Dog Tooth Peak & Mitchell Peak, Wind River Range, WY – Part 2: Dog Tooth Paradise to the Summits! (7-4-22)

Day 19 of Lupe’s 1st Summer of 2022 Dingo Vacation to Wyoming!

6:53 AM, base camp at Dog Tooth Paradise – A few raindrops had fallen on the tiny house at first light, but the morning was cool and fair now.  Some high clouds, but they weren’t at all threatening as Lupe stood in a light SW breeze on the bedrock of the 10,200+ ft. ridge.

Behind her, the upper half of War Bonnet Peak (10,369 ft.) and tiptop of Sundance Pinnacle (11,054 ft.) were in sunshine.  Beyond Jackass Pass in the distance, Pingora Peak (11,884 ft.), mighty guardian of the Cirque of the Towers, was bathed in sunlight, too.

Wow!  What a spectacular setting, and we haven’t even set out yet!  We are in for one fabulous day sweet puppy!

I’ve been thinking, SPHP.  Let’s climb Dog Tooth Peak (12,488 ft.) first.  It’s closest, highest, and my top priority.

Don’t want to miss out on ol’ Dingo Fang, aye, Loopster?  Consider this, though, Mitchell Peak (12,482 ft.) is a mere 6 feet lower, and will have the grandest view of the Cirque of the Towers.  Ought to be able to see Lonesome Lake, too.  Furthermore, if things go well, provided we start with Mitchell, Dog Tooth and Big Sandy Mountain (12,416 ft.) might both be possible.  Since it’s in the middle, climbing Dog Tooth first means an either/or choice from there.

Still quite a few clouds around, SPHP.  I’d rather not take a chance on the weather deteriorating and not make it to Dog Tooth Peak.  Since Mitchell is your highest priority, we can do that next.

And it doesn’t bother you to forfeit any chance at Big Sandy, Loop?

SPHP, yesterday you said yourself that we probably couldn’t get to all 3 in a single day.  So, let’s not bite off more than we can chew, and focus on what’s most important to us.

Alrighty, then!  Sounds like a plan.  Onward!  Puppy, ho!

Leaving the 10,200+ ft. ridge, Lupe headed NE down into the heart of Dog Tooth Paradise.  After leaping over the tributary of North Creek flowing through the center of this incredibly beautiful valley, Loopster began her ascent of Dog Tooth Peak (12,488 ft.) from a little S of Dog Tooth Waterslide, which she’d visited yesterday evening.

Nearly 2,300 feet to the top, up every step of the way!  Although steepish, the initial climb was very enjoyable, and really not hard at all.  Looper traveled along exposed bedrock, winding her way higher through a thin, scattered forest that had sprung up wherever a bit of soil presented an opportunity.  In some places, small streams ran through green meadows below big shelves of rock.

By the time the Carolina Dog was 400 feet above Dog Tooth Paradise, she was above most of the trees.  The views were already tremendous!  To the S, Temple Peak (12,972 ft.), Scheistler Peak (12, 640 ft.), and much of Big Sandy Lake were in sight.  Continuing to climb, Lupe roamed at will over huge slabs of bedrock.  Watered by snow melt trickling down the rocks, a fair amount of low vegetation remained.

The rate of climb steepened.  SPHP was forced to stop to gasp for air more and more often.  Lupe relaxed or sniffed about as she saw fit.  To the NW, Pylon Peak (12,378 ft.), Watch Tower (12,326 ft.), Sharks Nose (12,229 ft.), Overhanging Tower (12,164 ft.), and Wolfs Head (12,160 ft.) all came into sight strung out along the Cirque of the Towers beyond Jackass Pass.

The slabs went on and on, but finally did come to an end.  Lupe entered a region of rougher terrain.  Fortunately, lanes of vegetation provided relatively easy routes higher.  Although these lanes never completely disappeared, they became scarcer and scarcer.

The rocks grew bigger.  For a long way, Loopster leapt from boulder to boulder on steep fields of large talus.  SPHP was terrible at this.  Progress was dreadfully slow.  Some scrambling was required, none of it too scary with a little caution.

Near the top, the rate of climb diminished.  Suddenly there was much more greenery again.  An easy stroll led to a football field size plain strewn with boulders, many of which laid conveniently flat.

SPHP was initially disappointed to see that the high point a little to the S that Lupe had been climbing toward wasn’t actually the true summit.  A bouldery 60 foot high ridge NE of it was clearly higher.  Almost a vertical wall, getting up there looked problematic, maybe impossible.  Happily, an even higher ridge was a little farther N.

Although similar in appearance, this N ridge wasn’t quite as daunting.

That’s it, SPHP!  Dog Tooth Peak’s true summit!  Look toward the L, I see a cairn up there.

Oh, yeah!  You’re right, Looper!  I see it too now.  Hoo-girl, not sure if we can get up there or not.  Looks dicey near the top.

Well, someone must have done it, SPHP, or there wouldn’t be a cairn.

Yeah, yeah, I know.  That doesn’t mean we can.  Before we break our necks trying, why don’t we have a look from those rocks over by the S edge.  A lot easier to get to, and I bet there’s a splendid view.

Wandering over that way among the boulders, only a little super easy scramble was required to reach some nice flat perches along the S edge.  Spread out before Lupe was a magnificent scene.  Big Sandy Mountain (12,416 ft.), the mountain she wasn’t going to get to visit, was only a mile SSE.  Wind River Peak (13,192 ft.), East Temple Peak (12,600 ft.), and Temple Peak (12.972 ft.) were all beautifully arrayed beyond it.  Part of Deep Lake was in sight, too.

After a leisurely look at this fabulous scene, it was time to take on that N ridge!  Lupe headed back that way.

A scramble on big talus went slowly, but successfully to a near vertical wall near the top.  Almost there, but getting spicey!  Lupe couldn’t go any higher.

Hang on, Loopster!  I’ll give you a boost!

Carefully, carefully, SPHP lifted the Carolina Dog as high as possible.

Now, Loop!  Go!

Clawing her way forward, Lupe made it.  Suddenly she was above SPHP, smiling back.  Not from the summit, but it couldn’t be much higher.

SPHP joined Lupe.  That successful boost had been key.  One last dicey scramble move was all it took.  Child’s play to any real rock climber!

11:39 AM, 56ºF, Dog Tooth Peak (12,488 ft.) – Splendor was all around as the American Dingo stood next to the summit cairn in a 15 mph SW breeze.  She’d made it.  Lupe was here!  A dream come true!

Oh, and what a dream it was!

SPHP, look at where we are!  Really, truly on Dog Tooth Peak!

Yes, we are!  Can you believe it?  Congratulations, Loopster!

SPHP shook Lupe’s paw.  She started to grin.

It’s a 4th of July to remember, SPHP!

Indeed it is!  And we haven’t even gotten to Mitchell Peak, yet.

Oh, we will, SPHP!  Just you wait and see.  First, though, we’re spending some time right here.

SPHP sat on the huge rock supporting the cairn.  Consisting mostly of flat-lying boulders and a few patches of dirt, the summit region was plenty big to move around on easily enough, but comfy spots were in short supply.  Lupe decided curling up on SPHP’s lap was her best bet.

Seems to be chocolate coconut bar time, Looper!  What do you think?

Thought you’d never ask, SPHP!  Bring it on!

So many awesome views from up here, it was hard to know even where to start, but Wind River Peak (13,192 ft.), monarch of the SE end of the Wind River Range, was certainly high on the list.  It was the 4th highest mountain Lupe had ever climbed, nearly 5 years ago now.

Naturally, that same glorious view of Big Sandy Mountain (12,416 ft.) with Wind River Peak, East Temple Peak (12,600 ft.), and Temple Peak (12,972 ft.) on display beyond it that Lupe had seen from down along the S edge was even better now.

From way up here, Peak 11930 and Schiestler Peak (11,640 ft.) more to the SSW looked small in comparison.  Nearly 3,000 feet lower than Dog Tooth, Big Sandy Lake was in sight, too.  Bunion Mountain (11,905 ft.) and Laturio Mountain (11,342 ft.) were SW, along with that pipsqueak Sundance Pinnacle (11,054 ft.).

Perhaps the grandest scene, and one of intense interest, was to the NW where War Bonnet Peak (12,369 ft.) and Warrior Peaks (12,406 ft.) on the L, together with Mitchell Peak (12,482 ft.) on the R, framed Pylon Peak (12,378 ft.), Watch Tower (12,326 ft.), and several other pinnacles of the Cirque of the Towers.

Looking NW between Mitchell Peak and Lizard Head Peak (12,842 ft.), a sea of partially snow-clad mountains extended beyond vision along the spine of the Wind River Range.  Real giants were on the horizon, but too far away to identify.

Only 2 miles away, Lizard Head Peak, had a fearsome appearance.

Holy cow, Loopster!  And to think that at one time I thought we might be able to climb Lizard Head.  That ain’t gonna happen!

We could climb it with a helicopter, SPHP!

Across the gigantic canyon of the North Popo Agie River, both Bear Lake and another smaller lake were visible E of Lizard Head.  An enormous ridge was beyond them, with many minor summits along it.  Peak 12,539 was the highest point.  Cathedral Peak (12,326 ft.) was somewhere way out toward the N end.

The North Popo Agie River canyon extended E more than 6 miles to a big bend where it curved NE.  Mount Chevo (11,423 ft.) was in sight beyond the bend.

12:41 PM – Mitchell Peak was calling!  Lupe’s wonderful, precious hour on Dog Tooth Peak was drawing to a close.  The American Dingo stood next to the summit cairn for the last time with the fabulous panorama to the S beyond her.

Hate to go, but are you ready, Loop?

As ready as I’ll ever be, SPHP.  I wish it wasn’t over, but I feel blessed to have ever been here.  Thanks for agreeing to come here first.

Dingo Fang is a splendid summit, Looper.  Glad we came!

Me too, but the adventure continues, SPHP!

Indeed it did!  A very cautious initial descent succeeded in getting past the tricky, assistance-required spot.  Returning to the football field size plain, the Carolina Dog turned NW toward Mitchell Peak (12,482 ft.).

It was a slow go.  Gradually losing elevation, Lupe leapt from boulder to boulder across an endless mountainside of big talus.  Far ahead, a rock formation extending SW down from the ridge leading to Mitchell Peak appeared to present an insurmountable barrier.

See that gap toward the lower end of the long wall of rock, Looper?  Head for it.  Let’s try to get through there. 

The cool SW wind had been strengthening all day.  As the Carolina Dog finally reached the wall of rock, it roared 50 mph through the gap.  A bit of scrambling was required to even get up to the gap, a task the gale made even more of a challenge.

Lupe made it, though.  Soon she was standing in the wild wind on large, flat rocks N of the gap.  Mitchell Peak was now directly ahead.

A short descent on more big talus got Lupe down to much easier terrain.  Only scattered rocks were here on a sloping plain of low vegetation.  The wind wasn’t nearly as bad, either.  Staying well below the giant saddle way up along the ridge to the NE, Loop continued NW toward the slope SW of Mitchell’s cliffy summit block.

The climb got steep pretty fast, but lanes of vegetation made it fairly easy for quite a long way.  Eventually, Lupe had to scramble up some big talus again, but not too far.  It was clear that being any farther E toward Mitchell’s summit block would have been much worse.

Above the largest talus, the route wasn’t quite as steep.  Life got easier.  Loopster was thrilled when she came to a couple of snowfields melting away in the July sun, but they were too soft to cross without post-holing.  Going around them was a bit of a pain.  150 feet above the uppermost snowbank, Lupe reached a broad plain 300 or 400 feet E of a big knob of rock along Mitchell Peak’s upper W ridge.

Covered with large, flat-lying rocks, and a fair amount of low vegetation, the plain sloped gradually down to the N toward sheer, unseen cliffs.  To the E, it rose toward the summit.

The hard part was over!  Sweeping around the N side of the summit block, Lupe went virtually unimpeded all the way to the top.

4:38 PM, 55ºF, Mitchell Peak (12,482 ft.) – The wind was 25 mph, still out of the SW, when Lupe reached a summit region of massive boulders.  A puny 3 rock cairn sat on the tremendous rock that supported the very highest one, which hung partly out into space toward the S.

What can be said?  The amazing 360º panorama from Mitchell Peak was in many ways similar to the one from Dog Tooth Peak only a mile SE.  Even so, if anything, the views were even more superb here.  One view in particular had made an ascent of Mitchell Peak a goal for years.

Oh, my gosh, Loopster!  Look at that!  The entire Cirque of the Towers!

Wow, this must be the best vantage point possible, SPHP!  We’re looking down on all of them!

Yup, just by a little bit, though.  The only thing that might be better would to be right on top of one of those towers so close to the rest.

I’d choose Pingora Peak (11,884 ft.), SPHP, it’s so cool looking.

An excellent choice, Looper!  Wolfs Head (12,160 ft.) appears so narrow and sharp it would slice us in two.

No reason to worry about that.  Neither Lupe nor SPHP would ever be on any of them.  They were all there, though, Warrior Peaks (12,406 ft.), Pylon Peak (12,378 ft.), Block Tower (12,210 ft.), Sharks Nose (12,229 ft.) , Overhanging Tower (12,164 ft.), and Bollinger Peak (12,232 ft.).

While the Cirque of the Towers was spell-binding, there was so much else to see, too!  Lizard Head Peak (12,842 ft.) was only 1.5 miles N.  Lupe could see little Skunk Knob (11,099 ft.) SE of it, where she had once been years ago.  E of Lizard Head was Peak 12539‘s giant ridge.

Of course, the view of Dog Tooth Peak (12,488 ft.) was spectacular with both Big Sandy Mountain (12,416 ft.) and Wind River Peak (13,192 ft.) in the background.

East Temple Peak (12,600 ft.), Temple Peak (12,972 ft.), Peak 11930, and Schiestler Peak (11,640 ft.) were naturally all a little farther away now, but the angle was such from Mitchell Peak that more lakes were visible.  In addition to Big Sandy Lake, all of Deep Lake was in sight.  Most of Temple Lake was, too, but it was a little hard to distinguish still almost entirely covered in snow and ice.  Part of Clear Lake, and a few others could be seen as well.

Despite Mitchell Peak’s summit region consisting of a ridge of large talus, it was actually fairly easy to move around, with plenty of space to do so.  After Lupe got up on the true summit, SPHP shook her paw, showering her with profuse praise and congratulations.  What an incredible couple of big mountains she’d climbed today!  A second and final celebratory chocolate coconut bar of the day was shared.

Surprisingly, no sign of a registry.  Hadn’t been one on Dog Tooth, either.  No registry wasn’t what mattered here, though.  After searching around, only a couple of feet W of the little cairn, SPHP saw the white outline of a rectangle on the upper surface of the massive flat rock supporting the true summit boulder.

Oh, no!  It’s gone, Loop!  It must have been attached right there.

What’s gone, SPHP?

The plaque commemorating Finis Mitchell!

The Finis Mitchell that Mitchell Peak is named after, SPHP?

Precisely, Looper!  Finis and his wife ran a fishing camp for many years near Mud Lake back down at Big Sandy Opening.  He’d been all over the Wind River Range during his life, and wrote Wind River Trails, a guide book that seems quaint these days.  At the end of the book is a photo of the plaque commemorating Finis’ 11 ascents of Mitchell Peak.  I really wanted to get a photo of you standing next to that plaque, but we’re too late!  It’s not here anymore!

The missing plaque was the only real disappointment of this epic, joyful day.  For more than an hour, Lupe and SPHP sat together, or wandered, gazing at the magnificent Wind River Range scenes in all directions.

5:47 PM, Mitchell Peak (12,482 ft.) – 4th of July!  One to remember!  SPHP didn’t realize it until much later upon seeing that photo of the Finis Mitchell plaque in Wind River Trails again, but this was sort of a coincidence, too.  Finis Mitchell’s first ascent of Mitchell Peak had been on the 4th of July back in 1923.

99 years later to the day, Lupe also stood alone on Mitchell Peak for the first time in a stiff SW breeze next to the little cairn only a foot or two from where both Finis Mitchell and his plaque had once been.

The inevitable sad moment of departure had arrived, as it always does.  While Lupe lingered at the summit, SPHP started down first.

SPHP called.  Lupe came running, bounding down the boulders.

One more thing we need to do before we completely leave the mountain, Loopster.

Oh, and what’s that, SPHP?

We should have a look at Lonesome Lake.  Couldn’t see it from the summit, and I’d like to see it again.

From up here?  That would be awesome, SPHP!

Then follow me, Loop.

After heading NW through the talus, SPHP led Lupe down to the cliffs along Mitchell Peak’s N edge.  Sure enough, Lonesome Lake was there, nestled at the base of Pingora Peak (11,884 ft.), partly in its shadow.

Lonesome Lake is as beautiful as ever, SPHP!

Remember when we were down there, Looper?  We’d already been to the Cirque of the Towers, discovered that really cool waterfall, then came down to Lonesome Lake on our way to Skunk Knob (11,099 ft.).

I remember it was a sunny day, SPHP.  Sunlight was sparkling on the waves with Mitchell Peak soaring skyward past the lake.  Seems like a long, long time ago now.

That’s right, Loop!  And it has been a while.  That was back in 2015.

The SW wind blew constantly during nearly the entire descent.  Staying even a little farther W on the steep part below Mitchell Peak’s upper W ridge, Lupe was able to avoid nearly all the big talus she’d run into on the way up.  Once down to the much easier terrain SW of the big saddle on the ridge between Mitchell and Dog Tooth, the Carolina Dog ran free, displaying great energy as she led the way, roaming and sniffing at will, while marmots whistled warnings of her approach.

Incredibly beautiful, the long descent was interesting and somewhat more complicated than SPHP expected.  Lupe traveled S down slabs of bedrock past snowbanks, ledges, and a multitude of small streams.

The American Dingo was in the forest, almost all the way down to Dog Tooth Paradise when the wind finally quit.  Not much farther now.

Near sunset, base camp at Dog Tooth Paradise – SPHP was tired, but Lupe was still animated, sniffing around a while before finally entering the tiny house.

Big Sandy Mountain (12,416 ft.) tomorrow, SPHP?

I’d love to, but afraid not, Loop.  We’re completely out of food.  I didn’t bring enough.

That wasn’t entirely true.  A couple handfuls of peanuts remained.  Not for long, though!  Peanuts for dinner.  Even Lupe ate them, and when the last one was gone, still running on empty, on the magnificent day she’d been to 2 splendid Wind River Range peaks, it was time for goodnight.

Links:

Next Adventure                           Prior Adventure

Dog Tooth Peak & Mitchell Peak, Wind River Range, Wyoming – Part 1: Big Sandy Opening to Dog Tooth Paradise (7-3-22)

East Temple Peak, Wind River Range, Wyoming – Part 1: Big Sandy Opening to Clear Lake (7-18-20)

East Temple Peak, Wind River Range, Wyoming – Part 2: Deep Lake to the Summit (7-19-20)

Big Sandy to Jackass Pass & Cirque of the Towers, Wind River Range, WY (9-1-15)

Cirque of the Towers, Lonesome Lake, Skunk Knob & Jackass Pass, Wind River Range, WY (9-2-15)

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