9:02 AM, 43ºF, USFS Road No. 231 just past the turn to Buck Spring – Not gonna make it! Getting high-centered in this crusty, rutted snow wouldn’t be good. The G6 had been scraping bottom at intervals for the last 0.25 mile. Didn’t look like the situation was getting any better up ahead. SPHP gladly pulled off No. 231 at a snowy opening on the R.
Close enough! Black Fox couldn’t be too much farther. Lupe could start from here! Encouraged by conditions on Expedition No. 253, SPHP had been convinced the American Dingo could still get up into the western Black Hills high country, despite the late November date. Might be the last chance Loop would have in 2019. The G6 just wasn’t built to handle much in the way of ice and snow.
What an incredible morning! Bounding out of the G6, Looper thrashed about on the snow in ecstasy, biting off mouthfuls of the crunchy upper crust. Oh, it was going to be a great day for a romp in the hills! As soon as SPHP was ready, she set off heading SW on USFS Road No. 231.
No. 231 was snow-packed and slippery, but level and an easy trek. The cool fresh air and pine scent were exhilarating! Morning sunlight cast long blue shadows on the glittering white snow. Looked and felt like winter up here already, a winter still young and mild.
0.5 mile brought Lupe to an intersection. Here she turned L (S) on USFS Road No. 233, almost immediately thereafter crossing a bridge over the S Fork of Rapid Creek. Somewhat surprisingly, she passed several vehicles S of the bridge. Hunters? Probably. No one was around at the moment. Black Fox campground was just around the next bend.
Black Fox was closed this time of year. Snow was everywhere. Lupe stopped for a look at the Rhoads Fork of Rapid Creek. The frigid, dark water plunged over a tiny waterfall before flowing deeper into the shady, green forest.
No. 233 went SW up the Rhoads Fork valley, if up is the correct word. For 0.5 mile, the road was flat, or nearly so, all the way to a junction with side road No. 233.2D. A nice, rustic cabin with a sign saying “Minnelusa Tepee” was tucked off in the pines to the L. A deer on the road ahead caught Lupe’s attention, but as soon as it disappeared into the forest, she headed NW (R) on No. 233.2D.
Going up Beaver Draw, No. 233.2D climbed steadily. The road was even snowier here. Thankfully, several vehicles had compressed a couple of tracks. Loopster kept a careful watch for squirrels and deer, but had no luck. The trudge up the secluded valley was pleasant and quiet.
The road eventually curved W. A mile from the junction with No. 233, Beaver Draw began to widen out. Lupe came to a snowy clearing. This wasn’t the top, but it felt like she was starting to get close.
The road kept climbing longer than expected, although at a diminishing pace. Beaver Draw widened out into a broad amphitheater. To the N, low limestone cliffs came into view. No. 233.2D turned SW, becoming muddy and icy. To facilitate logging operations, the road had recently been graded here. Lupe passed piles of dead trees.
No. 233.2D skirted the S side of the amphitheater, climbing faster again. Lupe finally reached some high ground where the terrain leveled out. From here she had her first glimpse of a distant view.
As near as SPHP could tell, Lupe was now on a plateau about a mile S of Trebor Draw. There was an unmarked intersection near the viewpoint. One road went N along the W rim of the Beaver Draw amphitheater. However, Lupe took the road going SW. For a while she gained a little more elevation, but after that the terrain was pretty flat, undulating only slightly up or down.
This territory was all above 6,700 feet, quite high for the Black Hills. Even so, Lupe came to no more viewpoints. The snow was generally deep enough to make exploring the forest too laborious to be worth the effort. For the most part, the American Dingo stuck to the road, trotting along happily in the fresh air and sunshine. As the day warmed up, the road became increasingly soft and muddy. SPHP marched along the snowy edges whenever possible.
The road system didn’t match up with SPHP’s old maps. An expected mile long detour to the S and back again, never happened. Thinking Loop was still on No. 233.2D, SPHP was surprised when she came to a sign saying this was actually USFS Road No. 419.
No. 419 continued SW. After a while, Lupe began to lose elevation. A ridge came into view beyond a snowy side road. Along in here, No. 419 curved W. The Carolina Dog quickly came to two intersections very close to each other at a low pass.
These intersections were a mess with lots of ground recently torn up by bulldozers. The only marker still evident was for the road coming up from the S, which said No. 189.2. Made sense. SPHP knew where Lupe was now. This minor pass was 0.75 mile N of Bombard Draw.
Crooks Tower (7,137 ft.), Lupe’s peakbagging objective for the day, was now 1.5 miles NW as the crow flies. The road going N from this pass had to be USFS Road No. 631. Ordinarily No. 631 would be both the quickest and most direct route, however, it was a minor road. Not too likely any traffic would have gone very far that way with so much snow around! SPHP suspected the valley immediately S of Crooks Tower would be full of deep, pristine snow.
So Lupe took the road leading W, a continuation of No. 189. Leaving the pass, the road curved SW and began climbing along the side of a fairly steep slope. Soon Lupe was getting close to the ridge she had seen from No. 419. However, the road didn’t cross the little valley leading to the ridge. Instead it turned NW proceeding up the near side of the valley.
Lupe stuck with No. 189 as it wound higher. Way up here, conditions were even snowier. Small rock outcroppings began to appear. For a while, Loop climbed steadily, but the pace eventually slackened. The road finally turned N and leveled out.
The Carolina Dog was already at 7,100+ feet, nearly as high as Crooks Tower itself, but still a mile from it. Continuing N, she now lost a bit of elevation. 0.33 mile WSW of Crooks Tower, Lupe reached a junction with USFS Roads No. 631.2C and No. 189.4A. As SPHP had suspected, No. 631.2C was buried beneath a thick blanket of pristine snow. Good thing Loopster hadn’t tried to come up that way!
No. 189.4A goes almost to the top of Crooks Tower (7,137 ft.). Clearly no one had been this way since the last big snow. Lupe began the trudge E.
At last, the final 15 foot climb to Crooks Tower’s summit appeared. As hoped, winds had swept part of the summit free of snow. Sweet! Lupe could relax in relative comfort.
Only mid-afternoon, but November days are so short that it still seemed late. The cheerful sunshine had vanished. Most of the sky was overcast, not darkly, but gray enough to produce a subdued mood. Lupe hadn’t seen a soul all day. Despite the relatively easy road hike, Crooks Tower felt isolated and remote.
Crooks Tower is one of the highest peaks in the Black Hills, yet this area wasn’t rugged. Consequently the views weren’t all that impressive. The best was a distant look at Black Elk Peak (7,231 ft.) far to the SE. Miles to the NW was a high ridge that might have been Laird Peak (6,906 ft.). Forest blocked the views in other directions.
Lupe went to the highest spot, a flat area toward the N. After claiming her peakbagging success, she took a quick look at the best views before curling up on SPHP’s lap facing Black Elk Peak.
Pines sighed in a 10 mph NW breeze. Far to the E, a big patch of blue sky lingered out over the unseen plains beyond the hills. Everywhere else the mood was subdued beneath the gray smudge of wintery clouds. Cool out, but not cold. 40ºF?
The view was familiar. Crooks Tower is a favorite place. In fact, Lupe had been to Crooks Tower more times than to any other mountain. This was her 10th ascent. Yet Loop hadn’t been here in more than 2.5 years.
Snow, silence, solitude. It felt good to be back, if only for a little while.
For nearly 40 minutes, Lupe remained up on Crooks Tower. It would be dark before the American Dingo reached the G6 again. Before departing she returned briefly to the true summit. A final glance at the familiar views to the NW and SE, and that was it.
Leaving the summit, Lupe had scarcely reached USFS Road No. 189.4A, when gunfire erupted somewhere to the N. Hunters! The courageous Carolina Dog begged SPHP for protection. Not to worry. She was fine. A few shots, and that was it. Silence returned, and the snowy trek back to the main road began. It didn’t seem as far going downhill.
The return trip was otherwise uneventful. Lupe went back the same way she had come. Such a beautiful, quiet time following these remote USFS roads! Up here it already felt and looked like Christmas. Of course, the light eventually began to fail. Going down Beaver Draw, twilight faded. In darkness, Lupe passed Black Fox. Expedition No. 254 was over. (5:31 PM, 41ºF)
A visit to Crooks Tower had been long overdue! SPHP was glad Lupe had done it. Six days later, on the last day of November, a blizzard struck the Black Hills dumping 2 additional feet of snow. Expedition No. 254 really had been her last chance to visit the western high country of the Black Hills in 2019. Fortunately, Lupe had made the most of it!
Links:
Next Black Hills Adventure Prior Black Hills Expedition
Black Hills, SD Expedition No. 204 – Clayton Pond, Crooks Tower & Peak 6820 (5-13-17)
Black Hills, SD Expedition No. 135 – Peak 6820 & Crooks Tower (6-27-15)
Black Hills, SD Expedition No. 99 – Peak 6820 & Crooks Tower (10-8-14)
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I could feel the solitude and peace just reading this. Thanks!