12:47 PM, 37ºF, junction of Hwy 385 & USFS Road No. 710 – A little late in the day to be starting out on a Black Hills expedition, but that was by design. Lupe was excited, though, and SPHP was too! As soon as SPHP was ready, the American Dingo headed SW into the forest. A skiff of snow was on the ground, somewhat surprising since the weather had been extremely dry and unseasonably warm for 2 months.
The slope quickly increased into a steady, relatively steep climb. Lupe was already most of the way up Peak 5800 when she began coming to minor rock outcroppings and shelves. Pausing briefly at a particularly open spot, she could see the rolling grasslands of the Bald Hills.
The climb got easier near the end. Lupe reached Peak 5800’s big summit ridge near the SE high point. Heading SE, she lost a bit of elevation on the way to a few big rocks for a look at the views in this direction.
Part of Sheridan Lake, which looked frozen over, was in sight. Beyond the lake was Calumet Ridge (5,601 ft.). Boulder Hill (5,331 ft.) and Silver Mountain (5,405 ft.) were easily recognizable, too.
Five Points (6,221 ft.) and False North Point (6,130 ft.) stood out to the SW.
Turning back, Lupe headed NW for Peak 5800’s true summit, stopping at both the SE high point, and for a look at Black Elk Peak (7,231 ft.) along the way.
Traversing the summit ridge was easy. Lupe quickly reached the big gray rock formation near the NW end that constituted the true summit. Light green and charcoal gray lichens decorated the stone. Peak 5800 wasn’t as high as New Year’s Eve Peak (6,046 ft.), Loopster’s ultimate destination today, but the views here were actually better, since they were much more open.
Among other sights, New Year’s Eve Peak itself was visible nearly 2 miles NW as the crow flies. Today’s late start had been driven by the intention of letting Loopster say good-bye to the Year of Perfect Vision over there. A glorious sunset was hoped for, but the completely overcast sky was not encouraging.
However, all was not lost. The cloud cover appeared to be rather thin. Would take a while to get over to New Year’s Eve Peak, so maybe there was still a chance a decent sunset would materialize? 10 minutes at the true summit of Peak 5800, and the American Dingo continued on.
The NW face of Peak 5800 was quite steep and very rocky. A little better more toward the W. This was Lupe’s 3rd time on Peak 5800. She’d come down this way each time, but the descent seemed trickier than SPHP remembered it. Might have gotten a little off course somewhere along the line this time around.
Fortunately, Lupe didn’t have to lose an awful lot of elevation here. Even so, the descent took longer than expected. By the time Looper reached much easier terrain, she had some good news! Patches of blue sky were appearing and seemed to be spreading. Weak sunlight illuminated golden fields ahead.
The journey through the sunlit fields was as gorgeous and fun as it was easy. This region was a longtime favorite. Ever since Lupe first climbed New Year’s Eve Peak on the last day of 2012, she had been coming here near the end of every year. Poor weather often prevented Loop from returning right on December 31st, but she had usually been able to get here within a day or two.
The American Dingo roamed freely, having a blast as SPHP pondered this tradition and the sad imminent demise of the Year of Perfect Vision. Two years since Lupe had come this way! In 2019, SPHP had been far too sick to make the journey. Great to be back! Lupe hated fireworks, and this annual trek to New Year’s Eve Peak was her much preferred method of celebrating New Year’s Eve. Beauty, solitude, and freedom!
By the time Loop made it to Pistol Point, hopes for a glorious sunset were fading fast. Obliterating all blue sky in its path, a thicker bank of clouds was sweeping in from the NW. Still not darkly overcast, but the sun was already reduced to a mere bright spot in the clouds.
Only 0.5 mile to go! Leaving Pistol Point, Lupe headed W across open ground, but was soon turning N along New Year’s Eve Peak’s S ridge. The ridge was narrow, rocky, and thickly forested. Some up and down along the way, but nothing major. Before long, Loop was coming up the S slope.
3:56 PM – For the 8th time in her life, and 3rd time right on New Year’s Eve, Lupe stood atop the true summit boulder on New Year’s Eve Peak. Perfect timing!
All to no avail. Somewhere the sun was still up, but not for long. Clearly, no sunset, whether grand and glorious or otherwise, was in the cards. The sky was a uniform light gray, the mood merely a chilly, blah nothing. Not a ray of sunshine anywhere. Entirely out of character, New Year’s Eve Peak (6,046 ft.) felt neither like the end, nor the beginning, of anything.
A disappointing end to 2020, the Year of Perfect Vision.
A few years ago, loggers had come and thinned out some of the pines to the S, both creating a mess and opening up the views, which used to be very limited. Young pines were already growing all around the summit boulder. A few more years, and the views would be vanishing again.
Before doing anything else, Lupe and SPHP performed a ritual task in keeping with tradition. Sitting together, a short break was taken facing W. Taste of the Wild, a couple of shared chocolate coconut bars, and an apple disappeared. Quite a bit of territory was in sight, looking snowier and more wintery than seemed justified at the end of a December so warm and dry.
In the past, Lupe had always arrived here earlier in the day. In fact, she’d always completed her New Year’s Eve Peak tour well before the sun went down. By sunset she was on her way back to the G6, out in open country where the final gleaming rays and dazzling colors of the dying year could be better appreciated.
Knowing that the sun was already on the horizon, but unable to glimpse it, simply felt wrong. No moment of anticipation. Nothing was going to happen. What was the point?
None really, except to maintain the tradition, to be here together as whatever remaining light of the old year faded, to remember the year that had been.
Grandma finally moved this year. Then months spent working on her house getting it ready to sell. The sale itself, which went so fast. The last of more than 1,000 trips to the cul-de-sac. Then summer. A late start to it, but Lupe had climbed some fabulous peaks, among them some of the highest she had ever been to. An early end to those happy times, as the smoke of countless wildfires blanketed and obscured the W. Through it all, the trials of Covid-19 which had prevented the Most High Exalted Dingo of the Arctic Sisterhood from returning to Canada and Alaska.
Each day is precious, unique, never to return. Lupe and SPHP stirred. A quick New Year’s Eve Peak summit tour was in order, even if other plans had been denied.
Done. Mission complete. Onward! Puppy, ho!
Ironic. By the time the flashlight had to come out, stars were twinkling above. So where did all those infernal clouds go? The Dingo didn’t care. No brilliant sunset before 2020 vanished forever? So what? Peak 5800 and New Year’s Eve Peak! She’d had a great time. (End, 6:00 PM, 32ºF)
At home, dinner then early to bed, very early. For hours, Lupe laid close to SPHP for protection while sporadic fireworks boomed in the night. With each thud, the Carolina Dog glanced up in fear and wonder. Near exhaustion and final collapse, the Year of Perfect Vision was still hanging on, still fending off the dread uncertainties of 2021.
Oh, don’t worry about it, Loopster! Gonna be OK! You’ll still be climbing mountains in 2021. You might as well enjoy that Busy Rib Hide!
Stroking her soft fur, SPHP gave Lupe another kiss. Reassured yet again, the American Dingo went back to chomping away.
Links:
Next Black Hills Expedition Prior Black Hills Expedition
Black Hills, SD Expedition No. 242: New Year’s Eve Peak, Peak 6070 & Peak 6043 (12-17-18)
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