4-23-21, late morning – It was the shrillest, happiest, most enthusiastic greeting ever! Uncle Joe, Aunt Andrea, and Cousin Dusty from Colorado could scarcely get in the door or be heard above the din. The Carolina Dog was in a complete frenzy of joy and excitement! Lupe knew what their arrival meant – good times ahead!
Festivities started off with a quick trip to Qdoba’s for take-out, and a visit to Grandma’s, where Lupe and Dusty each enjoyed a Busy Rib Hide.
After lunch, Aunt Andrea and Grandma were going shopping. Uncle Joe did not disappoint. How about a romp in the hills? A suggestion very well received by the pack!
Where to, was the immediate question? The day was breezy and gray. Barely above freezing, it was cold for late April. Furthermore, Cousin Dusty would be 15 in June, and was recovering from surgery to remove a tumor. She was doing well, but something not terribly strenuous was in order. SPHP suggested an easy trek along Rapid Creek.
4-23-21, 1:30 PM, Silver City trailhead – Out of the wind down in scenic Rapid Creek canyon, Deerfield Trail No. 40 was the perfect solution! The trail was easy to follow and wound upstream with minimal elevation gain. Dusty could go as far as she wanted to, or turn back at any time.
Early on there was a nice view of Silver Peak (5,810 ft.).
The trail passed through forest, and along stretches of Rapid Creek. It even went by a Dingo Cave.
Lupe had been here many times before, but today there was something new to show off to her guests from Colorado. 3 bighorn sheep were up on a steep slope overlooking the trail. One wore two tags, No. 353 and No. 354, plus a radio collar.
Cousin Dusty was doing great! In fact, she was having such a grand time that she often led the way, even doing some off-trail exploring. As the trek continued, Dusty crossed several more bridges over Rapid Creek. Eventually, the sky darkened further. It began to snow.
Could have been November! Snowflakes filled the air, drifting silently lower. After passing Stewart Gulch, Uncle Joe called a halt. Probably far enough for Dusty. A break was taken. SPHP shared chocolate coconut bars with everyone, and Uncle Joe provided Kind bars.
The bighorn sheep were still there on the way back, they’d hardly moved at all. Snowed the whole time, but it was too warm for any of it to stick. The return seemed to go fast. Cousin Dusty was still leading when the trailhead appeared ahead. (3:35 PM, 36ºF)
4-24-21, 10:30 AM, 45ºF, Horse Creek Road – Gray and cold earlier, just like yesterday, but the clouds were breaking up now! Sunny, getting warmer, and not too windy. A bit muddy, but everyone was in a good mood while setting out on USFS Road No. 243.2J.
No. 243.2J led to a junction with USFS Road No. 669 near a pond that had been frozen over the last time Lupe was here a little over a month ago. Not so today! Cousin Dusty decided to take a dip.
Although the pond still had to be mighty cold, Dusty showed no sign of being chilled when she emerged. She went right back to leading the way on USFS Road No. 669 as it headed SE up a valley.
No. 669 topped out at a broad saddle 0.6 mile past the pond. Peak 5520, an objective chosen for its excellent views and because Cousin Dusty would be able to climb it, was just 0.2 mile NE.
Could have chosen a tougher peak! Dusty had no problem at all. Soon everyone was congregated at the top of the mountain.
Veterans of many trips over the years, Joe and Dusty were no strangers to the Black Hills. A number of peaks they had climbed before with Lupe were visible from Peak 5520, including Boulder Hill (5,331 ft.), Peak 5917, Mount Warner (5,889 ft.), Black Elk Peak (7,231 ft.) and Custer Peak (6,804 ft.).
Fond memories on display in almost every direction!
Naturally, a chocolate coconut bar break, shared in by all, was taken to commemorate another successful Black Hills ascent. Then it was down Peak 5520’s S slope, a slightly different route back to USFS Road No. 669, with a brief stop to check out the still splendid views from some of the rock formations.
4-24-21, 12:50 PM, Horse Creek Road, back at the G6 – Good times with Cousin Dusty and Uncle Joe! Two nice hikes in two days, but this was only a very quick trip for them. Although they’d arrived only 27 hours ago, bright and early tomorrow morning they would be on the road back to Colorado.
Still early afternoon, though, and Dusty was doing great! Would they consider spending a little longer in the hills before heading back to town? SPHP suggested lunch in Hill City, then another short outing.
And so it was. Lupe and Dusty rested up in the G6, while Joe and SPHP enjoyed a fabulous meal at the Alpine Inn. Then it was on to Burnt Fork Road and a hike to the Gold Mountain Mine.
In the valley SE of the mine was another pond, considerably larger than the one on the way to Peak 5520. On the way back to the G6, Cousin Dusty couldn’t resist taking another dip.
Then it was back to town to Grandma’s apartment where Aunt Andrea was playing cards with her, and where two lucky cousins got to enjoy Busy Rib Hides after another fun day together in the beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota.
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