1:00 PM, start of USFS Road No. 257 just off Horse Creek Road (No. 243) – Been a while since Lupe had been here, more than 11 months, in fact. Way back on 1-29-12 on Expedition No. 3, the Carolina Dog had started from this same spot. She’d gone mountain climbing for the first time ever, intending to reach the top of Old Bald Peak (6,130 ft.), but had ended up on Peak 6043, instead.
Back then, Lupe had seen a line of barren hills NE of here that looked like it might be fun to explore. For her final Black Hills, SD Expedition of 2012, the American Dingo was going to do just that! Exactly as she’d done on Expedition No. 3, Lupe headed N on USFS Road No. 257.
0.5 mile brought her to the junction where No. 257.1A split off to the W. That was the way she’d gone on Expedition No. 3, but Lupe continued N this time. The road curled around the E side of the first high point ahead, before turning W for a short distance. No. 257 then began a steady climb NNW up a long valley.
The road was gradually taking Lupe farther W than SPHP had intended. The Carolina Dog was skirting the W end of the barren hills region she was supposed to be exploring, but it seemed simpler to gain elevation following the road than to take off into much steeper terrain.
Nearly 2 miles from the start, No. 257 went over a forested pass between two hills. The peak to the E was now less than 250 feet higher. This was Lupe’s chance to get up there without much trouble. Leaving the road, she scrambled up a steep, slippery slope with ease, while SPHP clung from tree to tree trying to maintain traction on 0.5″ of snow covering loose pine needles.
Lupe came up near a 2 foot high wall of rock basking in the brilliant, weak warmth of 2012’s last afternoon. This line of rocks was along the W edge of a spacious summit region. Little could be seen to the N or E due to all the trees.
The high point was visible a little way off to the S. 2012 was still alive and well up here, the sun 2 hours from the horizon. An inch of pristine white snow hid a layer of pine needles, further brightening a mountaintop already illuminated by sunlight filtering through the pines.
Something in the slanting rays whispered of enchantment. Quiet, alone, undisturbed, this mountain had been waiting. Waiting countless days and starry nights, not long forgotten, but never even known, and those times having passed, were now as if they had never been. No one comes here – ever.
Yet on this final fading afternoon, magic had conjured an unanticipated wonder. A visitor! Lupe! The American Dingo had appeared as though foretold, or perhaps pre-destined, barely in time to beat some ancient deadline established in ages past for reasons beyond memory.
Turning S, Lupe prowled toward the high point.
A big rock was the absolute high point. Nothing happened when Lupe got up on it. A breeze sighed amid the pines, otherwise stillness, silence. Although summoned, perhaps even the mountain had forgotten why?
Yet the spell remained unbroken. Gone was the desire to explore the barren hills. Maybe Lupe was supposed to stay here, simply watching, experiencing, appreciating the light and glory of 2012 before it vanished never to be seen again?
So Lupe and SPHP stayed, lingering while earth’s beautiful sun settled wearily in the SW. A whole year gone! 2012, the year Lupe had started her Black Hills expeditions, and climbed her first mountains. For some reason this lonely mountain, by now dubbed New Year’s Eve Peak (6,046 ft.), was destined to be the last of the bunch.
As 2012 slipped away, Lupe and SPHP shuffled back and forth between viewpoints. To the W was a narrow look at snowy hills similar to this one, to the S, a panoramic view of forested hills stretching away toward Harney Peak (7,242 ft.), South Dakota’s highest mountain.
A profound brooding serenity at last gave way. Enough! While 2012 still lived and breathed, the barren hills were calling. Insufficient time for a thorough exploration, but Lupe could still experience the essence of what lurked there.
The American Dingo bid farewell to the true summit of New Year’s Eve Peak heading ESE through the forest. A steep descent into a deep valley appeared. Lupe started down, but SPHP was soon thinking that maybe this wasn’t the best way to go? Turning sharply back toward the WSW, Lupe climbed just enough to get up to a ridge S of the true summit.
Following this ridge S, Lupe traipsed along an intermittently rocky spine through pine forest, gradually losing elevation. The forest thinned after 0.33 mile as the ridge turned SE and broadened out. Lupe roamed in sunshine among rock outcroppings and clearings.
The sky was clear as Lupe reached the barren hills. The Carolina Dog was high on the NW edge of the region, enjoying a commanding view to the S and E similar to the one from the top of New Year’s Eve Peak.
Frozen Sheridan Lake was in sight miles to the SE. Heading toward it, Lupe came to an open lower ridge with a series of big rock formations strung out along its crest.
Late afternoon. End of December. The barren hills glowed serenely, as if happy that Lupe had finally come to bask with them in the final silent sunlit moments of 2012.
Not much time left for exploring! Sunset imminent! Joyful in the fresh mountain air, Lupe sniffed all that she could as she wandered SE amid the rock formations.
Lupe soon left the rocky ridgeline, entering a valley to the E. Here, she turned S on a grassy slope in the shadow of the ridge she’d just left.
For a few fleeting minutes, Lupe made it back into the beautiful sunlight, but this was the end. By the time the Carolina Dog turned SW going over a low pass, 2012 glittered only from high points still able to glimpse the gleaming orb fleeing W.
Down, down to the black pines ahead! This next valley would take Lupe back to No. 257. Five Points (6,221 ft.) and False North Point (6,130 ft.) were the culprits looming to the SW, casting an early shadow over all.
4:48 PM, 14ºF, at the start of USFS Road No. 257 off Horse Creek Road – Twilight. A few stars already. Snow crunching underpaw, the dim trek back along No. 257 had been a time to reflect on all that Lupe had done in 2012. 41 Black Hills expeditions! The Carolina Dog’s first ever Dingo Vacation with Lanis clear to the W coast! So many adventures!
Sadly, 2012 was gone, or nearly so, about to steal away in the night. At the start of 2012, none of these adventures had even been dreamed of, but Lupe had high hopes now.
Tomorrow the golden sun would return, bringing 2013 in all its blazing glory! Another year of new mountains, new adventures, near and far! And maybe at the end of it all, an American Dingo would stand again atop the silent, magical summit of New Year’s Eve Peak (6,046 ft.).
Links:
Next Black Hills Expedition Prior Black Hills Expedition
Black Hills, SD Expedition No. 80 – New Year’s Eve Peak (3-23-14)
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