Kusawa Ridge, Kluane Plateau, Yukon Territory, Canada (8-16-22)

Days 17 & 18 of Lupe’s 2nd Summer of 2022 Dingo Vacation to Canada & Alaska!

8-15-22, 12:40 PM, 64ºF – After an early constitutional along the ridge overlooking the N end of Atlin Lake, Lupe spent the rest of the morning snoozing peacefully on her pink blanket in the RAV4.  Tiring of the trip journal, SPHP put it away.  Enough of that!  Time to move on.

Cloudy and cooler today, so not much was in the works.  Driving N on Hwy No. 7, SPHP eventually turned W on the Alaska Highway.  After a couple of stops for supplies and fuel ($1.859 CAN/liter) in Whitehorse, Eclipse Nordic Hot Springs was next.

I’m hungry, SPHP!  Can you at least give me something good to eat before you treat only yourself to the hot springs?

Hah!  You’re in luck, Loop!  Picked up a barbecued chicken in Whitehorse.  Let’s do it some damage before I go get cleaned up.

I’ll gladly help you with that chicken, SPHP!  Say, this place looks vaguely familiar.  Have we been here before?

Yes, several times.  Used to be Takhini Hot Springs, but since we were last here a few years ago, they tore that facility down.  Their fancy schmancy brand new one is open now with its glittery new name.

After hiring the water taxi to take us to Birch Mountain (6,765 ft.), can you still afford it, SPHP?  Looks pretty ritzy.

Hope so.  If not, I’ll be back sooner than you think, Looper.

Splurge, if you have to, SPHP.  Removing a few layers of that topsoil you’re wearing wouldn’t hurt a thing!

SPHP did splurge.  Eclipse Nordic Hot Springs was now quite a swanky joint compared to the old Takhini Hot Springs.  Sadly, prices reflected this change, but management clearly had a considerable investment to recoup.  SPHP spent the better part of an hour soaking in the largest of 3 hot pools to choose from.  Medium hot, it was the clear favorite of today’s guests.

How was it, SPHP?  I must say, you do sniff a lot better now!

Very relaxing, Loop.  Enjoyed it!  Best to get here early in the day, though, if you want to save money.  Paid the $29 CAN afternoon price.  Only $19 CAN in the morning, $39 CAN in the evening.  That’s my hot pool, hot tip of the day for Whitehorse travelers!

Felt fantastic to be clean again!  Returning to the Alaska Highway, SPHP continued the drive W.

8-15-22, 8:41 PM – The turn S off the Alaska Highway came 65 km W of Whitehorse on a wide gravel road 2 km past a rest area.  The RAV4 was now close to 20 km in, parked on a bluff overlooking Kusawa Lake.  The sky was still gray and glum, but Lupe was in fine spirits.

At Kusawa Lake. Photo looks S.

Wow!  We get to stay here tonight, SPHP?  Look at how close we are to the lake!

Yup!  Kusawa Lake is a lot bigger than it looks, too, Loop.  We’re not far from where the Takhini River flows out the N end, so we only see a small fraction of it here.  Kusawa Lake is one of these unbelievably long, skinny Canadian lakes that winds for miles back into the mountains.

Oh!  Are we going to take another water taxi tomorrow then, SPHP?

Nope.  Weather permitting, the plan is to climb Kusawa Ridge (5,085 ft.).  It’s a popular hike only a few km from here to get to a big view of the lake from on high.  Actually hoping we’ll be able to go on to Peak 6400+, too.  Should be some great alpine territory to roam, if we can get that far.

I love the alpine tundra, SPHP!

I know!  Me, too, Loop.  Ready for dinner yet?  With this S breeze coming off the lake, don’t think it makes sense to try to heat anything up.  We could polish off the rest of the barbeque chicken, though.

If I must, I must, SPHP.  Bring it on!

8-16-22 – Morning didn’t bring much of a change.  Beneath an overcast sky, the air was cool, a chilly breeze still sweeping across Kusawa Lake.  By 11:00 AM, though, the day was starting to brighten and warm up.  Sick of writing, SPHP stashed the trip journal again.

Sort of a late start, Looper, but maybe now’s our chance!  Kusawa Ridge?

The American Dingo was all for it.

8-16-22 – Driving S past a campground, the main road came to a “T”.  Consulting directions, SPHP turned R (W).  After going around a bend, the road continued S.  An ancient cabin soon appeared on the L (E), just before a bridge over a good-sized stream.  SPHP parked the RAV4 in an empty spot big enough for several vehicles opposite the cabin.

Lupe leapt out.  No signage at all, but, sure enough, a wide path headed W into the forest.

At the “T” in the main road where SPHP turned R.
The cabin directly opposite the Kusawa Ridge trailhead.

8-16-22, 12:03 PM, 61ºF, Kusawa Ridge trailhead – The sun was trying to break through the cloud cover as Lupe set off.   Happily, just enough of a breeze here to keep the bugs away.  The Carolina Dog barely got started on the broad, smooth path when she came to a small, sandy clearing with a stone campfire ring.

One minute in at the campfire ring. Photo looks W.

The level path went right on past the campfire ring, and the American Dingo did, too.  Lupe hadn’t gone much farther when the path began veering N (R).  Seemed a bit odd, since the route to Kusawa Ridge was supposed to follow the stream off to the S.  However, the path was clear and wide, and SPHP hadn’t noticed any other.

Anticipating this jog N was temporary, SPHP expected the trail to curve SW back toward the stream at any moment.  Instead, it persisted in its course N.  When Lupe got so far that the stream couldn’t be heard any more, SPHP became suspicious.

Hang on, Loop!  This can’t be right!  We’re going the wrong way.

We’re lost already, SPHP?  We’ve barely started!

I know, but I just assumed this big, wide path was the way to go.  Instead, we’re heading directly away from the stream we’re supposed to follow.

Well, what about this path, SPHP?  Maybe this is the way, or would you rather go back to the stream?

For the first time, SPHP noticed a side trail Lupe had spotted that headed WSW off the main one.

Never mind!  This must be the way, Loop!  Glad you saw it!

Taking the faint side trail, it wound mostly W or SW through an open forest full of scattered boulders and a fair amount of deadfall.  Gradually gaining elevation, the terrain was interesting, allowing Lupe to explore a series of small ridges and valleys.  At times the trail nearly faded away completely, but with careful examination, it was always found again.

On one of the largest boulders in the forest. Photo looks WNW.
Following the crest of a minor ridge. Photo looks NW.

Something still wasn’t right!  The Kusawa Ridge route was supposed to start off following the stream for 1.6 km, but the trail went on and on, and Lupe still couldn’t even hear it.  Well, no matter.  Sooner or later, she’d either have to run into the stream, or Kusawa Ridge itself.

Sure enough, the American Dingo finally did reach a steep bank, nearly a cliff, overlooking the stream.  There was a much clearer trail here.

Back on track along the N bank of the stream. Photo looks SE.

Alright, think we’re back on track now, SPHP!

Yeah, we must have messed up somehow way back near the start, Loop.  Think the faint route we followed here must be the way other lost souls have gone, too.  Maybe we can figure it all out on the way back?

No worries, SPHP!  The way we went was fine.  I enjoyed it!  Onward!

Turned out, Lupe had rediscovered the main trail only a short distance from the base of Kusawa Ridge.  Here, a gritty path started up a very steep slope.  After an initial climb, things got easier, improving further as the Carolina Dog reached young aspens up on the broad ridge.

Near the top of the initial gritty climb at the toe of Kusawa Ridge. Photo looks N.
Just getting started! Kusawa Lake and Mount Coudert on the opposite shore. Photo looks SE.

The Kusawa Ridge trail featured a few level stretches, but most of the time, Lupe climbed at a good clip as the trail wound through the aspens past scenic boulders of moderate size.  Curiously enough, the trail itself wasn’t particularly rocky.

The day was now sunny and warm.  SPHP was shedding layers.  Loop soon felt overheated in her fur coat, too, and began pawing SPHP’s legs wanting to stop.  Coming to a slab of bedrock in the shade of a spruce tree, a short break was taken.  While SPHP finished stripping down to a T-shirt, Lupe had a drink of water, followed up with some Taste of the Wild.  SPHP munched on trail mix.

No one had been at the trailhead, and Lupe hadn’t seen anyone since then, either, but soon voices could be heard below.  Apparently a nice, sunny day meant company.  Setting off again before anyone appeared, Lupe continued up the ridge.

The climb up Kusawa Ridge (5,085 ft.) was straightforward.  Beneath a bright blue sky and puffy white clouds, Lupe followed the trail NNW, steadily gaining elevation.  Two big knobs were soon visible ahead.  As the American Dingo continued higher, Peak 6400+ came into view past the deep valley the creek went up.

The two big knobs come into view. Photo looks NW.
Peak 6400+ (Center). Photo looks WNW.
Approaching the two knobs. Photo looks NNW.

People were now visible coming up the trail, but Lupe maintained her lead.  The first knob turned out to be merely a flatter region wider than the rest of the ridge.  Looked like there might be some nice viewpoints overlooking Kusawa Lake off to the E, but the Carolina Dog didn’t check them out.  Most of the trail already offered great views of the lake.

Continuing toward the second knob, the trail crossed an unusual region of exposed bedrock before starting to climb more steeply again.  By now, blue sky was vanishing, and the breeze suddenly felt colder and stronger with each step.  No longer T-shirt weather, SPHP began layering up.

On the exposed bedrock, heading for the second knob. Photo looks NNW.

Approaching the second knob, the terrain got steeper and rockier, Lupe made good progress climbing a grassier slope W of rock formations.  It began to look like the American Dingo would reach the top any minute now, but higher ground kept appearing ahead.

Approaching some rock formations. Photo looks NNW.
Climbing the second knob. Photo looks NNW.

By now the trail was only intermittent.  There was no top to the second knob.  It was all an illusion!  Lupe kept climbing from one false summit to the next.  Continuing to gain strength, the wind felt colder and colder.  Loopster finally reached a flat region.  A depression surrounded by tall vegetation appeared to be the dried up remnant of a small tarn.

Although it was tempting to seek shelter from the wind here, Loop kept going, skirting around the E side of the depression without entering it.

Still climbing. Not enjoying the wind. Photo looks NW.
Near the depression. Photo looks NNW.

The depression was nearly the end.  Climbing the hill beyond it among dark rocks, the terrain then began to flatten out, the rate of climb greatly diminished.  Lupe reached a series of minor false summits.  A top was now visible ahead.  Two of them, actually, but the American Dingo didn’t need to get to HP5949, the much higher and more distant one.  She was already nearly to the region considered the high point of Kusawa Ridge.

HP5929 (L of Center). Area considered the high point of Kusawa Ridge directly ahead. Photo looks NNW.

8-16-22, 3:15 PM, 46ºF, Kusawa Ridge (5,085 ft.) – The wind was 30-35 mph out of the SW as Lupe reached a cairn.  The absolute high point of this region was still a few minutes farther, but the wind was so chilly and annoying, the Carolina Dog didn’t go all the way to it right away.

Instead, after paying the cairn a brief visit, she headed over to the E side of the ridge, descending a little bit to escape the worst of the wind.  This was where the best views of Kusawa Lake were, anyway.

By the cairn. HP5949 (L). Photo looks N.
Kusawa Lake from the E edge. Photo looks SSE.

While taking a short break here, a boy or 8 or 9 arrived at the cairn with his father.  Spotting Lupe, the boy came running over wanting to pet her, an act of kindness the Carolina Dog was happy to oblige.  The boy and his father soon left, though, after a few quick photos.  Lupe and SPHP were alone again in the wild breeze beneath a dark sky.

The views were impressive, although perhaps not at their finest on such a gloomy day.  Lupe could see the entire 9 mile long N section of Kusawa Lake, all the way S from where the Takhini River left it at the N end clear down to where the lake curved out of sight behind the mountains.

Takhini River (L), N end of Takhini Lake (R). Peak 6212 (beyond Lupe) and Vanier Peak (6,049 ft.) (R) with Mount Ingram (7,047 ft.) in the distance between them. Peak 6995 (far R). Photo looks NE.
Kusawa Lake from the break spot. Photo looks SSE.

Hard to believe we’re only seeing a fraction of the lake from here, SPHP!

True enough, though, Loop!  This is only about a third of Kusawa Lake.

Still say we need a water taxi to really explore it then, SPHP.

Would be fun, Loop, but don’t believe there are any water taxis here.

As soon as the short rest break was over, Lupe continued NNW to tag the true summit of Kusawa Ridge.

Looking back at the first cairn (Center) before heading off to the true summit. Photo looks SSW.  

8-16-22, 3:44 PM, 46ºF, Kusawa Ridge – The true summit proved to be a minor rise of exposed bedrock with a small cairn and other loose rocks on it.  A huge, light gray boulder sitting farther N near the E edge bore a cairn, too, and was almost as high.  Lupe visited both, requiring a boost from SPHP to get up onto the boulder.

At the true summit of Kusawa Ridge. Boulder (L). Photo looks NNE.
Kusawa Lake from the true summit. Photo looks SSE.
On the light gray boulder. True summit (R). Photo looks SSE.

The views from the boulder were marvelous, but nearly identical to those at the break spot back near the first big cairn.  After spending only a minute or two enjoying them, Lupe leapt down.  One more high spot to visit!  A short stroll W got her to a slightly elevated region of tundra and scattered rocks.  No cairns, but this area was in contention for the title of true summit, too.

At the NW high point of Kusawa Ridge. HP5949 (R of Center). Photo looks NW.

Having little prominence, none of these Kusawa Ridge high points really meant much.  Lupe stood on this last one facing W.  Across a deep valley, Peak 6400+ was more than 1,300 feet higher than where she was now.

Peak 6400+ (R of Center). Photo looks W.

Not a tree or bush in sight!  Peak 6400+ was just a big rounded hill.  Lupe surveyed a vast region of open tundra that swept around to it, and even way beyond to other big hills.  It was all just the sort of fabulous alpine territory the American Dingo would ordinarily love to explore.

That had been the plan when the day was sunny and warm.  Venture on from Kusawa Ridge to the big saddle SW of HP5949, then head up Peak 6400+’s long NW slope clear to the summit.  Getting there would be a breeze, and Loopster would have such fun!

A breeze?  More like a gale, SPHP!  At 30-35 mph down here, no telling what kind of hurricane we’d run into up there!  Not doing it!  At least, not today!  You’ve got a nice, new rain jacket, but what about me?  If it starts raining, I’ll be soaked to the skin and freezing cold!  Do you want me to catch pneumonia?

The American Dingo was right.  Conditions were borderline unpleasant already.  Continuing on to Peak 6400+ was asking for trouble.  If it did start to rain, misery and hypothermia would almost certainly result.  Couldn’t rule it out, either, with the sky the way it was.

Reluctantly, a mere 35 minutes after Lupe reached the first big cairn, SPHP conceded the point.  May as well start back.

Starting down. Photo looks SSE.

While still in the high country, SPHP couldn’t help but gaze SW over to the many peaks Lupe might easily explore under better conditions.

Unexplored territory made for adventure! Photo looks SW.

If we ever come back, we could bring the tiny house with us, Looper.  A few days worth of supplies, and you could roam for miles!

Keep Peak 6400+ on my list of possibilities, SPHP!  Maybe someday we will!

The rather steep descent was easy and went fast, enjoying a fabulous view of Kusawa Lake ahead nearly all the way.  Not far from the top, Lupe did check out the depression this time around.  It truly did offer some protection from the wind.

In the depression. Photo looks N.
Heading down. Photo looks SSE.

Loss of elevation did, too.  The sky remained cloudy during the descent, but conditions steadily improved.  The wind died down, the air warmed up, and SPHP was shedding layers again.

Back down to a more hospitable clime. Photo looks SSE.

Once off Kusawa Ridge, this time, Lupe managed to follow the correct trail all the rest of the way back to the trailhead.  It stayed much closer to the stream than the one erroneously taken on the way up.  For a while it ran right along the edge of the steep N bank.  Several times SPHP had to grab hold of trees in order to get past sections that had collapsed into stream’s gaping, rocky ravine.

Most of the time, though, the trail stayed a little N of the ravine back in the forest.  The route was confusing, braided, and difficult to follow in places, which SPHP found surprising.  Looper, on the other paw, loved how it wound around, and often led the way.

Very curious on exactly where this route had been missed on the way up, SPHP was surprised again when Lupe suddenly came to the stone campfire ring in the sandy clearing only a minute from the trailhead.  The correct path, which veered toward the L (SW) here on the way in, was unmarked, and not at all obvious.  No wonder!

8-16-22, 5:16 PM, 62ºF, Kusawa Ridge trailhead – Perfect timing!  Two minutes after Lupe leapt back into the RAV4, it started to sprinkle.  SPHP drove N back to the same flat, grassy bluff overlooking Kusawa Lake where she’d spent last night.  The wind was blowing this way across the lake again, making heating anything up for dinner a pain.

Back at the grassy bluff overlooking Kusawa Lake. Photo looks S.

Want to share a can of salmon, Loop?  I don’t have to cook that.

You know I love salmon, SPHP!

Sharing salmon and Ritz crackers, Lupe and SPHP watched a storm move in.  Sprinkles gave way to mist.  Dusk brought whitecaps as rain swept Kusawa Lake, and a steady patter began on the roof of the RAV4.

Good thing Lupe hadn’t gone on to Peak 6400+, but at least she’d made it to Kusawa Ridge!

On Kusawa Ridge, Kluane Plateau, Yukon Territory, Canada 8-16-22

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Along the Long Road Home (9-12-18 thru 9-15-18)

Days 40 – 43 of Lupe’s 2018 Dingo Vacation to the Yukon, Northwest Territories & Alaska!

9-12-18, 9:07 AM, International Falls trailhead, South Klondike Highway – The Most High Exalted Dingo of the Arctic Sisterhood had been so lucky yesterday!  She’d finally made it to Peak 6053 on a cool, cloudy day.  Most fortunately, the clouds had been high enough not to interfere with any of the incredible views.  Different story this morning.  100% overcast, low ceiling, all the mountains in fog.

Didn’t matter now.  Peak 6053 had been the last grand hurrah of this Dingo Vacation.  SPHP’s feet were too sore to do anything today, even if the weather had been perfect.  The Carolina Dog wasn’t actually a ball of fire, either.  She seemed perfectly content resting on her pile of blankets and pillows gazing out the windows of the G6.

Lupe’s grand summer of 2018 was ending.  Time to head home.  Less than 1 km from the Alaska border, SPHP turned the key.  The G6 sprang to life.  2,300+ miles to go!  Mountain climbing was done.  Any further adventures along the way were going to be quick and easy.  At this point, that was perfectly fine with both Loop and SPHP.  A long, relaxing drive sounded delightful!

9:45 AM – Canadian customs was only 7.5 miles N on the South Klondike Highway from where Lupe had spent the night.  A short wait in line, and Lupe breezed through.  The long drive began in earnest.  Even from the road, the scenery was gorgeous.  Big mountains, huge lakes, forests, rivers, for mile after mile.

At Carcross, SPHP turned NE on Tagish Road (Highway 8).  It started to rain.  Still weary, the Carolina Dog passed out, snoozing peacefully to the rhythmic slapping of the windshield wipers.  From Jake’s Corner, the rest of the morning and all afternoon were spent cruising E on the Alaska Highway across the southern Yukon.  Lupe did get out for a short break from the G6 at Teslin Lake.  By then, the rain and clouds were long gone.

Miss Sleepyhead revives long enough for a quick sniff along Teslin Lake.
Fake wildlife at a campground next to the gas station in Teslin. No, wait! The American Dingo is real!

Highlights of the day didn’t occur for Lupe or SPHP until the Yukon had been left behind for good.  E of Watson Lake in British Columbia, wide swaths of forest were clear cut along both sides of the Alaska Highway.  Bison roamed wild on the open ground.  That snapped the Carolina Dog to attention!  Lupe saw 7 bison in all, each of them loners.  Naturally, each bison was cause for a hysterical foaming-at-the-mouth barkfest as the G6 raced on by.  What could be more fun?

SPHP’s big moment came at Liard River Hot Springs.  While Lupe waited in the G6, lucky SPHP got to soak in the beautiful outdoor pools.  Warm and clean again for the first time in forever felt heavenly!  Even SPHP’s sore feet were more or less cured by the soothing experience.

Out for a quick romp with a view of the Liard River.

Light was fading by the time SPHP returned from the hot springs.  Only 6 miles after crossing the Liard River, it was time to stop for the night.  The sky was completely clear, and the night promised to be a cold one.  The big show didn’t start until 10:45 PM.  For an hour, the Northern Lights entertained in a true dancing with the stars.

9-13-18, 5:23 AM, 23°F – Ice in Lupe’s water bowl!  After a quick foray out to sniff the chilly air, the Carolina Dog was on her way.  Still pretty dark.  Upon entering Muncho Lake Provincial Park, Looper became excited, barking and whimpering at something she either sniffed or saw out there that SPHP couldn’t detect yet.  More bison?  Maybe.

6:17 AM, 25°F – Muncho Lake is always worth a stop!  The park here has some beautiful peaks, but is so wild and remote that SPHP has never been able to find any information on whether any trails exist providing access to them.  Some fine day Lupe is going to climb a mountain in Muncho Lake Provincial Park!  That great peak at the S end of the lake would be ideal.

By Muncho Lake.
Impressive peaks in Muncho Lake Provincial Park.

The next stop came at a pullout after crossing the bridge over the Racing River.  18°F!  Despite the chilly air, Lupe was totally enthused!  This was a favorite place.  A short dirt road goes through a stretch of forest here where she often finds squirrels on the way to the river.

This morning the Racing River was the lowest Lupe had ever seen it, but still that fabulous icy blue color!

The Racing River between Muncho Lake and Stone Mountain Provincial Parks.

While driving over the bridge, SPHP had noticed some white mountains upstream that looked interesting.  After Lupe’s woodsy stroll to the river, SPHP drove back to the bridge for another look.  Upstream, a pickup truck was in sight parked near some trees.  Must be a road over there!

7:52 AM – Continuing across the bridge, sure enough, there was a side road.  SPHP pulled off the highway, parked again, and the lucky Carolina Dog got to go exploring for a second time.  A short trek through another forest brought her to a relatively open area near the Racing River.  The gleaming white mountains, sporting new snow, looked intriguing.

The scene was so beautiful, that Lupe got to extend her sniff upstream for another 10 minutes.  It appeared she could have followed dry parts of the riverbed for miles, getting much closer to the white mountains.  No time for that today, but this area was certainly worth researching for a future trip.

By the Racing River with the intriguing white mountains in sight. Photo looks SW.
Another look with help from the telephoto lens.
The Alaska Highway bridge over the Racing River. Photo looks NE.
Another look downstream from a little farther up the Racing River.
As close to the white mountains as Lupe went. Photo looks SW with lots of help from the telephoto lens.

Exploring along the Racing River had been fun!  Lupe didn’t have long to wait before there was more excitement.  Upon reaching Stone Mountain Provincial Park, she saw 3 caribou, but barked so fanatically from the G6 that the caribou disappeared before SPHP could get a photo.

A quick stop a mile later provided a grand view of Mount Saint George, which Lupe had nearly succeeded in getting to the top of back in 2017.

Mount Saint George (7,402 ft.) (L). Lupe had made it to the middle high point in 2017 before being forced to retreat due to threatening weather. Photo looks SSE.

9:38 AM, 32°F, Summit Lake, Stone Mountain Provincial Park – Must be an inversion up here.  The temperature was clear up to freezing!  SPHP had stopped at Summit Lake, the high point of the Alaska Highway in Stone Mountain Provincial Park, to let Lupe out for another look at Mount Saint George.  Lupe had successfully climbed both Summit Peak  and Mount Saint Paul from here in 2017.

Mount Saint George from Summit Lake. Photo looks SW.

The American Dingo’s busy morning continued on the way out of Stone Mountain Provincial Park.  More caribou, this time right on the highway, were cause for another barking frenzy.

Caribou on the Alaska Highway.
A recent poll shows that 4 out of 5 caribou don’t care to listen to shrill barking frenzies.

The caribou were just a warm-up for what came next.  Lupe just about busted a gut when a black bear appeared.  The black bear didn’t seem to know what to make of all this racket, but did not run off.  The huge bear appeared quite willing to go a round or two with a pip-squeak Dingo, if it dared to leave the safety of the G6.

American Dingoes are incredibly strong, brave, and ferocious!  Lupe would most certainly have torn that foolish bear to shreds, if SPHP hadn’t spared it by refusing to let her out and driving on.  Later in the day, a grizzly bear near Bonnie Creek S of Fort Nelson had sense enough to flee into the woods rather than take a chance that SPHP might relent and let the feisty Dingo prove her point.

Black bear E of Stone Mountain Provincial Park.
Bring it, Dingo!

Approaching Fort St. John, SPHP skipped the R turn onto Highway 29 to Chetwynd and Prince George.  Although this meant no more mountains on this Dingo Vacation, the Carolina Dog was going to get to travel through more than 1,000 miles of territory neither she nor SPHP had ever seen before.

5:00 PM, 32°F, Fort St. John – In a way, a strange day.  Despite clear skies, the temperature peaked at 47°F early in the afternoon.  Already down to freezing again at Fort St. John, and it stayed that way for many miles.

The Alaska Highway was busy from Fort St. John all the way to where it started in Dawson Creek.  The community of Taylor where the highway crossed the Peace River made a good impression.  A big oil refinery was there, but the whole town was impeccably neat and clean, and the Peace River setting was beautiful.

S of Taylor on the way to Dawson Creek, SPHP was surprised to find the seemingly endless northern forests greatly reduced already.  About half of the land had been cleared.  Hay seemed to be the big crop, although little livestock was seen from the road.  Lupe was thrilled to see a few cows and horses, though, and the G6 became a sporadically noisy place.  Her enthusiasm sometimes extended to huge rolled hay bales, too.

E of Dawson Creek on Hwy 49, the road straightened.  Lupe was now in Alberta.  Remaining woodlands became scarcer, and traffic dwindled.  SPHP drove under a cloud bank as the sun sank in the rear view mirror.  Light began to fade quickly.  Although the land was quite flat, it did slope gradually lower to the N.  Lupe could see a long way in that direction, all the way to the northern forest.

Many fields had snow in them.  In the dim light beneath the gray clouds, it looked and felt like November.  After passing Spirit Lake and Rycroft, SPHP parked for the night before getting to Wanham.  Happy to escape the G6 again, Lupe rolled in snow in the ditch to cool off.

9-14-18, 3:10 AM, 35°F, Hwy 49 – At least it hadn’t gotten any colder out.  3°F warmer, in fact.  SPHP walked along the dark highway, while Lupe sniffed near the ditch.  No stars.  Dead calm.  No traffic.  A coyote howled, and a dog at a farmhouse 0.5 mile N started barking.

7:08 AM, 32°F, Hwy 49 – Back to freezing again.  Another quick sniff outside, then on to the vast metropolis of Wanham!  The edge of the cloud Lupe was under was only a little way N, but it was soon left behind.

Morning along Highway 49 W of Wanham, Alberta.

S of Donnelly, SPHP continued straight at an intersection where Hwy 49 became Hwy 2.  A lovely drive through a mix of farms and woodlands ensued.  The woods began to dominate again.  Driving through forests with snow on the ground, it felt like Christmas was coming.

Highway 2.

10:15 AM, 35°F, Canyon Creek harbor, Lesser Slave Lake – Eventually Hwy 2 had taken Lupe E through the forests S of Lesser Slave Lake.  The big lake was the most interesting natural feature on the map between the mountains and home, so the Carolina Dog simply had to stop for a look.  Waves lapped gently along the shoreline.  The day was gray and calm, peaceful except for the raucous activity of seagulls.

Clearly, a boat was needed to make even a cursory exploration of Lesser Slave Lake, but it was fun to stroll along the shore for a little bit.

Lesser Slave Lake.
Low hills were over toward the E end of the lake. Only a small fraction of Lesser Slave Lake is in view here.
Seagulls provided what excitement and activity there was at Lesser Slave Lake on this cool, gray day.
Looking toward the N shore.

1:23 PM, 39°F, Athabasca – Some sort of big event was just breaking up in a park at the busy little town of Athabasca when Lupe arrived.  The park was right next to the Athabasca river, which Lupe had only seen before in Jasper National Park.  The river was much tamer here than at mighty Athabasca Falls, but Loop still enjoyed sniffing around down on the partially exposed riverbed.

Christmas was in the air on the way to the town of Athabasca!
Along the Athabasca River in Athabasca, Alberta.

From Athabasca, SPHP drove E on Hwy 55, then S on Hwys 63 and 831.  On the road S, the woodlands gave way for a final time to fields and farms of the great northern prairies.

3:36 PM, 39°F, Lamont – Lupe didn’t escape the G6 again until reaching the town of Lamont.  SPHP let her check out the Ukrainian Catholic Church of St. John the Baptist, which featured distinctive architecture.

Ukrainian Catholic Church of St. John the Baptist, Lamont, Alberta.
Churches aren’t usually part of Lupe’s adventures, but this one was quite striking!

At Mundare, Lupe reached 4 lane Hwy 16.  Except where there were cows or horses to bark at, the drive E over gently rolling prairies put her to sleep.  Near Lloydminster, Lupe and SPHP entered Saskatchewan for the first time ever.  The scenery didn’t change, though, and the long drive continued.

7:11 PM, 41°F – As evening came on, SPHP left Hwy 16 looking for a rest area, but didn’t find it.  Lupe’s first outing in Saskatchewan was a walk along a dirt road through a wheat field to see an oil tank.

Visiting Saskatchewan for the first time ever!

The sun set before the American Dingo reached Battleford.  SPHP doesn’t ordinarily like to drive in the dark, but it didn’t seem like Loopster was going to miss much except more prairie, so tonight was an exception.  No longer sleepy, she stayed awake anyway, keeping SPHP company as miles rolled by.  Saskatoon was big and confusing in the dark, but by midnight, Lupe was far beyond it, S of Chamberlain along another Hwy 2.

756 miles today, and that was enough.

9-15-18, 9:13 AM – The morning was cool, overcast, almost foggy.  SPHP parked the G6 at a rest area along the E side of Hwy 6 in S Saskatchewan about an hour N of the Montana border.  The rest area was a triangular 30 acre tract surrounded by wheat farms.  Picnic tables were arranged around a circular drive, with the rest of the 30 acres given over to tall grass and shelter belt trees.

No one else around.  Hardly any traffic.  This rest area was a beautiful little refuge on the quiet prairie, and Lupe’s last adventure of her 2018 Dingo Vacation to the Yukon, Northwest Territories & Alaska.  For two happy hours, she roamed with SPHP through the tall grass and shelter belt woods exploring every nook and cranny, chased tennis balls SPHP threw for her, and sniffed along while SPHP picked up trash.

Happy times at the rest area along Hwy 6 in Saskatchewan.

The rest of the day was devoted to one more long drive.  During the noon hour, Lupe crossed the border into Montana at Regway on the way to Plentywood.  S of Baker, SPHP finally drove out from under the cloud the Carolina Dog had been under since Dawson Creek back at the start of the Alaska Highway.

5:59 PM, 71°F –  The sun was shining at Medicine Rocks State Park.  The air was breezy, and had soared to room temperature.  A quick stop, then Lupe continued S, enjoying a ride with the windows partly open.  This was all eastern Montana ranch land.  Opportunities to bark at cows and horses came one after another!  Toward dusk, SPHP had to slow way down due to all the herds of deer.

At Medicine Rocks State Park in eastern Montana.

The sun set for the last time on her last summer of 2018 Dingo Vacation while Lupe was still in SE Montana on Hwy 323 N of Alzada.

On Hwy 323 as the sun sets in SE Montana.
Lupe’s grand summer of 2018 fades into history.

9-15-18, 9:45 PM – 43 days, 9,691 miles, and countless adventures come and gone.  Home again.  SPHP unlocked the front door.  Home was dark, stuffy, warm.  Sigh.  Back to the old routine.  Time to air things out, and start unloading the G6.

Felt strange to be here.

Oh, for a time machine!  Tomorrow a bright summer morning would dawn, and the Most High Exalted Dingo of the Arctic Sisterhood would be heading N on the long road to adventure.  Tuktoyaktuk, Land of the Pingos, and the Arctic Ocean in her future once again!

At the Arctic Ocean, Tuktoyaktuk, Northwest Territories, Canada 8-19-18

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Nares Mountain, Yukon Territory, Canada (9-10-18)

Day 38 of Lupe’s 2018 Dingo Vacation to the Yukon, Northwest Territories & Alaska!

Found it!  Finally!  No wonder it had taken so long.  A the far S corner of Choutla Subdivision Road, a heavily shaded side road disappeared into the trees.  50 feet after the turn, partially hidden by vegetation, was the sign SPHP had been searching for – Blattas Point Road.

50 feet from the start of Blattas Point Road where the only sign is hidden.

Beyond the elusive sign, Blattas Point Road curved SE (L) and continued in that general direction for a mile or so before ending at a small sandy parking lot.  Two private driveways left this area, one that went straight ahead, and one that went to the R.  SPHP parked the G6.  This was it!  Lupe had arrived at the trailhead for Nares Mountain (5,833 ft.).

The Nares Mountain trailhead at the end of Blattas Point Road. Photo looks SE.

What a fabulous day!  For the first time on this whole Dingo Vacation, not a cloud in the sky.  Incredible!  Should have gotten here hours ago, but after Lupe’s tremendous day on Grey Mountain (4.901 ft.) near Whitehorse yesterday, SPHP had slept a little too well.  An oil change for the G6, a few other errands, and the drive to Carcross had chewed up more time.  Not to mention the maddening search for Blattas Point Road despite what had seemed to be perfectly clear directions.

The American Dingo was here now, though!  A quick bite to eat, then Loopster and SPHP set off on an unmarked trail across from, and a bit beyond, the trailhead.  (11:31 AM, 51°F)

View from the trailhead. Nares Mountain can be climbed along either of the 2 ridges seen beyond Lupe. The ridge on the L is supposed to be easier, and was the way Lupe intended to take. Photo looks NE.

The trail started off passing through stands of aspens that had already lost most of their leaves.  Lupe was soon past the trees out on open ground.  She hadn’t gained much elevation yet, but Carcross and the N end of Bennett Lake were already in sight beyond Nares Lake.

The trail starts off in this pleasant stand of aspens.
Nares Mountain is going to be fabulous! We’ve barely gotten started and look at what we can see! That’s Nares Lake on the L. Carcross is that flat strip of land beyond me separating Nares Lake from Bennett Lake. Photo looks W.

The trail initially climbed NE at an easy to moderate pace.  However, it soon became steep, and stayed that way.  Tight switchbacks helped to slightly reduce the rate of climb.  Most of the time Lupe was out on open terrain, but she came to short stretches of forest, too.  The Carolina Dog liked the woods best of all, but the views from the open ground became steadily more impressive as she rapidly gained elevation.

Gotta love prowling through this!
A better look at Carcross between Nares Lake (near) and Bennett Lake (far). Mount Gray (6,083 ft.) (Center) is the peak beyond Carcross. Photo looks WSW.
Heading higher. Photo looks NE.

Two big ridges separated by a deep drainage lead up to the S summit of Nares Mountain from the W.  The ridge farthest N was supposed to be the easiest route.  The S ridge was closer to Nares Lake, but rougher and much more heavily forested.

Fortunately, the trail Lupe was on was clearly heading for the easier N ridge.  When she got high enough, the Carolina Dog had a good view looking up the drainage separating the two ridges.

The drainage between the two W ridges. Lupe stayed to the N (L). Photo looks E.
Glancing back. The trailhead (Center) is close to Nares Lake on this side of the line of light green trees. Photo looks SW.

The steep climb went on and on.  The views kept improving.  The trail curved gradually E, and Lupe began to see more of the long W ridge she was climbing.  She could now see where the two W ridges joined at the upper end of the drainage between them.

Don’t tell me you’re tired already! It’s still a long way! We are making progress, though. That’s a decent view of the S ridge beyond me. We’re staying to the N (L), though, remember? Photo looks ESE.
Mount Gray (6,083 ft.) again. From this height, more of Bennett Lake is visible beyond Carcross. Photo looks WSW.
In another forest.
Here’s a good view of the two W ridges! Once we get up to where they join, it won’t be too much farther to the S summit of Nares Mountain. Photo looks ESE.
This yellow woods is gorgeous, isn’t it? It’s about the last forest we will be coming to, though.
Looking back at the lakes after passing through the yellow woods. Photo looks WSW.

Loopster had already made tons of progress up the big ridge, when she finally got high enough to see several rounded high points off to the NE.  The big ridge she was climbing was taking her to the S summit of Nares Mountain, but the true summit was actually one of those rounded high points.  SPHP wasn’t certain which one was it, yet, but if the American Dingo had enough time, she was going to visit the true summit, too.

Rounded high points come into view. It eventually turned out that the high point on the R is actually the true summit of Nares Mountain. Photo looks NE.

As Lupe approached the upper end of the drainage between the two W ridges, the slope of the ridge she was on gradually diminished.  Getting easier!  Still a long climb, but with a perfect day, the Carolina Dog was certainly going to make it at least as far as Nares Mountain’s S summit.  The views were already awesome, and Looper ought to be able to see a lot more from up there.

Come on! We’re getting closer to the upper end of the drainage! Photo looks ESE.
High enough to see lots more of Bennett Lake. Photo looks SW.
Montana Mountain (7,233 ft.) (L), and Brute Mountain (7,000 ft.) (R). Photo looks SW.
Hey, look! A big flat spot! This is getting easier. That’s the true summit of Nares Mountain behind me and slightly to the R. Photo looks NNE.
Above tree line. Photo looks ESE.

Once Lupe made it beyond the upper end of the drainage between the 2 W ridges, the terrain flattened to a gentle slope.  Across a grassy plain, one more rise was in sight off to the SE, a rock-strewn ridge certainly no more than another 100 feet higher.  This ridge was an easy climb, and proved to be the S summit of Nares Mountain.

Approaching the S summit of Nares Mountain. Photo looks SE.

From a cairn at the high point, Lupe had some fantastic views.  The true summit of Nares Mountain was in sight 2.5 km NNE.  However, by far the most eye-catching scenes were of the big lakes to the E, S, and W, and of Montana Mountain (7,233 ft.) and Brute Mountain (7,000 ft.) to the SW.

Looper reaches the S summit of Nares Mountain. The true summit is on the R, still 2.5 km away. Photo looks NNE.
Bennett Lake, which the famed Chilkoot trail goes by, winds away into the mountains. Lupe was too far from the edge of Nares Mountain to see Carcross from the cairn at the S summit. Photo looks WSW.
Montana Mountain (L) and Brute Mountain (R) from Nares Mountain S summit. Photo looks SW.
Montana Mountain (Center) with help from the telephoto lens. The high point on the R may be Mount Matheson. Photo looks SSW.
Brute Mountain with help from the telephoto lens. Photo looks SW.

Lupe had gained 3,300 feet of elevation.  The American Dingo was ready for a break.  With temperatures in the upper 40’s °F, the NW breeze felt chilly.  SPHP wrapped Loop in a pullover, and she took a short nap.

Napping at the S summit. Montana Mountain on the R. Photo looks SSE.
Caribou Mountain (6,400 ft.) (Center). Mount Lorne (6,629 ft.), which Lupe had seen yesterday from Grey Mountain, is in the distance on the R. Photo looks NNW.

Two somewhat lower high points on Nares Mountain were visible along ridges extending SE and SW from the S summit.  Since these points were considerably closer to where the S face of Nares Mountain drops off steeply, presumably Lupe would be able to see much more of Nares and Tagish Lakes, if she went down to them.

When Loop was done with her rest break, she did go closer to each of these high points, although not close enough to get to the best possible views.  Worried about Lupe’s late start, SPHP was becoming anxious to head on to the true summit of Nares Mountain instead.

Tagish Lake from SE of Nares Mountain’s S summit. Lime Mountain is beyond Lupe on the other side of the lake. Photo looks ESE.
Tagish Lake and Lime Mountain (5,222 ft.) (R of Center). Photo looks ESE with help from the telephoto lens.
About as far down the SE ridge (L) as Lupe went. Presumably the lake views would have been even more spectacular had she gone all the way down to the high point on the L. Part of the Windy Arm of Tagish Lake is in sight. Photo looks SE.
Mount Armstrong (4,915 ft.) is the small mountain seen in the distance through the gap on the R. Photo looks SE with help from the telephoto lens.
Carcross is the peninsula of land between Nares Lake (near side) and Bennett Lake (far side). Photo looks WSW.
As close to the high point on the SW ridge as Lupe went. Montana Mountain (L) and Brute Mountain (R) in the distance. Photo looks SW.

After quick, sub-optimal forays to the SE and SW, Lupe returned briefly to the S summit of Nares Mountain.  She then began her trek to the true summit by going NNE down to a flat grassy plain and crossing it.  Upon reaching the N end of the plain, Loop faced a 600 foot descent into the broad saddle leading to the true summit of Nares Mountain.

Back at the S summit again ready to head for the true summit of Nares Mountain (Center). Photo looks NNE.
Crossing the grassy plain. Photo looks NNE.
Descending into the saddle leading to the true summit (L). Photo looks NNE.

The descent from the grassy plain down to the saddle was moderately steep and fairly rocky, but totally free of any significant obstacles.  Lupe made it down to the saddle just fine, crossed it, and began climbing again.  She skirted along the W side of the next big hill immediately S of the true summit.  Goat paths helped make this traverse easier.

The Carolina Dog aimed for the saddle N of the hill she was on that led directly to the true summit.  Once she made it to this upper saddle, all that was left was a 400 foot climb up the S face of Nares Mountain.  No obstacles and nothing tricky to contend with.  Lupe charged right on up the slope.

An hour and 20 minutes after leaving the S summit, Lupe reached the top of a 0.5 acre plateau.  At the far N end, a cairn with a post marked the location of the true summit of Nares Mountain (5,833 ft.).

Crossing the lower saddle. True summit on the L. Photo looks NNE.
Traversing the hillside leading to an upper saddle. Photo looks NNE.
Nares Mountain from the upper saddle. Photo looks N.
On the way up the S slope. Photo looks N.
By crimson bushes on the way up Nares. Photo looks NW.
Oh, we’ve done it! Here we are at the top of Nares Mountain! Photo looks NNE.

No longer on the protected S side of the mountain, the American Dingo immediately met with a 25 mph NW wind sweeping over the summit plateau.  Couldn’t have been much more than 40°F, so the wind felt cold as Lupe headed over to the cairn.  SPHP congratulated her on another fabulous peakbagging success as soon as she got there.

At the true summit of Nares Mountain. Tagish Lake and Lime Mountain (5,222 ft.) (R) in view. Photo looks ESE.
Montana Mountain (L) and Brute Mountain (R) from the true summit of Nares Mountain. Photo looks SW.
Caribou Mountain (6,400 ft.) (R) from Nares. Photo looks NW.

Lupe was no fan of the chilly wind, but a discovery soon made her forget all about it.  A marmot lived at the top of Nares Mountain!  Naturally, the Carolina Dog was keenly interested.  However, the marmot had chosen its home wisely.  Ensconced in a collection of dark-colored rocks, the marmot was monarch of a virtually impregnable fortress.  Lupe kept sniffing, circling, and peering into the dark crevasses between the rocks, but to no avail.

Inspecting the marmot fortress. Nares and Bennett lakes in the distance. Photo looks WSW.

SPHP tried to interest Lupe in the amazing views, repeatedly calling her away from the marmot fortress.  The Carolina Dog did come, but as soon as SPHP’s attention was averted to some splendor on the horizon, she tended to slink back to continue searching for some weakness in the marmot’s defenses.

Montana Mountain (L) and Brute Mountain (R) from Nares. The S summit of Nares, which Lupe had just come from, is visible in the foreground a little to the L of Montana Mountain. Photo looks SW.
Tagish Lake and Lime Mountain (R). Photo looks ESE.
Bove Island in Tagish Lake. Mount Armstrong in the distance through the gap in the mountains. Photo looks SE with help from the telephoto lens.
Windy Arm of Tagish Lake. Bove Island (L). Escarpment Mountain (5,800 ft.) (L of Center) on the far shore. Mount Patterson (6,468 ft.) is straight out from Lupe. Photo looks S.
Inspecting marmot fortress defenses again. Caribou Mountain (R). Photo looks NW.
Crag Lake. The S end of Marsh Lake is in the distance. Photo looks NE.
Mount Lorne (6,629 ft.) (Center). Caribou Mountain (L). Photo looks N.

The summit plateau was roughly 0.25 to 0.50 an acre in size.  The only notable features were the cairn and the marmot fortress.  After a look at the views in all directions, Lupe and SPHP retreated slightly below the S rim to escape the wind.  Resting here for a while, SPHP petted Lupe.  Some of the very best views from Nares Mountain were on display.

Bove Island in Tagish Lake. Photo looks SE.
S summit Nares Mountain (R). Montana Mountain (R) on the horizon. Photo looks S.
A wider view of Tagish Lake. Lime Mountain (L) and Bove Island (R). Photo looks SE.
Lime Mountain (Center). Mount Minto (6,913 ft.) is the big peak slightly to the R and beyond Lime Mountain. Photo looks SE.
A wider view looking S. Bove Island and Tagish Lake both on the L. S summit of Nares Mountain and Montana Mountain both on the R.
Bove Island. Photo looks SE.

Nearly 50 minutes shot by up on Nares Mountain.  The sun was sinking.  Lupe returned to the summit cairn once more.  She felt compelled to stop by the marmot fortress again, too, to see if the marmot was ready to come out and play.  However, the marmot told Loop she’d have to take a rain check on that, even though it wasn’t raining.

Back at the summit cairn. Photo looks NE.
Pleading with the marmot to come out and play. Photo looks WSW.

The return trip was such a marvelous time!  As evening shadows began to lengthen, autumn colors glowed in the sunlight.  Incredible sweeping views every step of the way!  Lupe didn’t have to, but she climbed back to the S summit of Nares Mountain for a final look.  Back to the NNE, the true summit was still brightly lit beneath the blue Yukon sky.

Starting down Nares Mountain. Photo looks WSW.
In the early evening glow.
At the S summit again. True summit of Nares Mountain (Center). Photo looks NNE.

Then it was down the long northernmost W ridge at an ever steepening pace, facing the glorious view of Carcross, Nares and Bennett Lakes, and Mount Gray as the sun slid toward a phalanx of western peaks.  Later in the darkening woods, and on down the tight switchbacks, the sense of airiness melted away.

Nares Mountain was destined to be the last Yukon peak Lupe would climb on this Dingo Vacation, but one more fabulous peak remained.  Half an hour away, in far NW British Columbia, was a mountain on the edge of Alaska, one the American Dingo had been close to several times on this trip, but conditions had never been right for it.

Back at the trailhead, tired and hungry, Lupe gobbled her Alpo.  Stars overhead!  The sky was still 80 to 90% clear!  Nares Mountain had been a fantastic day, and tomorrow was full of promise, too.  (9:30 PM, 53°F)

Nares Mountain, Yukon Territory, Canada 9-10-18

Directions to the Nares Mountain trailhead From Carcross go 2 km NE on Tagish Road (Hwy 8) watching for a sign for Choutla Subdivision on the R near the top of a small rise.  A km from the highway, Choutla Road makes a rectangular loop.  Blattas Point Road heads SW into the trees at the far S corner opposite from where the loop begins, the Blattas Point Road sign being hidden 50 feet in after already on it.  Follow Blattas Point Road 2 km to the very end at 2 private driveways.  Park in a small parking area on the R.  No signs or amenities.

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Grey Mountain near Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, Canada (9-9-18)

Day 37 of Lupe’s 2018 Dingo Vacation to the Yukon, Northwest Territories & Alaska!

7:15 AM, 41°F, Tormented Valley, British Columbia – The rain had ended within an hour of when Lupe arrived last night, yet the morning dawned cool, breezy and still drearily overcast.  The higher peaks were scraping the clouds.  A brief light shower blew through.  Didn’t look much like rain, but the uniformly dull sky didn’t appear likely to improve, either.  Not a very nice day for Peak 6053.

A chilly, overcast morning in the Tormented Valley.

10:34 AM, 46°F – Waiting hadn’t helped, at least not enough.  Slightly warmer out, but otherwise little change.  Frustrating, but might as well admit defeat.  Peak 6053 wouldn’t be any fun under these conditions.  A year ago, Lupe had enjoyed a such fabulous day on the International Falls trail here that returning to climb nearby Peak 6053 had become a priority this year.  The American Dingo would have had an even more spectacular view of a sea of tremendous snowy peaks in Alaska!

Not happening.  Not today.  The G6 needed an oil change.  Should at least get that done, instead of letting the whole day go to waste.

11:44 AM, 54°F, Whitehorse, Yukon Territory – Brilliant!  An hour’s drive to Whitehorse only to realize that it was Sunday.  So much for getting an oil change.  The good news was that the weather was much better here than back in the Tormented Valley.  Blue skies, puffy clouds, less wind, and warmer.  Lupe could do something here, but what?

Surprisingly, the Whitehorse visitor center was open.  Loop waited in the G6, while SPHP went in.  SPHP wasn’t finding much of potential interest to a peakbagging Dingo until picking up a pamphlet entitled “Wildlife in Whitehorse”.  Inside were brief descriptions of 15 different locations in or around Whitehorse to see wildlife.  One in particular stood out:

14 – Grey (or Canyon) Mountain is the prominent landmark southeast of Whitehorse.  About 6 km up the Grey Mountain Road (off of Alesk Drive in Riverdale) a small viewpoint overlooks the Yukon River valley.  You may want to continue up the road by foot or mountain bike to the sub-alpine areas for a chance to see Dall Sheep or ptarmigan.  The road is not maintained beyond the viewpoint and is not suitable for vehicle travel.

Grey Mountain (4,901 ft.) sounded promising!  Maybe Lupe could get in a peakbagging success today after all?  A map on the reverse side of the pamphlet showed how to get there.

From the SS Klondike at the S end of downtown Whitehorse, go SE on the bridge over the Yukon River. Hang a L on Alsek Drive, and another one on Grey Mountain Road.

Grey Mountain Road was paved at first, but eventually turned to gravel.  It was fine for the 6 km mentioned in the pamphlet all the way to a big pullout on the R.  A map posted here showed an extensive trail system, including a summit trail that continued on from the end of Grey Mountain Road.  Sweet!

SPHP sort of expected to see the small viewpoint overlooking the Yukon River at this pullout, but maybe the trees had grown up enough to hide the view?  At any rate, it didn’t seem to be here.  This was probably the end of the maintained road, but the road continuing on past the pullout didn’t look that bad.  Since it was already afternoon, and still quite a long way to the end of Grey Mountain Road, SPHP drove on.

Yeah, this was the unmaintained road alright!  It quickly turned rough – deep potholes, large stones, and ridges of exposed bedrock.  No big deal in a high clearance vehicle, but pretty terrible for the G6.  Driving very slowly and carefully, SPHP navigated another km up the obstacle course to a little spot where the G6 could get off the road.  Upon parking here, the Carolina Dog immediately leapt out.

A moment later, she leapt back in.  Nope, Lupe wasn’t going to do this!

Why not?  Grey Mountain Road had gone past a shooting range before reaching the big pullout at the end of the maintained road.  Nothing makes intrepid explorer and adventurer Lupe as nervous as the sound of gunfire, no matter how distant.  Of course, she had heard some.

So SPHP got back in, and continued the ill-advised drive.  After getting quite a bit farther this time, SPHP parked at another little off-road spot.  Safety first!  Big Chicken still refused to get out.  SPHP finally caught her and physically dragged her out.  As soon as Loop realized she could no longer hear shooting, she was fine.

3:16 PM, 52°F – Lupe still had a good road hike ahead of her as she set off for Grey Mountain(4,901 ft.).  Heading SE along the mountainside, she passed through a forested gap, then arrived at a better part of the road where the mountain dropped off steeply to the S.

Grey Mountain Road isn’t bad here! Still a bit of a trek to the end, though. Photo looks SE.

Rounding a corner, two towers came into view.  The road curved along the side of a big drainage, switchbacked higher, then curled around the S end of Grey Mountain before turning N.  Once up to the S end, Lupe had a grand view of the Yukon River valley all the way to Marsh Lake.

The road ends up at those towers (Center)!
At the S end of Grey Mountain. The Yukon River flows this way from Marsh Lake seen in the distance on the L. Mount Lorne (6,629 ft.) is on the R. Photo looks SE.

Grey Mountain Road climbed steeply shortly before ending at a parking area near the towers.  The towers were fenced off, but Lupe was free to get up on a big wooden platform nearby.

On the wooden platform near the towers at the end of Gray Mountain Road. Photo looks SSE.

Although the absolute summit wasn’t in view from the platform, Lupe could see Grey Mountain ahead to the NNW.  A trail was visible on the ridge leading to it.  Getting to Grey Mountain was going to be a cinch!

Grey Mountain from the wooden platform. The summit trail follows the ridge on the R. Photo looks NNW.

The journey along the ridge was gorgeous!  Beneath blue sky and white clouds, bushes blazed in the golds, oranges, and crimsons of autumn amid scattered deep green conifers and light grey rock.  The trail climbed at an easy to moderate pace with only a few steep sections.

The summit trail goes up Grey Mountain (L) from the R. Photo looks NNW.
Lupe gained 1,000 feet of elevation during her stroll up Grey Mountain Road. From the wooden platform near the towers, the summit of Grey Mountain is only another 700 feet higher.
Cantlie Lake. Photo looks E.
The early autumn colors were gorgeous!
Getting closer! The trail stays to the R here.
Looking back toward the towers. Mount Lorne (L) in the distance. Photo looks SSE.
Nearing the top! Photo looks NW.

When Lupe reached the high point visible from the wooden platform, she was at the S end of a large summit ridge.  This ridge was lumpy with many exposed light grey rock formations, and still rose gradually toward the N.  Low bushes and sparse tundra were present, but almost no trees grew up here, so Lupe already had tremendous views.

At the S end of Grey Mountain’s long, broad, lumpy summit ridge. Photo looks NNW.
Chadburn Lake (Center & R) from Grey Mountain. The lake on the L is actually part of the Yukon River. Photo looks SW.

Exploring N along the broad, lumpy ridge, Lupe searched for the true summit.  She often had a choice of trails to follow.  A succession of high points led to a survey marker with an arrow pointing toward one more high spot, the apparent true summit of Grey Mountain.

Continuing N looking for the summit.
The survey marker at the last high point before the true summit.
The true summit (Center) from close to the survey marker. Photo looks N.
Beautiful tundra.

Between the survey marker and the summit, Lupe came to a wide gash 40 or 50 feet deep that sliced across the entire ridge.  The sides of the gash were fairly steep, but the American Dingo had no problem getting across the gash to reach the top of Grey Mountain (4,901 ft.).

By the edge of the gash before crossing it. Photo looks E.
The NW end of the gash.
Looking WNW while climbing out of the gash.

The summit of Grey Mountain was a flat mini-ridge superimposed upon the rest of the mountain.  Metal bars stuck up out of the ground here, but Loop did not find another survey benchmark.  Low bushes grew around the perimeter of the mini-ridge, while the center was nearly barren.

On top of Grey Mountain. The gash Lupe had just crossed is on the R. Photo looks SE.
Exploring the mini summit ridge. Photo looks NNW.
Blending in with the golden bushes. Photo looks NNE.
At the high point. Photo looks SE.
Loopster looking pensive at the true summit of Grey Mountain.

SPHP congratulated Lupe on climbing Grey Mountain (4,901 ft.).  She gracefully accepted the praise, but what the Carolina Dog really wanted was protection!  She had been hearing gunfire again for a while now, and had been gently begging SPHP to comfort her.

Of course, sweet puppy!

At the top of Grey Mountain, SPHP sat facing SW with a panoramic view of a vast region of magnificent Yukon territory.  The air was getting a bit chilly again.  Wrapped in a purple pullover, Lupe curled up on SPHP’s lap to be loved and petted.

More than half an hour went by, during which Lupe gazed calmly upon splendid scenes.  Directly ahead to the SW, was a fabulous view of the mighty Yukon River valley.  Snowy peaks mostly hidden by clouds were far to the S.  Mount Lorne (6,229 ft.) was in the same general direction, but somewhat closer.  To the SE, the Yukon River stretched all the way to Marsh Lake on the horizon.

Looking back toward the gap Lupe had crossed to get to the summit of Grey Mountain. Mount Lorne in the distance on the L. Photo looks S.
Chadburn Lake and the Yukon River valley. Photo looks SW.
Marsh Lake (R of Center) in the distance. Yukon River valley (R). Photo looks SE.

Whitehorse, capitol city of the Yukon Territory, was off to the NW.  Cantlie Lake was back to the E.  To the NE were unknown mountains higher than Grey Mountain that looked like relatively easy climbs.

Whitehorse with help from the telephoto lens. Photo looks NW.
Higher peaks to the NE.

Clouds repeatedly cast Grey Mountain into shadow.  Even when Lupe was in sunshine, it wasn’t warm out.  Well into September now.  Time was running out on this Dingo Vacation.  Depending on the weather in the next day or two, it was possible Grey Mountain might be the last Yukon peak Lupe would ever climb.  Such a gloomy thought!

Lupe would have liked to stay even longer relaxing and enjoying the views.  She was right, so incredible here!  However, another mini-ridge was a little farther N beyond another smaller gash.  Since it looked close to being in contention for the title of true summit of Grey Mountain, the Carolina Dog really ought to go tag that high point, too.

The next mini-ridge to the N (Center) of where Lupe and SPHP had been relaxing. Photo looks N.

Getting over there took only a few minutes.  At about the highest spot, Looper found a collection of rocks.  A tumbled down cairn?  Maybe this actually was the true summit of Grey Mountain?  Admittedly a close call, but SPHP still thought the first mini-summit ridge was a bit higher.  Hardly mattered.  Lupe had been both places now.

At the possible tumbled down cairn at the high point of the N mini-ridge. SPHP still thought the true summit of Grey Mountain was on the first mini-ridge (R) Lupe had been to, but it was a close call. Photo looks SSE.

Lupe explored the second mini-ridge a bit farther N.  She didn’t get much beyond the wrecked cairn before the mountain began to drop away.  Clearly, nothing higher was ahead.  This was the end.

About as far N on Grey Mountain as Lupe went. Photo looks N.
Cantlie Lake with help from the telephoto lens. Marsh Lake (R) is in the distance. Photo looks SE.

The return trip was a beautiful, easy trek.  Lupe never did see any Dall sheep on Grey Mountain, but she did spot a ptarmigan.

The pamphlet was right! Lupe did see a ptarmigan on Grey Mountain.

All too soon, the towers at the end of Grey Mountain Road were in view again.

On the way back. Photo looks SE.
Approaching the towers. Part of Grey Mountain Road is seen on the R. Photo looks SSE.

The downhill road trek was pleasant enough, but couldn’t compare with being up on the trail.  Lupe was happy, though.  She was leading the way back to the G6, a bumpy return ride to the maintained road, and dinner.

Trudging along behind that curly tail in the shadow of the mountain, SPHP couldn’t help but think about what an unexpected and fabulous peak Grey Mountain had been.  The perfect end to what had begun as a dismal day!  (8:37 PM, 56°F)

Climbing Grey Mountain, Yukon Territory, Canada 9-9-18

Links:

Next Adventure                            Prior Adventure

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Denali to Skagway – On the Road Again, Looking for Fun! (9-5-18 to 9-7-18)

Days 33-35 of Lupe’s 2018 Dingo Vacation to the Yukon, Northwest Territories & Alaska!

9-5-18, 8:04 AM, 39°F, Denali State Park – Blue skies!  An encouraging start.  Maybe today was the big day when Lupe would finally get to climb Reindeer Hills (5,102 ft.)?  Warming the G6 up a bit, SPHP drove NE on George Parks Highway No. 3.  During a quick stop at the Little Coal Creek trailhead (MP 163.9), Lupe stretched and sniffed around, while SPHP got ready for the Reindeer Hills.

A mile back, SPHP had driven past the Denali North viewpoint.  Better check that out before continuing on to the Reindeer Hills!

The Denali N viewpoint is at MP 162.9 of George Parks Highway No. 3. The Denali S viewpoint is at MP 135.2. Lupe had been to the S viewpoint a couple of days ago.

Any day an American Dingo gets to see Denali (20,310 ft.) is a great one!  Lupe had been to Denali State Park in both 2016 and 2017, but apart from a couple of brief partial glimpses, the highest mountain in North America had always remained hidden among the clouds.

However, today was a great day!  Gleaming white against the blue sky, Denali was out in the open, along with a host of other mighty peaks of the Alaska Range.

Denali looms far beyond mountains on the NW side of the Chulitna River valley. Photo looks WNW.
Jagged peaks of the Alaska Range. Photo looks WNW.
Incredible snowy peaks like these were mere foothills compared to Denali.

Lupe had already seen Denali from the South viewpoint a couple of days ago.  SPHP was of the opinion that the S viewpoint actually provided a better look at the monstrous mountain.

However, on the way to the Reindeer Hills, well out of Denali State Park along George Parks Highway No. 3, Lupe had even better views of Denali right from the highway.  Far more of the frozen giant was in sight.  Even from 45 miles away, the towering height and sheer massiveness of the world’s coldest mountain outside of Antarctica was incredible to behold!

Denali from George Parks Highway No. 3 NE of Denali State Park. Photo looks W with help from the telephoto lens.

Approaching Cantwell, the Reindeer Hills came into sight, mere blips in comparison with Denali, but nevertheless, an exciting and challenging peakbagging prospect for Lupe and SPHP.

Approaching the Reindeer Hills. Photo looks NE.

The key question was how to access the Reindeer Hills (5,102 ft.)?  At Cantwell, SPHP turned E on Denali Highway No. 8, which soon turned to gravel.  The high point of the Reindeer Hills is only a couple of miles N of the highway 6 or 7 miles E of Cantwell.  However, all through this area, the road stayed S of a heavily forested creek drainage.

Loop would have to battle through a lengthy stretch of trackless forest and bogs, crossing the unseen stream somewhere along the way, before reaching the lower slopes of the Reindeer Hills.  The prospect seemed daunting.  8 miles from Cantwell, SPHP parked the G6 by a lovely little lake on the S side of the highway.  Lupe got out for a look around, while SPHP paused to consider her options.

By the lovely pond 8 miles E of Cantwell. Photo looks SW.

Gazing at the Reindeer Hills high point, the mountain looked like an easy climb, if only Lupe could get to it!

Reindeer Hills high point from the parking area by the little lake. Photo looks NW.

Pondering the situation, getting across the hidden stream seemed to be the crucial issue.  The topo map showed the creek being closest to the highway a couple of miles back W where it joined a tributary of the Jack River.  W was sort of bad, though, because that was in the downstream direction.  Even before reaching the Jack River tributary, the stream would be bigger.  On the other paw, the stream was so close to the road there, it wouldn’t take Loop long to get to it.  She would find out very quickly if fording the creek was realistic or not.

May as well give it a shot!  SPHP drove back to the tributary of the Jack River, parking the G6 at a pullout on the SE side of the highway just N of the tributary.  Full of enthusiasm, the American Dingo hopped out to give it a go.  (9-5-18, 11:52 AM, 51°F)

Looking down the tributary of the Jack River right after it flows under Denali Highway No. 8. Photo looks WNW.
The Reindeer Hills high point (R of Center) from S of the tributary of the Jack River. The stream Looper needed to get across is hidden in the lowlands beyond her on the far side of the tributary. Photo looks NNE.

Lupe and SPHP headed N from the highway into a flat region densely covered with bushes.  The bushes were only a few feet high, but to Lupe, they formed practically an impenetrable jungle.  Although this area looked flat, before she made it very far, the terrain was pockmarked with holes full of water 2 or 3 feet deep.  Nevertheless, Loop managed to thrash through it all until she was roughly 300 feet from the highway, where she reached the S bank of the stream she needed to cross.

The stream was only a few feet wide, but fast-flowing.  The water was easily over Lupe’s head and SPHP’s knees, and perhaps deeper than that.  Hard to tell.  The tightly packed bushes along both banks made the prospect of getting into or out of the stream look troublesome at best.

SPHP didn’t like it.  Lupe might easily get swept downstream out of sight in the frigid waters of the powerful current.  Unable to touch bottom, what if she couldn’t escape the deep narrow channel?  SPHP wouldn’t be able to get to her in time to help her.

No, not worth it.  Maybe the confluence of this stream and the tributary of the Jack River would be an easier spot to cross?

Trying to get the confluence, Lupe fell into one of the waterholes among the bushes.  She managed to scramble out, cold and wet, but didn’t care for the experience.  Loopster wanted to head back to the highway.  She did, too.  All by herself.  SPHP could explore this morass alone!

SPHP had to plead with Looper to give it one more try.  Reluctantly, she did, but the confluence of the streams presented no better opportunity to cross.  Alright, forget about it!  Not happening!  The Carolina Dog was plenty happy to return to the G6.  (9-5-18, 12:21 AM, 51°F)

Much closer to Cantwell, a couple more possibilities were checked out where Lupe wouldn’t have had to cross any streams.  However, potential private property issues cropped up.  This area was miles from the high point of the Reindeer Hills, anyway.  Already afternoon, and too late in the day to consider an attempt, even if clean access had been found.

No Reindeer Hills!  Most disappointing.  What to do?  Seemed terrible to waste the rest of such a beautiful day, but after Loopster’s big trek up to Ermine Hill (2,700 ft.) and Peak 3700 on K’esugi Ridge yesterday, maybe a day of rest was a good thing.  The plan became to drive back to Palmer, where Loop could take on Matanuska Peak (6093 ft.) tomorrow.

Denali again from George Parks Highway No. 3 in the afternoon. Photo looks W with help from the telephoto lens.
Another look with even more help from the telephoto lens.

9-5-18, 7:57 PM, Wasilla –  Not even 8:00 PM, yet the sun hung low in the W.  The days were noticeably shorter now than a few weeks ago when the Most High Exalted Dingo of the Arctic Sisterhood had returned to the far N.  Kind of sad.  Lupe’s time in Alaska was running out.

9-6-18, 6:50 AM, Palmer – Surprisingly dark.  Only partially due to the changing season, though.  The sky was all a depressing gray.  The pointy summit of Matanuska Peak (6,093 ft.) was in view beneath the clouds, but perhaps not for much longer.  Within 10 minutes, a light rain set in.  Too bad.

Might as well face it.  Matanuska Peak wasn’t going to happen for Lupe, either.  Suddenly it was clear that the long road home had already begun when the Carolina Dog left the Reindeer Hills behind yesterday.  After stops at Fred Meyer’s for groceries and fuel, SPHP drove out of Palmer heading E on the Glenn Highway.  Lupe stared out the window of the G6 as the windshield wipers slapped away the rain, and the miles rolled by.

More than 3,000 miles to go!  Lupe’s adventures on this Dingo Vacation weren’t over yet.  She still had time, extra days she could spend along the way.  Surely, fabulous mountains were still to come.  A little cooperation from the weather was all it would take.  The American Dingo was merely on the road again, looking for fun!

9-6-18, 10:15 AM, 41°F, Gunsight Mountain trailhead – Forgetting about Matanuska Peak had been the right thing to do.  By the time Lupe made it to Gunsight Mountain (6,441 ft.), all was mist and fog.

At the Gunsight Mountain trailhead, MP 118.5 of the Glenn Highway.

Loopster had already climbed Gunsight Mountain in 2016, but nearby Syncline Mountain (5,471 ft.) was of interest, too.  Not for today, but in the hope that Lupe might return to Alaska someday, SPHP wanted to check out the Syncline Mountain access situation.  A map at the Gunsight Mountain trailhead showed possible access from Belanger Pass.

Map posted at the Gunsight Mountain trailhead.

Some sort of route to Belanger Pass left the Glenn Highway at MP 123.3, only 5 miles E of here.  Since it was on the way, Lupe and SPHP went to check it out.

At MP 123.3, a decent road left the N side of the highway.  SPHP drove a couple of miles along it before deciding to turn around at a giant mud hole that covered most of the road.  On the way out, a man was outside working on a deck for his summer home.  Lupe and SPHP stopped to chat with him.  He said the G6 could make it to a parking area about 3.5 miles shy of Belanger Pass.  A 4WD road went over the pass and 40 miles beyond it.

Interesting, and hopefully helpful on some future date.  SPHP thanked him for the information.  Lupe and SPHP then went on, but not before getting a photo of the spiffy sign this guy had posted along the road not far from his driveway.

On the road to Belanger Pass. Syncline Mountain is the long ridge in the fog. Easily amused, SPHP liked the sign. Photo looks NW.

9-6-18, 1:07 PM, 50°F, Copper River overlook – The journey E continued.  The miles rolled by.  Lupe didn’t escape the G6 again until she was at the Copper River overlook one mile E of Gakona Junction along the Tok Cut-off.  The sky remained dull and gray, but the rain and mist were over.

At the Copper River overlook a mile E of Gakona Junction.

Lupe and SPHP had often stopped here to see the magnificent view of the Copper River, but had always gone on after a few minutes.  Having been cooped up in the G6 for most of a day and a half, though, Loop was anxious for action.  A dirt road headed down into the river valley.  Never explored it before.  Maybe Lupe would enjoy a little romp to see what was down there?

Oh, yes!  Lupe heartily approved of this plan.  She raced ahead going back and forth checking trees for squirrels.

The road leading down from the bluffs to the Copper River.

After losing roughly 100 feet of elevation, the road curved sharply NE, then leveled out only a few feet higher than the river.  Lupe and SPHP continued along the road gaining vastly different impressions.

The hike was pleasant enough.  Both sides of the road were lined with trees and bushes.  However, since the road always remained 10 to 20 feet from the river’s edge, and the intervening strip of land was heavily wooded, SPHP was disappointed that the Copper River was never in sight.  Loopster, on the other paw, was thrilled!  The trees harbored a lively squirrel population.

What joy!  Everywhere she went, all up and down the road, Lupe found more squirrels to bark at.

This is the best idea you’ve had in a while now, SPHP!

One would think this road might eventually lead to river access at some point, but to Lupe’s great delight the road went on and on, never getting any closer or farther from the river.  Meanwhile, the woods provided a steady supply of squirrels that needed a good barking at.  That was fine for a while, but after 0.33 mile, SPHP insisted upon pushing through the narrow woodlands to the edge of the Copper River.

Hmm.  Water was way up against the bank, putting an end to any dreams of a stroll out on a nice long exposed stretch of riverbed.

Too bad you didn’t bring a raft, SPHP. That would have been quite an adventure! Lupe by the Copper River.

9-6-18, 8:30 PM, Donjek River, Yukon Territory – The Copper River had been the highlight of the day.  456 miles from where she’d left Palmer, Alaska this morning, Lupe arrived at another mighty river, the Donjek, in the Yukon Territory.  Clouds had spit rain on and off all day long.

There was a glorious mountain here S of the river.  SPHP had taken to calling it Donjek Crossing Mountain.  Ever since Lupe had first crossed the Donjek River in 2016, thought had been given to climbing it, but the weather hadn’t ever cooperated.  Wasn’t looking all that promising this evening, either, but who knew what the morning might bring?

In any case, stopping here for the night.  Going to give it a chance.  The Donjek River was very low.  As day turned to dusk, the Carolina Dog had a fabulous time wandering up and down exposed riverbed with SPHP.

Donjek Crossing Mountain beyond the Alaska Highway bridge over the Donjek River. Photo looks ENE.

9-7-18, 6:10 AM, Donjek River – Light out, but the news was as expected.  An hour and a half ago, it had been raining.  No rain now, but heavily overcast.  SPHP petted Lupe, and got an enthusiastic licking in return.  No huge rush, may as well sleep in a bit.  Not likely, but maybe the sky would clear?

9-7-18, 8:48 AM, Donjek River – No change.  Low ceiling.  Simply dismal.  Donjek Crossing Mountain, along with every other high point, was cloaked in clouds.  Otherwise nice enough out, but no point in climbing anything only to spend the whole day lost in a fog.

Lupe still managed to have a fun morning constitutional romp along the mighty Donjek River, though, before pressing on.

Even without being able to see the mountains, the Donjek River is still an impressive sight, isn’t it? Think of how enormous it must be during the spring snow melt! Photo looks SW.

The weather gradually improved on the road S.  By the time Loop got to Kluane Lake, patches of blue sky were visible off to the E.  However, the visitor center at the SW end was closed when she arrived.  A few miles farther, Lupe and SPHP stopped again at a big pullout at the far S end of the lake.

S shore of Kluane Lake. Photo looks N.

This pullout is a favorite spot.  Lupe had first been here in August, 2016 only a few months after an incredible change occurred.  In May, 2016, Kluane Lake’s principal water source was naturally diverted elsewhere.  Meltwaters from the Kaskawulsh Glacier broke through a former ice barrier, and completely changed course.  Instead of flowing N into the Slims River and Kluane Lake, the meltwaters now flowed E into the Kaskawulsh River.

This dramatic change had happened practically overnight.  Sadly, the water level in Kluane Lake has been dropping ever since.  The lake was still huge and beautiful, but noticeably lower again this year.  Lupe and SPHP spent a little while enjoying the lake, the mountain views, and a few rambunctious Dingo games.

Sheep Mountain (6,400 ft.) from Kluane Lake. Lupe had climbed Sheep Mountain in 2017. Photo looks NW.
Oh, I know! How about a game of chase?

Light rain fell in Whitehorse when SPHP stopped for supplies, although it had been merely cloudy on the way here from Kluane Lake.  The rain didn’t last, and by evening Lupe was back in Alaska!  With 2 big cruise ships in port, Skagway was busy.

The Most High Exalted Dingo of the Arctic Sisterhood dropped by the Arctic Brotherhood building, just to let them know they still have some competition.  Then she took a stroll down to see the cruise ships, before finishing up her tour with a sight-seeing drive out to Dyea.

Lupe visits the old Arctic Brotherhood building in Skagway, now a tourist information center.
The Most High Exalted Dingo of the Arctic Sisterhood returns! Lupe joined the Arctic Sisterhood when she climbed AB Mountain (5,036 ft.) near Skagway in 2017.
Checking out the cruise ships down by Taiya Inlet.
So, SPHP. When are you going to take me on one of these? Dingoes love luxury you know!

For 3 days now, Lupe had been mostly on the road, taking her fun in bits and pieces at short stops along the way.  Bigger opportunities for more than that hadn’t panned out.  However, with any luck, tomorrow that would change.  The Most High Exalted Dingo of the Arctic Circle would be hitting the trail to high adventure once again, right here in Skagway!

Links:

Next Adventure                           Prior Adventure

Sheep Mountain, Kluane National Park, Yukon Territory, Canada (8-13-17)

AB Mountain – Lupe Joins the Arctic Sisterhood!, Skagway, Alaska (8-7-17)

The New Arctic Brotherhood

Want more Lupe adventures?  Choose from Lupe’s 2018 Dingo Vacation to the Yukon, Northwest Territories & Alaska Adventure IndexDingo Vacations Adventure Index or Master Adventure Index.  Or subscribe free to new Lupe adventures.

Peak 5262, Tombstone Territorial Park, Yukon Territory, Canada (8-22-18)

Day 19 of Lupe’s 2018 Dingo Vacation to the Yukon, Northwest Territories & Alaska!

8-21-18, 10:44 PM, 32°F – Wind and cold rain continued, as Lupe and SPHP left Eagle Plains ahead of the expected blizzard.  Within the first 10 minutes, two vehicles came the opposite direction, still heading N on the Dempster Highway, on the verge of reaching the safety of Eagle Plains.  After that, there was no traffic at all.  For more than half an hour, the G6 splashed on through countless puddles as the rain came down.  Outside, the temperature never varied.  Always 32°F.11:30 PM, 32°F – The dreaded blizzard had arrived!  Snowing hard, but not sticking to the road yet.  The blowing snow was difficult to stare into, a confusing, ever-changing, pattern of bright white streaks in the headlights against a black as deep as any stormy night anywhere.

Soon snow was clinging to bushes along the highway.  Accumulations of slush started heaping up along the shoulders.  Great sprays of water sent up from potholes sometimes inundated the windshield, momentarily blocking all view of the road before the wipers swept the water away.

Slush spread across the entire road, then turned white.  On all the uphill sections, of which there were many, the traction control warning light started coming on, although the G6 didn’t seem to be slipping too badly yet.  Only a matter of time, though, if the storm continued to rage.

Meanwhile, the G6 plowed along at a fairly steady 25 to 30 mph.  The highway wound up, down, and all around one unseen hill after another.  Fuel economy plunged as the G6 battled increasing accumulations of snow and slush.  Maintaining speed on the uphill runs started to become difficult.

Afraid of how soft the shoulders must be, SPHP drove down the middle of the road.  Virtually nothing could be seen alongside the highway now.  As the snow deepened, SPHP started having a hard time telling where the road even was.  Reflective km markers showed up well, but far too infrequently to be of assistance.

Sooner or later, the G6 wasn’t going to make it up one of these hills.  The prospect of getting stuck in the the blinding snowstorm in the middle of the Dempster Highway in the dead of the night was terrifying.  However, SPHP saw no pullouts where it would be possible to safely get off the road.  Leaving the highway wouldn’t be all that wonderful, either.  No doubt, it would mean being hopelessly snowed-in within no time.

The situation was becoming dire.  Should have stayed at Eagle Plains!  Days ago on the way N, Lupe had stopped at a huge pullout at Ogilvie Ridge.  If the G6 could make it that far, Ogilvie Ridge would at least be a safe place to get off the highway.  In this blizzard, though, SPHP wasn’t sure it would even be possible to recognize the pullout.

Suddenly, there was movement!  A dimly perceived patchwork of light and dark was moving in the same direction as the G6 on the L side of the road.  SPHP caught only a glimpse of it, as the G6 went by.  A huge ghost of a moose!  The American Dingo hadn’t seen a thing.  For miles she had been trying to snooze as the G6 bumped, slipped, and lurched along.

8-22-18, 1:30 AM – Doomed!  Heavy snow.  Blizzard conditions.  A wild wind was whipping the fast accumulating snow into drifts forming on the road.  Huge snowflakes were a blinding white.  Everything else was pitch black.  Navigation was by long poles with reflectors on them that had fortuitously appeared on the L side of the nearly invisible highway a short time ago.

Would have been stuck already, if it hadn’t been for one thing.  There didn’t seem to be any more uphill sections.  For what couldn’t be much longer, the G6 was still moving.  Inside, the Carolina Dog was snoozing peacefully, blissfully unaware of the storm.

1:50 AM –  70 to 75 miles S of Eagle Plains, SPHP caught a glimpse of a pullout on the L.  Passed right on by it before even realizing what it was.  That might have been Ogilvie Ridge!  The road began dropping steadily, even steeply.  Yeah, that confirmed it!  This was Seven Mile hill!

No going back now, but maybe it didn’t matter?  As the G6 lost elevation, conditions were rapidly improving.

2:00 AM –  Luck of the Dingo!  Amazing!  Drove out of it!  Heavy snow was now only a moderate rain.  34°F!  Down in the Ogilvie River valley, the Dempster Highway was sloppy wet, but snow-free.  The G6 bounced along through potholes sending up sprays of water as before.  Passed a rest area at Davies Creek, but didn’t stop.  Windy Pass and North Fork Pass are still ahead.

The rain tapered off before reaching the bridge over the Ogilvie River, but soon after crossing it, the snow started in again on the long approach to Windy Pass.  The adrenaline rush of the white-knuckle drive prior to Ogilvie Ridge was fading.  The weather this far S was no where near as bad as it had been earlier.  Not snowing that hard.  Starting to seem like things are actually under control.

2:56 AM – A huge, level, snow-free pullout had appeared on the R.  Likely a road maintenance area.  Whatever.  Hadn’t made it to Windy Pass yet, but SPHP was weary.  The crisis seemed to be over.  Time to join Lupe in Dingo Dreamland!

9:36 AM, 32°F – A certain well-rested Dingo wanted out.  Fine, fine!  SPHP let her go.  Blizzard?  What blizzard?  No snow here!  Sure enough, Lupe was at a highway maintenance area somewhere close to km 171 on the W side of the Dempster Highway.  Any snow that had fallen here last night had all melted as it hit.

Still no telling what Lupe might find up at Windy Pass, though.  Might be tons of snow up there?  Couldn’t see a thing down here, except the usual fog and mist of the far N.

Had the blizzard been only a bad dream? Despite all the snow she’d seen before falling asleep, Lupe woke up to a snow-free world at a road maintenance area near km 171 of the Dempster Highway.
Another day, another foggy start. Seems like that happens a lot in the Yukon. Of course, the way things had been going last night, it could have been worse. Much worse!

10:01 AM, Windy Pass, km 152.8 – The crisis actually was over.  Lupe had been less than 20 km from Windy Pass.  She arrived to find more fog and mist, but no snow, even up here.  The big ridges S of the pass leading to Windy Pass Peak (5,249 ft.) and Peak 5906 were a little white, but that was it.

Maybe a blizzard was still raging up at Eagle Plains and the Arctic Circle, but the Most High Exalted Dingo of the Arctic Sisterhood had managed a successful escape!

Back at Windy Pass where Lupe had enjoyed such a great day on her exploration of Windy Pass Peak, Distincta Peak & Peak 5906 on the way N. The peaks were all hidden by fog this morning, but there was almost no snow. Photo looks S.

Lupe resumed her snooze at Windy Pass, while SPHP straightened up the G6, cleaned windows, and dealt with a few technical issues.  Then the journey S continued.  What to do next wasn’t entirely clear.  The mist ended, and fog was decreasing as the cloud cover began to lift, but the mountain peaks were still hidden.

Heading up the Blackstone River valley SE of Windy Pass. Photo looks SW.

1:36 PM, 40°F – Lupe and SPHP stopped at the two-tier pullout on the E side of the Dempster Highway SE of Surfbird Mountain (5,300 ft.).  This was a favorite spot, discovered in 2017, where there was a stream and a bubbling pond.

Lunch time!  Chili and chocolate coconut bars were on the menu.  The American Dingo kindly helped out with both, displaying considerable enthusiasm for the project.  Afterwards, she explored among the bushes, and chased tennis balls SPHP threw for her.

SPHP pondered the situation.  Should Loop go on to Dawson City?  She still had more mountains to climb here in Tombstone Territorial Park, but as is so often the case, once again most of the Ogilvie Range was in the clouds.  Surfbird Mountain wasn’t, but Lupe had climbed Surfbird last year.

Maybe it made sense to give Peak 5262 another shot?  Stymied by bogs when Lupe had tried it on the way N nearly a week ago, she hadn’t even made it to the base of the mountain.  However, it had looked like she might have been successful, if only SPHP had led her to the next ridge N instead of the way she’d actually gone.

Peak 5262 was back N, but only a dozen km.  The mountain sat isolated out beyond the rest of the Ogilvie Range.  The sky was looking better in that direction.  If Peak 5262 worked out today, conditions might improve enough so Lupe could climb higher peaks around here tomorrow?

3:09 PM, 39°F, Blackstone River rest stop at km 107.6 – Yeah, coming back for another attempt on Peak 5262 made sense.  It was too late in the day, and the weather wasn’t cooperative enough, to doing anything else.  The only other option would have been to keep driving, and the Carolina Dog was sick of being cooped up in the G6.  SPHP parked at the now familiar rest stop along the East Blackstone River.

The weather was improving as Lupe set out for a second attempt on Peak 5262.  This time, SPHP had her go N along the Dempster Highway far enough to get past all the streams preventing access to the second ridge W of the road.

W of the Dempster Highway starting for Peak 5262. Photo looks W.

Even though the second ridge was a bit higher than the first one, it still wasn’t very high.  Lupe was soon up on top.  From her prior experience with the first ridge, she knew what to expect next.  A long, beautiful, but far more wearying march toward Peak 5262 than a nearly imperceptible slope merited.

The top of the ridge was a vast plain of spongy, tussocky tundra.  On the way W, Lupe sought out minor highs points which might provide firmer footing.  She came to one drainage that forced her to make a detour to the N.  Although the top of the ridge looked flat as a pancake, it was anything but.  Endless, unstable tussocks surrounded by holes made every step an adventure.

The American Dingo persevered, though, making steady progress.  Blue sky was beginning to appear!  This was turning into a fantastic day!  Having seen the lay of the land once before, SPHP was buoyed by hope that Lupe would enjoy success this time around.

Maybe we’re going to make it this time? Looking good so far! Photo looks W with help from the telephoto lens.

The critical point of the journey came as Lupe drew near the W end of the ridge.  Once she had made it far enough to see the broad saddle area between this low ridge and the base of Peak 5262, it became clear that she needed to go NW staying up on the high ground along the edge as long as possible before dropping down to the saddle.

Getting close to the W end of this ridge now. Photo looks W.
Close to the far NW end of the low ridge. The plan is to head for Peak 5262’s long NE ridge seen beyond Lupe. Photo looks WNW.
A pond near the W end of the ridge Lupe has been traveling. Photo looks SW.

Upon dropping down to the saddle, Lupe discovered small streams and bogs no matter which way she went.  SPHP tussock-hopped past the first bog and small stream, while Lupe simply waded through.

However, getting through all the bogs wasn’t as easy as it seemed.  Even after crossing the broad saddle, Lupe kept coming to more drainages and bogs as the terrain started sloping up again toward the base of Peak 5262.  Luckily, none proved to be insurmountable obstacles.

Peak 5262 was just a big hill!  Surely the American Dingo was going to make it now!  As Looper worked her way up an increasingly steep slope toward Peak 5262’s NE ridge, confidence soared.

On the tundra, beyond the worst of the wetlands. Photo looks NE.
Looking E back in the direction Lupe had come from. The high point at the NW end of the first ridge she had been on is the minor rise (Center) just beyond the foreground.

The NE ridge was still quite a march away.  Lupe kept having to dodge bogs, drainages, and unexpected holes full of water.  The tundra dried out to a degree as the climb steepened, but remained spongy, requiring significant effort.

The beautiful tundra, already sporting fall colors.

Lupe climbed and climbed.  Though the terrain wasn’t all that steep, it was exhausting work.  SPHP kept hoping the tundra would give way to rockier ground, but for a very long way it didn’t.  The Carolina Dog came to a number of high points, but each time hopes that she had reached the NE ridgeline were dashed.

Finally, lanes of firmer ground did appear.  These lanes had a base of very small rocks, the first rocks Lupe had come to on the entire journey thus far.  Low red and gray-green vegetation grew on the rockier terrain, looking just like what Loop had seen a year ago in Alaska when she’d gone on her Stroll to the North Slope Knoll.

The narrow lanes of firmer ground helped tremendously.  SPHP was able to quicken the pace significantly.  Soon Lupe really was up on the NE ridgeline.

Peak 5262 as Lupe nears the NE ridgeline. The backpack sits on the shorter vegetation of the rockier ground. Staying to the R of the drainage seen ahead, Lupe ultimately climbed to the high point directly beyond her from the R. Photo looks SW.

SPHP had expected plenty of rockier terrain up on the NE ridgeline, but that wasn’t what Lupe found.  In fact, the ridgeline wasn’t much of a line at all.  Ahead was a very broad and steeper slope, comprised almost entirely of more deep, spongy tundra.

Peak 5262 had a lovely dusting of snow on top.  The colors of the tundra below were absolutely gorgeous.  However, it was now clear that Lupe wasn’t going to reach any significantly firmer ground until she got way up on Peak 5262’s steepest slopes near the summit.

Having anticipated an easier time on a rocky ridgeline, the trudge higher actually began as a tougher march than before.

Looking back down the NE ridge. Chapman Lake is on the L. Photo looks NE.

No turning back now, though!  Onward!

Up ahead, a long line of bushes grew along a drainage.  Lupe stayed to the R (NW) of it.  However, this drainage split into two separate courses higher up.  Lupe had to cross the smaller channel to the W.  Happily, the smaller channel turned out to be dry, and not a problem.  From then on, there were no real obstacles.  Lupe angled SW toward a high, short ridge to the W, and upon reaching it, completed her ascent by switchbacking up the N face of the mountain.

Even the upper slopes of Peak 5262 turned out not to be rocky, but at least the tundra wasn’t as thick.  Peak 5262 had another surprise in store for Lupe, too.  The dusting of snow near the top of the mountain wasn’t snow at all.  Apparently last night’s blizzard had been an ice storm here.  Freezing rain had coated the tundra with an amazing display of ice.

Where Lupe first reached the ice-encrusted tundra, the ice was melting. Higher up that wasn’t the case.
About to start up the N face of Peak 5262. Lupe is already quite high on the mountain. Photo looks SSW.
An icy display. Far more magnificent specimens were higher up.
Looking down on the Blackstone River valley. Chapman Lake on the R. Photo looks NNE.
Getting there! Last push to the top is dead ahead. Photo looks SW.
An icy wonderland.

The top of Peak 5262 is rounded.  Lupe arrived upon a summit area acres in size.  The true summit was W of where the Carolina Dog came up, and was quite easy to spot.  Not far from the N edge sat a short ridge resembling a marvelously bejeweled mini-pingo.  This little summit ridge was only a few feet higher than the rest of the mountain.

The terrain begins leveling out as Lupe reaches a vast summit region. Photo looks W.
The true summit (Center) comes into view. Photo looks W.
Lupe reaches the wonderfully ice-encrusted true summit of Peak 5262. Photo looks S.
At the beautifully decorated true summit. Photo looks W.
Lupe on Peak 5262. Photo looks W.

When Lupe had first reached the NE ridge, large regions of blue sky had been expanding to the N.  For a short while the Carolina Dog had been in sunshine.  Now, though, the weather was clearly deteriorating.  Couldn’t have been any more than 32°F.  The incredible crystalline icy display was not melting up here.  The slight N breeze felt cold.

Views from isolated, remote Peak 5262 were tremendous!  Higher peaks were in the distance in many directions, but their summits were lost in clouds that already covered the whole sky.  Fog was spreading to the S, although Surfbird Mountain (5,300 ft.) was still in sight.

To celebrate Loopster’s peakbagging success, SPHP shared 3 chocolate coconut bars with her.  They were frozen so stiffly that it was hard to break off chunks.

High atop Peak 5262, the darkening sky, cold breeze, and surrounding vast, desolate solitude produced a sudden sense of gloom and danger.  It was absolutely incredible up here, yet SPHP grew uneasy.  Lupe was a long way from the G6.  Mountains were disappearing from the horizon.  The cloud cover seemed to be closing in.  If the morning’s fog returned, it would be easy to get lost.

Would have been fun to have the luxury of letting a sublime hour or two go by up on Peak 5262, but it didn’t seem like Lupe could afford to linger up here too long.  Might as well have a quick look around, though.  Loop ventured out to the far W end of the summit area.  The Blackstone River was in view, even if the mountains weren’t.

The Blackstone River from the W edge of Peak 5262. Photo looks SW.
Looking SW up the Blackstone River valley with help from the telephoto lens.
View to the W with help from the telephoto lens.
The top of Peak 5262 from the W edge. The true summit is the little rise seen directly beyond Lupe. Photo looks E.

The scenes were all impressively forlorn and desolate, but the clouds weren’t an awful lot higher than Peak 5262 now.  Lupe returned to the true summit for another brief stay and final look around.

Near the true summit (L) again. Photo looks SE.
Gorgeous now, but it wouldn’t have been much fun to have been up here last night!
Looking WNW.
The Blackstone River valley from the N edge of Peak 5262. Photo looks NNW.
Chapman Lake (Center). Photo looks NE.

On the return, Lupe varied the first part of her route.  Instead of going back down the steep N face, she followed the E ridge, which provided a more gradual descent.

Starting down, but still along the N edge. Lupe had originally come up the rather steep slope beyond her from the L. Chapman Lake is on the L. Lomond Lake is far away on the R. Photo looks NE.
Lupe began her descent going down the E ridge (R). Photo looks E.
Lomond Lake (Center) in the distance. The flat ridge Lupe had started out on is the slightly higher ground just L of the ponds on the R. Photo looks ENE.
On the E ridge. The G6 is parked down by the river just about straight beyond Lupe. Photo looks E with help from the telephoto lens.

As soon as the American Dingo realized that she was actually on her way down, she became quite energized.  Lupe ran and ran!  She sniffed and explored, displaying great stamina and enthusiasm.  The descent was a lot easier.  SPHP made much faster progress.  The spongy tundra merely served as a cushion, instead of an impediment.  From above, SPHP was better at picking out drier, more efficient routes.

The E ridge soon curved NE creating a bowl to the W.  This bowl was the origin of the last two drainages Lupe had come to on the way up.  To get back to the lower portion of the NE ridge, SPHP led Loop down into the bowl so she could stay far enough W to bypass the deeper drainage.  By the time Lupe made it to the lower end of the bowl, she had picked up her former route.

The long march still ahead was merely a retracement of what had been done before.  Lupe eventually turned ESE, leaving the NE ridgeline.  As the slope decreased, the labor of traveling the tussocky tundra returned.  Back to dodging bogs, streams, and wet holes.

Despite the effort required, the return was a beautiful time.  Lupe was happy, roaming free in an unspoiled world.  SPHP was thrilled she had finally made it to Peak 5262!  The sky remained overcast, but it wasn’t nearly so cold out as it had been back up on the mountain.  The brooding clouds never came down far enough to threaten the lowlands with fog.

Though always challenging to move through, the tundra was amazing.  Pristine beauty in all directions, including at one’s paws or feet.  Lupe discovered a pink blossom so rare no others like it had been seen on the whole long journey.  She found an ancient caribou antler, and learned that even excellent dental health isn’t everything.

One in a zillion! A rare pink blossom like no other Lupe had seen on the entire journey.
Roaming free on the way back.
Dental health is important, but it isn’t everything. Someone died with perfect teeth!

The morning’s mist and fog hadn’t held much promise, but Lupe’s ascent of lonely Peak 5262 had been a marvelous journey and sweet success!  (9:38 PM, 33°F)

On Peak 5262, Tombstone Territorial Park, Yukon Territory, Canada 8-22-18

Links:

Next Adventure                     Prior Adventure

Tombstone Territorial Park Map

The Dempster Highway Travelogue

Surfbird Mountain, Ogilvie Range, Tombstone Territorial Park, Yukon Territory, Canada (9-4-17)

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