Day 11 of Lupe’s Summer of 2022 Dingo Vacation to Wyoming!
9:02 AM, upper Dog Creek valley, Snake River Range – Another gorgeous morning! The American Dingo was off to kind of a late start after her big success getting to Observation Peak (9,960 ft.) yesterday. For the second day in a row, Lupe trotted across the big meadow in the upper Dog Creek valley, crossing small streams before reaching Trail No. 009.
Following the trail to where it climbed NW up a bare slope, this time when it turned SW heading into a forest full of snow, Loop abandoned the trail to climb due S along the ridgeline, enjoying a beautiful view of the Dog Creek valley and Wolf Mountain (9,483 ft.) along the way.
As Lupe continued S, the rate of climb soon diminished. Up here, the ridge was forested, with big snow drifts slowly melting away in the shade. Turning SW, Lupe came to a snow-free clearing. Blanketed in snow, a mountain and part of an enormous ridge N of it were in view.
There it is, Loopster! Indian Peak (9,683ft.)!
I know! We saw it lots of times yesterday, remember, SPHP? Not very far away, is it? We’re almost there already!
Yup! Maybe 0.5 mile as the crow flies. Looks like we could almost head straight for it, and climb right on up. Might be easier, though, if we can get back up onto the ridge N of it again.
Heading W toward the enormous ridge, Loopster re-entered the forest. Climbing a hill, she trotted over snow drifts hidden among the trees.
This little hill wasn’t much of a climb. The terrain soon leveled out again. The Carolina Dog came to a second snow-free clearing providing an even better look at Indian Peak and the ridge N of it.
The scene was as snowy as ever, the terrain steep enough to discourage SPHP from encouraging a direct assault.
Keep going W, Looper! Let’s see how things look over that way.
Crossing the second clearing, Lupe reached and passed through another band of trees, quickly emerging at the top of a rocky slope leading to the base of Indian Peak’s N ridge. Toward the NW, the big ridge was nearly snow-free, and didn’t appear to be as high. This was the same region where the topo map showed Trail No. 009 heading up onto the ridge.
Looks easier to go up over there, doesn’t it, SPHP?
Sure does! Head that way, Loop. Maybe we’ll even find the trail again?
Going down the rock-strewn slope to the base of the ridge, the Carolina Dog found a small, icy tarn, but no sign of Trail No. 009. The snow-free part of the ridge was considerably steeper than the snowfield right next to it. When the snow generally held not only Lupe’s, but SPHP’s weight as well, venturing up the snowfield seemed the best option.
After a fair amount of progress up the slope, the snowfield steepened. Loop was still doing fine, but SPHP decided to abandon the snow for the bare ground, which despite being even steeper, provided better traction. Only a short trudge higher was now required to reach a bench bordered by a line of large, blocky boulders.
The boulders provided a good spot to take a breather, but Lupe was still only partway up the huge ridge. Another big climb, a snow-filled bowl, was to the W.
Happily, although just as long, most of this climb wasn’t quite as steep as what the American Dingo had just done. Lupe enjoyed a pleasant romp in dazzling sunshine the rest of the way up.
Once on top, Loop found herself at a meadow near the low point of the entire ridge connecting Indian Peak and HP9582. This was about where Trail No. 099 ought to have come up from the E, and where Trail No. 056 should have begun its descent into Lake Basin to the W, but she saw no sign of either one. However, upon turning S to head for Indian Peak, the Carolina Dog quickly discovered a pile of trash beneath the first spruce trees she came to.
Another break was taken while SPHP gathered up all the miscellaneous trash for disposal later on. Sadly, a pile of 10 aluminum and tin cans had to be left behind due to a lack of space in the pack.
The ridge narrowed and steepened as Lupe continued S past the dump. In some places, tightly-packed trees growing right along the crest of the ridge forced her to stay E out on the snow to get around them. The ridge eventually turned SE, and broadened out. Loopster traipsed up a bare, rather rocky, slope.
As she approached Indian Peak’s summit, the rate of climb diminished. Gnarled, old trees, many of them dead, were scattered along the upper W slope. Reaching the top, Lupe strode onto a huge snowbank wrapped around the N and E edges that covered most of a summit region 200+ feet long N/S, and 40 feet wide E/W.
11:37 AM, 63ºF, Indian Peak (9,683 ft.) – This snowbank was currently the mountain’s temporary true summit. The American Dingo stood at the high point near the N end. Far to the N, Grand Teton (13,770 ft.), Wyoming’s most famous mountain, soared into the blue.
Tremendous views in all directions! After a quick glance around, Lupe headed for a cairn visible at the S end.
The cairn proved to be a loosely assembled pile of light-colored rocks. No sign of any registry or survey benchmark. Loopster laid down near the cairn, SPHP sitting beside her.
Guess, this is it, Loop! Congratulations on climbing Indian Peak, your last summit in the Snake River Range on this Dingo Vacation.
Smiling broadly, Lupe gently offered her sweet paw. SPHP shook it.
Too bad this is the last one, SPHP! This was the easiest mountain so far around here. Didn’t take us long at all, and the views are just as good!
Yeah, but we’re about out of supplies now. After this, we’re going to have to head back to the RAV4. So, let’s enjoy Indian Peak while we can! Chocolate coconut bar? Last one!
Chocolate coconut bars are never a tough sell. The last one vanished PDQ. Looper also polished off the last of the Taste of the Wild supply. SPHP munched away at the last apple.
Yet another perfect day! For quite a while, Lupe curled up on SPHP’s lap, enjoying the splendid view of now familiar mountains to the S from a slightly different perspective. Red Peak (9,771 ft.) was lined up almost directly behind Peak 9708. An easy ridge walk led to both of them.
In the distance, Peak 9736 and Deadhorse Peak (9,783 ft.) were more to the R, Bradley Mountain (9,292 ft.) and Stewart Mountain (10,103 ft.) even more distant to the L.
To the SW was a great look at the South Fork of Indian Creek valley, with Caribou Mountain (9,803 ft.) on the horizon.
Eventually getting up to move around a bit, SPHP saw something shiny 40 feet down the SE slope. Turned out to be a bottle of Koala Springs beer, still half full. Emptying it onto the ground, the bottle got added to the rest of the trash stuffed in the pack.
Mount McDougal (10,780 ft.) and Triple Peak (11,127 ft.) could be made out far to the SSE, the Wind River Range, NE. Obs Benchmark (9,935 ft.) was only 2 miles due W, and Observation Peak (9,960 ft.), where Lupe had been only yesterday, a similar distance NW.
At a leisurely pace, trying to savor every moment, Lupe and SPHP toured the entire summit region. As always, time flew. Another short rest back at the S end by the cairn, and sadly, it was time.
Been up here over an hour, Looper. Hate to say it, but we better move on. Got a long way to go.
Do you really think we’ll get all the way back to the RAV4 tonight, SPHP? Don’t you remember how long it took us to get up into this country?
Oh, don’t worry about that, Looper! We’re going to take a different route. This time, we’ll just find Trail No. 069, and follow it down the Dog Creek valley. Downhill all the way! Ought to be a snap. You’ll see!
12:44 PM, Indian Peak – Lupe headed N along the W edge of the summit region. A final glance back at the cairn where she’d spent most of her time up here, and she started down the NW slope, bound for the ridge leading N to HP9582.
The descent was fantastic! Everything was so beautiful! Loop loved the snowy trek back to the icy tarn. Varying her earlier route, she continued NE past the tarn, making rapid progress across a meadow.
Beyond the meadow, Lupe entered the snowy forest. Losing elevation, she eventually found Trail No. 009 again, following it back down to the upper Dog Creek valley. The Carolina Dog returned to the glen where the tiny house had been set up last night, so SPHP could retrieve it and the sleeping bags, already packed up and stashed among the trees.
Then it was back to the upper Dog Creek valley. Following Trail No. 009 SE, it was bound to lead to Trail No. 069.
All was well! Everything was going great, exactly as expected. No snow down here to hide the trails. Lupe roamed as she pleased, stopping to sniff wildflowers and anything else of interest, while SPHP made great strides on the downhill march. After a while, an unmarked trail left an abandoned horse camp, heading NE deeper into the Dog Creek valley.
Had to be Trail No. 069, right? No doubt about it!
However, Trail No. 069 soon began to exhibit unexpected behavior. Rather than staying down along the N bank of Dog Creek as shown on the map, the trail ran along slopes S of the stream, often well above it.
Worse, every time another tributary had to be crossed, there was a drop, followed by a steep 40 foot climb. Not such a big deal, but enough to be annoying, when tired and a nice, smooth, easy march down the valley had been anticipated.
The trail crossed Dog Creek a couple of times early on while it was still small, but the stream grew fast as tributaries added to the flow. There was so much up and down, that SPHP mentally began to keep a running total of Lupe’s estimated extra elevation gain.
2 miles from the horse camp, Lupe was on a steep slope S of Dog Creek, about 200 feet above it, when Trail No. 069 curved R around a bend into a steep snow-filled ravine. The trail appeared level as it traversed this ravine. Once beyond it, everything still seemed fine, but the trail soon began to fade amid dense vegetation.
Up until now, the trail had been easy to follow. Expecting it would soon improve, SPHP pressed on, Lupe now following on the steep slope. The trail did improve, but only for a little way. Suddenly it was gone!
Lupe was approaching the narrowest, deepest, most steep-sided part of the entire Dog Creek valley, a wilderness of old forest, huge deadfall, and lush vegetation. Progress slowed to a crawl as SPHP thrashed through the jungle. Loopster began hanging back. Playing her stalking game, the American Dingo refused to follow unless SPHP was out of sight.
You’re nuts, SPHP! This can’t be right!
I know that now, Loop, but we’ve already lost a bunch of elevation. Let’s try to get down to Dog Creek. We must have missed a turn back at that ravine. The trail must be somewhere over on the N side of the valley now.
It sure wasn’t over here, but getting down to Dog Creek wasn’t easy. SPHP chickened out on a slope so steep that a fall seemed inevitable. A desperate, clinging climb back up, only to try again a little farther on. This time it worked, barely. Fording Dog Creek, Lupe scrambled 100 feet up an almost equally steep slope on the N bank before … yes! The trail!
Having lost a fair amount of time, but feeling confident again, it was:
Onward! Puppy, ho!
That wasn’t the end of the problems, though. More discouraging uphill sections, tough when hungry and weary, but the deadfall was the worst. Not a huge amount, but far from uncommon, too. The dingdong deadfall often forced steep climbs around not only the tree fallen over the trail, but others forming a long wall above or below it. Rinse and repeat every so often, each effort sapping energy and causing additional delay.
The trail eventually dropped down to Dog Creek. A ford, a dangerous one! Only knee deep on SPHP, but flowing fast straight into rocky rapids and deadfall. SPHP could manage, but what about Lupe? Neck deep against a powerful current, she’d get swept away, battered mercilessly against the rocks, and pinned helplessly against deadfall. The water a deadly, relentless force, she’d drown.
Carrying Loopster across was out of the question. The rocky creekbed was too uneven, SPHP would need hands free in order to use poles just to maintain balance.
What are we going to do, SPHP?
Mount McDougal, Loop.
Mount McDougal! What is that supposed to mean?
Just like we did there, I’m going to leash you up, Looper. You’ll have to swim. I’ll hang on to the leash, so you don’t get swept downstream. Won’t let go for anything! Promise! It’s not that far, you’ll be across in no time. I’ll help pull you through.
SPHP started across first. Worried, but trusting SPHP completely, Loop plunged into the frigid water on command. Worked! Seconds later, the Carolina Dog was shaking herself off on the S bank.
Gah! Right around the next bend, another equally dangerous ford. Poor Lupe had to do it again!
High on a very steep slope N of Dog Creek, Lupe came to a tree fallen over the trail. Clearly, no way around this one, the slopes both above and below it were nearly cliffs. Forcing a way through the multitude of branches levitating the trunk was mandatory. Loop managed easily enough, but SPHP had a heck of a time squeezing through.
A mile and 500 feet of lost elevation beyond this trouble spot, stopped in fading light for a breather, a sudden, sickening realization.
Ugh, Loop! I’m sorry! We have to go back!
Back where, SPHP?
To that blasted tree!
The one with all the branches? Why?
Yeah. I forgot the camera. Almost certain I left it hanging on a branch, while strapping the pack back on. Entirely my fault, Loop, but we can’t lose it.
Wearily, back up the valley. Sure enough, the camera was there. Grab and go! Right back down the same mile for the 3rd time.
Camera retrieved, as light faded even from the mountaintops, Lupe quit playing her stalking game. Suddenly she seemed energized, leading the way, leaping over deadfall, often far ahead of SPHP, pausing frequently to look back to make certain SPHP was still coming.
Dog Creek valley was longer than SPHP ever imagined. Trail No. 069 went on and on. Two more fords appeared in rapid succession, but weren’t as threatening. Lupe crossed both on her own. Eventually, the valley broadened out. No more significant uphill sections! Loopster traveled through tunnels of dense vegetation shoulder high on SPHP.
The sun was down. Signs appeared at junctions! One for the Little Dog Creek Trail, the other for the Cabin Creek Trail. SPHP kept watching for the unmarked side trail Lupe had followed into Beaver Dam Canyon 3 days ago, but never saw it. Stars appeared. The little flashlight came out. Traveling fast, with nothing to eat since Indian Peak, Lupe was a star herself! Always leading, never fading, or falling back.
10:21 PM, Dog Creek trailhead – Suddenly, it was over! The RAV4 sat alone, patiently waiting at the trailhead. Lupe couldn’t wait to leap onto her pink blanket when SPHP opened the door. Instead of falling asleep, she licked her paws until SPHP fed her, inhaling a whole can of Ol’ Roy.
SPHP was dead tired, but couldn’t stand being in filthy, sopping-wet boots. Driving to the Pritchard Boat ramp, SPHP washed sore feet in the Snake River before donning night socks and the old Merrell slippers. It was nearly midnight by the time a weary American Dingo returned to the dark, quiet Dog Creek trailhead to pass out for the night.
Good thing SPHP had no inkling ahead of time what Trail No. 069 and the Dog Creek valley were going to be like. Loopster never would have climbed beautiful Indian Peak (9,683 ft.)!
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