Super Bowl Sunday today, Loop!
Really! Who’s playing?
Broncos and the Seahawks.
The Dingoes aren’t playing!?
Umm, no, not this year.
Phooey! We aren’t going to lay around wasting the whole day watching it then, are we? I love playing football and scoring touchdowns, but just watching is so dull. I would watch it if the Dingoes were playing, though.
Well, what would you like to do instead?
Can we do an expedition? Please, please, please! Can we? Can we?
Kind of a cold day for it, but yeah, we can go.
Several concrete barriers blocked the way forward, but left enough room to park the G6 at a little pullout along Sheridan Lake Road (10:36 AM, 29°F). It was still another mile or so to the turn S onto Boulder Hill Road, but this ought to be about far enough. Lupe and SPHP walked downhill going NE along Sheridan Lake Road.
Lupe soon left the road to explore a forested draw coming down from the NW. She was in the upper end of the Dutch Creek valley. Dutch Creek is only a tiny, mile long seasonal stream that flows into Spring Creek a little farther S. Lupe found no water in it today.
At first, the Carolina Dog wasn’t following any sort of road or trail going NW up the draw, but she eventually found a trail on the NE side. Near the end of the valley, the trail angled N and climbed up over the rim of the draw onto a flat area. Most of this large flat area was forested, too, but Lupe found a spot toward the SE where she could see Boulder Hill (5,331 ft.). Nearly 3 miles to the S, Boulder Hill looked considerably higher than where she was now.
Up on the flat ground, the trail Lupe had been following went NE. She stuck with it for only a short distance. There wasn’t much of a plan for Expedition No. 76. SPHP was hoping Lupe might find the mysterious Pink & Black Checkered Trail she had come across on Expedition No. 75. She could then continue her explorations farther W. However, it seemed likely Lupe needed to go N or W from here, and this trail was turning E.
Lupe left the trail heading N, but soon had to turn W to avoid losing a bunch of elevation. She found more trails and wound up close to where she’d climbed out of the draw, having made a big circle to the NE through the forest. A little to the N, there had been a trail going W, so Lupe went back to take it. This new trail continued W for a little while, then zig-zagged N up a slope to an area which seemed vaguely familiar.
The trail had reached an old logging road on the upper S side of a hill. Hadn’t Lupe climbed this very same hill to get a view late in the day on Expedition No. 75? SPHP was almost certain of it. Lupe followed the logging road W. She arrived at a junction at a saddle. Yes, Lupe had been here before! On Expedition No. 75, the Pink & Black Checkered Trail had led Lupe to this point coming up from the ravine to the N. She could now go N back down the ravine to the Victoria Creek valley.
Lupe followed a logging road on her way down the ravine. Pink & Black Checkered markers were tied to some of the trees along the way. Lupe lost 400 ft. of elevation over the course of a mile before reaching Victoria Creek in a larger valley. The creek bed was dry and full of stones. This was as far W as she had gotten on Expedition No. 75.
The logging road turned W as it reached the Victoria Creek valley. Lupe followed the road W, but saw no more Pink & Black Checkered markers from here on. She had only gone another 100 yards, though, when a gravel road came into view ahead. The logging trail went right to it. This had to be a USFS Road, but no signs or markers were in sight.
Victoria Creek valley split in two here. Lupe could follow the USFS Road either SW or N depending on which of the two branches she wanted to explore. SPHP led her N. The road went around a bend, gradually gaining elevation and curving NW. Lupe quickly arrived at another intersection with another gravel road coming in from the NE. A marker showed that road was USFS Road No. 159.
Time for a break. At the intersection, Lupe had Taste of the Wild. SPHP ate an apple while checking the old USFS map. The map showed that No. 159 is Victoria Lake Road. The road Lupe had followed to this point was No. 162.
After the break, Lupe and SPHP headed NW on Victoria Lake Road. The USFS map showed that the Brush Creek trailhead of Centennial Trail No. 89 was only another 3 miles in this direction.
Following the wide gravel road was a bit dull, so when a jeep trail appeared paralleling it closer to Victoria Creek, Lupe took the jeep trail instead. She soon made a discovery! Lupe found a piece of a deer leg, with the hoof still attached. By all appearances, the poor deer had met its unfortunate end quite a while ago, but Lupe considered the deer leg a most valuable find. She trotted along carrying the deer leg proudly for quite a distance before finally tiring of it.
The trek along the jeep trail was easy and scenic. Beyond Victoria Lake Road on the L (SW) was a high forested hill. To the R (NE) a long wall of rock kept Victoria Creek confined in the little valley Lupe was exploring. The valley was nearly flat and only partially forested. Lupe was gaining elevation slowly. Occasionally the jeep trail crossed Victoria Creek, which had flowing water some places, but not others. Lupe had no problems crossing the creek.
Once in a while, the terrain temporarily forced Lupe off the jeep trail and up onto Victoria Lake Road. During one of these stints, a side road appeared leading up another valley to the SW. The side road had several inches of snow on it. A marker said this was USFS Road No. 159.2E. A couple of boulders barred this route to vehicles.
No. 159.2E looked intriguing. Lupe passed between the boulders, leapt over Victoria Creek, and started following the snowy road. She had to leap over Victoria Creek a couple more times before it disappeared underground, or at least beneath the snow. The snow was deeper than SPHP had thought. Soon No. 159.2E all but vanished beneath the snow, too. Only a single track trail remained.
Lupe was romping in a snowy field on her way to an inviting sunlit part of the valley when SPHP was surprised to see a Centennial Trail marker over by the edge of the forest to the S. Lupe had reached the trail sooner than expected! Which way to the Brush Creek trailhead? SPHP was almost certain it was still to the N, but had Lupe follow the Centennial Trail along the edge of the forest S for a little way to be certain. No, it wasn’t over here. A quick check of the USFS map confirmed that it had to be farther N.
The American Dingo never did make it to that sunlit part of the valley. Instead, she followed Centennial Trail No. 89 going N. She crossed Victoria Lake Road again on the way, and arrived at the Brush Creek trailhead down in a deep valley. She continued past the trailhead following a snow-packed road.
The road wound NE below increasingly impressive high rock walls while losing elevation steadily. The deep valley became a shady, chilly canyon. Although Lupe had explored virtually the entire Centennial Trail way back in 2012 when she was still practically a puppy, SPHP couldn’t remember exactly where the trail left this canyon. After going some distance, the road started turning E.
SPHP began to suspect the USFS map was wrong. It showed the Brush Creek trailhead along Victoria Lake Road. It finally dawned on SPHP that the trailhead is actually along a minor side road. A more careful examination of the map confirmed this was a possibility. Ack! Lupe was going the wrong way!
Lupe and SPHP turned around. Lupe went all the way back past the Brush Creek trailhead again. The road gained elevation steadily the whole time. Lupe finally reached a junction with Victoria Lake Road. Whew! Back on track.
By now, SPHP had decided it might be fun for Lupe to circle around to the W, and then S and E through the Bald Hills. The Bald Hills are a few square miles of rolling grasslands located NW of Twin Sisters (5,244 ft.) and E of Hwy 385. Lupe went W on Victoria Lake Road looking for USFS Road No. 161, which would take her to the N edge of the Bald Hills.
Lupe hadn’t gone far on Victoria Lake Road at all, when a side road appeared going WSW up a lovely open valley where tiny Brush Creek originates. It was tempting to follow this side road, but SPHP could see a marker for another side road not too much farther ahead. This second road proved to be USFS Road No. 161, the one Lupe had been looking for.
No. 161 climbed up onto a small ridgeline where it went up and down over a series of small hills continuing W through the forest. After more than 0.5 mile, the road emerged from the forest. Lupe had reached the N edge of the Bald Hills.
The open views across the prairie were fun to see after spending much of the day in the forest. Lupe continued along No. 161 as it curved around the NW corner of the Bald Hills. Eventually she reached an intersection with USFS Road No. 160.1, which went E.
The slanting rays of sunlight said Lupe was as far W as she should go today. She was a long way from the G6. SPHP was beginning to realize Lupe wouldn’t get back before dark.
Lupe went E on No. 160.1 for a little way, but began to lose significant elevation going down a draw. The map showed the road would eventually turn S. The Carolina Dog would have to regain all this lost elevation as the road climbed back up to the pass between Twin Sisters.
Hoping to avoid at least some elevation loss, Lupe left the road taking a shortcut going SE directly toward Twin Sisters. This SE route proved to be so up and down it was doubtful whether any real net benefit was gained. Lupe did save some distance, however.
As Lupe neared Twin Sisters, a rowdy flock of crows captured her attention. They flew off as Lupe ran over to bark at them. By the time she came running back, SPHP had reached No. 160.1 at the top of the pass. From here, the road went SSE between Twin Sisters losing elevation steadily again.
The trek down No. 160.1 between Twin Sisters looked inviting, but with the sun getting lower by the minute, SPHP thought maybe it was best to check the map. It showed No. 160.1 would go 1.5 miles before reaching No. 162. Lupe would then have to follow No. 162 another 2.5 miles NE just to get back to the Pink & Black Checkered Trail.
On the other paw, cutting almost straight E to Boone Draw would save Lupe nearly 1.5 miles compared to taking No. 160.1 any farther. Given the time of day, this was clearly Lupe’s best option.
Lupe and SPHP went E, skirting around the N slope of the NE Twin Sister. Soon Lupe was E of the mountain, traveling down the long hillside. Near the bottom, she came to Centennial Trail No. 89 again. She crossed it continuing E looking for Boone Draw. On a sunlit ridge, Lupe paused for a last look back at the Bald Hills.
After taking a few photos, SPHP saw red on Lupe’s fur. Blood! Lupe had blood on her right rear leg near the knee. Closer examination revealed a nasty little gash. A small flap of skin and fur was hanging loose from the flesh. The wound beneath looked painful, but not too deep. Where had this happened? Lupe didn’t say.
SPHP rinsed off the blood with water, but had no way to treat or even wrap the wound. Lupe was what, maybe 5 miles still from the G6? She was going to have to put up with the pain. No other choice. Now it was even more important to put an end to Expedition No. 76. Lupe and SPHP hurried on.
Lupe went E over mostly barren ridges and hills. Fortunately, her leg injury didn’t seem to bother her much. American Dingoes are tough! Once in a while she stopped to lick the wound briefly. The rest of the time she ran around exploring as if nothing was wrong. She chased a few deer, and came racing back happy as she could be.
A small valley appeared ahead near a forested hill. As Lupe got closer, SPHP could see a dirt road on the far side near the trees. Lupe followed the road ESE down the valley. The farther she went, the bigger the valley became, and the more confidence SPHP had that Lupe had found her way into Boone Draw.
After going a mile or so down the valley, Lupe came to a stream. The stream was tiny, but had created a gigantic ice flow. A sheet of ice covered the entire road for 100 feet. Not far beyond the ice flow, Lupe reached a good gravel road – No. 162! A marker showed that Lupe had been following No. 162.1A, confirming she had just come down Boone Draw.
Lupe’s shortcut had worked! Even so, the last rays of sunlight had faded from the highest hills. The temperature was dropping. Lupe still had a mile to go to reach the Pink & Black Checkered Trail. No time to waste. Onward!
Perhaps anxiety caused the time to pass slowly, but it seemed to take far longer than it should have to reach the Pink & Black Checkered Trail. Lupe followed the logging road up the steep ravine heading S out of the Victoria Creek valley. Stars were shining by the time Lupe reached the intersection at the saddle at the top. Gloom of night was closing in.
From the intersection, Lupe took the logging road going E. She came to where the trail left it. SPHP was relieved Lupe had made it this far, thinking she wouldn’t have any problem finding her way back to the G6 from here. Lupe reached the switchbacks. Down, down into darkness she went by the faint light of a little flashlight.
The forest was black as midnight. Lupe was losing elevation fast. She was heading SE, which was the right direction, but everything looked different in the dark. Lupe had lost a lot of elevation. The trail turned NE and began to climb. Was this right? SPHP went only a little way up before Lupe acted concerned. She wanted to go back down.
The Carolina Dog was probably right. SPHP returned to the lowest point on the trail. Lupe abandoned the trail going SE down a ravine. The ravine gradually broadened out. Lupe and SPHP picked a way down through cold, snowy woods. Other than a barbed wire fence, Lupe came to no obstacles. Suddenly Lupe was standing on Sheridan Lake Road!
Which way to the G6? Lupe turned W, going uphill. Five minutes later, the G6 appeared (6:33 PM, 14°F). Awesome! Expedition No. 76 was over.
The Broncos and Seahawks were still playing when Lupe arrived at Grandma’s house. Middle of the 3rd quarter …
Yeowch! You sure made the right call on the Super Bowl, Looper!
Yes? What’s happening?
Game of the century, if you’re a Seahawks fan! Depths of despair for Bronco fans, and a total snooze fest for everyone else. Seahawks are up 29-zip!
Ah-ha! Perhaps you can tear yourself away from it then to look at my leg?
Absolutely!
The wound looked icky. The flap of loose fur and skin was gone, torn completely away somewhere along the trail, leaving only red, bloody, exposed muscle. Fortunately, the wound wasn’t deep. SPHP cleaned the wound, then sprayed Vetericyn on it. The Vetericyn must have stung. Lupe started licking it off immediately.
The next morning, SPHP intended to take Lupe to the vet. By light of day, though, her wound looked so much better, she didn’t have to go.
Good news, Loopster! Looks like you’re gonna live!
Thought so. All the same, I hope the Dingoes make the Super Bowl next year. If they do, maybe I will just stay home and watch the game!
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