A few days late, but ready to set out for New Year’s Eve Peak! Photo looks NNE.
Naturally, Lupe’s annual pilgrimage to New Year’s Eve Peak(6,046 ft.) was supposed to happen on December 31st, but the Carolina Dog had to be flexible. Often the weather simply wasn’t cooperative, which had once again been the case at the end of 2021. A high of 5ºF, and that was at home, not up in the mountains. No thank you!
The trek always seemed cheerier once the new year arrived, anyway, sort of like the difference between attending a funeral or baby shower. With a warm, bright day in early 2022, Lupe was in high spirits as she set out. Passing through a short stretch of open forest, she soon reached the dry grass of a sunny field. Already some rock formations! Loopster checked a few out.
On the first Dingo-approved boulder of 2022! Photo looks NNE.Objective Peak 5800 (Center) already in sight! Photo looks NE.
After going over an initial rise, Loop lost a little elevation as she entered a more forested region again. After a trek through the woods, another rise provided a view of HP5360.
Approaching the next stretch of forest. Photo looks NE.No deadfall and nearly flat – an easy stroll! Photo looks N.HP5360 (Center) from the second rise. Photo looks NE.
Continuing NE, Lupe came to a road in a shallow valley. Must be USFS Road No. 243.2F. Taking the road N, it quickly curved NW into a barren upper valley. This was the direction to New Year’s Eve Peak, but not the way to Peak 5800.
On USFS Road No. 243.2F. Photo looks N.Heading into the barren upper valley. Photo looks NW.
Evidently, Lupe had run into No. 243.2F N of where No. 243.2I branched off. She was still one valley too far W. Turning NE again, the Carolina Dog headed up to a saddle on the intervening ridge. There was a nice view of HP5360 along the way, and once Loop got to the ridgeline, Peak 5800 was back in sight, too.
Heading for the ridgeline NE of USFS Road No. 243.2F. Photo looks NE.HP5360 (R). Photo looks SSE.Peak 5800 (L) comes back into view. Photo looks ENE.
Down to USFS Road No. 243.2I, SPHP?
Oh, I don’t know, Loop. You know me. Hate losing elevation we’ve just gained, and it’s farther down there than I thought it would be. Maybe we should just follow this ridge N?
Fine with me, SPHP.
Only problem with that was the ridge was sort of a steep climb. Lupe led the way, while SPHP huffed and puffed after her. Kind of a long way up to the top, too, but the American Dingo got there.
Heading up the ridge. Photo looks N.Peak 5800 (R) from where the ridge topped out. Photo looks E.
Hmm. Maybe should have bitten the bullet and just gone down to USFS Road No. 243.2I as the Carolina Dog had suggested? It would have come up the valley to the E much closer to Peak 5800.
You know what, Loopster? We climbed Peak5800 last year. I’ve sort of messed up our route now, and if we have to go this far out of our way, maybe we ought to visit Peak6070 after New Year’s Peak instead? Haven’t been there in quite a while.
So, forget about Peak 5800 this year, SPHP?
Yeah, I think so, Loop.
As long as we keep up our tradition and visit New Year’s Peak, it’s all good, SPHP!
With Peak 5800 out, and Peak 6070 now Plan B, Lupe headed NW for the S slopes of Peak5917. Lost a bit of elevation along the way, which then had to be promptly regained, but this was a favorite region – grasslands, but with interesting rocks, scattered pines, and sweeping views to the S. Not much snow this year, which would have made for an even prettier scene, but still a fun trek.
Heading NW from the ridge. Pistol Point (Center), New Year’s Eve Peak (R of Center), and Peak 5917 (R). Photo looks NW.Black Elk Peak (L), Five Points (beyond Lupe), and False North Point (far R). Photo looks SSW.Crossing a patch of snow on the way to Peak 5917 (R). Photo looks NW.Pistol Point (R of Center). Lupe would be there soon. Photo looks W.
Upon reaching the short ridgeline S of Peak 5917, Loop paused for a look back at Peak 5800. Beyond it, and farther S, both Boulder Hill(5,331 ft.) and Silver Mountain(5,405 ft.) were easily picked out. More directly S, there was also a great view of Black Elk Peak(7,231 ft.), Sylvan Hill(7,000 ft.), Five Points(6,221 ft.), and False North Point(6,130 ft.).
Peak 5800 (L), Boulder Hill (R), and Silver Mountain (far R). Photo looks SE.Black Elk Peak (L), Sylvan Hill (L of Center), Five Points (R of Center), and False North Point (far R). Photo looks S.
New Year’s Eve Peak(6,046 ft.) was only 0.6 mile NW now as the crow flies. It was possible to go almost directly to it. Lupe had been that way once or twice before. However, although a slightly longer route, it was more fun to head up to Pistol Point at the SE end of the mountain’s S ridge, then follow the ridge to the summit.
New Year’s Eve Peak (R). Getting close now! Photo looks NW.
The route to Pistol Peak from the saddle SW of Peak 5917 followed a barbed wire fence and involved a couple of short, steep climbs. No big deal. Looper was soon there. As always, she scrambled up on the rock formations that Pistol Handle Rock was part of.
Following the fence to Pistol Point (L). Photo looks SW.Arriving at Pistol Point. Pistol Handle Rock (R). Photo looks SSE.New Year’s Eve Peak (L) from Pistol Point. Photo looks NNW.By Pistol Handle Rock (L). Photo looks W.
As Lupe left Pistol Point there was a sudden chill in the air. The sky had been gradually clouding over, and a cool breeze had sprung up out of the W. Gone was the warm, sunny day the Carolina Dog had enjoyed as she’d set out from the RAV4.
As Loopster worked her way N along New Year’s Eve Peak’s S ridge, the temperature dropped and the breeze strengthened. Although it didn’t take all that long to get to the summit, by the time the American Dingo arrived, the mood was subdued.
Good to be back, though! Despite deteriorating conditions, Lupe stood smiling on the 4 foot high rock platform that was the true summit.
Back at the true summit of New Year’s Eve Peak. Photo looks SSE.SW end of the summit region. The true summit is only a few feet off to the R. Photo looks NW.
3:23 PM, 36°F, New Year’s Eve Peak – Facing into the wind, Lupe curled up on SPHP’s lap. Virtually no snow here, but the familiar hills to the W looked snowy. SPHP brought a couple of chocolate coconut bars out of the pack to celebrate the occasion. A very short party. The Carolina Dog saw to that. Then there was nothing to do but contemplate the cold, silent hills.
The snowy hills. Photo looks W.
How many times have we been here, SPHP?
Nine, Loop.
Third day of brand spanking new 2022, but something about the cold wind and gray sky revived a sense of brooding over the old year gone by. 2021! So recently the future, now come and gone, lost forever except to memory, part of the endlessly receding and expanding past.
Guess we should have gotten here earlier in the day, Looper. Already kind of late. Not sure we even have enough daylight to press on to Peak 6070. To tell the truth, not too inclined to now anyway, given the conditions.
That’s OK, SPHP! Don’t worry about it. Our tradition is intact, since we made it this far. We can just stay here together at New Year’s Eve Peak a little longer then. How does that sound?
Sounded good. A quiet half hour went by. The wind just seemed to keep getting colder.
Well, we’ve done our duty, Looper! Let’s wrap this up, and get out of this melancholy breeze, I’ve had enough.
Loop was fine with that. Before departing, though, she had a final look at the big views, which were all toward the S, followed by a brief return to the true summit.
Boulder Hill (L), Silver Mountain (L of Center), Calumet Ridge(5,601 ft.) (R of Center) beyond frozen Sheridan Lake. Photo looks SE.Black Elk Peak (Center), Five Points (R). Photo looks S.Back at the true summit in the cold wind. Photo looks NNE.
Then it was down New Year’s Eve Peak’s W slope to the saddle leading to Peak6070. Kind of steep, but not too bad. Optimism returned as soon as the windy summit was left behind.
Heading down the W slope. Photo looks NW.
Down at the saddle, Lupe ducked under a barbed wire fence.
Are we going to head for Peak 6070 after all, SPHP?
Nope. I’m done. Back to the RAV4, Looper.
The American Dingo turned S, quickly reaching the edge of the forest. The scenic valley S of New Year’s Eve Peak was just ahead.
The upper valley view. Photo looks SSE.
Taking USFS Road No. 257 down the valley, the easy, late afternoon trek back to the RAV4 was very pleasant. Deer up on the hillsides kept Lupe animated. Even SPHP cheered up as snow crunched underpaw.
Whitetails on the hillside. Lupe saw quite a few!USFS Road No. 257 on the way back to the RAV4. Photo looks SE.
Sort of just did the minimum today, didn’t we, Loop? Don’t worry, though! 2022 is going to be a great year! Next time out, we start the blitz!
The blitz, SPHP? What do you mean?
Oh, a mini-blitz actually, but it will be fun. You’ll see! I’ll explain later.
4:15 PM, 37ºF, Horse Creek Road, back at the RAV4 – Tradition honored! New Year’s Eve Peak(6,046 ft.) visited! Lupe’s initial launch into New Year 2022 was officially complete. Better yet, what with the upcoming mini-blitz and all, this was destined to be one of the Carolina Dog’s best and most action-packed Januarys ever!
New Year’s Eve Peak, Black Hills of South Dakota 1-3-22
7:42 AM, 32ºF, Erickson Road (USFS Road No. 180) at the saddle E of Peak 5500 – A gray day. Cool, with a bit of snow on the ground as Lupe leapt out of the RAV4, but not bad at all for December, and supposed to warm up nicely as morning wore on. Colder by Christmas, and bitter cold – subzero stuff – expected at year’s end. This was almost certainly Lupe’s last chance to get out in the hills in 2021.
About to set out on 2021’s last hurrah!
Which way, SPHP?
Peak5500 first, Loopster! Head for that ridge behind you.
Going around a pile of debris left by loggers, Lupe trotted NNW toward the lower end of the ridge before turning W for a direct assault on a steepish, but easily climbable, slope. A few big chunks of limestone were scattered among the trees, with a more intact formation near the top.
Heading for the lower NE end of the ridge. Photo looks NNW.By a chunk of limestone on the way up. Photo looks W.Getting close to the ridgeline. Photo looks WSW.
Upon reaching the ridgeline, it appeared that a bulldozer had been up here. A swath of destruction ran SW right up the ridge.
On the recently traumatized ridgeline. Photo looks SW.
The bulldozer had gone only so far. By the time Lupe got to the S end of the mountain, she was beyond its path of destruction. From a small ledge, she had a nice view of Peak5460 beyond the Elk Creek valley.
Looking over the Elk Creek valley. Peak 5460 (L of Center) is the big ridge seen beyond Lupe. Photo looks SE.
Peak 5460 would be Lupe’s next objective, but she had to finish climbing Peak 5500 first. From here, the ridge Loop was on turned NW. As the Carolina Dog followed it higher, she journeyed along the edge of the steepest part of Peak 5500, a line of limestone cliffs along the upper SW face. Some of the rock formations were pretty cool.
Along the edge of the cliffs. Photo looks W.At one of the more dramatic spots. Photo looks SSE.Rocky terrain. Photo looks WNW.On a limestone ledge. Photo looks SE.
After a minor dip, the ridge broadened out, becoming a forested slope leading higher again.
At the base of the slope. Photo looks NW.
The terrain soon leveled out. Lupe came to a small clearing.
At the first clearing. Photo looks WNW.
Is this the top of the mountain already, SPHP?
Not sure, Loop. We’ve got to be getting close, though. The topo map shows a big region up here enclosed within a 5,500 foot contour. Carry on. Maybe we’ll come to an obvious high point?
As the American Dingo continued NW, the ground still seemed to rise slightly. A larger clearing littered with deadfall was beyond the first one. After working her way through it, Looper quickly arrived at what appeared to be the top of Peak5500. However, the whole region was so flat that no readily identifiable true summit existed. A large dead tree stood at about the highest point.
In the larger clearing. Photo looks NW.At the dead tree that seemed to be about the true summit. Photo looks WNW.
The dead tree was close to the SW edge of the mountain, but little could be seen from here due to the forest. Lupe kept going. The W end of the summit region wasn’t much father, and she did find a viewpoint there. Both Custer Peak(6,804 ft.) and Terry Peak(7,064 ft.) were in sight.
At the W end of Peak 5500. Terry Peak (Center) on the horizon. Photo looks WNW.Custer Peak (Center). Photo looks SW with help from the telephoto lens.
Think we’ve seen Peak 5500’s highlights, Loopster. Wha’dya say we go on to Peak 5460?
Fine with me, SPHP! This was an easy one!
Lupe paused briefly again at Peak 5500’s summit before heading back down the mountain. When she got to the last viewpoint at the S end, SPHP took a closer look at Peak 5460. The Meade County High Point(5,460 ft.) was also visible beyond it.
Back at Peak 5500’s true summit. Photo looks SE.Meade County High Point (L) with Peak 5460 (Center). Photo looks SE.
Lupe then headed back down the ridge where the bulldozer had been.
Descending bulldozer ridge. Photo looks NE.
Upon reaching the RAV4 again, Lupe was surprised when SPHP went right on by. Following a logging route that paralleled Erickson Road, SPHP led her S down to the junction with County Road No. 534. Loop then proceeded SE near No. 534 down to the junction with Old Ridge Road (USFS Road No. 151).
Elk Creek valley from near the junction of Old Ridge Road (R) and USFS Road No. 531. Peak 5460 (L). Photo looks SE.
The Carolina Dog could go either way from here to get to Peak 5460. Old Ridge Road would get her the closest, and was the easiest route, but Lupe had been that way once before years ago. She’d never explored No. 534 any farther E, and this was an opportunity to do so.
Sticking with No. 534, Lupe soon came to a cattle guard at the entrance to private property. Abandoning the road, she remained on USFS land following a barbed wire fence. Near a barn, No. 534 re-emerged from the private property heading NE. Crossing the road, Lupe continued ENE along the fence to a corner post at the end of a field.
Start of the private property. Lupe stayed to the L, outside the fence. Photo looks ENE.Briefly on USFS Road No. 534 again while crossing it near the barn. Photo looks E.At the end of the field. Photo looks WSW.
Now past the E end of the private property, Lupe turned SE. However, in order to get to Peak 5460, she would have to cross Elk Creek. The stream was frozen over where she reached it, but there were holes in the ice, which appeared to be dangerously thin.
By Elk Creek. Photo looks SE.
Just downstream, Elk Creek entered a canyon. Exploring that direction, Lupe soon came to a spot where the ice was thicker. SPHP went across first. When that worked out, Loop followed.
Crossing Elk Creek.
After crossing Elk Creek, Lupe found herself facing an embankment in a dense forest. A level corridor that might have been the remains of an abandoned road ran parallel to the stream. Although the embankment was no more than 20 feet high, it was steep enough to discourage SPHP from attempting to climb it.
Exploring the shady corridor SE, Loop went only 200 or 300 feet before reaching an opening where Elk Creek could be seen flowing farther on down the canyon. Fortunately, the embankment wasn’t as high or steep here. Loop and SPHP both scrambled up.
Next to Elk Creek before leaving it. Photo looks downstream (SE).
Lupe was now N of Peak5460 on a broad ramp. This ramp ran below a much higher, steep-sided ridge to the SE. Since a direct assault on the ridge appeared difficult, Loopster explored the ramp, sniffing her way through a mixed forest of aspen and Black Hills spruce.
Above the embankment, on the broad forested ramp. Photo looks SW.
Steadily gaining elevation as she went SW, Lupe came to a barbed wire fence. Staying SE of it, she continued higher. Deadfall became an issue whenever Loop ventured too close to the ridge, but it wasn’t that bad.
Amid some deadfall. It slowed progress, but wasn’t terrible. Photo looks SSW.
The ramp narrowed and gradually steepened. Near the SW end of the mountain, a scramble SE up to the top of the ridge looked increasingly feasible. Going for it, Loopster quickly reached a forested plateau.
Up on Peak 5460’s summit plateau. Photo looks ESE.
A large region was quite flat. Nothing to see except trees. Wandering E searching for Peak 5460’s true summit, Lupe never came to an obvious high point. The marginally highest ground seemed to be in the forest, a little way back from the S edge of the plateau. The only view was from a rock formation slightly below the S edge that overlooked Virkula Gulch.
Along Peak 5460’s S edge near, but not at, the region that appeared to be the true summit. Photo looks SE.Partial view of Virkula Gulch from Peak 5460. Photo looks SW.
About time for a break, or more to the point, a chocolate coconut bar break. As usual, the American Dingo eagerly inhaled her share.
The view overlooking Virkula Gulch is pleasant enough, SPHP, but Peak 5460 really isn’t all that scintillating, is it? Peak 5500 was better.
Well, we knew that ahead of time, didn’t we, Loop? But Elk Creek and the trek up the ramp were pretty interesting weren’t they? Felt pretty remote!
We knew it would be like this ahead of time, SPHP? How so? I didn’t.
Should have! You’ve been here once before, Looper, a long time ago back on Expedition No. 119. We came up from the SW that time, a different route, which might be why you don’t remember it. You were on your way to the Meade County High Point(5,460 ft.), which is just E of here. That was back before I’d ever even heard of Lists of John, and didn’t realize this mountain qualified as a 300+ foot prominence peak. Never even logged the ascent into Peakbagger.com for you.
Really? How much prominence does this mountain have, SPHP?
According to Lists of John, 360 feet, although that’s based on counting the Meade County High Point as part of this same mountain, and this region as the true summit. The Meade County High Point has a 5460 foot contour as well. Who knows which summit is actually highest? Can’t see a thing from either one except trees.
In that case, maybe this is the true Meade County High Point, SPHP!
Well, could be, except for one thing.
And what’s that, SPHP?
We’re in Lawrence County here, Loop. We’ll cross the Meade County line just E of HP5401.
HP5401?
Yup. It’s on the way. Some spiffy views from there, Loop! In fact, HP5401 might be the highlight of the entire day!
If there’s a squirrel there, it will be!
Continuing E, then SE, the mountain began dropping. Coming to an old road, Lupe followed it down to a flat area where there was a gray metal water tank. Beyond the water tank, the road resumed its descent. A knob of limestone was in sight not very far ahead, but was soon lost from view, hidden by the forest again.
Upon reaching the saddle leading to HP5401, the Carolina Dog left the road, which kept going downhill. A short stroll through the forest, and the terrain began sloping sharply higher. Didn’t take long for Lupe to reach the first limestone formations near the top.
By the water tank. Photo looks SE.Getting close to the top of HP5401. Photo looks ESE.
HP5401 did indeed furnish the grandest views thus far today. Practically the entire length of Virkula Gulch was in sight. Custer Peak(6,804 ft.) was visible 8.5 miles WSW. Even so, due to a 15 mph breeze out of the SW, the American Dingo wasn’t all that thrilled to be here.
On HP5401. Virkula Gulch below and Custer Peak (R of Center) on the horizon. Photo looks WSW.Custer Peak (R of Center). Photo looks WSW with help from the telephoto lens.Overlooking the E end of Virkula Gulch. Flagstaff Mountain(5,421 ft.) (far L). Photo looks SE.
With not a squirrel in sight, and eager to get out of the wind, Loopster was on her way again. Heading down HP5041‘s steep E slope, she soon reached and crossed the saddle leading to the Meade County High Point. Starting her ascent, the forest was fairly open and sunny as she passed minor rock outcroppings, but as Looper got higher, she entered a region of dog-hair pines.
Amid the dog-hair pines.
No wind here! Protected by the dog-hair pines that were no obstacle to her, Lupe was happy. However, SPHP had to force a way through. Not too bad, though, and before long the forest opened up a bit again. As the terrain began leveling out, Loop turned N. Searching for a small cairn near a big tree, she quickly found it.
More than 6 years and 10 months after her only previous visit, Lupe was once again at the Meade County High Point(5,460 ft.).
At the Meade County High Point. Big tree and small cairn (L). Photo looks SSW.
The cairn looked even smaller than SPHP remembered, but appeared completely undisturbed. The wind roared in the treetops, but it was scarcely even breezy at ground level.
You were right! Nothing to see here, is there, SPHP?
Nope. HP5401 is about it for views, although now that you mention it, I do seem to recall that last time around we descended an open slope at the SE end of this summit plateau. Think we did see the E end of Virkula Gulch from there.
Might be another 7 years before we get back here again, SPHP! Don’t you think we ought to commemorate this occasion, views or no views?
Most certainly! Congratulations, Loop, on your second visit to the seldom seen Meade County High Point! May I shake your paw?
Why, of course you can, SPHP! And as soon as you’re done with that, you can check that pack of yours for another chocolate coconut bar.
By the cairn and big tree. Photo looks SSE.
A second chocolate coconut bar met its devourers. The first one at Peak 5460 had been followed up with Taste of the Wild for Lupe and an apple for SPHP, which was repeated here, too. Once that was over and done with, there didn’t seem to be much point in staying any longer.
One more Lists of John peak not too far away, Loopster. Want to?
Of course!
Well, then. Onward! Puppy, ho!
Final moments at the Meade County High Point. Photo looks N.
Leaving the Meade County High Point, Lupe went N, then NE, exploring a broad, poorly-defined ridge. SPHP soon decided to leave it, turning E down a steep slope. The grade finally diminished after hundreds of feet of elevation loss. Continuing down a big drainage, Vanocker Canyon Road eventually came into sight.
Heading down the drainage. Photo looks E.Approaching Vanocker Canyon Road. Photo looks ESE.
Just before reaching Vanocker Canyon Road, the drainage emptied into Meadow Creek. Lupe would have to cross it before scrambling up to the highway. Peak5420, her next objective, was now in sight only 0.5 mile S.
Down by Meadow Creek. Peak 5420 (Center). Photo looks SSE.
Meadow Creek was tiny, only a foot or two wide. Lupe easily leapt over it. Ducking under a fence, she reached Vanocker Canyon Road, a paved highway. A sunny road hike S began, but not for long. After only 0.125 mile, SPHP left the highway, turning SE. The Carolina Dog wasn’t too keen on this idea, following reluctantly due to the sound of gunfire.
At first, Lupe was in bright sunshine as she entered a valley. Getting late in the day now, though. Soon she was in Peak 5420’s shadow, wandering increasingly snowy terrain amid aspens and a tangle of undergrowth. The gunfire was getting louder, coming from somewhere up ahead. Target practice. Every few minutes another volley. Lupe persevered.
Starting for Peak 5420 after leaving Vanocker Canyon Road. Photo looks SE.About to enter the aspen thicket. Peak 5420 (R). Photo looks S.
SPHP’s progress slowed considerably while trying to push through the thicket as the snowy slope steepened. The worst part involved only a couple hundred feet of elevation gain. After that, the aspen thicket gave way to an open pine forest. Hardly any snow up top. Soon the summit region could be seen ahead.
Approaching the summit. Photo looks SSW.
3:59 PM – Last mountain of the day! The sun was low, and the wind still swaying the pines as Lupe reached the top of Peak5420. Kind of breezy even at ground level, but at least target practice had ended a little bit ago. The summit region was big, with 3 lobes radiating out from a very gently rounded central high point where they all met.
Although the central high point was fairly open, there was nothing to see up here. Once again, forest blocked the views in all directions.
W lobe of the Peak 5420 summit region. Photo looks W.
Got any more chocolate coconut bars, SPHP?
Sorry, Looper. All gone. Have a little Taste of the Wild left, want that?
Peak 5420 summit. Photo looks SE.
She did. Curling up on SPHP’s lap, facing SW toward the near horizontal sunlight filtering through the trees, Loop munched away until the last of the Taste of the Wild was gone, too. Nothing to do now, except listen to the wind roaring in the pines. SPHP threw a sweater over her.
20 minutes, and that was enough. Lupe left Peak 5420 heading SE, losing only minor elevation before reaching a dip. Turning S here, Loop took an old jeep trail most of the way down to USFS Road No. 135.2M, which she reached near its junction with Vanocker Canyon Road.
Departing along Peak 5420’s SE lobe. Photo looks SSE.At the start of USFS Road No. 135.2M. Photo looks NNE.
Turning N on Vanocker Canyon Road, Loopster had to follow it for more than 0.75 mile to get past private property taking up most of the E end of Virkula Gulch. It was an easy trek, downhill nearly all the way. Once N of the private property, she left the highway, turning W to cross Meadow Creek again.
A path on open ground between the private property to the S and Meade County High Point to the N made the journey W up Virkula Gulch even easier than expected. Back to the E was a good look at Peak 5420, where Lupe had just been.
Peak 5420 from Virkula Gulch. Photo looks E.Continuing W up Virkula Gulch. Photo looks SE.
More than 0.5 mile from where she’d left Vanocker Canyon Road, Lupe finally reached the W end of the private property. Taking USFS Road No. 151.2K now, she continued W past Peak 5460 as dusk came on. By the time she reached Old Ridge Road, it was almost completely dark.
Heading W on USFS Road No. 151.2K.
Shortly after turning N on Old Ridge Road, SPHP’s flashlight had to come out. Still nearly 2 miles to where the RAV4 was parked along Erickson Road. When Lupe got there, the American Dingo’s final adventure of 2021 would be over. (End 6:30 PM)
Oh, no! I love the Centennial Trail, it’s just that we’ve been here several times recently. I was sort of expecting something different.
Well, you can blame poor planning on my part, Loopster. I should have checked out the Meade County Lists of John peaks before we came down here from the Elk Creek trailhead on Expedition No. 274. Didn’t even think about that. We could have tagged a couple of 300+ foot prominence peaks along the way.
So we’re going back to tag them today, SPHP?
Yup! Shouldn’t be too hard, we’ll be on Centennial Trail No. 89 most of the time. The peaks we’re going to are way back up in the hills, but not too far from the trail.
At the Alkali Creek trailhead. Photo looks NW.
Crossing the access road, Lupe set out following Centennial Trail No. 89 WNW through grasslands overlooking scrub oaks down in the Alkali Creek valley. She soon reached I-90, passed through a tunnel beneath it, under a railroad trestle, then up into a big field. From here, the trail headed SW gradually climbing toward the hills.
Setting out on Centennial Trail No. 89 along the N side of the Alkali Creek valley. Photo looks WNW.In the tunnel under I-90.The railroad trestle just past the tunnel. Photo looks SW.Heading for the hills! Photo looks W.Looking back toward I-90. Photo looks E.
Right after Centennial Trail No. 89 reached the forest at the base of the hills, Lupe left it venturing a short distance NW to a viewpoint where Alkali Creek passed through a narrow gap between small limestone cliffs. The creekbed was just a dry wash here.
By the limestone gap where Alkali Creek leaves the Black Hills. Photo looks NW.
Once back on Centennial Trail No. 89 again, the trail made a quick loop S before returning to the Alkali Creek valley. Heading SW, Lupe passed a scenic cliff, then entered a two-toned forest – the dark green of all the Ponderosa pines above, and dry orange of dead leaves still clinging to bushes below.
Passing the cliff. Photo looks SW.In the two-tone forest. Photo looks SW.
The trail soon left the Alkali Creek valley, turning SE up a side ravine. A layer of limestone cliffs capped the ridge to the NE. Lupe wandered up beneath the cliffs to sniff around and check them out.
A little above the trail, exploring along the base of the cliffs. Photo looks S.
Near the upper end of the ravine, just past the last of the cliffs, Loopster came to Poett’s Corner. By a rickety wooden gate, a poster was attached to a tree. A bell hung below the poster.
At Poett’s Corner.
Although Lupe had been past Poett’s corner on several other Black Hills expeditions, she had never seen Poett. Poett was nowhere in sight now, either.
Kind of makes you wonder if Poett is still around, doesn’t it, SPHP?
Yes, it does, Looper. No telling what’s happened to Poett. Maybe Poett moved away, or has become bored with this trail and doesn’t come here any more?
Well, whatever happened, I hope Poett’s OK, SPHP! Hate to think that Poett might have gotten lost or stolen, or anything terrible like that.
Me, too, Loop, but seems likely we’ll never know the truth.
Centennial Trail No. 89 curved away from Poett’s Corner. It wound through the forest for a couple more miles, climbing steadily most of the time. At one point there was a view of Bear Butte(4,422 ft.) way out on the prairie to the NNE, but other than that, there was generally little to see except the forest itself.
In the forest.Bear Butte. Photo looks NNE with lots of help from the telephoto lens.At a curve near another big ravine.Continuing higher.
Roughly 4 miles from the Alkali Creek trailhead, Centennial Trail No. 89 reached a ridge where Lupe came to a junction. While No. 89 continued over the ridge, another trail branched off to the R heading farther up it. A sign indicated that this was the way to the Sturgis City Dams.
Which way, SPHP?
Sturgis City Dams, Looper, but let’s have a look at Peak4760 first.
From a small clearing near the trail junction, an unremarkable hill was visible a mile S. Heavily forested, it didn’t appear much different from countless others in the Black Hills region.
First glimpse of Peak 4760. Photo looks S.
Is that it, SPHP?
Yup. Guess we won’t be seeing much from up there by the looks of it. Way too many trees. Oh, well! Carry on, Loopster! Maybe Peak4780 will be better?
Taking the trail that went past the Sturgis City Dams sign, Lupe headed up the ridge.
Near the trail junction, about to head for Peak 4780. Photo looks WNW.
The trail climbed at an easy pace along the broad ridge. Progress was rapid. Most of the ridge was forested, but sometimes there were views. Bear Butte came into sight again, followed by parts of Sturgis.
Heading W on the Sturgis City Dams trail.Bear Butte (L of Center). Photo looks NNE.Continuing W along the ridge. Photo looks W.Parts of Sturgis came into view (beyond Lupe). Photo looks N.
How much farther to Peak 4780, SPHP? And why didn’t we go to Peak 4760 first, since we could already see it back at the junction?
Because we’re already on Peak 4780’s E ridge, Loop! The summit is close to the W end of the mountain, only 0.75 mile from the trail junction. Not much of a climb. We should get there pretty soon at this rate.
More than halfway along the ridge, the Sturgis City Dams trail angled over to the S edge, and began heading down. To the N, abandoned USFS Road No. 139.1E came up the N slope from the E, climbing more steeply than the trail had been as it continued W. The road provided another good look at Bear Butte as Lupe left the trail to follow it higher.
About to take abandoned USFS Road No. 139.1E higher. Photo looks W.Bear Butte again. Photo looks NNE with help from the telephoto lens.
As No. 139.1E topped out, it faded away. Lupe had reached Peak 4780’s summit region, but the exact location of the true summit wasn’t entirely clear yet. A small hill just to the N appeared to be a likely candidate, so the American Dingo climbed it.
In the flat region where USFS Road No. 139.1E faded away.Up on the first Peak 4780 summit candidate. Photo looks N.
Loopster kept exploring. The terrain rose slowly as she headed farther W. The Carolina Dog finally reached a region near the S edge where the terrain leveled out again. SPHP was pretty certain this had to be the true summit of Peak4780.
At the true summit of Peak 4780. Photo looks NW.
Really nothing to see here except the forest. A fairly large area was very nearly the same elevation. A few tens of feet farther W, Lupe found a bit of a clearing where she had a view of rumpled green hills to to the SW from a little line of broken limestone. It was a sunny spot, and a good place to take a chocolate coconut bar break.
While SPHP dug one out of the pack, Lupe relaxed. Turned out the grass was full of hundreds of ladybugs! Swarming all over Looper’s fur, they must have tickled. She snapped up several ladybugs before turning her attention to the chocolate coconut bar when offered.
At the chocolate coconut bar break spot, which was very nearly as high as the nearby true summit. Photo looks E.The view to the SW.Loop awaiting her share of a chocolate coconut bar.
Lupe followed up the chocolate coconut bar with Taste of the Wild and water while SPHP munched an apple. Once that was gone, it was time to take a little more of a look around. A stump near the spot where Loop had taken her rest break offered a view of Veteran Peak(5,333 ft.).
Veteran Peak (L of Center). Photo looks SW.
Part of the slope below the break spot was open and grassy, so Looper ventured down there, too. She was rewarded with a more sweeping view than had been available from up on top, part of which included a really good look at Peak 4760 where she would be heading next.
In the open area below the break spot and true summit. Photo looks S.Peak 4760 (L of Center). Photo looks SE.
Unsurprisingly, the view from this new angle didn’t alter SPHP’s opinion that Lupe wouldn’t being seeing much other than trees from Peak4760, either, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t going to make the journey. Never know what might be up there or along the way!
Returning to the top of the ridge, the American Dingo paid another brief visit to Peak 4780’s true summit before continuing on. Soon reaching the W end of the mountain, Lupe paused briefly to admire a better view of Veteran Peak before heading down.
On the way back up to the break spot. Photo looks N.Veteran Peak (slightly L of Center) from the W end of Peak 4780. Photo looks SW.
Peak 4780’s upper W slope was surprisingly steep. Fortunately a band of cliffs was not continuous. Lupe found a way to get through it. The slope below the cliffs was still fairly steep, but posed no real problem on the way down to a saddle where the terrain leveled out.
Below a cliff at the W end of Peak 4780.Heading down to the saddle. Photo looks W.
Once down at the saddle, Lupe turned SE. At first, she lost a little more elevation, but after running into a trail, she started regaining it again.
This was probably the same trail that went to the Sturgis City Dams, but Loop didn’t stay on it very far this time. Instead, she soon headed S through a field down to USFS Road No. 139.
Back on the trail to the Sturgis City Dams. Peak 4760 (L of Center). Photo looks SE.S of Peak 4780 on USFS Road No. 139. Photo looks ENE.
After a short incline, Lupe followed No. 139 more than 0.75 mile E as it lost elevation, slowly at first, but much more quickly toward the end. In a secluded valley, the Carolina Dog came to a place she recognized.
Centennial Trail No. 89 crossed the road here. Lupe followed the trail S up a hill. It then leveled out and wound around to the W for a bit before turning SE the rest of the way to Bulldog Creek.
Heading E on USFS Road No. 139 as it starts losing elevation. Photo looks E.At the junction with Centennial Trail No. 89. Photo looks S.Centennial Trail No. 89 on the way to Bulldog Creek. Photo looks SE.
Bulldog Creek was very small, but at least had some water in it when Lupe was last here back on Black Hills, SD Expedition No. 274. Now the creekbed was bone dry. Abandoning Centennial Trail No. 89, Loopster followed the creekbed downstream.
Following bone dry Bulldog Creek.
Many branches hung over the creekbed. SPHP often had to duck. More problematic, some deadfall was across it, too. Following the creekbed E, Lupe soon came to a towering wall of rock that forced the stream S.
Approaching the wall of rock that forced Bulldog Creek S. Photo looks E.
Around this bend, Bulldog Creek was a total mess. Deadfall choked the creekbed, which actually had some standing water in it here. Loopster helped herself to a drink, while SPHP thrashed around trying to force a way through.
Loop standing in the pool of water where she managed to get a drink.
SPHP’s progress was dreadfully slow. Fortunately, Lupe didn’t need to follow Bulldog Creek much farther. It quickly turned E again. When it did, Lupe continued S, leaving the wretched stream behind.
Loop was now entering a valley in a very remote region. No sign that anyone ever comes this way! The plan was to follow the valley 0.33 mile S up to a saddle directly W of Peak 4760’s summit, then turn E making a direct assault. However, the floor of the valley was so thick with bushes, that SPHP found it easier staying toward the E.
The terrain forced Lupe higher and higher above the valley floor. SPHP finally realized that it would probably be easier to head SW straight up the mountain right here than try to traverse the increasingly steep slope leading to the saddle W of the summit.
Heading up Peak 4760’s NW slope.
The climb got steeper and steeper. SPHP was on the verge of clinging to trees, and paused repeatedly to gasp for breath. At one point there was a little open spot where Lupe could look back and see Peak 4780, but mostly it was just trees, trees, and more trees.
After gaining hundreds of feet of elevation, the rate of climb diminished slightly. The American Dingo persevered, finally reaching Peak 4760’s N ridge. She was already very high on the mountain. Beginning a search for the true summit, Lupe turned S.
Up on Peak 4760’s N ridge. Photo looks SW.
It wasn’t much farther. A sunny lane led right to it.
Approaching Peak 4760’s summit. Photo looks SSW.
In a flash, Lupe was there!
At Peak 4760’s true summit. Photo looks SSW.
2:11 PM, 65ºF, Peak 4760 true summit – The summit was a surprising place. Despite its prior densely forested appearance, a clearing ran along a short ridge. Although only a partial glimpse of Peak 4780 was available, Veteran Peak(5,333 ft.) was in sight again.
Surprisingly, in sunshine instead of shade. Photo looks NW.
The steep climb had made a genuine rest break a high priority. Before checking out the views, SPHP dug another chocolate coconut bar out of the pack, while Lupe laid down. Ladybugs were holding a convention in the unbelievably warm early December sunshine here, too, but there weren’t as many of them as there had been at Peak 4780.
Although Peak 4760 felt very remote, Lupe clearly wasn’t the only one to ever be here. However, the last visitors might have left a mighty long time ago. Five exceedingly rusty cans and a broken plastic spoon were grouped together right at the true summit.
By the rusty cans.
After devouring her remaining Taste of the Wild, Looper slurped some water. SPHP polished off the last apple. Not much exploring to be done up here, but the time had come for it.
Heading S, the summit ridge soon began to slope lower, broadening out somewhat as it did so. There were scattered trees, but open ground, too. In fact, the best views from Peak 4760 were over this way.
Exploring S along the summit ridge. Photo looks NNE.Toward the S, the ridge widened out and had some open space. Photo looks N.Best view from the summit region. Veteran Peak (R of Center). Photo looks SW.
December afternoons are short. It was a long way back to Alkali Creek. Lupe lingered only 20 minutes up on Peak 4760 before SPHP grabbed the 5 rusty cans and broken spoon, and tossed them in the pack. Loop then started down the N ridge.
Lupe hadn’t lost much elevation yet, when she came to a place where a limestone platform jutted out toward the NW. From the end, there was a nice view of Peak 4780.
Peak 4780 (Center). Photo looks NW.
Then it was down, down, down Peak 4760’s N ridge! Lupe scrambled around a few rock formations, and dodged deadfall. When the N ridge eventually broadened out, becoming less distinct, Loop stayed toward the W, which put her on steep terrain.
After a long descent, Lupe reached Bulldog Creek 0.33 mile downstream of where she’d left it earlier. It was completely dry here. After crossing the creekbed, she had to scramble 40 feet up a steep bank to reach USFS Road No. 139 again.
0.5 mile on No. 139 brought Lupe back up to where Centennial Trail No. 89 crossed it. This time she took the trail N, eventually reaching the same junction where the trail to the Sturgis City Dams split off toward Peak 4780’s summit. Downhill essentially all the way back to the Alkali Creek trailhead from here.
Getting late, though! Light was fading as SPHP was finally able to pick up the pace. Considerable progress had been made down the mountain when suddenly there was movement in the deepening gloom ahead.
A dog! Not just any dog, either. Tail slowly wagging, Poett stood alone on the trail, waiting to greet Lupe!
They sniffed. Then Poett joined the procession, preferring to fall in at the end of the line. Still some distance down to Poett’s Corner. SPHP was glad when Poett began to fall behind. Evidently, Poett was going to be content to return home, instead of following Lupe past his gate and bell.
What a way to end the day, Loopster! You finally got to meet Poett, canine celebrity of the N Centennial Trail!
We were lucky, SPHP! I’m so glad to see that Poett’s well and still actively patrolling his part of Centennial Trail No. 89!
And who knows? If you head up into the Black Hills from the Alkali Creek trailhead, Poett may be there still. (End 5:31 PM, 51ºF)
Poett at dusk, Centennial Trail No. 89, Black Hills of South Dakota 12-2-21
