfall as best she could.  She’d barely gotten going, when the views of Zimmer Ridge and the rugged territory surrounding Black Elk Peak were worth a pause.

Zimmer Ridge (Center). Photo looks E.
Black Elk Peak (L), Peak 6920 (Center), and Little Devils Tower (R). The SW ridge of Zimmer Ridge, which Lupe had climbed this morning, is the foreground. Photo looks ESE with help from the telephoto lens.

Dusk in Whitehorse Gulch.  The night sky never did get all that dark.  The white ghost of a nearly full moon rose over the shoulder of Zimmer Ridge.  Skirting fences along the edge of private property, an American Dingo slunk undetected through shadowy forest.

Chilly out again, but homeward bound.  (5:50 PM, 24ºF)

Peak 6600, Black Hills of South Dakota, 11-28-20

Links:

Next Black Hills Expedition                 Prior Black Hills Expedition

Black Hills, SD Expedition No. 101 – Zimmer Ridge & Peak 6600 (10-23-14)

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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)

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Black Hills, SD Expedition No. 258 – Spearfish Peak & Little Crow Peak (11-19-20)

8:52 AM, 43ºF, Devil’s Bathtub (Cleopatra) trailhead in Spearfish Canyon – Sort of a late start, especially for this time of year when the days are so short, but Lupe ought to have plenty of time to get to the Devil’s Bathtub, a popular Black Hills destination accessible from Spearfish Canyon.  Last year she had been here and made it up Squaw Creek far enough to get to some beautiful pools past scenic cliffs, but it hadn’t seemed quite right.  Sure enough, a little research later on had proven that the American Dingo hadn’t gone far enough to actually reach the Devil’s Bathtub.  Now Loop was back to correct that mistake.

A 0.25 mile downstream jaunt along Spearfish Creek got Loopster to Cleopatra Place, a short road with a bridge over to some private homes and cabins on the E side of the river.  Just past the bridge, the start of the Devil’s Bathtub trail was on the R.  Certain of success this time around, Loop and SPHP started up Squaw Creek.

At the start of the Devil’s Bathtub trail.

In the narrow side canyon that Squaw Creek flows through on its way to join up with Spearfish Creek, the trail was soon criss-crossing Squaw Creek multiple times.  Expected, but what SPHP hadn’t anticipated was that there was still some snow and ice way down here along the shaded creek.  The frozen stuff had melted days ago almost everywhere else.

One of the early Squaw Creek crossings.

The first couple of crossings weren’t bad, but as Lupe continued up the valley, she kept coming to more snow and ice.  Not enough to support her weight, but enough to make everything slippery.  Even where it had all melted, the rocks were damp and slick.  Rock hopping was risky, and SPHP really didn’t want to wade through it all getting freezing wet paws.

A spur trail NE of the stream led steeply up to higher ground.  Hoping the spur might make it possible to skip some of the stream crossings, SPHP encouraged Loop to try it.  Worked, but not a great solution.  The short climb was tricky due to half-frozen mud.  Once the trail leveled out, Lupe then had to cross a skinny, damp section on a treacherously steep slope, only to promptly get forced all the way back down to creek level again.

On the level part of the spur trail.

The next stream ford was easier, but the one after it was much worse.  After successfully negotiating it only to immediately discover another one lying in wait that wasn’t any better, SPHP had had it.

Keep coming, SPHP! This one isn’t bad at all.

Hang on, Looper!

What’cha thinking, SPHP?

I’m thinking this isn’t going to work.  We already know from your trek up here last year that we still have a bunch of stream crossings to go.  Sooner or later, I’m going to wind up falling in the creek, or at least getting my paws soaking wet.  Not a thrilling prospect in November, even though you might be fine with it.

So what are you saying?  We’re done already?  We’ve hardly started!

How about a change of plans?  I say let’s skip the Devil’s Bathtub, and come back sometime when either the creek is solidly frozen over, or its just plain hot out.  That’s when everyone else comes up here, so they can use the Devil’s Bathtub as a swimming hole.

Fine with me, SPHP, but what do you want to do instead?

Little Crow Peak (5,885 ft.) isn’t far away.  Spearfish Peak (5,800 ft.) might even be within range.  We haven’t been to either one in more than 4.5 years.  Want to do that?

Sure!  Which way from here, then?

We’ll have to go back to the start if we can’t climb our way out of here.  Let’s give that a shot first.  Right on up that slope!  Onward!  Puppy, ho!

Climbing out of the Squaw Creek valley.

Loopster powered up, while SPHP thrashed around on the steep slope.  Managed to get up it, though.  Maybe 100 feet above Squaw Creek, Lupe came to an old road covered with pine needles.

We’re in luck, SPHP!  This ought to make things easier.  Which way now?

Not entirely certain, Loop.  Probably L.  The topo map doesn’t even show this road.  Say, maybe we can get to the Devil’s Bathtub after all, if we just follow it up Squaw Creek valley?  Wanna try that?

You’re a truly flexible planner, SPHP.  Devil’s Bathtub it is, again!  Head R then?

Yup.  Do it, Dingo!

Back on track for the Devil’s Bathtub! We’re going this way!

Well, shucks.  It didn’t work.  After going around a corner, chunks of the road were missing, haven fallen into the valley at one time or another.  The road became a mostly one track trail traversing some perilously steep slopes.  SPHP called another halt.

What now, SPHP?

Beginning to think this route is going to totally play out somewhere up ahead, Loop.  Probably just a big waste of time.

So, you want to go back the way we came?

Yes, but stick with this road.  Good chance it will tie in with USFS Road No. 186 before too long.  No. 186 will get us up to the Little Crow Peak region.  Same route that got us up there years ago.

Went fine for a little way, but we’re turning back again here.

Going NW back past where Lupe had originally reached this old pine needle covered road, it eventually did tie into another more substantial road.  SPHP didn’t recognize it as USFS Road No. 186, but maybe it was?  Almost had to be according to the map, although nothing looked familiar as the Carolina Dog took it higher.

At the junction with a more substantial rocky road that Loop followed higher.

Before long, Loop came to a single short switchback after which the road headed E up a narrow side canyon, climbing steadily at a pretty good clip.  This went on for perhaps 0.75 mile or more.  The terrain looked like it was about to level out a bit when Lupe reached a broken down gate in a fence line where the valley broadened out somewhat.

This gate seemed faintly familiar.  Immediately beyond it, the road branched.  Looper stayed to the L (NE), continuing up the valley.  She’d already gained a lot of elevation.  For the first time, a distant view was beginning to open up behind her.

On the way up the long non-descript valley.
At the broken gate, which seemed vaguely familiar. Photo looks E.
Starting to get a bit of a view. Photo looks WSW.

The road finally did level off.  The Carolina Dog had climbed completely out of Spearfish Canyon and its off-shoots.  This area also seemed vaguely familiar.  SPHP was fairly certain Loop had been here before.  If so, Little Crow Peak was only 0.5 mile off to the WNW.  Instead of going back to climb it, though, Lupe continued NE.

Late morning.  Sunny and crisp.  A thin layer of snow brightened the road ahead.  Felt good to be out and on the move, listening to the pines sighing in a light breeze.  Looper didn’t get much farther before coming to a landmark that SPHP recognized for sure.  At a spot where the road divided, remnants of an ancient battered bus sat quietly rusting away, just as it had been the last time Lupe had been here.

The road finally flattened out, providing a beautiful, easy trek ahead. Photo looks ENE.
By the battered bus.

The road continuing NE looked destined to go downhill.  Instead of going that way, Lupe turned due E on a rockier road that went uphill.  It wasn’t a big climb.  The road soon leveled out.  A little downhill stretch, and at the top of the next hill the American Dingo reached Carbonate Camp.

On the way to Carbonate Camp at the top of the next rise. Photo looks E.

Next to nothing left of the old ghost town.  A wooden sign nailed to a big Ponderosa pine tree said “Carbonate Camp Cemetery”.  Wooden boards marked 5 gravesites.  Although leaning, the decaying boards were still standing, but that was all that was still here.  2 of the graves were N of the road, the other 3 were S.

Noon hour.  Lupe and SPHP paused to relax for a few minutes by the 3 graves S of the road, and share a chocolate coconut bar.  With an eager Dingo in on the deal, the little bar vanished in seconds.  Loop followed that up with a Taste of the Wild chaser while SPHP munched an apple.

The new Carbonate Camp Cemetery sign. The old one that had been here 4.5 years ago had been misspelled.
1 of 5 wooden grave markers is visible just to the R of the sign. Not really much left here to desecrate. Photo looks E.
3 grave markers S of the road. About all remains of Carbonate Camp! Photo looks W.

E of Carbonate Camp, the road forked again, both branches heading downhill.  Lupe took the main road as it curled L around to the N, then NW.  Hmm.  Maybe this route actually went back to the ancient bus?  In any case, it wasn’t the right way.

Marching back up to the fork, Loop took a very rocky road NE down a steep hill.  Before she reached the bottom of a deep ravine, she came to such a badly eroded section that this road would have been impassable to virtually any vehicle, although it wasn’t a bad hiking trail.

From this first ravine, the road headed due E again, going up and down over several smaller hills.  0.5 mile E of Carbonate Camp, Lupe arrived at a frozen pond tucked away in the shadows of upper Rubicon Gulch.

Starting down into the first ravine E of Carbonate Camp. Photo looks E.
By the frozen pond in upper Rubicon Gulch. Photo looks WSW.

A number of roads intersected down here in Rubicon Gulch.  One going S led over to a gated-off area owned by a mining operation.  One went NW down Rubicon Gulch, and another continued straight E up a steep slope.

Without hesitation, the Carolina Dog took yet another road that climbed NE, then N up to the top of the next ridge.  The terrain leveled out as Lupe reached a big overhead power line.  After going under the power line, she passed a cute little cabin on the R (E).

The little cabin N of Rubicon Gulch.

Spearfish Peak (5,800 ft.) was still 2 miles N of here.  A little more than that the way the road went.  After 1:30 PM.  SPHP was now regretting the ridiculous decision not to climb Little Crow Peak first.  With sunset only a bit after 4:00 PM, if Loopster went on to Spearfish Peak it was probably going to be dark by the time she could get back to Little Crow.

Should have been evident all along!  Nothing to do about it now, though, except pick up the pace.  Might still work out.  Lupe continued N past some more private property.  Soon she was passing under the power line again, with a glimpse of Spearfish Peak in the distance.

Spearfish Peak (R) from the power line. Lupe did not go down the road seen on the R. Photo looks NNW.

From the power line, the road swung W a little way going up over a small hill in the process, then down again before turning N once more to climb a larger hill.  Meanwhile, the sky had clouded up, turning a sad gray.  The air felt colder.  Except for the dark green of the pines, and the snow white bark of leafless, shivering aspens, everything along the road was brown, tan, or beige, the somber colors of death.

Approaching Spearfish Peak (Center) on USFS Road No. 220. Photo looks N.

One of those afternoons with a late fall feel, as if the icy hand of winter was near, plotting to steal in without warning and seize the entire world in its eternal frozen grip.  An afternoon for brooding and dark thoughts.

Yet Lupe was doing fine, trotting happily along, sometimes venturing into the brush for a quick sniff before returning to the road.  She was making good progress.  Crow Peak (5,787 ft.), the big one, not the little one, came into sight off to the NW.  As Loop drew near Spearfish Peak, Bear Butte (4,422 ft.) could be seen looking small and insignificant out on the plains beyond the rest of the Black Hills.  It was still bathed in sunlight.  Clearly, winter was in no position to back up its idle threats.  At least, not yet.

Crow Peak (L of Center). Photo looks NW with help from the telephoto lens.
Getting close to Spearfish Peak. Photo looks NNW.
Bear Butte (Center). Photo looks ENE with help from the telephoto lens.

The road returned to the power line before getting to Spearfish Peak.  USFS Road No. 220 soon veered off to the R (NE) heading downhill.  Lupe stuck with the power line, and quickly came to another fork.  This time she took the L (NW) branch, a short road that ended near the trees.  An ATV trail continued up Spearfish Peak’s SE ridge, but soon gave out as well, reduced to a single track trail that wound the rest of the way up to the summit.

Lupe took the road to the L here, which leads to a trail to the summit. Photo looks NW.
On the single track trail, getting close to the top. Photo looks N.

Aspens, pines and deadfall!  The top of Spearfish Peak was sort of a mess, and didn’t provide much in the way of views.  The true summit was a big gray rock with a brass survey benchmark fastened to it a foot or two below the high point.  Just W of this rock sat a large gray box sporting a solar panel and a small, thin antenna.

True summit of Spearfish Peak. Survey benchmark visible lower R. Photo looks NW.
The “Spear” survey benchmark.
True summit and survey benchmark (R). Photo looks N.
Kind of a mess due to the deadfall, but not too bad. Lupe still on the true summit. Photo looks ENE.

Despite the fairly dense forest, a few narrowly restricted distant views existed.  Terry Peak (7,064 ft.) and Custer Peak (6,804 ft.) could both be seen off to the S, but not from any point where Lupe could get into the picture.  A glimpse of Little Crow Peak (5,885 ft.) and part of Spearfish Canyon was available from a spot a little W of the true summit.

Terry Peak (Center). Photo looks S with help from the telephoto lens.
Little Crow Peak (Center). Photo looks SW.

There was a need for speed, if Lupe still hoped to climb Little Crow Peak today.  Even so, SPHP allowed her to linger up on Spearfish Peak for nearly half an hour.  No sense in coming all this way, and not getting to savor the moment, at least to some degree.  The last chocolate coconut bar vanished along with the last apple.  The Taste of the Wild supply took a major hit, too.

Minutes came and went at breakneck speed.  Suddenly Lupe was poised again atop the true summit of Spearfish Peak (5,800 ft.).  A last photo, and Onward!  Puppy, ho!

Final moments atop Spearfish Peak. Photo looks NE.

On the way back by the same route, Bear Butte was still in sunshine as Lupe started the trek S from Spearfish Peak.  That didn’t stop winter from taking a shot.  Overhead, the sky darkened.  Several times snow granules massed for the attack, but they were tiny and didn’t have the numbers to accomplish anything.  Plunging to earth like minuscule white meteors, they melted and were gone.

Bear Butte again. Photo looks ENE with lots of help from the telephoto lens.
Little Crow Peak (R of Center) from 1.25 miles S of Spearfish Peak. Photo looks SW.

3:57 PM, 0.6 mile ESE of Little Crow Peak –  Still light out, but the sun was close to the horizon when Lupe reached a grassy road that veered off to the R (NW) 250 yards after passing the ancient bus.  This long forgotten road, which left USFS Road No. 186 before it started back down into Spearfish Canyon, wound its way WNW toward Little Crow Peak.

Without it, Loopster would never have gotten to the SE slope in time to race up as fast as SPHP could struggle through the thick underbrush of a mixed pine and aspen forest.

On the grassy road leading to Little Crow Peak (Center). Photo looks W.
Among the aspens.

The climb wasn’t a big one, maybe 200 feet of elevation gain, but when Lupe reached the first rocks at what had appeared to be the top, the view was confusing.  300 feet off to the N or NE was a clearly higher rock formation.  It seemed like Lupe had come up the S or even the SW slope, when SPHP had been pretty sure she’d been climbing from the SE.

At the first rock formation reached near the apparent summit (Center) of Little Crow Peak. Photo looks NNE?

No time to worry about an explanation for that now.  Light was fading, and the view was distressing for another reason.  SPHP remembered that Little Crow Peak had been somewhat of a mess due to deadfall when Loop had been here before, but it was really bad now.  As fast as possible, which wasn’t fast at all, Lupe and SPHP struggled through the maze toward the apparent summit.

The sun had just vanished when the Carolina Dog got there, the horizon still lit up with a lingering orange glow.

The sun is gone as Lupe reaches the second high point. Photo looks WSW.
Afterglow.

Egads!  This wasn’t the true summit either.  Another rock formation a good 10 feet higher could now be seen 300 feet farther N.  Worse yet, the deadfall between here and there was absolutely horrendous.  The light was going fast as Loop and SPHP clambered carefully over or under the obstacle course.  No going around anything, that just wasn’t possible.

This had better be the summit!  The light was fading so fast that Lupe was going to have to retreat soon.  Too many steep slopes that dropped hundreds of feet into oblivion in too many directions to risk not being able to find the way back to the grassy road.

4:36 PM, summit of Little Crow Peak –  Yup!  This was it!  Still light enough to tell that the intrepid American Dingo actually had reached the true summit of Little Crow Peak (5,885 ft.).  Lupe was now poised atop the highest rock.  The camera was very light sensitive, but it was getting so dark that photos now looked fuzzy.

Made it! At the true summit of Little Crow Peak. Photo looks W.

The true summit of Little Crow Peak, perhaps due to being reached in a frantic rush in the nick of time, seemed like a cool place.  Destroyed by pine bark beetles, the forest was completely shattered to the S and W, opening up the views.  Elsewhere, the surviving forest was still thick enough, and now dark enough, to hide whatever was out there.

Really was a shame that Lupe hadn’t climbed Little Crow Peak earlier.  5 minutes to enjoy her success, and that was it.  Gotta get out of here!

Cement Ridge (6,674 ft.) on the horizon beyond Lupe’s head. Photo looks SW with help from the telephoto lens.
Final moments atop Little Crow Peak. Photo looks SW.

Leaving the summit, Lupe found a short ramp to the S that enabled her to skip a lot of the worst of the deadfall.  However, she needed to go E to get back down to the grassy road.  Stars were appearing, the last of the light almost gone.  The sky was still somewhat light, but the forest and ground were virtually invisible.

The descent became one of confusion and constant second-guessing.  The flashlight had to come out.  Everywhere the mountain dropped away.  SPHP decided Loop was too far S, then too far N.  Nerve-wracking for a while, but at last the slope wasn’t so steep.  Must be on track.  Sure enough, the grassy road appeared ahead.

Still a couple of miles to go, but the rest would be easy.  Loopster could follow old USFS Road No. 186 all the way back down to Cleopatra Place at the start of the Devil’s Bathtub trail without having to return to Squaw Creek.  Cross the bridge over Spearfish Creek, and she’d be 0.25 mile from the trailhead and the G6.

Success assured, stars glittering in the now clearing night sky, Looper sniffed ahead, sometimes revealed by the weak beam of the flashlight, sometimes cloaked in the black void.  (End 7:00 PM, 31ºF)

Little Crow Peak, Black Hills of South Dakota 11-19-20

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Next Black Hills Expedition                    Prior Black Hills Expedition

Black Hills, SD Expedition No. 171 – Little Crow Peak & Spearfish Peak (5-7-16)

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Black Hills, SD Expedition No. 256 – Deerfield Trail No. 40: Daugherty Trailhead to Signal Knob & Deerfield Lake (10-30-20)

8:36 AM, 26ºF, Mystic Road, Daugherty trailhead, Deerfield Trail No. 40

After that big storm last week, I never dreamed there would be so little snow up here, Loopster!  We could have gone up to the high country, if I’d realized it was going to be practically snow-free.

Still can if you want to, SPHP, but this is fine with me.

Eh, I didn’t plan anything out for up there thinking the G6 wouldn’t even be able to get close.  Maybe we should just go with the flow?  You can knock out a section of the Deerfield trail today.  We might even have time for a side excursion to Signal Knob (6,200 ft.) for some peakbagging fun!

You know I’m not picky, SPHP.  Happy just to be here!  If you are, too, let’s go!  Don’t want to keep the early squirrels waiting!

Somehow I doubt an American Dingo is what the squirrels are hoping for, but onward!  Puppy, ho!

Lupe was on it, anxious to make tracks and get in some long overdue sniffing action.  Sprinting ahead, she left the Daugherty trailhead of Deerfield Trail No. 40 following USFS Road No. 182 W up Whitetail Gulch.  Daugherty Gulch was 0.75 mile S of here, and why this wasn’t called the Whitetail trailhead instead of Daugherty had always been a mystery to SPHP.

However, it was more of a curiosity than a real mystery.  Whatever the answer was, it made no difference at all to Lupe.

Waiting impatiently at the Daugherty trailhead for the photo to get snapped so the day’s adventures can begin.
Starting up Whitetail Gulch.

Not a cloud in the sky!  Tiny sunlight diamonds sparkled on thin layers of frost and snow.  The air was crisp and clean, summer’s smoky skies at long last a thing of the past.  Deerfield Trail No. 40 wound gradually up Whitetail Gulch past ponderosa pine covered slopes and naked aspens.  A tiny creek trickled in the ditch next to the roadbed.  The road crossed it 10 minutes from the trailhead.

On USFS Road No. 182, which doubles as Deerfield Trail No. 40 in Whitetail Gulch.
Loop returning from one of her romps ahead.
At the tiny stream crossing 10 minutes from the trailhead.
A long straight stretch bordered by white-barked aspens.

All of the terrain Deerfield Trail No. 40 would take Lupe through today was pretty easy stuff.  Some variation, of course, but mostly a series of long gentle inclines and descents.  A good 0.5+ mile from the trailhead, Whitetail Gulch curved S.  The trail, however, continued W a little way before making a short steeper jog up to the N.  Turning W again, the road leveled out, reaching a high point shortly after passing No. 182.1D, a side road on the R (N).

Just beyond this high point, the Deerfield Trail curved SSW as it began a gradual descent.  Some open ground provided Lupe with her first views of nearby hills.  Nothing too spectacular, but pleasant enough.

At the curve beyond the junction with USFS Road No. 182.1D. Photo looks SW.

Lupe was soon past the open grassy region.  The trail now dipped more steeply down into a shady canyon, entering a different drainage.  At the bottom, the road crossed Crooked Creek, which was considerably larger than the tiny creek in Whitetail Gulch, but still a small stream.  Paving blocks in Crooked Creek made for a trivial stream crossing.

Immediately beyond Crooked Creek, the road forked.  A brown Deerfield Trail fiberglass wand was in sight ahead along the L branch.  Going that way, Loop quickly came to a second Crooked Creek crossing, also blessed with paving stones.

At the first Crooked Creek crossing. Stay L at the road fork ahead!
The second Crooked Creek crossing was only a few hundred feet farther.

Crooked Creek was a major low point.  From here, Deerfield Trail No. 40 climbed steadily following the creek valley higher.  Within 10 minutes, Lupe arrived at another place where the road forked.  She stayed to the R entering a shaded, narrower portion of the valley.  A snowy trek on a straight stretch led to a curve to the L where the road crossed Crooked Creek yet again, which this time flowed beneath it in a culvert.

Immediately beyond the culvert crossing, the road curved sharply R (NW), starting up a hill at a steeper pace.  However, Deerfield Trail No. 40 parted from the road at this curve.  SPHP nearly missed the trail as it headed off to the L.  The only sign was 25 feet from the road where a big ponderosa pine had a metal “40” diamond nailed to its trunk, and a pink ribbon could be seen behind it flapping in the breeze.

Heading W up the S side of the Crooked Creek valley after the 2nd stream crossing.
Looper at the fork 10 minutes W of the 2nd Crooked Creek crossing. Stay to the R here!
By the big ponderosa pine with the 40 diamond and pink ribbon. The trail has just left the road 25 feet back and is now a single track. Don’t miss this turn! Photo looks SW.

Deerfield Trail No. 40 now continued SW up Crooked Creek as a single track.  At first, the single track looked a little like an abandoned ATV trail, but soon lost that characteristic as it promptly entered a narrow, V-shaped valley.  The shady forest seemed dank and dark, but the trail was easy to follow.

Before long, Lupe came to another creek crossing.  This one was a bit of a mess.  A mostly frozen-over pool of water was surrounded by deadfall and tree trunks that had been cut to clear the trail, but which were still crowding the crossing.  The ice wasn’t thick enough to be trusted, and getting past this little spot was more trouble than it ought to have been.  On the far side, SPHP had to crawl under a downed spruce, but the Carolina Dog enjoyed plenty of clearance.

As it turned out, Loopster came to 3 of these stream crossings in quick succession.  None were significant obstacles, but they did slow SPHP down, which admittedly doesn’t take much.

First of the 3 Crooked Creek crossings that came in rapid succession.
Second crossing. The log next to Lupe would have made this one a cinch, if it hadn’t been icy.

Shortly after Lupe passed the third stream crossing, the valley turned S and began to open up.  The single track reached an old forest service road again, which continued up the valley at an easy pace, crossing Crooked Creek one last time at a point where the stream was a simple rock hop, almost a step-across.

The old road eventually began curving R (W), and soon arrived at a 3-way junction at a sunny clearing.  Another 3-way junction was just 150 feet away up a hill to the S.  A check of SPHP’s maps showed that all Lupe had to do was continue straight W on a road clearly marked as USFS Road No. 443.

The valley opens up after the 3 rapid succession stream crossings. Loop is approaching a final easy Crooked Creek ford just ahead. Photo looks SSW.
Still following Crooked Creek higher, but we won’t have to cross it again! Photo looks SW.
2 different 3-way junctions in this area. Stay straight W on No. 443! Photo looks WSW.

No. 443 headed W from the junction, then gradually curved NW.  What was left of Crooked Creek was still on the L (S) side of the road, but was now largely reduced to a strip of mucky terrain with only a little free flowing water among tufted grasses.  A little after No. 443 turned NW, Lupe reached an unmarked fork.

Directly ahead, a grassy slope lay between the two choices, either a road to the R (N) which went uphill into an area where several trees had pink plastic ribbons tied around them, or a road to the L (W).

The road to the L looked more heavily trafficked, as though it might be a continuation of No. 443.  After some debate, Lupe went that way.  She soon came to a place where the hillside N of the road had been carved away by a bulldozer.  In fact, the guilty bulldozer was still rusting away up in the scar.  Orange signs in the trees nearby said this was an “active” mine site, but it sure didn’t look like it.

Part of the carved up hillside N of the trail. Photo looks E.
Looking ahead. No. 443, if that’s what it still was, continues W. Photo looks W.

Continuing W past the inactive active mine site, the road soon curved NW again, leaving the last remaining trickle of Crooked Creek behind for good.  Lupe came to a 3-way junction in a large clearing.  A tree on the E side of this junction had a 40 diamond nailed to it.  The positioning made it look like this meant the road heading NE up a little hill was actually the Deerfield Trail, not the way Loop had just come.

Wondering if the road from the NE was a continuation of the branch to the R that Loopster had not taken at the last fork before the mine, SPHP led her up to the top of the little hill.  Off to the L (N) was a somewhat higher ridge that looked like it might provide some distant views.  The road kept going NE, instead of bending around to the R (S) like it should have if it was going to head back to that last fork.

Inconclusive.  Didn’t really matter.  SPHP was certain Lupe needed to go back down and take the road going SW.  She sure didn’t need to be going NE.  Might as well forget this for now.  Maybe the Carolina Dog had taken a little shortcut by going past the mine, and maybe she hadn’t, but it was true that she hadn’t seen any 40’s along the road that went by the mine.

Lupe reached this junction from the R (SE). However, the 40 diamond on the pine at R seemed to indicate that this road to the NE (Center) had been the correct route. Photo looks NE.
On a brief foray to the NE to see if this was the route Lupe should have been on. Result: inconclusive. Photo looks NE.

Lupe turned around, went back down the little hill, and continued SW past the 3-way junction.  The road climbed gradually for a while, then leveled out.  Was this the place?  Nothing stood out, but then again, that was to be expected.  There wouldn’t be anything to make it stand out.  A brown fiberglass “40” wand confirmed Loopster was definitely on the Deerfield Trail again.

On the flat high ground. Photo looks SW.

A long time ago, the Carolina Dog had been this way.  In fact, back in the early days of her Black Hills expeditions she had traveled both the entire Deerfield and Centennial trails, among the longest in the Black Hills.  That was years before she had her very own adventure Dingo blog.  In the last few years, Loop had revisited some sections of both trails, which was more or less what this expedition was all about, too.

Today’s re-exploration had all seemed like a completely new voyage of discovery.  Nothing had triggered memories of having been here before until now.  Yet a growing eerie feeling of long lost familiarity still wasn’t conclusive.

Keep an eye out, Loop.  I think somewhere up here the trail veers off to the R, going downhill as a single track again.  If I remember right, the turn is marked, but still easy to miss.

I’ll try, SPHP, but I’m sort of busy watching for squirrels and deer, too.  Are we close to the turn you’re expecting, now?

Not sure.  Suddenly feel like I’m in an ancient dream walking in a real, but long forgotten land.  All I really remember is being up on a stretch of flat high country like this that didn’t offer any views, and subsequently missing the turn.  That scarred hill and rusting bulldozer we passed now seem vaguely familiar, too, but I could be confusing all this with some other completely different place.

Well, that’s really helpful, SPHP!  Let me know if your dream walk is due to turn into a nightmare somewhere up here.  Think I’ll stick to the squirrels and deer in the meantime.

The march SW went on and on, just like SPHP “remembered” it would, but Lupe still didn’t come to anything definitely recognizable, and no single track trail appeared veering off to the R.  Instead, Loop eventually came to a 3-way junction SPHP had no recollection of at all with USFS Road No. 429, which was marked with a brown wand and continued SW.

So here we are up in dreamland! Flat high ground, pine trees, no views, but an easy trek. Photo looks SW.
So far, so good, but still no single track off to the R (NW)! Photo looks SW.
Junction with USFS Road No. 429. (Near HP6006 on the topo map.) Photo looks SW.

No. 429 soon started dropping.  Slowly at first, but Looper hadn’t gone far before she was losing elevation at a good clip.  She came to a place where the road curved R (N) into a valley.  SPHP called a brief halt to check maps, and take a little break.  A building was off to the SW on a partially open hillside of mixed grasslands and pines.

Well, we’ve done it again, Looper.

Done what, SPHP?

Missed the turn onto the single track.  No harm done, though.  I suspect we’ll find it right around this bend.  That grassy hillside with the building makes me think we’re getting close to Slate Prairie.

Off the official Deerfield Trail a bit, but getting close to Slate Prairie. Photo looks SW.

Loop wasn’t hungry, but SPHP ate an apple.  Once it was gone, onward!

Apparently, the few brain cells that hadn’t suffered a memory dump were right.  Continuing around the curve down into the valley to the NNW, Deerfield Trail No. 40 crossed the road only a few minutes from the rest spot.

By the section of single track trail Lupe’d missed. It provides a little shortcut compared to following USFS Road No. 429 around a bend to the S. Photo looks E.
From USFS Road No. 429 (which Lupe is standing on), Deerfield Trail No. 40 continues as a single track up the ravine seen beyond her. Photo looks SW.

Leaving No. 429, Lupe turned WSW following a single track up a ravine.  This ravine was the upper end of the Bittersweet Creek drainage, a very small stream at this point.  The creek was a mucky mess where the trail first met it.  Loop avoided crossing it, staying along the S bank for a little way, waiting until SPHP found an easy spot to leap over.

A use path on the N bank led up to a boulder where it merged with the official Deerfield Trail.  The use path contained a hazard the official trail did not.  Several strands of rusty barbed wire from a downed fence were hidden in the grass just before the boulder.  Fortunately, Lupe did not get tangled in it.

An American Dingo forges ahead after successfully avoiding a barbed wire trap only a few feet from this rock. Photo looks SW.

Following the official trail up the ravine, Loop came to a flat region on the edge of Slate Prairie.  Signal Knob (6,200 ft.) could now be seen 0.6 mile to the SSE.

Heading up the ravine. Photo looks W.
Approaching Slate Prairie. Photo looks WSW.
Signal Knob from Deerfield Trail No. 40. Photo looks SSE.

Signal Knob wasn’t impressive, merely a small pine-forested hill isolated out in the Slate Prairie grasslands.  Lupe had been there before, more than 5.5 years ago.  SPHP remembered a deadfall timber laden summit due to a severe pine bark beetle infestation.

Noon already, but Looper had been making fairly decent time.  She was only a little over a mile from the Kinney Canyon trailhead, her minimum goal along the Deerfield Trail today.  No more significant peaks were close to this section of the trail, so SPHP figured the Carolina Dog might as well pay Signal Knob another visit.  The side trip would cost her an hour or so, but no more than that.

Leaving Deerfield Trail No. 40, Loopster struck out heading S across the rolling grasslands of Slate Prairie.  After crossing a ravine containing what remained of tiny Bittersweet Creek, she passed through a big field leading to County Road No. 307.  Ducking under a fence to cross the road, she was soon approaching Signal Knob from the NW.

Approaching Signal Knob. Photo looks SE.

The N end of Signal Knob was private property, but the S half was USFS land.  Lupe circled S partway along the W slope before turning toward the summit.  The entire W slope was a mess of deadfall and stickers, making what should have been a trivial romp higher a slow process.

Signal Knob is sort of a mess, but we knew that! Photo looks SE.

As expected, Signal Knob’s flat summit was still littered with deadfall, but patches of open ground existed, too.  Despite the pine bark beetles’ work, enough trees were still standing to interfere with the views.  The only really clear view was a nice one of Black Elk Peak (7,231 ft.) far to the SE.  The last time Lupe had been here, it had still been Harney Peak.

Black Elk Peak (L of Center) from Signal Knob. Photo looks SE.
Black Elk Peak with help from the telephoto lens.

12:29 PM, 55ºF, Signal Knob – A 10-15 mph breeze blew out of the W, but it was still nice up here for almost the end of October.  SPHP was glad Lupe had returned to Signal Knob.  However, if she was going to get as far along Deerfield Trail No. 40 as SPHP hoped, Loop couldn’t stay long.

Time enough for a relaxing light lunch, and that was about it.  Taste of the Wild for Lupe, who was somewhat hungry now.  Another apple for SPHP.  A small chocolate coconut bar served as desert.  Naturally, it got shared with the insistent sweet tooth Dingo.

Back on Signal Knob for the first time in more than 5.5 years. Photo looks NW.
Relaxing a bit before pressing on. Photo looks S.

A pleasant 20 minutes, and it was time to go.  At least the Carolina Dog had one minor peakbagging success to show for the day!  Bidding Signal Knob farewell, Lupe started down the W slope again.  The lower part wasn’t forested, and actually provided quite nice views of the E edge of the limestone plateau region off to the W.

A number of peaks Loopster had been to before were in sight, including South Castle Rock (6,840 ft.), Castle Rock (6,783 ft.) and Nipple Butte (6,800 ft.).

South Castle Rock (Center) and Castle Rock (R of Center), both part of the same ridge. Nipple Butte (far R). Photo looks NW over Slate Prairie and more distant Reynolds Prairie with help from the telephoto lens.
View to the SW from the lower W slope of Signal Knob.

Once down off Signal Knob, Lupe went NW intent upon getting back to Deerfield Trail No. 40 again.  She didn’t return to it at the exact same spot she’d left it, but picked the trail up somewhat farther W where it crossed USFS Road No. 187.

In Slate Prairie, almost back to Deerfield Trail No. 40. Flag Mountain (6,937 ft.) (far L), Peak 6962 (L), and White Tail Peak (6,962 ft.) (R) in the distance. Photo looks NW.
Back at the Deerfield Trail where it crosses USFS Road No. 187. South Castle Rock (straight up from wand). Photo looks WNW.

From USFS Road No. 187, the trail left Slate Prairie heading W into the trees.  Lupe soon came to a metal gate.  At roughly 6,220 feet elevation, this gate was the highest point along the entire Deerfield Trail.  From here the trail continued WNW on a long gradual descent.  At the bottom, Lupe popped out onto County Road No. 307 again, the same road she’d crossed near Signal Knob.

On the other side of No. 307 was a big grassy clearing, site of the Kinney Canyon trailhead.

At the metal gate W of USFS Road No. 187. This is the high point of the entire Deerfield Trail. Photo looks W.
Losing elevation after passing the gate. Photo looks WNW.
Looking back from County Road No. 307. Photo looks ESE.
At the Kinney Canyon trailhead. Photo looks W.

Not yet 2:00 PM, but close to it.  Looper had met her minimum goals for this Black Hills expedition.  Sure would be nice to continue far enough to link up with the Deerfield Lake Loop Trail No. 40L, though.  Another mile would almost do it.  SPHP actually hoped the American Dingo could get even farther than that.

Wha’dya think, Loop?  How are you feeling?

Great!  What’s up?

We can turn around here and call it a day, but want to keep going?  Be kind of fun to go all the way to the Deerfield Reservoir dam and see the lake.  On the other paw, the sun goes down mighty early these days.  We won’t get back to the G6 until well after dark, if we do all that.

I’m having a blast!  Let’s keep going!  You brought the flashlight?

Yup.  Extra batteries, too, if we need ’em.

So onward it was!  From Kinney Canyon, the Deerfield Trail continued SW up a little valley, now as a road again.  Shortly after the trailhead was out of sight, however, the trail veered off to the R as a single track.  A steady climb eventually leveled out in a young pine forest.

SW of the Kinney Canyon trailhead, the Deerfield Trail again becomes a single track as it splits off here from a short stretch of road it had been following. “40” trail wand beyond Lupe. Photo looks W.
In the young forest at the top of the next rise. Photo looks WNW.

A long descent was about to begin.  Beyond the young pines, Lupe went through a second metal gate.  Past the gate, she came to a big field.  On the far side was a road.  The last of the single track trail led over to it.

Last of the single track trail. The road leading to the junction with trail No. 40L is just ahead. Photo looks W.

Upon reaching the road, Lupe followed it R.  It immediately entered the shade of a forested valley.  The snowy road lost elevation more quickly than the single track had, but wasn’t steep.  Winding W down this valley, Loopster came to a sign for the Deerfield Recreation Area.  The junction with Lake Loop Trail No. 40L couldn’t be much farther.

A few more bends in the road, and there was the intersection at a small sunny clearing.

On the snowy road. Photo looks WNW.
Entering the Deerfield Recreation Area. Photo looks NW.
We’re getting close to the junction with Lake Loop Trail No. 40L now! Photo looks W.
This is it! W end of the official Deerfield Trail No. 40. Of course, it links up with No. 40L here, which goes clear around Deerfield Lake. Photo looks SW.

A couple of signs were at the junction of No. 40 & No. 40L.  One said Loop was now 7 miles from the Mystic Road trailhead, which is just another name for the Daugherty trailhead.  The other sign said the Custer Trails trailhead, accessible from No. 40L, was 2 miles away.

W end of Deerfield Trail No. 40. The E end links up with Centennial Trail No. 89.
Still at the junction, but on Deerfield Lake Loop Trail No. 40L now. Photo looks N.
The second sign.

Only one more objective left!  Lupe headed NW on Deerfield Lake Loop Trail No. 40L.  Castle Creek wasn’t as far as SPHP remembered, only 0.33 mile.  Another 0.33 mile past Castle Creek, and the Carolina Dog reached the top of the Deerfield Reservoir dam near its NW end.

Approaching Castle Creek below the Deerfield Reservoir dam. Photo looks NW.
Deerfield Reservoir from the NW end of the dam. Photo looks SSW.

A cool W breeze swept across the lake.  Trotting along the length of the dam, Lupe headed for a grassy region at its opposite SE end.  Leaving the dam, SPHP walked along a steep slope below a fence, stopping to rest where as much of the lake was in view as possible.  Loopster thought this slope was a little too steep, but SPHP helped her get comfortable.

Deerfield Lake from farther along the dam. Photo looks W.
Looking back along the dam. Photo looks NW.
The grassy slope. Photo looks W.

Tall strands of yellow grass danced in the wind.  Sunlight glittered on Deerfield Reservoir as an unceasing parade of shimmering blue waves rippled into the dam’s rocky shore.  Beyond the lake were ponderosa pine forested hills and ridges of the western Black Hills, dark green nearby, bluer in the distance.  Other than the wind sighing in the pines, silence.  Solitude.

Most of the rest of the Taste of the Wild disappeared.  The last chocolate coconut bar vanished.  Partially resting on SPHP’s lap, Lupe stayed a while, watching the waves.

3:11 PM, Deerfield Reservoir –  Two hours until sunset.  Nearly 8 miles to go.  Better get with it!  The American Dingo paused at the SE end of the dam for a final look, and was on her way.

Deerfield Lake.

The return was fun!  Such a beautiful evening!  Returning to Deerfield Trail No. 40, Lupe headed E.  Long uphill and downhill stretches, but never very steep, and more downhill going this way than uphill.  No rest breaks, no photo stops, no side trips, except a brief one that proved the road past the bulldozer and the inactive “active” mine site really was part of the official Deerfield trail.

Looper sniffed and explored to her heart’s content.  In Slate Prairie, she saw cattle grazing in the fields N of Signal Knob.  Later, she came upon several small groups of whitetail deer in the Crooked Creek valley.

Minus the stops, it all went by much faster than before, yet the last rays of sunlight vanished and dusk came on.  A bright star appeared, most likely a planet, and as the darkness grew, a circular glow highlighted the black outlines of pines in the E.

Tomorrow was Halloween, and October’s second full moon – a blue moon.  It was nearly full tonight.  As the moon rose above the treetops, Deerfield Trail No. 40 became a mix of shadows and moonlight, where a homeward bound Carolina Dog roamed at will.  (End 6:54 PM, 50ºF)

Signal Knob (R) from Deerfield Trail No. 40, Black Hills of South Dakota 10-30-20

Links:

Next Black Hills Expedition                   Prior Black Hills Expedition

Black Hills, SD Expedition No. 240 – Deerfield Lake Loop Trail No. 40L & Hat Mountain (11-14-18)

Deerfield Trail No. 40 – Map & Brochure

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Black Hills, WY Expedition No. 255: Missouri Buttes & A Visit With Dave Covill, Lead Director of the Highpointers Foundation (5-27-20)

5-25-20 –  Lucky Dingo!  You’ve been granted a reprieve.

I have?  That’s good!  A reprieve from what, SPHP?

All this endless boredom laying around.  Apparently you’ve served your 6 month sentence.  Adventure is heading your way!  Remember Dave Covill and your Mighty Dingo Missile Launch?

How could I ever forget that?  I was sore for a week!

You’re lucky you weren’t crippled for life!  Anyway, Dave is coming up from Colorado in a couple of days to climb Devils Tower (5,112 ft.).  Says here he might have time to meet with us.

Devils Tower!  That’s straight up and down!  No one can climb that!

Actually, it is possible with the right equipment and skills, Loop.

Or a helicopter!

Hah!  Yeah, that’s the only way we’d ever get up there!  Don’t worry, we aren’t going to try to keep up with Dave.  Last year his first little starter peak was Aconcagua (22,841 ft.), the high point of South America!

5-27-20, 12:45 PM, Wyoming Hwy 24 – We’re almost there, SPHP!  There’s Devils Tower and the Missouri Buttes (5,374 ft.), too.  Can we stop and take a look from here?

Sure thing, Loopster!

Great to be back in Wyoming! There’s Devils Tower (R), and Missouri Buttes (L). Photo looks NNW.

At 1:02 PM, Lupe arrived at the Devils Tower Trading Post.  Dave was supposed to meet her here once he finished his final training session with his guide.

Dave won’t be free for another hour yet, so let’s have a look around! Photo looks WNW.
Mr. Covill’s been training on Devils Tower yesterday afternoon, and again today. Maybe he’s somewhere on the lower part right now?
I don’t see him, though. Maybe he’s already down, or on another side of the mountain?
The entrance to America’s first national monument is right next to the trading post and the Devils Tower KOA campground.
This sign at the KOA depicts an Indian legend about how Devils Tower came to be.

Dave finally showed up a little before 2:30 PM.  He was pleased with how quickly he had bonded with his guide, and the quality of training.  Despite Dave’s decades of peakbagging experience, Devils Tower was a tough and unique challenge!  One of his knees was scraped up and swollen, but he still intended to climb the mountain tomorrow.

Dave Covill, Lead Director of the Highpointers Foundation with Loop at the trading post.

Dave had a few hours to burn with Lupe, so what to do?  Two options!  First was a visit to Warren Peaks (6,650 ft.), the high point of the Bear Lodge mountains.  Warren Peaks was easy.  A USFS road went all the way to the fire lookout tower on top, so it was just a drive up.  The other option was to climb Missouri Buttes, which would take a few hours.

After a very early start on the long drive up from Colorado yesterday morning followed by two rigorous training sessions on Devils Tower, and faced with the prospect of climbing it tomorrow, Warren Peaks sounded like the sensible choice to Dave.  He jumped in the G6 with Lupe and SPHP.

On the way to Warren Peaks, SPHP naturally asked about Dave’s trip to Aconcagua, and also his return to Alaska in August, 2019 for a second attempt on Mount Isto (8,976 ft.), the high point of the Brooks Range.  Both were gripping tales.

(Dave’s Aconcagua trip report, Greg Slayden’s Mount Isto trip report.  Their mutual friend Edward Earl had drowned in the Jago River during a first trip to Mount Isto in June, 2015.)

Shortly before reaching Warren Peaks, SPHP parked on a hill expecting a view of Devils Tower, but only the Missouri Buttes were in sight.

Warren Peaks area. Missouri Buttes (L of Center) in the distance. Photo looks NW.

It was surprisingly cool up at Warren Peaks.  A massive cloud hung over the region hiding the view of the Black Hills way over in South Dakota.  Dave climbed the fire lookout tower as far as it was possible to go, but access to the platform around the ranger’s quarters was locked.  Not to be outdone, even Lupe climbed the tower, which she doesn’t normally like to do.

Dave and Lupe near the Warren Peaks lookout tower.
The Black Hills of South Dakota were hidden by a cloud. Photo looks SE.

During the return to Devils Tower, SPHP took the paved roads, a longer route, so Dave could get a look at the town of Sundance.

Shhh!  Quit talking, SPHP.

Hmm?  What, Loop?

Be quiet!  You’ve put Dave to sleep.

Oh!  Umm, yeah.  I often have that affect on people, don’t I, Looper?  Guess I’ve got quite a soothing personality.

I suppose that’s one way of putting it.

Back at Devils Tower, Dave introduced Lupe and SPHP to a couple of climbing guides he’d met who happened to come along, then he had other business to attend to.  The first of 3 more friends that were going to climb Devils Tower with him was due in this evening.  So that was it for now, although Dave said he might be free again in a couple of days.

5-27-20, 4:50 PM, Devils Tower Trading Post

Fun seeing Dave again, wasn’t it, SPHP?

Sure was, Loopster.  Mighty nice of him to want to include us in his plans.

So what now?  Are we just going home?

Oh, I don’t know.  Not even 5:00 PM yet.  We still have permission from the Nuckolls to climb Missouri Buttes.  I think there’s still time.  Want to do that?

Absolutely!  Let’s go for it!

From Devils Tower, the entrance to the Nuckolls Ranch was a few miles N on Hwy 24, then another mile N and 4 miles W on Barlow Canyon Road.

At the turn off Barlow Canyon Road into the Nuckolls Ranch. Photo looks SW.
Of the 4 main Missouri Buttes, the 2 highest are on the privately owned Nuckolls Ranch.

As instructed while getting permission from Will Nuckolls to enter the ranch in order to visit the Missouri Buttes, SPHP drove S past 2 homes and a number of outbuildings, ultimately parking the G6 beyond them nearly 1.5 miles S of Barlow Canyon Road.

A pickup truck full of Nuckolls driven by family matriarch, Thea Nuckolls, appeared within minutes.  Lupe was several hours later than SPHP had told them to expect her, but that wasn’t a problem.  A friendly conversation, and they were on their way.

Lupe was too!  She struck out for the Missouri Buttes following a dirt ranch road S.

Come on! The NE Missouri Butte is only 1.5 miles away!

The road curved slightly to the R as it went up a mostly forested valley.  Lupe quickly came to an old water tank.  The main road curved sharply R (NW) here, but the Carolina Dog continued SSW past the water tank a short distance into a more open part of the valley.  Within a few hundred feet, the valley branched.  Loop took the R (SW) branch instead of going straight ahead.

We’re not far beyond the water tank now. The valley divides here. We’ll take the branch to the R. Photo looks SSW.

After just a few minutes, Lupe turned S entering the forest and starting to climb.  The remnant of a road curved L around to a clearing on the E side of hill.  This looked like a good spot to leave the valley.  A quick romp up the hill got Looper up to a narrow, gently rounded ridge.

Starting up the hill. Photo looks SW.
Up on the ridgeline. Photo looks SSW.
View from the ridge. Photo looks E.

Following the ridgeline SSW, the Carolina Dog continued to gain a little elevation.  However, that didn’t last long.  The ridge soon leveled out as it widened out.  Lupe passed through an open forest.  A few minutes got her beyond the pines.  She was now on a broad plateau with a fenced field just ahead.  Well beyond the field stood the NW Missouri Butte (5,374 ft.), the highest one of all.

Thar she blows! That’s the NW Missouri Butte, our primary objective! Photo looks SW.

Without entering the big field, Lupe followed the fence line L (SE).  Along the way she went through another section of open woods.  Almost at the end, she crossed a little ravine before ducking under a fence.  Loopster wasn’t far at all from the NE Missouri Butte (5,212 ft.) now.

Approaching the NE Missouri Butte. Photo looks S.

Since it was getting late in the day, and climbing the higher NW butte was top priority, Lupe turned WSW heading for it instead.

Heading for the NW butte (R). Photo looks WSW.
We’re almost there! Photo looks WSW.

Lupe soon reached a stock pond at the base of the NW Missouri Butte.  Looking at the mountain from here, a large patch of orange lichens was visible near the top of the N face.

By the stock pond just N of the NW Missouri Butte. Photo looks W.
NW Missouri Butte from the pond. Photo looks S.

The American Dingo had been here once before.  In November 2016, back when J.W. Nuckolls was still alive, he had told SPHP the best way up the mountain.

The gist of it is this:  Climb the talus slope to the base of the rock wall on the N face just below the orange lichens.  From there go L (E) following a steep ramp of vegetation higher.  At the top of the ramp, a short trail wraps around to the E side where it goes 40 or 50 feet to a spot where it’s easy to clamber up onto the lower E end of the summit.  A short walk through junipers and cacti goes past a small tower to the true summit near the W end.

N face of the NW Butte. Best route – get as close to the orange lichens (Center) as possible, then follow the vegetation steeply up to the L. Photo looks S with help from the telephoto lens.
The NE Missouri Butte (R) from above the pond. Photo looks E.

Part of the talus could be avoided by staying to the NW close to a fence line, so that’s what Lupe did.  As it turned out, she could have avoided even more talus if she’d actually crossed the fence.  Not really a big deal, though, either way.  Soon the Carolina Dog was on the rocks.

Here we go! We’ll head toward the L from here, climbing all the way. Photo looks SSE.

Even though SPHP knew the best route, Lupe didn’t go quite far enough L (E) to come up below the orange lichens.  She wound up in a wide NW chute that was so steep SPHP almost felt compelled to retreat to correct the error.

In a steep, rocky chute on the NW flank. That’s the summit just above! Photo looks S.

Certainly not the best route, but the super steep part at the uppermost end of the chute went only 10 or 15 feet higher.  Without assistance, the Carolina Dog quickly scrambled to the top.  She’d come up right at the true summit rock!

Whew! That last bit was a little scary! Lupe at the true summit of the highest (NW) Missouri Butte. Photo looks NE.

A Missouri Butte survey benchmark No. 2 was visible along the W edge 10 or 15 feet from the true summit.

The survey benchmark is the bright spot near the big rock at far L. Photo looks NW.
Survey benchmark No. 2. No attempt was made to find any others.
Loopster at the true summit of Missouri Buttes. Photo looks NW.

5-27-20, 6:54 PM, 57ºF – Such a gorgeous evening!  The views from the NW Missouri Butte were tremendous.  Off to the W, Lupe could see a huge expanse of flatlands dotted with ponds gleaming in the sunlight.  To the N were pine-covered ridges, but nothing nearly as high as where the Carolina Dog was now.

Just as in 2016, the summit region harbored lots of cacti.  Lupe was aware of it, and didn’t want to move around much.  Between all the rocks and cacti, she had a hard time finding a comfortable spot, but did finally settle down for a while.  A light breeze blew out of the W.  Loop and SPHP shared several small chocolate coconut granola bars.

Taking it easy on Missouri Buttes. Photo looks NNW.

A pleasant half hour drifted by.  Unfortunately, the sun wouldn’t be up an awful lot longer.  Since Loopster still hoped to climb the NE Missouri Butte, it was time to get going.  Lupe returned briefly to the summit rock.

A shame Dave was too tired to join us here. I think he might have liked Missouri Buttes! Final moments on the summit rock. Photo looks ENE.

The NW butte’s summit region was a fairly large area.  Juniper bushes hid the views to the E and S from the true summit.  Before departing, it would be fun to see the two lowest Missouri Buttes and Missouri Butte Lake, which were all toward the S.  Due to all the cacti, SPHP carried Lupe more than 100 feet to the lower SW edge.

Missouri Butte Lake. Photo looks SW.
The 2 lowest Missouri Buttes. SE Butte (L) and SW Butte (R). Both are over 5,000 ft. Photo looks S.
Loop near the SW end of the summit region. Photo looks NNE back toward the top.

After a good look around from the SW end, SPHP subsequently had to cart the American Dingo back up to the summit.

Enjoying a few more moments at the top while SPHP takes a breather. Photo looks ENE.

No more dilly-dallying!  SPHP lugged the Carolina Dog to the E end of the summit.  This was even farther, a good 200 or 300 feet.  The view to the SE was certainly worth it!  Devils Tower (5,112 ft.) was in sight.  Lupe got to see the top of Devils Tower before Dave Covill did, albeit from more than 3.5 miles away.

The NE Missouri Butte (5,212 ft.) was also in sight much closer at paw.  Might still be time enough to climb it, if Loop hurried!

NE Missouri Butte (L) and Devil’s Tower (R). Photo looks ESE.
Devils Tower. The high point on the horizon is Warren Peaks. Photo looks SE.
Lupe could see the top of Devils Tower without having to scale that scary overgrown tree stump!
Lovely, but we better get with it and hurry over to the NE Missouri Butte! Photo looks E.

During the descent, Lupe took the slightly longer, but much safer route originally recommended by Mr. Nuckolls.

Loopster where the faint trail reaches the E end of the summit region. The trail extends toward the camera. Photo looks S.
At the NE pass. Photo looks NW.
The N face from the pass. Photo looks WSW.
Coming down the steep ramp. Photo looks ENE.
Descending the talus slope. Photo looks NE.

It took a while to get down.  By the time Lupe was approaching the W end of the NE Missouri Butte, the sun was on the horizon.

Approaching the NE Missouri Butte. Photo looks E.
Looking back. The NW Missouri Butte at sunset. Photo looks W.
Sunset in Wyoming.

The climb up the W end of the NE Butte was fairly steep, but nothing like the NW Butte had been.  Just a matter of how quickly SPHP could do it.  Once the terrain began to level out, Lupe roamed E in open forest.  The true summit was one of a couple of good-sized rocks near the far E end.  Light was fading fast by the time the Carolina Dog got there.

SPHP was glad to see that the old thin cross that had been here during Lupe’s first ascent more than 3.5 years ago was still standing.  Of course, the big attraction was the view of Devils Tower, which was 0.5 mile closer here than back at the NW Butte.

At the first of the two highest rocks. Photo looks SSE.
We’re 0.5 mile closer to Devils Tower (L) here. Photo looks SSE.
Made it just in time! The camera is still doing a good job of brightening the scene up in low light conditions. Photo looks SE.
Sweet view of Devils Tower! Hope you’ve enjoyed this tour of the Missouri Buttes!

Sadly, 5 minutes at the top was it.  Getting pretty dark now.  Lupe left the summit of the NE Butte.  The flashlight had to come out before she was even completely down off the mountain.  As stars began twinkling in the evening sky, Loop and SPHP headed back to the G6.  Between seeing Dave Covill and visiting the Missouri Buttes, it had been a memorable day!  (10:06 PM, 44ºF)

5-31-20, 8:52 AM, 68ºF, Sylvan Lake in Custer State Park, SD – Turned out the fun Dave Covill had initiated wasn’t over!  After a successful ascent of Devils Tower with 3 of his buddies, Dave came down to the Black Hills in South Dakota.  As Lead Director of the Highpointers Foundation, he had business to attend to inspecting the installation of a beautiful bench along Trail No. 4 in the the Black Elk Wilderness.  Dave kindly invited Lupe and SPHP to come along.

The plan was to go from Sylvan Lake up Trail No. 9, which went past an older, similar bench also provided by the Highpointers Foundation.  From there Lupe would get to summit Black Elk Peak (7,242 ft.) before making a loop back along Trail No. 4.

Dave Covill and Lupe at the first bench along Trail No. 9.
Black Elk Peak (R of Center in the distance) from the viewpoint close to the first bench. Photo looks NE.
At the only creek crossing along Trail No. 9.

Everything went as planned.  An hour later Lupe was approaching the old fire lookout tower on Black Elk Peak, the highest mountain in South Dakota.  The Highpointers Foundation had helped pay for restoration work, including new windows in the top of the tower.

Practically to the top now! Those are the Cathedral Spires (6,840 ft.) (L) and Little Devils Tower (6,960 ft.) is the big knob seen just L of my head. Photo looks SSW.
Approaching the old fire lookout tower on Black Elk Peak. Photo looks N.
On the rock wall around the lookout tower’s viewing deck. Photo looks W.

Dave maintained that the highest natural point on Black Elk Peak was just outside the N wall of the lookout tower.  Since the Highpointers Foundation is dedicated to education, support, and conservation of the highest point in each of the 50 U.S. states, Lupe figured Dave ought to know.  The Carolina Dog made the little scramble up to it.

Looper at South Dakota’s natural high point.

Black Elk Peak wasn’t crowded, but it was busy.  A nice 25 minute stay, and it was time to let others enjoy a bit more serenity.  Besides, Dave needed to get over to that new bench along Trail No. 4!

As South Dakota’s high point, Black Elk Peak is one of the most popular hikes in the Black Hills! Guess we’re about to head out again now. Photo looks SSE.
Heading down the metal stairway that used to freak Lupe out. After 9 ascents, she’s fine with it now. Photo looks SE.

Trail No. 4 passes between the Cathedral Spires (6840 ft.) and Little Devils Tower (6,960 ft.).  At a point with a view of Black Elk Peak a mile to the N, Lupe came to the beautiful new bench donated by the Maura and Karen Raffensperger families and the Highpointers Foundation in memory of Grace Underwood Raffensperger.  Many years ago, Grace had homesteaded in the Black Hills.

Lupe tests out the lovely new Grace Raffensperger bench along Trail No. 4.
The Cathedral Spires are this close to the Raffensperger bench!

5-31-20, 1:12 PM, 80ºF, Sylvan Lake – Back at Sylvan Lake, it was time for good-byes.  Dave had to hit the road home to Colorado, and was soon on his way.

Last day of May already!  Thanks to Dave’s visit, Lupe had finally gotten her 2020 mountain adventures off to a good, but much delayed start.  With June just hours away, the Carolina Dog once again had high hopes for a spectacular Summer of 2020!

With Dave Covill at the Raffensperger bench along Trail No. 4, Black Elk Wilderness, South Dakota 5-31-20
Dave Covill (L) on Devils Tower 5-29-20 with friends Justin Schaffer (L), Stephen Henry (R) in back, and Sheryl Lampert in front. Guide Lansdon Alcorn (far R). Missouri Buttes in the distance.

Links:

Next Black Hills Expedition                 Prior Black Hills Adventure

Black Hills, SD Expedition No. 181 – Missouri Buttes, WY (11-6-16)

Highpointers Foundation

Nuckolls Ranch on Facebook

Devils Tower National Monument

The Legend of Devils Tower

Climb Devils Tower!Devils Tower Lodge

Want more Lupe adventures?  Check out Lupe’s Black Hills, SD & WY Expeditions Adventure Index, Master 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!

Links:

Next Black Hills Adventure                      Prior Black Hills Expedition

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