Black Hills, SD Expedition No. 301 – Sylvan Lake & the Custer State Park Buffalo Hunt (4-16-22)

11:48 AM, 32ºF, Sylvan Lake Picnic Area – Oh, the news was wonderful!  Yesterday evening Cousins Dusty, Laddie, and Uncle Joe had arrived for a visit.  Lupe was thrilled!  The enthusiastic American Dingo knew what that meant – good times on joint expeditions in the Black Hills!  The real question had been where to go?  Cousin Dusty would be turning sweet 16 in less than 2 months, and wasn’t up to anything long or strenuous.

This morning, SPHP had suggested the loop trail around Sylvan Lake, a choice agreeable to all, but hadn’t taken the lake’s 6,145 foot elevation fully into account.  Mid-April, but there was ice on the lake, snow on the ground, and a chill in the air as Lupe and her cousins set out from the picnic area for a counter-clockwise tour around the lake.  It was so cold out that only a couple of Canadians were hardy enough to be hanging out down by the beach.

Setting out from the picnic area. Photo looks NW.
Sylvan Lake from near the beach along the N shore. Photo looks SW.
Canadian geese.

Beyond the beach, the trail wound NW past massive granite formations and improbable spires.  Going over a bit of a rise, another part of Sylvan Lake came into view.  Cousin Dusty was doing great!  She even led the way, happy to be back in the Black Hills again.

Among the granite formations. Photo looks N.
Approaching the N end of Sylvan Lake. Cousin Dusty (R) in the lead. Photo looks NW.

Going around a bay, the trail climbed onto rock formations overlooking Sylvan Lake.  On this cold, overcast morning, the scene was mostly gray and white.  Pines added a green too subdued to break a wintery mood.

The N bay from up on the rocks. Photo looks SE.

Joe, Dusty, and Laddie got a head start as the trail turned SW descending into Sunday Gulch.  Protected from the sun by towering rock formations, there was even more snow down here.  Water seeped from a big crack in the granite.

Joe and Laddie start down into Sunday Gulch. Photo looks SW.
A snowy descent. Photo looks SW.
Laddie, Joe, and Dusty in Sunday Gulch.

Once down in Sunday Gulch, it was only a short distance to a junction with Sunday Gulch Trail No. 6 near the Sylvan Lake dam.  The cloud cover thinned, and the sky brightened.  Suddenly, winter seemed to be losing its grip.  A hint of spring was in the air.

Joe, Laddie, and Lupe below the dam. Photo looks SE.

Sunday Gulch Trail No. 6 is scenic, but steep.  Cousin Dusty wasn’t going to be able to take on a side excursion like that.  In fact, she had a bit of a problem with the next section of the Sylvan Lake trail.  Beyond the dam, the trail turned S going up a series of snowy steps that led into a narrow passage between vertical rock walls.

The passage was a sheet of ice!  A minor rise near the end was so slick that Dusty could scarcely get up it.  Repeatedly losing traction, she kept sliding back.  Joe had to brace himself between the rock walls to try to give her a helping paw.

Joe, Dusty, and Laddie head up the steps. Photo looks S.
Joe trying to help Dusty up the super slick ice.

After a couple of comical attempts, Dusty got the extra help she needed.  Emerging from the narrow passage at lake level near the dam, the rest of the path around the lake was a cinch.  Flat as a pancake, the trail ran right along the SW shore nearly all the way to the S end of the lake.

Near the dam (unseen off to the L) after successfully negotiating the icy passage. Photo looks NE.
Along the SW shore. Photo looks SE.
Looking NW back toward the dam (L beyond Joe).

Didn’t take long at all to get there.

Laddie, Joe, and Dusty at the S end of Sylvan Lake. Photo looks NNW.
Loopster basking in weak sunshine.
The massive granite formation near the dam. Photo looks NW.

The scenic jaunt around Sylvan Lake was almost complete.  Not much farther back to the picnic area now.  Cousin Dusty seemed perplexed.  Other than the one icy spot that everyone had had a little trouble with, she was doing fine.  The adventure couldn’t be over already, could it?

At 15 years, 10 months, Cousin Dusty ready for more Black Hills action!

Joe proposed extending the trek with a stroll along Needles Highway No. 87, which remained closed to vehicles for the season.  After 0.33 mile, a shortcut was taken up to the high point of Little Devils Tower Trail No. 4 between the trailhead and the picnic area back at Sylvan Lake.

Heading up to Trail No. 4 after leaving the Needles Highway. Photo looks SW.

A log served as a bench during a rest break.  The dogs shared a chocolate coconut bar, while Joe and SPHP munched on apples and Kind bars.  The party broke up after Laddie barked at hikers on the trail.

The return to the Sylvan Lake picnic area on Little Devils Trail No. 4 was quick and easy.  Downhill all the way!

On Little Devils Trail No. 4, about to head back to the Sylvan Lake picnic area.

1:45 PM – When everyone got back to the RAV4, there was still plenty of time to do something more today, but that was up to Uncle Joe and his assessment of how Cousin Dusty was faring.

Dusty appeared to be fine.  SPHP suggested Custer State Park’s wildlife loop.  Dusty might enjoy exploring the rolling grasslands.  Would take a while to drive there, with a good chance of seeing buffalo somewhere along the way.

A buffalo hunt, whether from the RAV4 or out on the prairie, sounded like a great idea!  Lupe was clearly in favor, and no one else seemed to have any objections.

2:36 PM – Buffalo had already been seen by the time Uncle Joe parked at a curve along CSP Road No. 2 about 0.33 mile N of Racetrack Butte.  Lupe had given her cousins live demonstrations of how to bark ferociously at bison from the safety of the RAV4.  Laddie was interested, but hadn’t quite picked up on it yet.

Dusty was ready for another outing, if it wasn’t a long one.  The plan was to climb a nearby flat-topped ridge hoping to spot more buffalo from a safe distance.

Setting off on the Custer State Park buffalo hunt! Photo looks SW.

Upon reaching the top of the ridge, the buffalo hunt became an instant success.  Two buffalo were relaxing on the prairie up here.  Not exactly a thundering herd, but they were impressive.  Upon seeing an American Dingo, both got up to keep an eye on Lupe, but didn’t really do anything except stand there.

I’m thinking buffalo burgers! How about you, SPHP? …. I’m thinking you’re close enough, Loop. Stay here!

Both buffalo soon decided they might as well eat grass.  Sensible enough, but not terribly exciting.  A lone pine stood near the SE end of the ridge.  Ought to be a great view of Racetrack Butte (4,320 ft.) and quite a bit of surrounding territory from over there.  Might as well check it out.

Dusty, Laddie, and Joe up on the ridge. Racetrack Butte (L). Photo looks SSE.

The hunch paid off!  From the end of the ridge there was a terrific view of a whole herd of buffalo in the valley next to Racetrack Butte.

Gazing down on the buffalo herd. Racetrack Butte (L). Photo looks SE.

This was a fabulous vantage point!  Many brand new calves were among the herd.  Joe, Dusty, Laddie, and SPHP all watched in fascination.

Buffalo and their calves with help from the telephoto lens.

Lupe was fascinated, too, but the excitement of seeing so many buffalo all at once quickly became almost unbearable.  The Carolina Dog began whining so loudly that the bison must have heard her.  All of a sudden, several began ambling off to the E.  Before long, they were running.

None of the buffalo wanted to be left behind.  Evidently convinced utter disaster threatened, the whole herd began stampeding away.  This did nothing to calm Lupe down.  Whining more than ever, the frustrated American Dingo watched the bison vanish across the prairie.

The buffalo race away past Racetrack Butte (R). Photo looks ESE.

Within minutes, the show was over.  The buffalo had provided quite a spectacle!

Joe, Laddie, and Dusty heading back.to the RAV4.

That wasn’t the end of all the excitement, though!  Once back in the RAV4, part of the same buffalo herd that had fled the Carolina Dog’s mere whining when she was way up on the ridge far from them, had stopped right on CSP Road No. 2, blocking the road.  Now that Lupe was barking hysterically right next to them from the RAV4, most barely glanced up.

Shut it, pesky Dingo! Can’t you see we’re grazing here?
Yeah, really not all that concerned.

Joe eventually had to ease the RAV4 slowly through the herd to get them to move enough to get by.  It was a good thing he got through, or Lupe would have busted a gut.  The whole experience left her foaming at the mouth, chest heaving.  Laddie had been so impressed that even he’d joined in for a moment.

That still wasn’t the end, though.  Lupe had plenty more chances to bark like a nutcase.  Wildlife was everywhere!  On the way out of Custer State Park, Loop saw more buffalo, a huge herd of elk, lots of mountain sheep, marmots, wild turkeys, and turkey vultures.  Uncle Joe was amazed at the quantity and variety of wildlife around, not to mention just about deaf, by the time the Custer State Park adventure was over.

Mountain sheep.
Being ignored by mountain sheep.

The reprieve of silence didn’t last long.  Outside the park, this was cattle country.  Cows and horses!  Lupe had to give them all what for.

So glad Uncle Joe, and cousins Dusty and Laddie were here!  What a great day!

Near Racetrack Butte, Custer State Park, Black Hills of South Dakota 4-16-22

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