Livingston Peak, Absaroka Range, Montana (8-19-20)

Days 14-16 of Lupe’s 3rd Summer of 2020 Dingo Vacation to Wyoming & Montana!

8-18-20, 4:35 PM, 72ºF, Kings Hill Pass, Hwy 89 – As Lupe sniffed her way around the Kings Hill campground loop, sad thoughts.  A few years ago, this had been a popular place.  The campground was open again after being closed the last couple of times the Carolina Dog had visited, but hardly anyone around now.  Most of the beautiful trees had been cut.  A sign said water was no longer available due to the spring drying up.

Along the road to nearby Porphyry Peak (8,192 ft.), the situation wasn’t much better.  Trees cut way back from the roadside were heaped in ugly brown piles.  At least it only turned out to be this way near the start.  After the first curve, the forest hadn’t been touched.

Looper trotted along keeping an eye out for squirrels.  She’d spent much of the day relaxing by Jefferson Creek while SPHP caught up the trip journal.  That had gotten mighty dull after a while, so she was happy just being on the move again.

Didn’t take long to reach Porphyry Peak’s summit.  The sky was the clearest the American Dingo had seen it up here in years.  Miles to the NE, Long Mountain (8,621 ft.), Big Baldy Mountain (9,177 ft.), and Yogo Peak (8,801 ft.), 3 of the highest peaks in the Little Belt Range, were all looking good!

Relaxing by Jefferson Creek.
Near the fire lookout tower on Porphyry Peak. Photo looks E.
Long Mountain (L), Old Baldy Mountain (Center) and Yogo Peak (R). Photo looks NE.

8-18-20, 7:32 PM, 71ºF, Kings Hill Pass – Porphyry Peak hadn’t taken all that long.  Loop had been back for an hour already.  She was surprised, but all for it when SPHP suggested heading up to Kings Hill (8,008 ft.), too.  With the air so clear and a few clouds around, maybe there would be a fabulous sunset?

Lupe arrived at the summit just in time.  Eh, not super spectacular, but not bad, either.

Porphyry Peak (L) from Kings Hill. Photo looks WNW.
Sunset from Kings Hill.
Little Belt Mountains.

8-19-20, morning, Hwy 89, S of White Sulphur Springs – Wet pavement was all the G6 encountered as an isolated storm drifted off to the E, but the sky still looked stormy ahead.  After a brief stop in Livingston, SPHP drove S a couple of miles to a L turn (Hwy 89, MP 49.8) onto East River Road (Hwy 540).  After crossing a bridge, East River Road curved SE.

Hey, SPHP!  Wasn’t that the Carter bridge?  We spent some time here down by the Yellowstone River not too long ago, didn’t we?

Yup!  That’s right, Loop!  We stopped at the river after checking out the Suce Creek trailhead, remember?

Isn’t that the trailhead for Livingston Peak (9,314 ft.)?  Are we going to do that next?

Yes, and yes!

Having scouted it out before, SPHP drove right to the trailhead.

Livingston Peak (Center) from the NNW a week earlier.
Suce Creek Road is a L (E) turn off East River Road 3 miles SE of Hwy 89 and the Carter Bridge over the Yellowstone River. Photo looks S.
Suce Creek Road from East River Road. Photo looks ESE.
Livingston Peak from about a mile in on Suce Creek Road. Photo looks NE.
Sign at a R turn to the Suce Creek trailhead. Photo looks NE.
At the Suce Creek trailhead a week earlier. Photo looks NE.

8-19-20, 11:10 AM, 64ºF, Suce Creek trailhead – A small thunderstorm passed through shortly after Lupe reached the trailhead, resulting in a 15 minute delay waiting in the G6 for the rain to stop.  Quite a few clouds still around, but plenty of blue sky to the W, so maybe it was going to be OK?  SPHP had a look at a posted map of area trails before Loop started up Suce Creek trail No. 44.

Suce Creek area trail map. Loop started out from the lower trailhead.
At the start of Suce Creek trail No. 44.

Heading SE, Lupe crossed a meadow.  The trail then curved N, climbing into a region of tall bushes.  Loop gained 100 feet of elevation before the trail leveled out.  Here a junction appeared on the R with North Deep Creek trail No. 45, but the American Dingo ignored it and went on.

Crossing the first meadow. HP7290 (R). Photo looks SE.
At the junction with N Deep Creek trail No. 45, which Lupe didn’t take. Photo looks NE.

The Suce Creek trail soon curved back to the W and started downhill.  After losing 280 feet of elevation, Lupe came to a large half-rotten log with a wooden handrail serving as a bridge over a small stream.

Crossing the log bridge.

Just beyond the log bridge was another trail intersection, this time with West Suce Creek trail No. 450, which went off to the L.  Directly ahead was Suce Creek itself.  Lupe went R, sticking with Trail No. 44.

Intersection of Suce Creek trails No. 44 and No. 450.

Staying SE of Suce Creek, the trail went NE up a long leafy valley.  Due to the dense vegetation, Suce Creek was often heard, but seldom in sight.  Before long, Lupe started coming to more signs.  The first one mentioned an actual Livingston Peak trailhead 4 miles ahead.  9 or 10 minutes past this sign the trail forked.

The L branch quickly led to a bank overlooking Suce Creek where the trail simply ended, apparently eroded away.  Returning to the R branch, there was a small “NF TRAIL” sign.  Loop continued on this way.

On leafy Suce Creek trail No. 44. Photo looks NE.
Maybe there’s a shorter way to Livingston Peak, SPHP? 4 miles to the official trailhead!
The L branch of a fork disappears into Suce Creek.
This way, SPHP! Taking the R branch.

45 minutes from the trailhead, Suce Creek trail No. 44 finally crossed Suce Creek.  No bridge here, but the stream was merely a rock hop.  Up to this point, Lupe had been gaining elevation quite slowly.  However, the incline now steepened somewhat as she started up into the Lost Creek valley.

Lost Creek was just a tiny thing.  The trail crossed it several times, often as little more than dry washes, or a mud hole at one point.  Farther up the valley, Lost Creek actually had better flow.  45 minutes after crossing Suce Creek, Lupe crossed Lost Creek at a point where the stream was deepest, which still wasn’t saying much.

Fording Suce Creek.
Lost Creek is looking pretty good here! A mighty 2 inches deep!

Beyond this final Lost Creek crossing, Trail No. 44 left the valley floor.  Lupe climbed a short, steep slope.  Curving sharply back to the SW, the trail promptly leveled out.  Soon occasional breaks in the forest were providing first glimpses of Livingston Peak (9,314 ft.) and Mount Delano (10,138 ft.).

At the start of a long switchback reached after crossing Lost Creek. Photo looks SW.
A glimpse of Livingston Peak (L). Photo looks ESE.
Mount Delano (L). Photo looks S.

Loopster followed this nice, flat switchback for 0.5 mile before reaching a clearing at Pass 6420.  A crude wooden bench offered a good view of Mount Delano.  The top of what might have been Mount McKnight (10,310 ft.) was even in sight.

Arriving at a big clearing 4 miles from the Suce Creek trailhead. Photo looks E.
Mount McKnight (?) (Center), Mount Delano (R). Photo looks SSE.

This clearing was a major intersection with a number of other trails.  The upper end of West Suce Creek trail No. 450 went off to the SW from here.  Just around a corner to the NE, was a spur going NW to the official Livingston Peak trailhead.  Lupe had no reason to visit that destination, though.  Instead she headed NE on Livingston Peak trail No. 449.

About to start up Livingston Peak trail No. 449. Photo looks NE.

Lupe had traveled 4 miles in 2 hours to get to the clearing, but only had a net gain of 800 feet of elevation to show for it.  Still 3,000 feet to go!  Even so, the first part of the Livingston Peak trail still wasn’t steep.  The trail wound NE on a broad, forested ridge gaining elevation at an easy to moderate pace.

SPHP began hearing a sound like the faint jingling of bear bells, but Lupe seemed oblivious to it.  Turned out that the sound was actually water trickling through a rusty 4″ diameter pipe half buried along the edge of the trail.  This pipe followed the trail for quite a long way, even after the trail left the ridge to traverse the same steep slope Lupe had been on earlier, but now well above that first long switchback.

From up here, Lupe had a much better view of Livingston Peak.

Livingston Peak from the upper switchback. Photo looks E.

This upper switchback was also long and flat.  Easy traveling!  Loopster made rapid progress.  Soon she could see a big rock formation 1.5 miles off to the ENE.  Checking the topo map, SPHP suspected Pass 8300 was over in that vicinity.

On the also easy, upper switchback. Photo looks NE.
Pass 8300 is up next to the big rock formation (Center). Photo looks E.

Continuing NE, the terrain was changing.  Somewhere along the way, Lupe left the moss-covered water pipe and upper switchback behind, as the steepness of the slope the trail was on began to decrease.  The trail eventually turned E, crossing a fairly large meadow before returning to the forest where the Carolina Dog went over minor Pass 7060.

On the E side of Pass 7060, Livingston Peak trail No. 449 curved N, but soon gradually swung around to the E, then SE.  For a little way, Lupe was on the NE side of the upper Lost Creek drainage.  As soon as the trail dipped to cross the dry stream bed, the situation changed.

Up to this point, both the Suce Creek and Livingston Peak trails had been easy to moderate (at worst) climbs virtually the entire way.  The couple of long switchbacks had been been quite flat, and beyond Pass 7060 there had been a stretch where Lupe had even lost a little elevation.  However, on the SW side of Lost Creek, Trail No. 449 started climbing much more aggressively, pinned tightly between a steep forested slope and the creek bed.

On the NE side of the valley, large rock formations formed the crest of a long ridge rising to the SE.

Rock formations seen shortly before crossing upper Lost Creek. Photo looks N.
SW side of Lost Creek. The trail starts climbing much more aggressively here.

At first, Lost Creek seemed to be completely dry this high up, but that wasn’t entirely true.  Now and then a trickle of water surfaced, enough for Lupe to get a drink, but little more than that.  The trail soon crossed back over to the NE side of the valley, where it remained from then on continuing relentlessly higher.  Meanwhile, views of the rocky ridge to the NE became more and more impressive.

HP7623 (L) and the ridge of rock NE of the trail (R). Photo looks NNW.
Seems like we’re finally starting to get somewhere! Photo looks NNW.
Can’t be too much farther to Pass 8300! Photo looks SE.

The last water in Lost Creek was seen right before the trees gave out.  Ahead, a meadow stretched all the remaining distance up to Pass 8300.  Another 200+ feet of elevation gain ought to about do it!

Pass 8300 (Center) appears ahead. Photo looks SE.

Pass 8300 was a broad grassy region.  A large cairn sat out in the middle of it.  Although the topo map showed a trail continuing over the SE side of the pass into East Baldy Basin, Lupe saw no sign of it.  The view of the canyon on the other side was impressive, though, and so was the sight of a massive forested slab of rock on Livingston Peak’s N slope.

The N side of Pass 8300 was bordered by a grassy hill topped by a strip of forest above which a distinctive crest of solid rock curved like the brim of a giant old-fashioned bonnet.  Back to the NW was a hazy view of Livingston, Montana, fully 3,800 feet lower way down in the Yellowstone River valley.

Looking over Pass 8300. Photo looks SE.
N slope of Livingston Peak. How do trees even survive on that slab of rock with so little soil? Photo looks SSE.
By the Pass 8300 cairn. Livingston, Montana is visible down in the Yellowstone River valley beyond Lupe and forested HP7623 (L of Center). Photo looks NW.
Pass 8300. Photo looks NNE.

The S side of Pass 8300 was bordered by a steep forested slope.  The N face of Livingston Peak (9,314 ft.) looked about 300 feet high, but only part of it could be seen from here.  In reality, Loopster still had another 1,000 feet to go.  After a short rest break, the American Dingo headed for the trees at the base of the slope.

N face of Livingston Peak from Pass 8300. Photo looks SW.
Mission Creek valley (R) from just below the trees S of Pass 8300. HP8460 (Center). Photo looks ENE.
Looking back at Pass 8300 before heading up. Peak 8631 (far R). Photo looks NNE.

Fortunately, a use trail went up Livingston Peak’s N face.  The slope was so steep that SPHP kept grabbing branches and tree trunks for support, as Lupe charged practically straight up the mountain.  Nearly the entire route was forested, but toward the top, the trees shrank in size and began to thin out.

Getting easier! Already a long way up the N slope where the trees start thinning out. Photo looks S.

Rock slides appeared, a few cairns showing the route higher.  Above the rocks, Lupe found the trail again on a grassy slope dotted with young pines, but it soon played out, vanishing 50 feet below the top.

By the rock slides. Photo looks SE.
Looking down on Pass 8300 (R of Center). Peak 8631 (R). Photo looks NNE.
Almost there! Photo looks SE.

The rest was easy!  Lupe reached a stony NW/SE oriented summit ridge.  A cairn with boards and a metal pole sticking out of it at weird angles was visible a short distance to the SE.  From the cairn, the true summit appeared to be over at a collection of rocks 25 or 30 feet farther SE, but they were only marginally higher.

Made it! On the summit ridge. Photo looks SE.
By the oddly decorated cairn. Photo looks NW.

5:08 PM, Livingston Peak – Whew!  From Suce Creek, Livingston Peak had been a long march followed by that 1,000 foot very steep climb at the end.  SPHP dumped the backpack by some stunted pines near the true summit.  A couple photos of a survey benchmark attached to one of the largest rocks, and it was time for a break.

The survey benchmark (Center) and cairn from the true summit. Canyon Mountain (8,038 ft.) (L of Center). Photo looks WNW.
“Livingston” survey benchmark.

Too bad the sky wasn’t as clear as it had been earlier!  Only weakly sunny now.  Plenty of general murkiness, but still some blue sky to the N.  A small thunderstorm rumbled 25 miles S, dropping heavy rain as it drifted NE.  SPHP kept an eye on it as Looper relaxed.  No worries.  Gonna miss Livingston Peak by a wide margin.

Taking it easy for a bit.

The best views were to the S where Black Mountain (10,941 ft.) soared well beyond Mount Delano (10,138 ft.), which was connected by a long ridge of lesser peaks to Peak 10228 farther E.

Peak 10228 (L). HP8806 in the foreground above Lupe’s rump with Black Mountain (Center) in the distance beyond it. Mount Delano a bit to the R. Photo looks S.

The highest part of Livingston Peak’s summit ridge was 600 or 700 feet long.  The N slope Lupe had come up had been very steep, but the S side of the mountain was even steeper, nearly a precipice.  The true summit was much closer to the NW end of the summit ridge than the SE end, and the cairn even more so.

Another thunderstorm appeared W of the first one, but observation led merely to the conclusion that this storm was destined to miss Livingston Peak, as well.  After enjoying a decent break, Loopster set off to explore the longer part of the summit ridge to the SE.  Small pines concentrated along the S edge were easily bypassed by staying a bit to the N.

Exploring the summit ridge. Photo looks SE.

From the entire ridge, Lupe had a clear view of Peak 8631 and HP8460 to the NE.  After traveling SE far enough to get past most of the trees, she also had a panoramic view of everything that way, too.

Peak 8631 (L) and HP8460 (Center). Photo looks NE.
Peak 9472 (far R). Photo looks SE.
Peak 9472 (far L) and Peak 9444 just to the R of it. Peak 10228 (L of Center), Black Mountain (R of Center), and Mount Delano (R). Photo looks S.
Peak 10228 (Center). Photo looks SSE with lots of help from the telephoto lens.
Peak 10088 (L), Black Mountain (Center), and Mount Delano (R). Photo looks S with help from the telephoto lens.

If Lupe had had the time, she could have explored Livingston Peak’s SE ridge for miles, but she went only 400 or 500 feet from the true summit to where the highest part of the ridge began to drop off appreciably.  Doubling back to explore the much shorter section of the ridge NW of the true summit, SPHP kept a close eye on events to the SW where rain showers could still be seen beyond the lower Suce Creek valley and Yellowstone River.

Storms to the S and SW bore watching. Lower Suce Creek valley (R). Photo looks SW.
Lower Suce Creek valley (Center). Yellowstone River beyond it. Photo looks SW with help from the telephoto lens.
Venturing out along the NW ridge. Photo looks SE back toward the cairn.

Lupe went only 200 or 300 feet beyond the cairn to where the NW ridge got kind of rocky.  Beyond this point, the ridge started dropping off much more steeply.  Unfortunately, conditions to the W were deteriorating.  What should have been a great view of Livingston, Montana was very hazy.  Prairies, hills and mountains beyond it were barely visible.  Far to the N was a dim view of the Crazy Mountains.

As far NW as Lupe went. Canyon Mountain (8,308 ft.) (L). Livingston, MT (lower R). Photo looks NW.
Livingston, MT. Photo looks NW with help from the telephoto lens.
Looking down on HP7623 (Center). Yellowstone River beyond it. Photo looks NNW.
Crazy Mountains in the distance. Photo looks N.

By the time Lupe had been up on Livingston Peak for 40 minutes, not a speck of blue sky remained.  A third thunderstorm was now off to the SW.  Not wanting to leave before her traditional hour at the top was over, Loop headed back to the stunted pines near the true summit to relax a while longer.

The entire S horizon darkened as the Carolina Dog watched a gray wall of heavy rain creep steadily closer, sweeping from vision everything in its path.  Raining almost everywhere to the S now.  Lupe and SPHP hung in there, enjoying a few last precious moments of rest, solitude, and quiet contemplation.

Enjoying another break as the rain spreads. Peak 9472 (L), Peak 9444 (Center), and Peak 10288 (R). Photo looks SE.

8-19-20, 6:12 PM, Livingston Peak – Alright!  Hour’s up!  Better get with it.  A final stroll about the true summit area, and Lupe stood by the cairn on top of Livingston Peak (9,314 ft.) for the last time.  The wall of rain to the S was only a few miles away now.  Impact seemed certain.

Near the end. Looking SE from the true summit.
Loop’s last moments at the true summit with the cairn beyond her. Photo looks NW.
By the cairn with rain on the way. Photo looks W.

Onward!  Puppy, ho!

Might have waited too long!  Hurry, hurry!  Livingston Peak’s steep N slope would be extremely slick and super treacherous, if it got soaked.  Bad enough when it was dry!  In a rush, Lupe and SPHP left the summit heading NNW down the grassy slopes leading to the rock slides.

Uh, oh.  Where’s the trail?  SPHP couldn’t find it.  Loop sniffed about, but didn’t seem to know where it was, either.  A couple of minutes marching back and forth looking for some sign of it, and SPHP spotted a cairn down among the rocks.  There we go!

Below the rocks, the trail was easily picked up again.  The race was on, such as it was.  SPHP had to proceed at least somewhat cautiously.  Just too steep!  Meanwhile, Lupe decided to play a game.  The crazy Carolina Dog kept stopping and letting SPHP go on ahead.  She just sat there until SPHP was completely out of sight before she’d even consider following.  SPHP often had to call her again and again before she’d reappear.

Not a good time for these Dingo shenanigans!

Down, down, down!  For some reason the rain was holding off.  Ought to have been here by now.  A few scattered big drops hit.  Thunder rumbled closer and closer.  Any moment now!

Yet it didn’t happen.  Started sprinkling a few times, but kept quitting.  Lucky!  Would be great to get down to Pass 8300 before the rain really hit.  Lupe finally got the idea that down was the place to be.  The waiting and stalking game apparently over, she zipped on by SPHP.

Hah!  Made it!  There was Loopster waiting down at the pass.

Back at Pass 8300. Photo looks N.

Somehow the rain must have missed Livingston Peak?  Even so, the race was still on.  The way the sky looked, likely a temporary reprieve.  Once SPHP joined Looper at Pass 8300, she led the way, turning NW down into the upper Lost Creek drainage on Livingston Peak trail No. 449.

The Luck of the Dingo held!  The trail seemed longer than SPHP remembered, but Lupe got clear down past the steep part along Lost Creek, too.  Still no rain, but storms were now squeezing in from both S and N.  Making great progress here, though!  The path was now level or a slight downhill slant most of the time.

The forest grew dim.  Hard to tell what the storm situation was.  Lupe made it over minor Pass 7060, and through the meadow!  The American Dingo reached the long straightaway of the upper switchback, but trouble was inevitable.  Trapped!  Raining to the N!  Raining to the S!  Thunder and lightning to the W!  Livingston Peak was the only place where it wasn’t raining.  Not gonna last.

Toward the end of the upper switchback, it began.  Light rain at first.  Reaching the ridge leading down to the trail junction where the wooden bench was, SPHP stopped to put on the ancient tattered blue Cookie Monster look-alike rain poncho.  Flashlight on!  An already damp Dingo resumed the trek.  Moments later, the deluge hit.

Not exactly a cloudburst, but it rained hard.  Lightning flashed, thunder boomed.  Totally drenched, Loopster was miserable and worried sick.  Scary close!  Again and again the impenetrable black forest suddenly lit up in a blinding blaze, momentarily illuminating dripping trees and pouring rain.  An instant later black as death again, only the feeble beam of the flashlight revealing the muddy trail ahead.

30 minutes, and the rain abated.  Thunder and deadly lightning drifted E.  Occasional light showers, then nothing.  No way to dry off, though.  Sopping wet vegetation overhung the trail in too many places.

8-19-20, 10:08 PM, Suce Creek trailhead – The Livingston Peak adventure was finally over.  SPHP opened the door of the G6, and a mighty weary American Dingo leapt inside.  Atop a pile of gear and pillows, Lupe curled up on her pink blankie and started licking herself dry.  Too tired to even eat much, she closed her eyes after only 0.5 can of Alpo.  Lights out, totally zonked.

8-20-20, 7:22 PM, SW of Meeteetse, WY – Light already fading, Lupe stood alongside the W end of Hwy 431.  Parched sagebrush and a white sky.  Off to the W, a pink-orange sun had just sunk into the murk.

At the W end of Hwy 413 SW of Meeteetse, Wyoming. Photo looks NE.

The Carolina Dog’s 3rd Dingo Vacation of the Year of Perfect Vision was over.  Livingston Peak had been the grand finale.  Lupe was going home.

August 20th!  Wasn’t supposed to be like this.  So many mountains yet to climb this summer!  But the sun had been pink-orange at the Suce Creek trailhead this morning, too.  SPHP hadn’t thought much of it at the time.  Rained again for an hour.  About mid-morning when it started getting sunny and hot, Lupe and SPHP had driven down to the Yellowstone River access point, and hung out down there for a few hours.

However, yesterday’s rains were merely local.  By mid-afternoon, the air was hazy again.  The plan was to go climb mountains in the Beartooths next, but when Lupe got there, the air was thick with smoke.  Only a dim outline of the mighty Beartooths could be seen.

No sense in going to all the trouble of climbing big mountains smothered in smoke!  Eh, no worries.  The Beartooths aren’t the only mountains in the American West.  Time for Plan B!  Lupe could just slip down into Wyoming and head for the grand and glorious Wind River range.

Wyoming was no better.  In fact, it was worse.  Not a cloud in the sky.  Ought to have been a perfect day.  Looking straight up Lupe could see a blue tinge.  Everywhere else, a dirty white sky.  A uniform dirty white for hundreds of miles.

Somewhere out W, countless wildfires were raging.  The Livingston Peak rain had been a lucky, local fluke.  Almost everywhere else, the W was in drought.  Come to think of it, the sky had been hazy only a few days ago even at West Butte (6,983 ft.) way up in the Sweetgrass Hills by the Canadian border.

SW of Meeteetse, SPHP came to the realization that the Wind River range wasn’t going to be any different.  Not much chance of finding clear skies anywhere else out W either.  Prime time to be in the mountains, yet maybe the season was effectively over?  Significant, widespread rains weren’t likely this time of year.  Not out W!

That’s what it was going to take, too, wasn’t it?

The Year of Perfect Vision felt cursed.  Was climbing season really, truly over already?  Was Lupe done?  Enormously disappointing, but sure felt like it.  Maybe the Carolina Dog’s grand day at Livingston Peak really was the end.  (Home, 8-21-20, 1:35 AM)

On Livingston Peak, Absaroka Range, Montana 8-19-20

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Black Hills, SD Expedition No. 264 – Peak 5017 & Peak 5316 (2-2-21)

9:00 AM, 49ºF, Song Dog Road (USFS Road No. 682), 0.25 mile W of the Wind Cave National Park water supply area –  Oh, what a fabulous day!  Sunny and very warm for the beginning of February in the Black Hills.  Lupe was here to make the most of it while she could!  For the first time this winter, a long stretch of extremely cold weather was coming soon.

Loopster had been here a couple of times before back in 2017 to scale the Twin Sisters Range Highpoint (4,980 ft.), just a little over a mile ENE and already in sight.  However, that wasn’t going to be the Carolina Dog’s destination today.  On to something new!  A couple of 300+ foot prominence peaks taken from Lists of John were her objectives.

The N face of the first one, Peak 5017, dominated the view from here.

Twin Sisters Range (L) and the N face of Peak 5017 (R). Photo looks E.

Ready, Looper?

Been waiting on you, as usual, SPHP!

Ahh, yes, of course!  This first peak should be a snap.  Just follow the road!

The American Dingo hit Song Dog Road, which started out heading SW, sort of the wrong direction.  However, after going up a long gentle slope, the road curved sharply to the E.  Lupe quickly reached a saddle where a less traveled road on the L trended NE.  Song Dog Road curved SE here, starting to head downhill.

About to set off on Song Dog Road. Photo looks SW.
At the first bend. Photo looks NE.
At the saddle. Song Dog Road goes R, and a side road goes L here. Peak 5017 (R). Photo looks ENE.

Which way, SPHP?

Take the side road to the L, Loopster.  Must say, I’m rather disappointed!

Why?  What’s wrong?

We’re already done with Song Dog Road, and you didn’t even hum a tune!

There’s a reason for that, SPHP!

Really, like what?

It’s broad daylight!  We Dingoes like to sing at night.  Should have brought me here when there’s a full moon!  I’d warble you up some real tunes then!

I see.  Didn’t think of that, but I suppose it makes sense.  Bad timing on my part.  If we don’t get back from Peak 5316 before dark, maybe we can come back here tonight for a Dingo concert?

In that case, keep an eye out for coyotes today, SPHP!

What for?

So I can invite them to chime in on the chorus!

Big concert tonight, if there’s a full moon! Hope you can stick around for it! On the side road leading to the N end of Peak 5017 (R). Photo looks NE.

The side road didn’t go all the way to the top of Peak 5017, passing below the N rim instead.  So Lupe left the road to climb up to the N high point, which wasn’t hard at all.  Before heading S for the true summit, she spent a few minutes checking out the views.

Peak 5208 (L of Center). Photo looks NNE over the Cold Springs Creek valley.
Twin Sisters Range Highpoint (L of Center). Photo looks ENE.

Peak 5017’s true summit was now a mere 250 yards away, an easy stroll across completely open prairie.

There’s the true summit of Peak 5017 (L) already! How easy is this? Photo looks S.

In nothing flat, Loopster was scoring her first peakbagging success of the day.  Rocks in a small group toward the SW edge of Peak 5017’s summit region were the highest points around.  A large portion of the southern Black Hills was on display, with distant glimpses of Wyoming to the SW, Nebraska to the S, and the prairies of western South Dakota to the E.

Although this wasn’t rugged territory, the panorama conveyed an overall sense of scenic spaciousness, the most pleasing views off to the SW toward Parker Peak (4,848 ft.) and Matias Peak (4,780 ft.).

Peak 5017 summit. Photo looks SW.
Parker Peak (Center) and Matias Peak (far R), both on the horizon. Photo looks SW with help from the telephoto lens.
Looking SE down Antelope Canyon.

The scene to the W was pleasant, but undramatic.  In the foreground was the same grassy ridge bordered with bits of crumbling limestone that Lupe had traveled on the side road she’d taken to get here.  Beyond the grassy region was a flat, forested plain, backed by slightly higher forested ridges in the distance.

Looking W.

The highest ground visible from Peak 5017 was to the N, yet a lack of any particularly sharp peaks served to create a feeling that something better was hidden beyond what could be seen from here.  The big, partly bald summit of Northeast Cicero Peak (6,240 ft.) was higher than anything else, and hinted at mountainous, rather than merely hilly, terrain.

Northeast Cicero Peak (far L). Photo looks NNE.

Only took 30 minutes to get up to Peak 5017, so there really wasn’t much reason to take any long break.  When SPHP looked into the backpack for the expectant American Dingo, that assessment was reinforced.

Criminy, Looper!  I didn’t bring the chocolate coconut bars!

What?  I saw you take some out of the box this morning!

Yeah, but I just threw them in a plastic sack.  Must still be sitting on the kitchen counter back home, along with the apples.

A lot of good that does us, SPHP!

Sorry about that, Loop!  Really am.  Care for some Taste of the Wild?

Maybe a little bit.  It’s not the same though.  Got any water to go with it?  Sort of dry.

Yes, I did bring water.  Here ya go!

No chocolate coconut bars!  I’ll be singing the blues at the concert tonight!

30 minutes on Peak 5017, and it was Onward, Puppy ho!  The Carolina Dog was on her way again.  Returning to the G6 by a much more direct route, she cut straight down Peak 5017’s N face from the side road.

Back on the side road after leaving Peak 5017. Photo looks SW.
We’ll head straight for the G6 (L) from here! Photo looks NW.

10:35 AM, Song Dog Road, back at the G6 –

We’re not driving closer to the next peak, SPHP?

Nope!  Peak 5316 is only 2.5 miles N of here, so we can just keep going on paw.

2.5 miles?  That’s it?  There goes the entire Dingo concert you wanted!  We’ll be back way before dark.

Dem’s da breaks, Loop.  Hate to miss out, but maybe I won’t.  Peak 5316 might take a lot longer than you think.  The region we’re going to travel through burned years ago.

So, lots of deadfall?

Yup, gonna be a mess, but who knows for how far?  

Soon enough, Lupe was crossing Cold Springs Creek, no great feat, since it was frozen stiff.  Ahead were the shattered burnt remains of a forest which had once covered the region near the now barren ridge SPHP intended to climb.

Crossing Cold Springs Creek. Photo looks NNE.

Lupe quickly reached the first deadfall.  A fair amount of big stuff, but it wasn’t as bad as SPHP had feared.  Winding around as needed, it was possible to avoid the worst of it without too much trouble.

The only real difficulty was going to be in getting above a line of limestone cliffs strung out along the ridge Loopster was approaching.  However, the cliffs weren’t very high, and it appeared there were breaks the American Dingo could take advantage of.  If that didn’t work, all she would have to do was stay more to the E (R), where the cliffs melted almost completely away.

The deadfall trek begins. Photo looks N.
Sometimes necessary to just go over stuff. Photo looks N.

Near the base of the ridge, Lupe came to a grassy region which must have been meadow all along, since there wasn’t any deadfall.  She found an old road going E/W, and followed it E a little way before turning N.

SPHP decided that the measly cliff line didn’t look so bad.  Loop headed right for the SE end of the ridge’s W lobe.  A steep climb among lots of small deadfall put Lupe at the base of a 10 foot cliff that was a deadfall mess itself.

At the cliffette. A 10 foot scramble up toward the R put Lupe on top. Photo looks WNW.

Lupe scrambled up with relative ease, while SPHP thrashed about trying to climb over or move dead branches.  Would have been a breeze minus the deadfall.  At any rate, SPHP soon joined Loopster on top.  Nice view looking back at Peak 5017 from here, and the deadfall situation to the N looked a bit better, at least for a little way.

Peak 5017 (straight up from Lupe). Photo looks S.
HP5100 (R). Photo looks N.

HP5100, the hill at the S end of the long ridge Lupe was about to follow N, was now in full view to the NE.  No need to go all the way to the top of it.  The topo map showed a trail W of HP5100 that would get Loop to the ridgeline farther N.

Staying toward the W, Lupe started N.  She found what might have been a remnant of the trail, and had a little luck following it, but soon lost it as huge quantities of deadfall overwhelmed any remaining traces.

Fortunately, the forest that had burned up here must not have been terribly old.  Most of the deadfall was only of moderate size instead of enormous tree trunks.  Even so, it took a wretched, time-consuming slog to get to the ridgeline N of HP5100.

No relief here!  Just more of the same ahead.

Same old, same old, but we’ve made it to the ridgeline! Photo looks NNE.

The ridge climbed steadily at a moderate to easy pace, as SPHP chugged N through the thicket.  Looper stuck close by since doing anything else would only vastly increase the amount of effort required.  Roaming any great distance was simply out.

Every now and then, Lupe reached a small patch of clear ground.  Then it was time for a short break.  Despite all the local ugliness, the largely unobstructed views were actually quite impressive.

HP5100 (R) with Peak 5017 beyond it. Twin Sisters Range (L). Photo looks SSE.

After a while, the ridge became less of a steady climb, and more of a succession of little hills.  A series of these high points appeared to the NW, where the ridge Lupe was on was about to merge with the next ridge to the W.  A number of green pines, somehow missed during the conflagration, beckoned from the high points farthest N.

Maybe Looper was about to get past the burn?  Wouldn’t that be nice!

Look! Live pines ahead! Photo looks NW.

Still took a while to get there.

At another break spot. Buffalo Gap (Center, straight up from Lupe’s ear) and Twin Sisters Range (R). Photo looks SE.
Could be worse! At least the rest of this stuff hasn’t fallen over yet! Photo looks NW.

Lupe finally reached the high points where the green pines were.  She was already at more than 5,200 feet elevation as she continued N over a couple of minor high spots.  Unfortunately, the hoped for end of the burn area, while in sight now, wasn’t anywhere close.

Off to the NW, though, something else was in sight, too.  A skinny, little ridge, oriented NW/SE and capped with limestone, stuck up above the immediately surrounding terrain.

It was in the right direction.  Was that Peak 5316?

Thar she blows! Peak 5316 is straight up from Loop. Photo looks NW.

Still a mile to go to get there, apparently a deadfall laden trek all the way.  Ahead, the terrain sloped gently down to a skinnier part of the ridge Lupe was on that connected to another high spot.  Instead of going straight across the skinny part, Loop roamed E a little way toward a somewhat grassier region to see what things looked like over there, getting a nice view of Peak 5208 in the process.

Peak 5208 (Center). Photo looks SE.

Heading NW back toward the skinny bridge to the N, Looper followed the brink of a line of limestone cliffs.  Suddenly, intense excitement!  Looking down, a herd of giant deers was racing away, having either heard or caught sight of SPHP snap, crackle, and popping through the deadfall.  All the Carolina Dog could do was stand up here with a commanding view and whine.

Elk in the valley to the NE with help from the telephoto lens.
Love the giant deers, but it’s on to Peak 5316! Skinny ridge just ahead! Photo looks N.

After crossing the skinny section, Lupe reached the high point at the end of a 5,200 foot contour extending over 0.5 mile SE from Peak 5316.  Poised on a chunk of white limestone, Loop took a final glance back at the territory to the SE.  From here, she could see the whole ridge leading over to the N end of Peak 5208, and the Booker Ranch valley N of it.

Booker Ranch valley (L), Peak 5208 (R). Photo looks SE.
Glancing S back across the skinny part of the ridge.

Still plenty of deadfall around as Lupe turned NW for Peak 5316, but it wasn’t as bad as earlier on.  In fact, the American Dingo found a faint road that helped tremendously until it curved SW over to another ridge.

Closing in on Peak 5316, Loop came to a ridge topped by a ragged line of limestone.  When it got too gnarly, she stayed SW of it.

Getting there! Peak 5316 (Center) is the high point ahead. Photo looks NW.
Peak 5316 (L). Photo looks NW.

The ragged limestone ridge played out.  Beyond it was a minor dip full of deadfall, but Lupe was soon climbing again.  Passing beneath a power line, she scrambled up onto the SE end of the broader limestone cap on Peak 5316.  More deadfall, of course!  Loop worked her way through it, and reached the marginally higher true summit near the NW end.

A cairn!  Quite a nice one.  Surprising, actually.  Lupe hopped aboard, accepting congratulations from SPHP on her peakbagging success.

Made it! On the Peak 5316 summit ridge! Photo looks NW.
Success! Photo looks ESE.
Wonder how many dead trees I had to jump over to get here? Must have been thousands!

Time for a break, the big one of the day.  Lupe curled up on SPHP’s lap after munching some Taste of the Wild.  The higher forested hills to the N that she’d seen from Peak 5017 were much closer now, and hemmed in the views in that direction.  Everything to the S was wide open.

To the W were 2 similar flat-topped hills.  Loopster had been to the more distant one, Peak 5240, about a mile away, in 2017.  Fun to see it again!

Peak 5280 (L) and Peak 5240 (R, beyond Lupe). Photo looks WSW.

Peak 5316 is mighty nice, SPHP, but it’s hard to get fully into the spirit of things without a chocolate coconut bar!

Yep, no apples, no bars.  Life is tough, isn’t it?

Good chance we’ll live through these sufferings, though, SPHP!  I see a couple of easier ways back.  I can’t tell you how scintillating that long ridge trek to get here was, but it would sort of be nice not to have to leap over all those dead trees again.

Agreed, Looper.  What’cha got in mind?

Two options!  We could follow that power line S.  Hardly any deadfall under it.  Or we could go down that scenic valley, and cross over a single ridge into the next valley beyond.  Looks a lot easier down there!

Think I like Option 2 the best, Loop.  Thought we’d go explore the last little bit of Peak 5316’s NW ridge before we’re done.  We can swoop down into the valley from there!

Easy Option 1: Follow the power line back. Photo looks SE.
Easy Option 2: Go down to the deadfall-free valley. Photo looks SSW.

Clouds drifted by in the bright blue sky, and Lupe’s hour on Peak 5316 sailed away, too.  Almost over and done with, by the time the American Dingo returned to the summit cairn for a last look around.  Then it was off to explore the little stretch of ridge remaining to the NW.

Peak 5316’s NW ridge from the summit cairn. Photo looks NW.

More deadfall there, too, of course!  The whole trek had been chock full of it, so anything less would have been a disappointment.  A brief look at the beautifully forested hills to the N, a vision of what Peak 5316 must have been like not so awfully long ago, and the return to the G6 began.

Looking ESE back at the summit.
Maybe we’ll be back? Gotta be some squirrels in all those trees! Photo looks N.

The NW ridge curved W and sank into the pines.  Lupe followed it down to a saddle where she picked up a dirt road heading S into the Option 2 valley she’d seen from above.

Oh, it was all so easy down in the grassy valley!  Not a stick or stone to slow SPHP down one jot.  Before long, the Carolina Dog was following the road higher as it climbed the ridge to the S.

Peak 5316 (Center) from the valley. Photo looks N.

Once on top, Loop followed the road SW until she was close to the rim overlooking the next valley.  Deadfall covered the steep slopes, but the valley floor was all meadow with a dirt road running down the middle.

Oh, it’s beautiful! And so much faster than staying up on these ridges! Photo looks S.

The valley was wonderful, once Lupe got down to it!  An easy trek, and so many deer!  This valley was the source of Cold Spring Creek, but it wasn’t until Lupe reached the lower end that a clear-running trickle appeared.  Near the end, the valley curved SE and broadened out.  And there was Peak 5017, glowing in the late afternoon sunshine!

Not much farther now!

Peak 5017 (Center) near the end of the day. Photo looks SE.

4:11 PM, 50ºF, Song Dog Road – Well, that was it for Expedition No. 264.  The American Dingo hopped in the G6, SPHP turned the key, and the 4 mile drive back to Hwy 89 began.

An awful lot of deadfall to deal with today, but we still had a good time, didn’t we, Looper?

Sure did, SPHP!  That Option 2 route was fun and so easy with the roads and all the deer!  Definitely the way to go.

Indeed!  Went a little too well.  Got back so soon that now I’m going to miss out on your Dingo concert this evening.

We’re still on Song Dog Road, aren’t we?  Probably have time to warble you up a tune or two before we get back to the highway, if you want.  I could probably do that much, even if the moon isn’t up yet.

That sounds great, Loopster!  Warble away!

What would you like to hear, SPHP?  Beethoven’s 9th?  Led Zepplin’s Stairway to Heaven?

Oh, I had no idea it would be anything so elaborate!  Whatever you have in mind would be fine.

How about the Chocolate Coconut Bar Blues?

Peak 5316, Black Hills of South Dakota 2-2-21

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Black Hills, SD Expedition No. 199 – Twin Sisters Twice & Castle Rock (4-12-17)

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West Butte of the Sweetgrass Hills, Montana (8-17-20)

Days 12 & 13 of Lupe’s 3rd Summer of 2020 Dingo Vacation to Wyoming & Montana!

8-16-20, early morning, W Fork of the Bitterroot River – Lupe streaked by, a newly-prized stick clenched in her teeth, dodging, weaving, returning again and again, defying SPHP to catch her while showing off just how fast and agile she was.

At least someone’s recovered from Trapper Peak (10,157 ft.)!

Oh, c’mon!  Aren’t you even going to try to catch me, SPHP?

Sure!  As soon as my paws aren’t sore.  Won’t win then, either, but at least I’ll be able to move.  Till then, that fabulous stick is all yours, Loopster!

Clearly disappointed, perhaps disgusted, the Carolina Dog dropped the stick.

Phooey!  You’re no fun, SPHP!  When are your paws going to toughen up?  You’re always whining about them these days.

As soon as these boots are broken in, I’ll be fine again.

Think those boots are breaking in your paws in instead.

Heh.  It’s been a slow process, that’s for sure.  C’mon, I’m going to soak my paws in the river for a little bit before we head out.  Numb sounds good.  Maybe that squirrel that was here yesterday is still around?

The mere mention of “squirrel” and Lupe was racing off to check out those trees over by the river access point.  Sadly, no luck.  The squirrel must have been sleeping in.  The river was beautiful, though, and the soaking did SPHP’s paws a lot of good.  Happily, those paws didn’t look nearly as bad as they’d felt.

8-16-20, 10:12 AM, Hwy 200, Clearwater River

Montana sure has a lot of beautiful rivers, doesn’t it, SPHP?

This part certainly does, Loop!  Getting to be big fans of all these nice river access points, aren’t we?

They do help break up the trip!  By the way, where are we going, anyway?

West Butte (6,983 ft.) of the Sweetgrass Hills, Looper!  Remember those big hills we always see off in the distance E of I-15 when we’re on the way to Canada?

The ones you’re always wondering whether they are in the United States or Canada?

Yup.  Those hills.  Well, it turns out they are in the US.  West Butte is the highest one, so guess what, Lucky Dingo?  You’re going to get to climb it, if we can figure out the access situation.

Are we going to Canada, too?

Unfortunately, no.  Not this year.  Crying shame, but the border is closed.  West Butte is so close to Canada, though, that you’re going to get to see it!

Not quite the same, SPHP.

I know.  Not the same at all.  Sorry ’bout that, but it’s the best we can do in the Year of Perfect Vision.

Enjoying a romp along the Clearwater River.

Montana not only had lovely rivers with great access points to explore, but dinosaurs, too!  In Choteau, Lupe visited a snazzy pink one.

Dingoes & Dinosaurs! What more could you want?

3:20 PM, Hwy 343 at Oilmont – Coming down out of the big mountains had been a mistake.  Hotter ‘n blazes on the prairie!  Lupe parted leaping billows of the Grasshopper Sea as she sniffed her way up a little rise at the E end of what more or less amounted to the ghost town of Oilmont.

Miles across the parched golden fields of August, the Sweetgrass Hills were in sight, stretched out in 3 isolated groups like American sentries guarding against unexpected invasion from Canada.

West Butte (6983 ft.) was closest to both Oilmont and Canada, and had the support of lower hills to the NW.  Nearly 20 miles ESE of West Butte, stood the similar, only slightly lower East Butte group containing both Mount Royal (6,914 ft.) and Mount Brown (6,958 ft.).  Between these strongholds, the lone cone of Gold Butte (6,512 ft.) held the otherwise undefended center of the line.

West Butte from Hwy 343 near Oilmont. Photo looks NE.
Gold Butte (L), Mount Brown (Center) and Mount Royal (R). Photo looks ENE with help from the telephoto lens.

Driving E from Oilmont, the search for decent West Butte access began.  Supposed to be available from the SW.  12 miles E of I-15 came a L (N) turn off the pavement onto Suphellan Road, a good, wide gravel road.  Miles of dust, but after a few minor jogs and a couple of intersections, Lupe was getting close.

West Butte from Nine Mile Road. Photo looks NE.

By now, Suphellan Road had led into Nine Mile Road, which worked it’s way NE.  West Butte’s lower SW slopes were only 0.5 mile away when a junction was reached with Coal Mine Road.  Private property here, but further investigation revealed a little blue sign 0.1 mile E.

Bingo!  Dingo!

At the intersection of Nine Mile Road and Coal Mine Road. Photo looks NE.
Gold Butte from the N side of Coal Mine Road 0.1 mile E of the junction with Nine Mile Road. Photo looks SE.
Official public access confirmation!

Farther E, Coal Mine Road led to a private ranch.  Turning back around and exploring it W, the road dipped into a draw containing a ford of a rocky creek that was almost dry now, but might be an issue during wet weather.  Coal Mine Road continued NW, winding through some of the lower Sweetgrass Hills.  Clearly, no better access from this direction.

West Butte (R) and the Sweetgrass Hills from the WNW.

8-16-20, 5:55 PM, I-15 at Sunburst – Still 96ºF!  Full scale retreat was called for.  Luxury was on the agenda, air-conditioned luxury all night long!  The Carolina Dog sure didn’t object.  The Comfort Inn, the finest motel in Shelby, was nearly vacant with the Covid-19 panic going on.  Stretching out on the big soft bed, Lupe heaved a sigh of delight.  SPHP enjoyed a swim in the small, unoccupied pool.  Not another soul!  Sort of like Loopster and SPHP owned the joint.

Good thing, we don’t own it, Loop!  Must be losing money hand over fist, if it’s this empty during tourist season!

Star Wars!?  Change the channel, SPHP!  Maybe they’ve got Lassie or Rin Tin Tin?

8-17-20, 10:26 AM, 81ºF, SW of West Butte – SPHP parked the G6 a few hundred feet E of the junction of Nine Mile Road and Coal Mine Road.  High clouds and hazy out.  Plenty warm, but not sweltering, at least not yet.  Lupe trotted a little farther E along Coal Mine Road to the blue sign before heading out into the flat field leading to West Butte.

Starting for West Butte. Photo looks NE.

Surprisingly, thankfully, no cactus.  Looper crossed the Grasshopper Sea without encountering any.  Entering a shallow drainage, she followed it higher until she was almost at the base of West Butte’s first big grassy slope.  Leaving the drainage, up she went!

Down in the drainage. Photo looks NNE.
Warm dry day, long steep slope, and a resulting bad case of big pink tongueitis.

The long grassy slope got pretty dang steep, but the Carolina Dog kept at it.  Climbing hundreds of feet higher, she eventually reached a windswept tree that was 90% dead.

At the windswept tree. Photo looks NW.
Sweetgrass Hills W of West Butte from near the windswept tree. Photo looks NW.

Not too far above this tree the rate of climb slowed a bit.  Forests and rock fields prevalent on West Butte’s upper slopes were in sight again.  Lupe kept heading for them.

Beyond the steepest part of the climb already. Photo looks NE.
Closing in on the trees. Photo looks NNE.

Shortly before reaching the trees, Lupe came to the first rock slides.  A path crossed these rocks angling up toward the NNE.  Following this path higher, the rocks were loose and relatively small, yet still large enough to provide decent support.  For such rocky terrain, this was easy going!

On the first path below the forest. Photo looks NNE.
Crossing the first big scree slope. Photo looks NNE.
Looking back to the SSW.

The path soon led into the trees.  Overhead, the cloud cover was getting thinner.  Patches of blue sky were beginning to appear, and the day was getting warmer.  Enjoying the shade, Lupe and SPHP took a water break and a long breather.

Relaxing in the shade.

Resuming her climb, Loopster went right up the forested slope for a while, but eventually got far enough NNE to emerge from the trees again.  More paths angled up another scree slope.

Out in the open again. Photo looks N.
Looking up an unscathed scree slope the trail went by. Photo looks ENE.
Another look back. Getting higher! Photo looks SW.

The scree slopes went on and on.  Numerous paths were available to choose from.  The Carolina Dog passed through another smaller stretch of forest.  After that, she came only to scattered trees or bushes.  The higher Loop got, the rockier West Butte seemed to be.

Continuing higher. Photo looks NNE.
Near the end. Photo looks NNE.

For a long way, it was just more and more of the same sort of thing.  Lupe followed whatever path seemed handiest up the scree.  If anything, the slope of the mountain was getting steeper, but at last that changed.  As the terrain began to level out, the rocks disappeared.  Lupe reached a grassy slope.  A band of trees was off to the N, but Loop turned E heading for the summit.

Almost there! Photo looks E.

8-17-20, 1:17 PM, West Butte – The top of West Butte (6,983 ft.) was a roomy plain, flat in the center, edges rounded in all directions.  Toward the SE stood a tall, well-constructed cairn, the only significant feature up here.  A rusty can perched near the top of the cairn, and a red metal box and a plaque sat next to one another along the base.

Almost everywhere, yellow fields 2,500 feet lower stretched to murky horizons blurred by a smoky haze.  No sign at all of the mighty peaks of Glacier National Park far to the W, which might have been visible on a clear day.  Instead, the eye was drawn SE where Gold Butte (6,512 ft.), Mount Brown (6,958 ft.) and Mount Royal (6,914 ft.) were close enough to be on display.

Lupe’s first thought was to seek out the shade of the cairn.

The big view from West Butte on a hazy day! Mount Brown (far L) & Mount Royal (L). Gold Butte (R). Photo looks SE.
By the summit cairn.
Since I’m wearing a fur coat, SPHP, I’ve got dibs on the shade!

While Looper spent her time panting, SPHP opened the red metal box.  Full of registry notebooks and assorted junk.  Lots of people make it up here!  Way too many entries to read them all, although SPHP did take a look at some of them.  The last entry was only 4 days ago.  SPHP added Lupe’s name to the list.

The rusty can on top of the cairn contained a collection of small white stones.  For what conceivable purpose, SPHP couldn’t imagine unless Hansel and Gretel came up here from time to time.

The plaque was more interesting.  Placed by A. Taft, whose last ascent was over 8 years ago on 7-22-12, the plaque was entitled “You know you’re home when you see The Hills”.  Seven “Sonnemaker Homestead Children who grew up in the shadow of The Sweetgrass Hills” were listed.  All of them had been born between 1910 and 1924.

Not too likely any of them were still alive today.

Sonnemaker Homestead Children plaque.

100 years and more since most of the Sonnemaker children had been born.  A sobering thought.  Lupe’s name was on a mountain, too, far away in the Bighorns in Wyoming.  Not on a plaque, just made out of loose rocks.  Been a couple of years since Loopster had seen it.  SPHP wondered if it was still there?

Most of the cloud cover had burned away by now.  Gotta be at least 85ºF, although a 10 mph S breeze provided some relief.  SPHP had brought a White Claw raspberry-flavored spiked sparkling water in the backpack, and proceeded to drink the entire thing.  Between that and the Benadryl taken earlier to control hay fever, SPHP was soon left in a lethargic state of wooziness.  Using the backpack for a pillow, with the old Alaska cap pulled down for shade, SPHP tried to nap.

Didn’t work.  The heat was oppressive, the hard ground uncomfortable, and SPHP wasn’t really tired, just sort of drugged.  Still, SPHP laid there long enough for the Carolina Dog to start wondering what was wrong?  Lupe came over to check for some sign of life.

Still among the living, SPHP?  Or have you met your Sonnemaker?

Eh.  Not yet, Loop.  Want more water?  Bet you do!  Here, ya go!

Thanks, SPHP!  What now?

Well, I suppose we ought to take some more photos.  A shame it’s so hazy.  Montana always seems to start filling up with smoke this time of year.  Could see forever from here on a clear day.

The haze isn’t that bad, SPHP!  At least we can still see the rest of the Sweetgrass Hills.  Let’s get those photos then head back to the Comfort Inn!

Hah!  So that’s you’re plan is it?

Hotter ‘n blazes again, in case you hadn’t noticed, SPHP.

Yeah, but we’ve got another card up our sleeve for tonight, Sweet Dingo!  But c’mon, let’s finish up.

Gold Butte (Center). Photo looks SE.
Gold Butte with lots of help from the telephoto lens and hindrance from the smoke.
Mount Brown (L) and Mount Royal (Center). Photo looks ESE.

Which way is Canada, SPHP?  You said yesterday that we would see it from here.

Less than 5 miles straight N, Loopster!

Canada was out there, alright.  A featureless plain North Dakota flat.  Details, if there were any, couldn’t be made out.

Canada from West Butte. Photo looks N.

Oh, I hope Canada is what you have up your sleeve, SPHP!  We’ve had so many fabulous adventures there!

8-17-20, 2:20 PM, West Butte – The traditional summit hour had flashed by.  Lupe stood by the cairn for the last time.  Sadly, West Butte was going to be as close to Canada as the Most High Exalted Dingo of the Arctic Sisterhood would get this year.

Looper was happy, though!  SPHP had brought plenty of water, and West Butte had been fun.  Surely, the next time the Most High Exalted Dingo of the Arctic Sisterhood did go to Canada, she would see West Butte again and remember this day.

And I’ll remember the Comfort Inn, too, SPHP!  Don’t forget that!

West Butte summit region. Photo looks WNW.
Happy Lupe on West Butte.

Onward!  Puppy, ho!

The descent began.  Lupe headed back down the grassy slope on the W side of the summit.  Took only a few minutes to get back to the trails leading down the long scree slopes.  Loopster’s return route was nearly identical to the one she had taken up, although she did stray somewhat farther W after reaching the windswept 90% dead tree.

Starting down the W slope. Photo looks W.
Descending the upper scree slopes. Photo looks SW.
Approaching the forest. Photo looks SW.
Wildflowers on the lower slopes.

8-17-20, 4:39 PM, at the G6 along Coal Mine Road – Ugh!  96ºF again!  A 15 mph wind blew out of the W like a furnace.  Time to crank up the G6 and enjoy some serious AC!  After taking Nine Mile Road and Hwy 552, SPHP turned S on I-15 at Sunburst.

What a strange year!  This close to Canada, I-15 was all but vacant.  Just like the Comfort Inn, as nearly the sole users, Lupe and SPHP practically owned the road as the G6 sped S through a beastly hot haze permitting no hint of the tremendous peaks hidden to the W.

No Comfort Inn tonight!  Along Hwy 89 SE of Great Falls, came a brief stop at the Al Buck Memorial Park.  Twilight was deepening as SPHP let Looper out to cool her paws off and enjoy her traditional drink from the cold, clear spring that gushed out of the mountainside.  Then it was S again, up into the Little Belt Mountains.

9:50 PM, 62ºF, Kings Hill Pass – Comfortably cool!  The oppressive heat of the Grasshopper Sea infesting the parched yellow fields surrounding the Sweetgrass Hills was already just a memory.  Yet today’s pilgrimage in the Year of Perfect Vision to the sunny summit of West Butte, where an American Dingo had peered through the murk into the fabled, and now forbidden land of Canada would not be forgotten.

Lovely Alberta, gorgeous British Columbia, the Canadian Rockies, the mighty Yukon, misty Northwest Territories, and gleaming Alaska!  Three thousand miles N, summer was weakening, dying.  The empty tundra of the North Slope was already a land of gold awaiting the silent pristine white of winter.  Ever so far away, reds, oranges, and yellows were spreading S beneath the pale, darkening Arctic sky.

Today’s dim vision from lofty West Butte had been a mere glimpse in the direction of glories Lupe knew lay beyond.  Glories held for the moment in the mind’s eye only, but they were real, they were out there.  Someday!

Yes, someday the Most High Exalted Dingo of the Arctic Sisterhood would return.

West Butte of the Sweetgrass Hills, Montana 8-17-20

West Butte access:  From I-15, take Exit 389 at Sunburst.  Head E on paved Hwy No. 552.  The pavement ends 9 miles E at a 4 way intersection with crossroad Pederson Road.  Keep going straight E, now on unsigned Nine Mile Road, which is good gravel.  4 miles from this intersection, turn N (L) at a “T” intersection with Suphellan Road.  Wind N and E another 4 miles (still on Nine Mile Road) to the junction with Coal Mine Road.  Public access is 0.1 mile E at the blue sign on the N (L) side of Coal Mine Road.  Good pavement/gravel all the way.  Any vehicle can do this with ease.

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Black Hills, SD Expedition No. 263 – Erskine Cave, Ice Cave & Stagebarn Ridge (1-29-21)

8:54 AM, 45ºF, Rolling Hills Road 1.75 miles N of Nemo Road at the start of USFS Road No. 777 –  Not a ray of sunshine anywhere, but pretty warm out for the end of January.  With only a skiff of snow on the ground and a leaden sky, it felt more like late fall than the depths of winter.  Good day for a mood march, and the locked gate over USFS Road No. 777 meant there ought to be plenty of solitude.

Loopster was fired up for it!  Anxious to get going, she led the way on the first 0.125 mile down No. 777 to the junction with No. 771.1A (3 miles E of Steamboat Rock on the topo map).  The intersection was marked with not one, but two brown wands.  One saying No. 777.1A as expected, the other saying TR8282.

At the start of USFS Road No. 777 off Rolling Hills Road. Photo looks N.
At the S end of USFS Road No. 777.1A, also part of TR8282, Photo looks NW.

No. 777.1A headed NW up a shallow valley hemmed in by rolling hills.  The hills were all forested with Ponderosa pines that had been thinned during logging operations at some point, so it was possible to see much of the terrain.  Lupe kept an eye out for deer, but didn’t notice any yet.

After 0.2 mile, the American Dingo came to a fork in the road.  Seemed that No. 777.1A was over and done with already.  USFS Road No. 777.1B, marked with a wand, angled off to the R.  Another wand indicated that USFS Road No. 527 went to the L.  Taking No. 527, Lupe went on.

At the start of USFS Road No. 527. Photo looks WNW.

No. 527 continued NW up the shallow valley.  A sad breeze sighed in the pines, but it wasn’t windy in the valley.  Another 0.2 mile, and another road veered off to the R.  This one only had a wand saying the road was closed.  The trek went on.  A grassy road, also to the R, looked interesting, but Lupe skipped it, too.

No. 527 continues up the valley. Photo looks NW.
The grassy road. Intriguing, but Lupe didn’t take it.

The valley narrowed, and No. 527 steepened a bit.  A rougher, somewhat larger ridge featuring numerous minor rock outcroppings was on the R.  Just beyond this ridge, the road leveled out.  No. 527 was split in several places due to deep depressions worn into the original route.  Yet another unmarked road veered off to the R, disappearing into the forest.

Beyond the flat region, No. 527 resumed its climb.  Partway up this slope Lupe came to an open gate.  After going through the gate, she continued higher, but the road soon leveled out again.  SPHP could now see a rock formation off to the NE, a high point several hundred feet away.  Leaving the road, SPHP led Looper toward it.

The rock formation wasn’t all that big.  Upon arriving, the Carolina Dog easily climbed to the top.  Way off to the NW, Lupe could see the summit of Custer Peak (6,804 ft.).

At the open gate.
On the rock formation.

SPHP searched around the rock formation.

Naw, not what we’re looking for, Looper.

Doesn’t surprise me, SPHP.  This isn’t much of a mountain!

Oh, we’re not climbing mountains today, Loopster!  We’re in search of two caves.  I thought Erskine Cave might be over here, but it’s been so long since I’ve been there, I don’t really remember what the area around it looks like.

Caves!  Why are we looking for caves, SPHP?

We’re just doing one of our old style expeditions today, Loop.  Remember the days way back before we got so wrapped up in peakbagging?  We used to wander here and there up gulches and valleys, seeing whatever there was to see.  Felt like doing that today.  I’ve thought for a long time that we ought to go find Erskine Cave and Ice Cave just for fun!  So here we are.

I’ve got news for you, SPHP!  American Dingoes enjoy climbing mountains, and wandering hither and yon is fine, too, but we’re really not all that keen on subterranean adventures.  Remember the Dragon Caves?  Spooky!  Enough to make your hackles stand on end!  You took me dragon hunting!  We must have been nuts!  We were lucky the dragon didn’t return while we were in there.  Took that huge risk, and we never did find the dragon’s treasure, or any damsels in distress!

No reason to worry about dragons at Erskine Cave or Ice Cave, Loop.  They’re both way to small for a dragon to fit inside.  Besides, I’ve read that the USFS has blocked off the entrances.  Don’t think we can go inside either cave anymore, at least not very far.

We can’t go in?  Seems kind of pointless to even go looking for these caves, if that’s the case.  Can’t say I’m terribly disappointed, though.

Well, who knows if it’s true, or not?  We’ll go take a look.  Even if it turns out the entrances really are blocked, still fun just to try to find the caves.  Something different, a break from peakbagging!

You’re off your rocker, SPHP!  Maybe I’ll see some deers while you search for your goofy caves?  Sounds like a deer will be the high point of the day.

I guess caves are apt to be low points, being underground and all, Looper,  although I seem to remember the entrances to both caves being up on hillsides.  Anyway, Erskine Cave doesn’t appear to be around here.  Maybe we haven’t gone far enough yet?  C’mon, let’s keep going!

Returning to No. 527, Lupe continued NW.  Felt like she was getting pretty high as the road climbed out of what remained of the valley.  Near the edge of a big clearing No. 527 reached a broad flat region.  Shortly after Lupe entered this clearing, the first side road she’d seen to the L appeared.  A wand said this was TR8281.  This point was about 1.5 miles from where Lupe had first turned NW on USFS Road No. 777.1A.

Toward the far end of the clearing stood a forest of tall pines on the R (E).  As No. 527 took Lupe past these pines, a wooden pole fence was visible 150 feet back in among the trees.  No signs.  However, a faint remnant of a road partially covered with slash led toward the fence.

Hmm.  A little odd.  This might be it!  Lupe went to investigate.

It does look like there’s some kind of a depression beyond this fence!

The fence formed a semi-circle convex toward the W.  A depression could be seen 50 feet on the other side.  As Lupe got closer, no doubt remained.

Ah-ha!  Found it, Loop!  You’ve reached Erskine Cave!

By the entrance to Erskine Cave. Photo looks ENE.

Peering into the depression, a steep, snowy slope went 25 or 30 feet down to a fence closing off the cave entrance.

Peering into the maw of Erskine Cave.

So, this is it, huh?  That’s great, SPHP!  You go first!  I’ll stay up here and guard the entrance.

Alrighty, I will!

The snowy slope was slick, but not so steep that SPHP couldn’t get down there in one piece.

Loop guards the entrance while SPHP conducts an initial investigation.

The fence turned out to be metal.  Possible to peer in between the bars and see a little more of the cave, but that was about it.  Even if the entrance hadn’t been blocked, SPHP hadn’t come prepared to do any spelunking.  Still, it was kind of cool just being at the mysterious entrance.

So what’s it like down there, SPHP?  Can you see anything interesting?

Just a metal fence, and beyond it a little of the cave entrance.  Come on down, and see it yourself, Loop.  Nothing to worry about!

Are you sure this is smart, SPHP? This opening is big enough for a dragon!
By the metal fence blocking the entrance.
Hey, this is pretty cool! Sort of makes you wonder what’s down there doesn’t it?
Looking between the metal bars a few feet deeper into Erskine Cave.

Did you say you’ve been into Erskine Cave before, SPHP?

Yes!  Several times, Looper, but long before you were ever even around.  It wasn’t blocked off back then.  Anyone could go inside.

Really!  What’s down there?  What’s it like?

Hah!  Been so long ago, I can barely remember, Loop.  I do remember a tight spot close to the beginning that has to be crawled through.  You even crawl up at one point.  It then opens up after that for a while, but I don’t remember for sure if it gets large enough to stand up.  I think it did.

How far in did you go?

Maybe a few hundred feet?  Can’t really say any more.  It was very cool, though.  Toward the end, you crawl quite some distance, but it eventually gets too tight to go any farther.  Not a place for claustrophobics, that’s for sure!  I do remember it goes a lot farther in than Ice Cave does.

Were there any side passages, or just one long cave?

Yes, I believe there were side passages, but they played out pretty quickly.  I only remember one sort of long route.

Was it full of bats?

Nope, never saw any bats at all.

Was it dark?

What kind of a question is that, silly Dingo?  Black as Death, if your light went out!  Always carried a flashlight with extra batteries, plus tied a strong string to a rock near the entrance and unraveled it while exploring, just in case something bad happened.  Happily, never actually had to use it.  Anyway, no more questions.  We’re done here.  So, if you will just stay another minute or two, I’ll get your picture from partway up, OK?

Posing at the entrance of Erskine Cave before moving on.

Returning to USFS Road No. 257, Lupe kept going.  The road was flat at first, then climbed gently heading due N between a dense forest on the L (W), and a shattered one on the R (E).  0.33 mile from Erskine Cave, Lupe came to another open gate, a less elaborate one in a barbed wire fence.  A few hundred feet farther and No. 527 reached its high point.

Back on USFS Road No. 527 (aka TR8282) after leaving Erskine Cave. Photo looks NW.
At the second open gate Lupe came to. High point of USFS Road No. 527 just ahead.

0.25 mile after starting downhill, Lupe came to a 4-way intersection at a big flat open saddle.  TR8285 went SE, and a blocked road went NE.  Lupe simply stuck with USFS Road No. 527 (TR8282) as it now went down a scenic valley.  Another 0.50 mile brought Loop to a T intersection with USFS Road No. 144.2B, which was marked as TR8283.

At the 4-way junction saddle. Loop continued down to the L. Photo looks N.
Heading down the next valley on USFS Road No. 527 (TR8282). Photo looks WNW.
Approaching the T intersection with USFS Road No. 144.2B.

Which way to the Ice Cave, SPHP?  That’s where we’re going next, isn’t it?

Yup!  Go R, Loop!

No. 144.2B went downhill a bit then climbed 40 or 50 feet going around the N side of a hill.  Once past the high point, the road wound ENE as Lupe descended into yet another valley.

Looper had already seen a number of deer in the forest, but now topped that with a coyote sighting.  Seeing a coyote was very exciting!  Lupe would have gone over to have a sniff with it, but the coyote was far away.  Already aware of SPHP, the coyote quickly disappeared in tall grass.  All the American Dingo could do was stand on the road whining about how deliberately unfriendly the wild dog had been.

You’re killing my social life, SPHP!

Yeah, join the club!  One of my strong points.

Heading E on USFS Road No. 144.2B (TR8283).

After a mile or so, a yellow and gray cliff appeared ahead.  A fork in the road came into sight below it.  A tiny pond shown on the topo map near this junction (Point 4497) turned out not to exist.

Upon reaching the fork, Lupe took the road marked as TR8287.  It curved off to the L, heading up onto Stagebarn Ridge.  The other branch, which went R continuing down the valley, was marked TR8284.

Approaching the fork at Point 4497. TR8287 goes straight before curving L. TR8284 goes R. Photo looks ESE.

TR8287 curved up past the gray and yellow cliff.  As Lupe got close to the top of Stagebarn Ridge, she came to another junction.  TR8286 headed NW from here, but Loop stuck with TR8287, which now curved R (SE) heading up to a higher part of the ridge.  The road soon topped out.  Off to the E was the first big distant view of the day, a panorama looking over Stagebarn Canyon all the way to the prairies beyond the Black Hills.

At the junction with TR8286, which went off to the L, and TR8287, which Loop kept following to the R. Photo looks E.
Stagebarn Canyon from Stagebarn Ridge. Photo looks E.

Stagebarn Ridge was enormous and lower toward the SE where the road was heading.  Lupe hadn’t gotten far beyond the road’s high point when SPHP paused to check the map.

What’s it say, SPHP?

Looks like we’re about 0.5 mile N of the Ice Cave now.  We need to leave the road here to go search for it.

This road doesn’t go to the cave?

Nope.  Just continues SE down a draw and dead ends.

About to leave TR8287 to head into the trees. Photo looks S.

Leaving TR8287, Lupe crossed a small field and entered the forest.  This part of Stagebarn Ridge was a series of non-descript minor ups and downs.  The forest had been thinned, so it was relatively open territory, but plenty of slash had been left on the ground by the loggers.  SPHP stumbled along, as Lupe watched for squirrels or deer.

At a minor high point while searching for Ice Cave. Photo looks S.

After maybe 0.33 mile, Lupe reached a flat area at the top of a little hill.  Possibly HP4600 on the topo map?  If so, Lupe wasn’t far from the Ice Cave now.  A clearing could be seen to the S, although with the sky so overcast, SPHP wasn’t certain if it was SE, due S, or SW.  Heading over to it, the clearing extended off to the R, which was the right direction.

At HP4600. Photo looks SE.
At the clearing. Photo looks S.

After passing through the clearing, another hill was directly ahead.

I’m thinking this is it, Loop!  The Ice Cave ought to be somewhere up on that hill.  Keep an eye out for any kind of an opening.  If I remember right, it ought to be easy to spot.

Almost there! Photo looks S.

According to the map, the cave entrance should have been on the near side of the hill, but Loopster went right on up to the top without seeing any sign of it.  The cave didn’t seem to be anywhere up on top, either.  Lupe reached the far side of the hill.  A road was visible heading off toward more hills.

No Ice Cave yet! Maybe it’s still a little farther? Photo looks S.

Keep going, SPHP?

Not sure, Loop.  Doesn’t seem right that it could be that much farther.

Well, there’s no cave here.

No, there isn’t.  Hang on, let me check the map again.

Any exciting conclusions?

Maybe.  If we really were at HP4600 earlier, that road we see from here, which doesn’t appear on the map at all, might be heading for the HP4581 region.  That’s way too far S.  Kind of think maybe we’re already too far S.

Go back then?

Yeah, I think so, let’s try shortcutting back N to the region W of HP4600.

Heading N, Lupe crossed a big field in the upper end of a drainage before reaching a heavily forested saddle SW of HP4600.  Surprisingly, a road curved up to this point from the canyon to the W.

On the unexpected road in the saddle SW of HP4600. Photo looks WSW.

Lupe followed the road farther up the slope.  She’d barely gotten started when there it was – the Ice Cave!

This must be it!

Good job, Looper!  Yes, this is the Ice Cave, alright, but how do we get down there?  It’s just a vertical drop on all sides!

You tell me, SPHP!  You’re the one who has been here before.  Did you use a rope?

Hmm.  I don’t remember using any rope.  But I don’t remember any issue getting into the cave, either.

Well, we’ve found the Ice Cave, but SPHP doesn’t remember how to get down there!

Circling around to the SE, Ah-ha! – another opening!

Here we go, Looper!

A path led down through an opening so large that even SPHP didn’t have to duck.

At the Ice Cave easy access entrance. Much better than leaping into the pit! Photo looks NW.
Partway in.
Looking back out.

The short tunnel led down into the pit with vertical walls that Loop had discovered first.

In the pit below the vertical entrance.
Overhead opening (L) and the easy walk-in access (R). Photo looks SE.

Along the W side of the pit, a jumble of rocks, many coated with an odd, thin, light-green layer of moss or algae slanted down into a dimly lit region.  The American Dingo, now turned spelunker from peakbagger, began a wary descent into the gloom.

By the opening into the lower chamber.
Descending into the Ice Cave.
Is this really a good idea?

It wasn’t far to the bottom.  Still enough light to see, but the camera worked better using the flash.

At the bottom. Dark recess (L).

At the bottom was a solid rock wall, containing a single dark recess.  Other than that, there was just the slope of collapsed material Lupe had come down.  No doubt that dark recess was the route deeper into the Ice Cave.

Look, Loop!  It’s not blocked off!

Oh, joy!  Are you sure about this, SPHP?  We aren’t going in, are we?

Yeah.  We won’t go far.  Hold on a minute, I’m going to put new batteries into the flashlight.  These are about shot.

An illusion!  The dark recess wasn’t a passage at all.  2 or 3 feet back in was just another part of the solid wall of rock.  SPHP searched along the lower edge of the entire rock wall, soon exhausting all possibilities.  The whole thing was as solid and continuous as could be.

Huh!  I don’t get it?  Where is the opening into the rest of the cave?

You sure there’s more to it than this, SPHP?

Yah.  Absolutely positive.  Ice Cave isn’t as long as Erskine Cave, but it went at least 50 or 100 feet into absolute darkness, something like that.  The passage wasn’t as tight as at Erskine Cave, either.

And what was in there?

At the very end there was a room, easily big enough to stand and move around in.  From the ceiling, a huge icicle hung down.

That sounds awesome!  Explains the Ice Cave name, too!  Was the icicle dripping?

Oh, it was super cool!  Don’t remember for sure if the icicle was dripping, but I suppose it must have been, at least part of the time.

Shining the flashlight around some more, a glint of metal revealed bars fastened into the slope of debris Lupe had come down.

Hey, Loopster!  Here it is!  The passage into the lower cavern.

Oh, it is blocked off!  What a relie … I mean, what a crying shame!

Yeah, it’s a pity!  Would be fun to go in there again.

Looks like a mighty tight opening, SPHP.

Yeah.  I thought it was larger.  Such a long time ago, though.

By the small opening (at lower L).
A better look.

Hey, SPHP!  There’s a bigger opening over here!

Is it blocked, too?

Yes, come and take a look.

Oh, that’s it!  This must have been the way we went in before.

We?

Yes.  The only other time I’ve been to this Ice Cave was with my friend, Mark.  He lived not too far from here and knew about this place.  I’d never heard of it before.

Mark?  The Mark Anderson with his friend Hillary that we climbed Boulder Hill with a few years ago?

Yup, one and the same.

By the big opening in natural light.
Same spot using the flash.
Looking between the bars deeper into the cavern.

Well, I guess that’s about all there is to see here now, Looper.  Nothing more we can do with all the cave entrances blocked.

Yes, such a tragedy, isn’t it?  Can we go?

Sure.  But what did you think of Erskine Cave and Ice Cave?

Much more interesting than I thought they would be, SPHP!  I’ve learned some dark secrets, past and present, and can see where spelunking might be fun!  Think I’ll stick to peakbagging, if you don’t mind, though.  Never going to see any deers or squirrels in a hole in the ground!

True dat!  OK, c’mon, let’s get out of here.

Back out.

So are we done for the day, SPHP?

Not quite, Loop.  Want to explore a little more of Stagebarn Ridge?  Maybe we can get a good view of Stagebarn Canyon?  It’s really quite impressive from down in it.  Kind of wonder what it looks like from above?

Fine with me!  Let’s do it!

Heading NE, Lupe went back up and over HP4600.  From there she worked her way N, crossed TR8287, then went SE up onto another portion of Stagebarn Ridge a mile away from the Ice Cave.

Exploring more of Stagebarn Ridge. Photo looks ESE.

The views were pleasant, but not as impressive as SPHP expected.  Lupe got to see part of Stagebarn Canyon, but never went far enough SE to see South Stagebarn Canyon, since the portion of the ridge overlooking it appeared to be heavily forested.  A chocolate coconut bar, apple, and Taste of the Wild break was taken at a point where Bear Butte (4,422 ft.) could be seen off in the distance.

About as far SE on Stagebarn Ridge as Lupe went. Photo looks ESE.
Stagebarn Canyon (Center) and Bear Butte (R of Center) from Stagebarn Ridge. Photo looks N.
Stagebarn Canyon and Bear Butte (Center) with help from the telephoto lens.
Zoomed in on Bear Butte.

Break time over, Lupe headed NW.  Blue sky!  For the first time today, the sun was breaking through the clouds.  The wide open spaces of Stagebarn Ridge were beautiful in the late afternoon sunlight!

On Stagebarn Ridge.

Lupe sniffed and roamed on the way back to TR8287.  Once there, she faced the same long road hike back.  The Carolina Dog did not go past the Ice Cave again, but Erskine Cave was right along the way, and she did stop by to peer into it once more.  Mostly, though, it was a fun, quiet trek watching for deer as the light began to fade.  Loopster saw some, too!

Never did see that coyote again, though!  (End 5:11 PM, 41ºF)

At the Ice Cave, Black Hills of South Dakota 1-29-21

Links:

Next Black Hills Expedition                      Prior Black Hills Expedition

Black Hills, SD Expedition No. 134 – Copper, Odakota, Green & Hat Mountains Plus The Dragon Caves (6-20-15)

Recommended Black Hills Regional Caves:

Jewel Cave National Monument

Wind Cave National Park

Rushmore Cave

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!

Trapper Peak, Bitterroot Range, Montana (8-15-20)

Days 10 & 11 of Lupe’s 3rd Summer of 2020 Dingo Vacation to Wyoming & Montana!

8-14-20, Daybreak, 32ºF, Upper Taylor Fork trailhead, Madison Range, MT – Just getting light out.  The sun wouldn’t be up for a while yet.  Jobe was up already, busily rearranging gear in his Rubicon when SPHP came to.  Lupe sniffed excitedly, raring to go as soon as SPHP let her out of the G6.  Maybe she was expecting another Koch Peak (11,293 ft.) outing?

That wasn’t in the cards, a travel day was.  Wasn’t long before Jobe was ready.  Handshakes and pawshakes, and he was off.  The G6 followed the Rubicon across the bridge over Taylor Creek a minute later.  For 3 snail-paced bumpy miles, the Koch Peak adventure was sort of still on.  Wasn’t until the turn E into the rising sun on Taylor Fork Road that SPHP was certain the G6 wouldn’t pop a tire.

At Hwy 191, SPHP turned N down the Gallatin River valley.  Heavy traffic even this early in the day.  At I-90, the G6 headed W.  Jobe was long gone.  His adventures were taking him E to Billings tonight.  Been fun, but Lupe wouldn’t see her friend Jobe Wymore again this year.  The Carolina Dog was off for parts unknown!  W of Butte, SPHP turned S on I-15.  Never been here before!  Let the next adventure begin!

8-14-20, 11:40 AM, Hwy 43 –  The Big Hole River was plenty wide, but not terribly deep.  Peering into the water, the rocks forming the river bottom were all slimy and green, thick with long strands of algae swaying in the current.  Slippery!  Lupe did not venture in, preferring to admire the river’s sparkling surface from a dry rock.

Checking out the Big Hole River.

Hwy 43 ended at a “T” intersection with Hwy 93 at Lost Trail Pass along the Idaho – Montana border.  Sticking with Montana, SPHP turned N.   At Conner came a L (W) turn on West Fork Road, a shortcut which crossed both the E and W Forks of the Bitterroot River en route to Hwy 473.

Not far now!  Heading SW on Hwy 473 for a couple of miles, an access point for the W Fork of the Bitterroot River appeared on the L just before the Trapper Creek Job Corps Center came into view on the R.  Another 0.5 mile, and the highway crossed Trapper Creek.  Immediately beyond it was a sign for a R turn saying “Forest Access Baker Lake”.

8-14-20, 1:21 PM, W Fork of the Bitterroot River – Lupe waded in the cool, clear cool waters of the Bitterroot River.  No slimy green algae coating the rocks here!  Every pebble on the bottom stood out in crisp, watery relief.  SPHP waded in with the Carolina Dog for a few minutes, but she was soon more interested in a squirrel scolding her from the trees above the riverbank than cooling off.

W Fork of the Bitterroot River at the access point across Hwy 473 from the Trapper Creek Job Corps Center.

SPHP relaxed on a tiny sandy beach.  It had been too early to want to head up to the Baker Lake trailhead, so upon finding the access road, SPHP had simply turned around.  Tempting to take a swim, but the trip journal needed attention.  Two hours listening to the soothing rippling waters zoomed by.  Loop would have preferred to continue the squirrel siege, but really hadn’t been making any progress with it.  In any case, it was time to move on.

According to the topo map, the Baker Lake access road left Hwy 473 as USFS Road No. 363.  After crossing a big meadow, proof appeared on the R as the road turned up into the trees.

Yup! This is the right way, alright!

A mile from the highway, a big sign at a junction with Baker Lloyd Road (No. 5629) said 9 miles to the Baker Lake trail.  SPHP continued straight, sticking with No. 363, which by now was climbing steadily and getting both washboardy and very dusty.

At the junction with Baker Lloyd Road, which isn’t the way to go.

Another mile on No. 363 led to a spot where roads curved both L and R.  Directly ahead on a hillside was a “363”, apparently meant for the road going off to the L.  Instead, SPHP made a sharp R turn onto a road with a small sign saying “5634” with a hiking symbol below it.

The 8 miles on USFS Road No. 5634 were an adventure of their own!  Nearly the entire way the road wound crazily or made long switchbacks along a steep forested slope.  The rate of climb was never worrisome, in fact, parts of the route were level or close to it, yet the whole drive was unnerving, especially where openings appeared in the forest.  It was then possible to see the plunging mountainside and a vast airy expanse over to mountains miles to the E, mountains no higher than where the G6 now crept cautiously along.

However, the true source of anxiety was the extreme narrowness of the road, which produced a greatly heightened sense of always being on the brink.  No. 5634 was fine for one vehicle, but what if another was met on its way down the mountain?  The prospect of having to back down for who knew how far was dreadful, yet it must happen all the time.

An answer came 3 miles into the journey.  A vehicle did appear coming the other way.  Luck of the Dingo!  A Jeep!  No way two vehicles could pass on the road at this point, but the Jeep pulled almost entirely off the road leaning at a 40º angle on the uphill slope.  The G6 squeezed past.

Onward!  G6, ho!

Should have come up earlier in the day!  3 more times vehicles appeared heading down.  Luckily, all these instances occurred at points where it actually was possible to sneak by, the only abuse suffered by the G6 the rude scraping of tree branches along the passenger side.

8-14-20, 4:02 PM, Baker Lake trailhead –  The Baker Lake trailhead proved to be little more than a long wide spot where USFS Road No. 5634 simply dead-ended.  Room enough to carefully turn around, if the joint wasn’t too overrun already, which it might have been if those 4 vehicles that had already departed had still been up here.

SPHP did turn around, parking the G6 facing back out as close to the exit as possible.  Might help avoid getting hemmed in when the time came to depart!  An hour after leaving Hwy 473, the American Dingo hopped out.  If Loopster was as relieved as SPHP to finally be here, she gave no indication of it.

A short stroll past pickups and SUV’s to the end of the road led to the usual display of rules and regulations, but little of interest specific to this location.  Hours yet until the sun would set, but here on the E side of the mountain, much was already in shadow.  20 feet beyond the display, a well-worn single track trail curved up into the sullen deep green gloom of tall densely-packed conifers.

The evening wore on.  By nightfall, only 5 vehicles remained.

Baker Lake trailhead at the end of USFS Road No. 5634. Photo looks N.

8-15-20, 7:55 AM, 52ºF, Baker Lake trailhead – Morning sunlight filtering through the trees completely dispelled yesterday’s gloom as Lupe set off for Baker Lake on Trail No. 234.  The trail began with a short steep climb W or SW through thick forest before leveling out as it turned S.  Upon reaching a small clearing, the trail started switchbacking higher.  Before long, Looper came to a huge rock formation out in a larger opening.

This must be Baker Point!  Lupe scrambled partway up for a look.  Kind of hazy out, especially to the E.

About to set out from the Baker Lake trailhead. Photo looks S.
Baker Point. Photo looks SSE.

At Baker Point, Lupe reached the start of a broad ridge sloping slowly, but steadily higher.  The trail headed WNW along this ridge passing through a more open forest of younger trees.  After gaining perhaps 200 feet of elevation, the trail left the ridgeline to head more directly W or WSW along a slope N of the Baker Creek valley, flattening out as it did so, and even losing elevation in spots.

Glimpses of the ridge to the SW that Lupe ultimately needed to get over to began appearing.  Eventually, Loop caught sight of towering cliffs on the E face of East Trapper Peak (9,928 ft.), too.

In the younger forest past Baker Point.
The ridge on the L leads to Trapper Peak. Photo looks SW.
East Trapper Peak (R). Photo looks WSW.

After losing 80 feet of elevation, a big opening was reached on the N (R) side of the trail.  This region contained many huge rocks that had long ago crumbled ago from the ridge the trail had abandoned, the top of which was now in sight at least 100 feet higher.

Below the ridge the trail had abandoned. Photo looks N.

From this low point, the trail began climbing again as it wound among boulders and tree roots in an older forest.  Close to Baker Lake exposed slabs of rounded bedrock appeared.  With so much rock about, the forest was more dispersed.  Upon reaching Baker Creek, Loop crossed a bridge of three small logs before following the stream to its source.

Boulders, tree roots, and an older, denser forest en route to Baker Lake.
Slabs of bedrock appeared shortly before reaching Baker Lake. Photo looks N.
Crossing the 3 log bridge over Baker Creek.
Baker Creek was small, but quite scenic flowing over exposed bedrock.

Lupe found Baker Lake tucked away in a spectacular setting!  Large rock formations bordered the E and S shores, and magnificent mature forests encircled the lake wherever sufficient soil was present.  Huge protective ridges pressed in from the N and S, and off to the W was a splendid view of the E face of East Trapper Peak.  Mirror smooth, the lake doubled the grandeur of its surroundings in near perfect reflections.

Baker Lake. East Trapper Peak (L of Center). Photo looks W.
Another angle. East Trapper Peak (R). Photo Looks WSW.
East Trapper Peak from Baker Lake. Photo looks W with help from the telephoto lens.

Evidently, Baker Lake is a popular destination.  Exploring boulders and bedrock along the E shore, Lupe saw colorful tents and hammocks both nearby, and over on the W side of the lake.  However, getting to Baker Lake was merely a good start to the day for the peakbagging Dingo.

Trapper Peak (10,157 ft.) was Lupe’s destination.  Unseen, except for the E summit, Trapper Peak was still another 2,300+ feet higher and 2 miles away.  There was actually an official Trapper Peak trail No. 133 that came up the mountain’s humongous SE ridge, but the Baker Lake route that Lupe was taking was shorter, more scenic, and required 640 feet less elevation gain.

The whole trick to making the Baker Lake route work was to get up onto the ridge S of the lake, which was merely a different part of the same SE ridge the official trail went up.  However, the topo map showed the N face of this ridge being very steep for 200+ feet.  Didn’t look so bad from here at the lake, though.  Lupe headed for it, staying somewhat E of the lake following an easy route higher along bedrock slabs.

The ridge Lupe had to get up onto as seen from Baker Lake. The route up is just to the R of the big pine tree at L. Photo looks SSW.
On the bedrock slabs heading for the E end of the ridge (Center). This region is SSE of Baker Lake. Much better than going due S from the lake. Photo looks SSE.

SPHP had previously seen GPS tracks of routes others had successfully tried from Baker Lake.  Nearly all of them went up toward the lower E end of the part of the ridge closest to the lake.  A shaded area full of trees could be seen between two cliffy spots as Lupe got closer.  Figuring this was the way to go, suspicions were soon confirmed by the discovery of a use trail near the bottom of the slope.

Aim for the dark area (L of Center) between the cliffy spots! Photo looks S.
At the base of the climb, which is just to the R of these cliffs. Photo looks SSE.

The slope the use trail went up was steep, very steep, but not all that rocky.  SPHP clung to trees, branches, bushes – basically whatever was available, whenever available.  With 4 on the floor, Loopster had no trouble.  Near the top, the rate of climb diminished.  Gonna make it!

Getting close to the top. Photo looks S.
Made in the shade! The use trail flattens out just beyond Lupe. Photo looks SSE.

Up on top, a large pile of deadfall was near the big flat spot where the use trail came up.  The use trail turned R here, heading W just S of a line of cliffs.  However, before going that way, Lupe scrambled over some of the deadfall to a rocky high point visible just a little to the NE.  This high point featured several large dead trees, and was a terrific viewpoint.  Baker Lake could be seen from here, as well as both East Trapper Peak (9,928 ft.) and North Trapper Peak (9,801 ft.).

At the viewpoint NE of where the use trail reached the ridgeline. Photo looks NNE.
Baker Lake (Center) from above. Photo looks N.
East Trapper Peak (L) and North Trapper Peak (R). Photo looks WNW.

Reaching the ridgeline meant that the only tricky part of the ascent was over, but the Carolina Dog still had a long way to go.  Returning to the use trail, she now followed it W through a forest different from the one down by Baker Lake.  Up here, the trees were smaller, more spaced out, and many were dead.

Following the use trail higher. Photo looks WNW.

The use trail gained elevation at an easy to moderate pace that didn’t vary much.  Every now and then, Lupe ventured N to the edge of the cliffs to check out the views.  She finally came to a point where Middle Lake was in sight, along with just a glimpse of Gem Lake above it.

Middle Lake (near Lupe’s head). East Trapper Peak (L) and North Trapper Peak (Center). Photo looks NW.

Close to this viewpoint, the terrain steepened as Loop climbed a ridge of light-colored talus.  These rocks tended to be flattish, which made them an easier scramble than they might otherwise have been.  Lichens gave all the rocks on top of the ridge a mottled dark gray and light green cast.

This ridge was HP8768 on the topo map.  Ahead was a chasm due to a large notch in the main ridge, and a terrific view of East Trapper Peak.

Climbing the light-colored talus ridge. Photo looks W.
East Trapper Peak (R) from HP8768. Photo looks W.

Lupe now had to veer SW along the talus ridge to avoid the chasm.  The talus slowed things down, but eventually played out.  Back in the forest, Loop soon turned W again, quickly regaining the elevation she’d lost leaving HP8768 and more.

By now the use trail was intermittent, but the overall route was clear.  The open forest and moderate pace of climb made travel relatively easy.  Lupe kept heading W, constantly gaining elevation.  Eventually the line of cliffs to the N began to curve NW.

A high point of light-colored rocks now appeared near the edge, but the terrain steepened rapidly in that direction, and a young densely-packed forest made attaining that high point difficult.  Abandoning the attempt to follow the cliffs any farther, Lupe took a course more to the WNW.

The forest soon began to thin.  Suddenly it ended.  A few thin lines of stunted trees ran down a long slope of scattered rocks and loose soil.  Directly ahead were several distant high points.

Oh, I think that’s it, SPHP! Trapper Peak (L)! Photo looks WNW.

Wandering higher on the vast open slope beyond the forest, Lupe now had views of mountains to the SW.  A ridge of dark stone appeared to the N, the summit of East Trapper Peak (9,928 ft.).  Instead of going to it, the American Dingo aimed for the saddle leading to Trapper Peak.

In the open on Trapper Peak’s vast SE slope. HP9587 (R of Center). Photo looks SW.
Below East Trapper Peak’s summit ridge. Photo looks N.

On the way to the saddle, Lupe came across the official Trapper Peak trail No. 133 bound for the same destination.  By then, she didn’t have much farther to go.  The broad flat saddle between East Trapper Peak and Trapper Peak proved to be terrain similar to the giant slope Looper had just come up, a rock-strewn plain of gritty loose soil and short, sparse vegetation.

Approaching Trapper Peak. Trail No. 133 (R). Photo looks W.
East Trapper Peak from the saddle. Photo looks NE.

Before heading for Trapper Peak’s summit, Lupe ventured over to the N edge of the saddle.  Here, beyond a giant cirque, was a tremendous view of a series of rugged peaks and jagged ridges extending from North Trapper Peak (9,801 ft.) all the way to El Capitan (9,983 ft.).

El Capitan (far L) and North Trapper Peak (far R). Photo looks NNW.

At the W end of the saddle, the official Trapper Peak trail vanished as far as SPHP could tell.  Two high points were visible ahead, the more distant one clearly higher than than the one Lupe faced at the moment.  Gonna be slow going!  All talus from here on.

At the W end of the saddle, approaching the talus-covered slopes leading to the summit. Photo looks W.

Lupe hadn’t seen anyone along the entire Baker Lake route except right at Baker Lake, but the official Trapper Peak trail was busy.  Hikers were coming and going.  From here, most seemed to head W right over this first high point.  Following their example, Looper did the same.

On the talus slope leading to the first high point. Photo looks W.

From the top, which turned out to be a series of mini high points along a talus ridge modestly higher toward the W, the next high point ahead was in full view.  Definitely the true summit!  Whether coming up onto this first ridge was really the best route or not seemed doubtful.  At the W end, the American Dingo faced a short, but very steep down climb in big talus to get to a minor saddle leading to the final ascent.

Maybe it would have been better to stay lower simply skirting this ridge to the S?  Hard to say.  Didn’t matter now.  Lupe did what she had to do.

True summit of Trapper Peak (Center) from the first high point. Photo looks WNW.
East Trapper Peak (L) from the E end of the first high point. Photo looks ENE.
At the W end of the first high point with the final ascent dead ahead! Getting down to the saddle leading to it was trickier than it looks. Photo looks NW.

8-15-20, 1:18 PM, Trapper Peak – Made it!  Well, almost.  Having scrambled up from the S, Lupe was now a little SW of the true summit, maybe 20 or 25 feet below it.  Quite a few people around.  Lots up on top.  Still early, the Carolina Dog could wait for them to clear out.  Time for a rest, anyway.  Except for a bit of haziness, the weather was perfect.

Hah!  That was SPHP’s opinion.  The American Dingo was hot.  While SPHP found a perch from which to enjoy the views, Loop searched for a comfortable spot with a bit of shade.  None!  Giving up on finding any, Lupe finally plunked herself down on a patch of dirt to pant and snap at flies.  A couple bowls of water provided at least some relief.

Don’t happen to have a parasol in that backpack, do you, SPHP?

A little SW of where Lupe and SPHP were hanging out, an airy platform of rock provided a tremendous vantage point.  Like the true summit, it was occupied.  However, when it eventually opened up, Loop went over that way for a look around.

Airy platform (L) before it got vacated. Photo looks W.
Due to some big cracks, as close to the airy platform as Loop got. Photo looks W.

To the S and SW, Boulder Peak (9,804 ft.), East Boulder Peak (9,480 ft.) and HP9587 stood out.  Beyond them a huge expanse of lesser peaks and ridges stretched to the horizon.

HP9578 (L), East Boulder Peak (Center) and Boulder Peak (R). Photo looks SSW.
HP9578. Photo looks S with help from the telephoto lens.

Due N, and more than 2,500 feet lower, a good chunk of Cave Lake was visible.  Sugarloaf Peak (9,586 ft.) towered a couple of ridges past it, while El Capitan (9,983 ft.) dominated the scene farther NNW.

Cave Lake (R of Center), Sugarloaf Peak (Center), & El Capitan (far L). Photo looks N.
El Capitan. Photo looks NW with help from the telephoto lens.
Looking WNW.
Summit from close to the airy platform. Photo looks NE.

People continually came and went.  Most stayed up at the true summit only a little while before moving on, but a few lingered for a long time.  Lupe was patient, but the summit was never unoccupied.  More than 1.5 hours drifted by.

Alright.  Ready or not, maybe it was time for action?  Despite a couple in the middle of enjoying a picnic up there, SPHP encouraged Loopster to proceed.  On a mountain this busy, complete privacy was a luxury.

Guess we’re going to go barge in at the top now! Photo looks NE.
Looking back on the way to the true summit. Photo looks WSW.
Memorial stone near the summit.

Looper got high, very high!  But not quite all the way to the tippy top yet.  East Trapper Peak was in view again, and so was the entire SE ridge that the official Trapper Peak trail comes up.

East Trapper Peak (L of Center) and the first high point on the way up (R of Center). Photo looks E.
Trail No. 133 comes up the long slope in the foreground. Photo looks SE.

Lupe and SPHP kept inching closer to the picnickers.  They finished eating, but the woman started calling people on her cell phone.  Meanwhile, Loopster discovered a survey benchmark, and got up on one of the very highest rocks.

The first of 2 survey benchmarks Lupe found on Trapper Peak.
Just a foot or two lower than the true summit. Photo looks WNW.

Lupe had been waiting for a turn on the summit rock for nearly 2 hours now.  The couple was sitting right next to it.  SPHP finally apologized for the intrusion, as Loop leapt up to the true summit.  Close to the highest point, another survey benchmark was attached to this rock.

True summit of Trapper Peak. El Capitan (Center) in the distance. Photo looks NW.
The “Trapper” survey benchmark.
How’s this for a view? We’re higher than El Capitan (Center) and everything else around here! Photo looks NW.

Fortunately, the couple was friendly.  They didn’t mind Lupe being up here, too.  The American Dingo took the liberty of going past them to get over to the best view of North and East Trapper Peaks.

East Trapper Peak (R). Photo looks NE.
North Trapper Peak (L) and East Trapper Peak (R). Photo looks NE.
More of the chasm between them. Photo looks NE.

Unfortunately, the phone conversations quickly headed S.  Suddenly, the woman was weeping as she spoke with her mother.  Awkward, but the situation didn’t last.  Trapper Peak’s joyful mood had been ruined for the couple.  They left, heading down the mountain.

Sad that their Trapper Peak experience ended that way, but it worked for Lupe.  For the first time she had the true summit all to herself.  Still people not too far away, so the Carolina Dog better enjoy it while she could.

In dramatic solitude at the true summit! Photo looks NE.
More of the summit region. Photo looks NE.
Looking WSW now.
Looking W with help from the telephoto lens.

8-15-20, 3:29 PM, Trapper Peak – The true summit photo shoot hadn’t taken long, but Loop had now been at or near the top of Trapper Peak for over 2 fabulous hours.  So this was it, the inevitable moment of truth.

On Trapper Peak.

While the return was simply a matter of retracing the same basic Baker Lake route, Lupe changed things up a bit, making new discoveries and having new experiences along the way.

After scrambling down to the little saddle between Trapper Peak and the first high point to the E, Loop followed a trail S, losing elevation instead of going up and over that talus ridge.  Once she turned E, cairns were all over the place, but still no path.  Just a jumble of large talus, same as the ridgeline had been.

So, no matter which route was taken, it was simply a time-consuming talus trek over to the big saddle W of East Trapper Peak.  Once Lupe got there, instead of jumping on the official Trapper Peak trail to start down the enormous SE slope, Lupe climbed East Trapper Peak (9,928 ft.).  This was easily accomplished from close to the SE end of the summit ridge where she didn’t have to do much scrambling.

For no more effort than it took, the side jaunt up East Trapper Peak was very worthwhile!  The views of Trapper Peak were splendid, and even Baker Lake and most of the route back to it were visible from up here.

Trapper Peak from East Trapper Peak. Photo looks WSW.
North Trapper Peak (Center) and El Capitan (far L). Photo looks N.
East Trapper Peak summit region with Trapper Peak in the background. Photo looks WSW.
Baker Lake (L). The route back circles along the top of the cliff line. Photo looks ESE.

During the return, those boots started bothering SPHP’s paws again.  Lupe suffered no such inconveniences.  Once back in the forest, the Carolina Dog had a blast racing about searching for squirrels, while SPHP hobbled after her.

The talus ridge at HP8768 was easily avoided.  However, this success was completely overshadowed by a mistake SPHP made descending the very steep slope leading down to Baker Lake.

Instead of staying toward the E (R), halfway down SPHP led Loop down a path more to the W.  This missed the nice trek on the slabs Lupe had taken earlier in the day that would have gotten her back to Baker Lake with little difficulty.  The American Dingo dropped much further down into a jungle of deadfall, boulders, bogs, and hollows.  SPHP endured a lot of useless thrashing about before reaching the S shore of Baker Lake.

8-15-20, 8:40 PM, Baker Lake trailhead – Whew!  What a day!  Even Lupe was acting tired as SPHP limped gingerly to the G6.  The Trapper Peak adventure wasn’t over yet.  One more thing to do.  After getting Loopster fed and the pack stuffed back into the G6, SPHP opened a Coke and a box of Dots, then turned the key.

In the morning, vehicles would be coming up super narrow USFS Road No. 5634.  Now was the time to get back down to the highway.  Twilight faded to black on the 8 mile Coke slurping, Dot munching journey back to USFS Road No. 363.  Slowly, cautiously!  Still took a long time, but the experience was much less nerve-wracking in the dark without those daunting views or oncoming vehicles to worry about.

Success!  Took the better part of an hour, but so what?  The American Dingo could now spend the night twitching and dreaming of her Trapper Peak adventures at the access area along the beautiful W Fork of the Bitterroot River.  And why not?  That was SPHP’s plan, too.

Trapper Peak, Bitterroot Range, Montana 8-15-20

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Black Hills, SD Expedition No. 262 – Peak 5400 & Pillar Peak (1-13-21)

9:03 AM, 37ºF, Camp 5 Road trailhead off Hwy 14A W of Boulder Park – Overcast, but warm for the middle of January.  Last warm day before a giant Canadian air mass was supposed to come howling in out of the N.  Dead calm at the moment, and about time to get New Year 2021 off to a good start!  The American Dingo was rarin’ to go!

Lupe had been here once before, years ago.  SPHP couldn’t remember exactly when, but the big, empty trailhead seemed completely familiar.  Anxious to get underway, Loop set off heading SE down Camp 5 Road.  She soon crossed a dry wash at the bottom of the Box Elder Creek drainage.  Camp 5 Road then curved SW on a short uphill stretch, before leveling out at a meadow 0.25 mile from the trailhead.  Roads branched out in various directions.

This place seemed familiar, too.

At the Camp 5 Road trailhead ready for the first Black Hills, SD expedition of 2021!
Starting out along Camp 5 Road, aka USFS Road No. 172 at this point.
Approaching the Box Elder Creek drainage. Photo looks S.

Camp 5 Road resumed its SE course here, branching off to the L.  Lost Gulch Road continued straight ahead, while a lesser road curved off to the NW a bit beyond this junction.

Which way, SPHP?  Where are we going?

Straight ahead, Loop!  Lost Gulch Road!  Thought we’d kick off 2021 with a mountain you’ve never been to before, mighty Peak 5400!

What’s so mighty about it?

Who knows?  We’ll find out when we get there.  Lists of John says it has 360 feet of prominence, which is about all I know about it, unless you remember what it looks like?

Remember what it looks like?  Have we seen it before, SPHP?

Yeah, a long time ago, from Pillar Peak (5,469 ft.).

In the meadow where Camp 5 Road forks off to the L. Lupe continued straight on Lost Gulch Road, aka USFS Road No. 172.1. Photo looks SW.

Pillar Peak (5,469 ft.)!  Pillar Peak had been ages ago!  Well, maybe just one age ago.  Lupe had first climbed Pillar Peak an overcast day way back in February, 2015.  Pillar Peak had the distinction of being the first post SPHP had ever written for The (Mostly) True Adventures of Lupe.

Of course, Lupe had already gotten up to Black Hills expedition No. 120 by then, so there had been an illustrious, still little known prior age, too.

Lost Gulch Road curved W heading up into a forested valley.  Had Loop been this way before?  SPHP was almost certain she had, but nothing along in here rang a bell.  After going 0.5 mile W, Lost Gulch Road curved S (L) at a snowy junction with USFS Road No. 804.

0.25 mile farther, and Lost Gulch Road bent E as it passed a ravine.  SPHP stopped to check the map.  Yeah, this must be it.  Time to leave the road.  Lupe headed SW up the SE side of the ravine.

About to leave Lost Gulch Road. Photo looks SSW.
Heading up the SE side of the ravine. Photo looks WSW.

The Carolina Dog didn’t get far at all before reaching a narrow, deep side ravine coming down from the S.  Since Loop was already well above the bottom of this drainage, it was blocking further advance SW.  Instead of descending into it, Lupe turned S climbing along the side of the steep hill E of this new ravine.

No point in going all the way to the top of this first hill, though.  What Lupe really needed was to get over to the W side of the ravine.  Avoiding additional elevation gain, Loop continued S on a steep slope littered with loose pine needles. The ravine soon rose to Loopster’s level, permitting her to follow the bottom of it higher.

Going up the narrow side ravine. Photo looks S.

Loopster got only a little higher before the ravine widened and started leveling out to some degree.  She could easily continue SW from here, and began a moderately steep climb.  Before long a clearing with a bit of a view appeared.  Crook Mountain (4,930 ft.) was in sight off to the N.

At the first viewpoint. Crook Mountain (L). Photo looks NNE.

Lupe was now somewhere ENE of unseen HP5082 way out near the far NE end of Peak 5400’s long N ridge.  Continuing SW, she soon came to the S edge of the ridge.  Veteran Peak (5,333 ft.) was visible among other hills to the SE.

Veteran Peak (Center) on the horizon. Photo looks SE.

Continuing W along the S or SE edge of the ridge, Lupe came to a series of rock outcroppings providing viewpoints.  She caught a glimpse of Bear Butte (4,422 ft.), and shortly after that a half-way decent look at Peak 5400 itself.

Bear Butte (Center). Photo looks NE with help from the telephoto lens.
Hey! We’re making progress! Peak 5400 dead ahead! Photo looks SW.

Although Peak 5400’s summit was still 0.67 mile away, Lupe had already gained most of the elevation she needed to in order to get there.  As a result, the remaining ridge trek was pretty easy.  Surprisingly scenic, too!  Lots of nice views to enjoy from interesting rock formations along the SE edge.  Even the middle of the ridge was often much more open than SPHP had been anticipating.

Somewhere along the way, Lupe passed or went over HP5082, but exactly when and where that occurred wasn’t entirely clear.

At a rocky clearing. Photo looks W.
Another glimpse of Bear Butte (Center). Photo looks NE.
Approaching one of the larger rock formations. Photo looks SW.

As the ridge turned S, it broadened out and the rate of climb decreased.  Soon the forested summit came into sight beyond a big open region.

Getting close now! Photo looks S.
True summit dead ahead, somewhere up in the trees. Photo looks S.

Windy up here!  That Canadian air mass must be moving in sooner than expected.  Carolina Dogs don’t care much for wind, but the terrific views from Peak 5400 were so totally unexpected that Lupe was willing to put up with it to some extent.

The panorama encompassing Bear Butte (4,422 ft.), Deadman Mountain (4,933 ft.), and the prairies E of the Black Hills was incredible, but Pillar Peak (5,469 ft.) and Terry Peak (7,064 ft.) off to the W were even more eye-catching.

Bear Butte (L) and Deadman Mountain (R). Photo looks ENE.
Hey, there’s Terry Peak (L) and our old friend, Pillar Peak (R)! Photo looks WSW.
Terry Peak (Center) and Pillar Peak (R). Photo looks WSW.
Hurry up and take the shot, SPHP! Before I get blown away would be nice! Terry Peak (L) and Pillar Peak (Center). Photo looks W.

Leaving the scenic, but annoyingly windy W edge of the mountain, Loop headed SE intent upon finding both shelter and Peak 5400’s true summit hidden somewhere not too far away in the pine forest.  SPHP figured the top would probably be just a big non-descript flat spot buried among the trees, but that turned out not to be the case at all.

The Carolina Dog didn’t have to go very far into the forest before the terrain sloped sharply up to a long, narrow ridge of rock.  Reaching it near its WNW end, Lupe immediately discovered a loose collection of rocks piled against a much bigger rock perched at a sharp slant.  On the other side was a precipitous 20 foot drop.

Although several stones along the crest of this minor ridge appeared almost as high, it was pretty clear that the American Dingo had already found the true summit of Peak 5400.

This is it! The top of Peak 5400! Photo looks WNW.

Not quite high enough to be above the treetops, the summit ridge did provide some protection from the wind, but it was still rather breezy.  Views were open to the N and W, but not to the S or E.  Nearby Pillar Peak and much more distant Terry Peak again stood out among many other hills and mountains in sight.

Finding a reasonably comfortable spot among the rocks, Lupe curled up on SPHP’s lap, enjoying a snack while taking it all in.

Pillar Peak (L) and in the foreground. Mount Theodore Roosevelt (5,680 ft.) (L of Center) in the distance. Photo looks WNW with help from the telephoto lens.
Terry Peak (Center). Photo looks WSW.
Peak 5400’s rocky summit ridge, which was roughly 200 feet long. Photo looks SE.

After nearly half an hour, Loopster was ready to move on.  There was more to Peak 5400 that she wanted to explore.  Traveling ESE along the summit ridge, she found a way down below the line of small cliffs, intent upon seeing what things looked like from down here.  Sniffing her way along the base of the cliffs, she discovered they were tallest toward the W and gradually petered out toward the E.

So this is what it’s like on the S side of the ridge! Photo looks WNW.

With the summit ridge more or less fully explored now, Lupe headed S across a snowy field full of bushes and young aspens.  Turning W, she quickly came to more rock formations.  Custer Peak (6,804 ft.) was visible on the horizon.

Fair amount of territory to explore up here on Peak 5400! Let’s check it out! Photo looks SE.
Custer Peak (Center) on the horizon. Bear Den Mountain (5,642 ft.) (L). Photo looks SW.
Zoomed in a little more.
Custer Peak (Center). Photo looks SW with lots of help from the telephoto lens.

A 15 foot scramble up onto the top of this rock formation revealed that Lupe was now perched along the upper rim of a line of much taller cliffs offering a slightly different perspective on Pillar Peak.

Pillar Peak (L of Center) from another line of cliffs. Photo looks WNW.

There was even more to see!  Exploring back to the E now, Lupe came to yet another sweet view of Bear Butte (4,422 ft.).

Mighty nice, aye? Bear Butte (Center). Photo looks NE.

Peak 5400’s SW ridge would get Lupe over to Pillar Peak, so she decided to explore it, too.  Passing more nifty rock formations along the way, the Carolina Dog eventually made it to USFS Road No. 804, which went over the saddle leading to Pillar Peak.

Cool rock formations near the start of the SW ridge. Photo looks SSE.
At USFS Road No. 804 in the saddle leading to Pillar Peak. Photo looks NW.

Crossing the road, Lupe started up Pillar Peak’s SE ridge.  After reaching an initial high point, she paused for a look back at Peak 5400.

That’s where we were! Peak 5400 right behind me! Photo looks E.

Pillar Peak’s SE ridge was a lot different than Peak 5400’s SW ridge.  Instead of easily avoided rock formations and a trek through a snowy pine forest, Lupe had to force her way through dense stands of bushes, young aspens, rotting deadfall, and a jumble of medium-sized rocks.

The slope was easy enough at first, leveled out for a bit, then steepened.  Loop even had to do a bit of scrambling before she finally reached more open territory where things got easier again.  A cake walk stroll up a gentle slope of small bushes and minor deadfall got her to the top of a rocky knoll.  Pillar Peak’s summit was now in sight again just a few hundred feet away.

Approaching Pillar Peak’s summit. Photo looks NW.

Nearly 6 years after climbing Pillar Peak (5,469 ft.) for the first time, Lupe again stood at the true summit.  Nothing to block the views in any direction up here, but the Carolina Dog wasn’t having much fun.  Braced against a 20+ mph NW wind, she just wanted SPHP to hurry up and take that blasted photo!

Terry Peak (R) from the true summit of Pillar Peak. Photo looks SW.

Time for another break anyway.  After one quick shot, Loop and SPHP abandoned the top of the mountain, retreating 15 or 20 feet down the S side of the summit.  With a wall of granite to block the wind, conditions weren’t bad at all.  For a while, Lupe curled up on SPHP’s lap again, a couple of eagerly anticipated chocolate coconut bars making life sweet.

Out of the wind, thinking deep thoughts.
Wouldn’t happen to have any more chocolate coconut bars, would you, SPHP? Peak 5400 (L of Center). Photo looks ESE.

A pleasant break, but once supplies ran out, not much use in prolonging it.  The wind was only supposed to get worse, turning into a complete gale later this evening.  Pillar Peak was awesome, though!  The roomy summit region featured a maze of grassy lanes running between minor rock formations providing a variety of excellent vantage points.

So Looper wasn’t going to just cut and run.  Conditions would have to be worse than this for that to happen!  Instead, she returned to the summit, for at least one good look around.  The wind came in powerful sudden gusts, so she often really had to brace herself.

Looking NW.
The big view. Terry Peak (L of Center). Photo looks WSW.
Terry Peak (Center). Photo looks WSW with lots of help from the telephoto lens.
W end of Pillar Peak’s summit region. Terry Peak (Center) on the horizon. Photo looks WSW.

To the N, Whitewood Peak (5,120 ft.) and Crook Mountain (4,930 ft.) were easily identifiable.  Off to the NW was a less readily recognized peak.  Green Mountain (5,325 ft.)?  Probably, but SPHP wasn’t certain.

Whitewood Peak (far L) and Crook Mountain (R) behind Lupe. Photo looks N.
Green Mountain (?) (far L), and Whitewood Peak (R). Photo looks NNW.

In the opposite direction, Bear Den Mountain (5,642 ft.) was visible to the S.  And, of course, Peak 5400 was off to the E.

Bear Den Mountain (R). Photo looks S.
Peak 5400 (Center). Photo looks ESE.

And that was about all the wind Loopster was willing to put up with.  A brief, final return to the true summit rock, and she was on her way.

Final moments atop Pillar Peak.
Leaving Pillar Peak (R). Photo looks W.
Last glance back.

Instead of going down Pillar Peak’s messy SE ridge the way she’d come up, the Carolina Dog went S down a steeper slope to the first saddle leading to Dome Mountain (5,512 ft.).  From here, Lupe headed SE down a wide, snowy valley to pick up USFS Road No. 804.

Once on the road, the rest was easy.  Lupe followed No. 804 over the saddle between Pillar Peak and Peak 5400, and started down the other side.  No. 804 would eventually take her down Pillar Peak’s long NE ridge, before linking back up with Lost Gulch Road.

USFS Road No. 804.

Well, it seemed the American Dingo’s first Black Hills expedition of 2021 had been a success!  The wind was scarcely noticeable down here, and the return was a happy, peaceful time.  No. 804 was a quiet, secluded trek, with a few whitetail deer thrown in for a bit of excitement.

4:13 PM, 52ºF, Camp 5 Road trailhead – Back to the G6 before sunset!  Unusual this time of year.  Twilight hadn’t completely faded by the time Lupe got home.  Good thing the Carolina Dog had gotten out today!  An hour after arriving home, the Canadian cold front arrived full strength.

80 mph gusts!  All night long the world moaned.  The whole house shook, as Lupe lay twitching as she dreamed.  Dreaming, perhaps, of a mighty American Dingo astride a lonely summit forever battered by the breeze.

On Pillar Peak, Black Hills of South Dakota 1-13-21

Links:

Next Black Hills Expedition                  Prior Black Hills Expedition

Black Hills, SD Expedition No. 120 – Pillar Peak (2-20-15)

Black Hills, SD Expedition No. 122 – Bear Den Mountain, Anchor Hill, Dome Mountain & Pillar Peak (3-14-15)

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