Blizzards used to hit the Black Hills in late winter or early spring with some degree of regularity. Whether due to global warming, long term cycles, pure chance, or other factors, blizzards have become increasingly rare here. Yet this one hit October 4th, easily the earliest in the season SPHP could ever remember.
Leaves were still on the trees and caught the heavy snow, making the storm far more destructive. Huge branches, even entire trees collapsed. SPHP narrowly avoided losing power to the house by trimming branches off a tree in the back yard using an electric pole saw before they broke and fell on the main power line.
The whole town was a mess. Intense cleanup efforts took days. It was weeks before things were back to normal.
Lupe enjoyed all the outdoor cleanup activity after the storm, but weeks went by and she hadn’t gone on a single Black Hills expedition yet in October, normally a great month to be out in the hills.
Finally, the great day arrived! At home, all the snow had melted long ago. The debris was gone or cut up for firewood. It was time to get out in the hills, and see what things looked like out there. As a special treat, Lupe got to invite her friend and next door neighbor, Sidney, to come along with. Nina said it was OK. This would be the first time Big Sid ever got to come with Lupe on one of her expeditions!
Sidney zoomed out the front door of his house, full of enthusiasm, but without the faintest idea what was about to happen. SPHP had trouble persuading him to get into the G6. He kept wanting to run back home to get JB. Finally, SPHP got Sidney in the car. Lupe and Sidney were off on an adventure together!
SPHP drove far enough into the central hills to get to where there was still some snow around, parking at the junction of USFS Road No. 256 and Rocky Johnston Road (10:56 AM, 50°F). Everyone piled out of the G6 and started following Rocky Johnston Road going gradually up a valley.
Everyone didn’t keep doing that, though. By now, Sidney was alarmed at this turn of events. Where was JB? Where was Nina? Where was Cassie? No one in his family was here. He’d been dog-napped!
Every time SPHP relaxed and stopped paying attention, Sidney snuck back to the G6. Big Sid wanted to go home. It was scary being way out here with Lupe. What terrible fate might be in store? What evil lurked in that scrawny Dingo’s heart? Mommy! Daddy! Help! Save me!
Knock it off, Sid, you big chicken-dog! You’re going to be fine. You’re not going home now, we just got here. Stick with Loopster, and have some fun exploring. You’ll love it. Stay close! Come on, now!
Big Sid finally realized SPHP wasn’t going to let him back in the G6. Ever so reluctantly, fearful of being totally abandoned and alone outside, he decided he had no choice but to follow wherever the Carolina Dog went and hope for the best.
Rocky Johnston Road went W at first, then turned N. The road hike was easy, but kind of boring. SPHP thought Sidney might become more interested and involved sniffing around in the forest E of the road. At first, Big Sid thought leaving the road was nuts, but seeing Lupe busy exploring the forest soon made him forget some of his fears. He began to get into the swing of things, too.
Sidney was in no shape to keep up with Lupe, but did his best. What he lacked in physical conditioning, he started gaining in spirit. He often arrived to take his turn sniffing at points of canine interest about the time Lupe completed her own investigations. Through the snowy forest, Lupe led and Sidney followed. Big Sid forgot all about the G6. He actually was having a good time!
The trek through the forest paralleled Rocky Johnston Road for more than a mile, but eventually big white fields, a home, and outbuildings could be seen ahead at the end of the valley. To avoid this private property, Lupe, Sidney and SPHP crossed over to the W side of Rocky Johnston Road and climbed NW up a snowy slope.
The terrain up above was nearly level. Lupe and Sidney continued NW through a thinly forested area. More snow was up here than down below, but it wasn’t too deep. Before long, Lupe reached a small clearing where a couple of unmarked USFS roads met. The roads went W or NW. Both directions looked interesting.
However, something even more interesting was in sight to the N beyond a much larger clearing – a high ridge topped by small limestone cliffs. That ridge was likely the highest ground Lupe and Sidney would come to today, so taking a look at the sights from up there seemed like a good idea.
When you join Lupe’s pack, the American Dingo doesn’t cut you much slack. An hour after leaving the G6, Sidney found himself climbing a mountain. It wasn’t all that big a mountain, but it was steep enough near the top. The limestone at the S end of the ridge was discontinuous. Even Lupe and SPHP couldn’t find a way up onto a couple of limestone islands in the sky.
Nevertheless, a route was found to the top of the ridge slightly farther N. Sidney followed Lupe up. A 180° panoramic view existed to the W. Lupe was used to seeing this sort of thing, but maybe it was a new experience for Sidney. Big Sid seemed a little shocked at the size of the world. He wasn’t afraid of being up here, though. He stood calmly surveying the vast territory in view before him.
On the ridge, Big Sid was visibly encouraged and an eager participant when break time was announced and he got to share in the Taste of the Wild with Lupe. SPHP sat munching an apple while the chow hounds made great progress lightening the backpack.
A few minutes after break time was complete, it was time to head back down. Lupe and Sidney returned to the little clearing S of the ridge. Big Sid wouldn’t have to climb any more high points, but his inaugural expedition with Lupe was far from over. Lupe and Sidney began exploring the USFS road going W.
The road turned SW, but remained level for a while before eventually starting to lose elevation. Lower down there was less snow.
When the USFS road turned S, SPHP figured Hwy 17 coming N out of Rochford couldn’t be too far away to the W. Leaving the road to climb a minor ridge to the W soon proved the point. Yes, there was Hwy 17 on the other side. Lupe and Sidney followed the ridge S a little, then left it to cross Hwy 17 and get on the Mickelson Trail near the confluence of the North Fork of Rapid Creek and Buskala Creek.
Traveling S on the flat, wide Mickelson Trail was easy, but a little dull. Lupe and Sidney did get to see an interesting old red building. The sides and roof were made of something round. A fascinating and highly informative plaque told all about this historical building and exactly what it was made of, but SPHP can’t recall a single detail. Must be the A.D.D.
S of the historical red building, everyone left the Mickelson Trail to cross Hwy 17 again. A gravel road, which might have been a driveway, led E up into the hills. There was no sign of any recent traffic on this road, but sure enough, a little way up the hill a house could be seen tucked back against the trees at the edge of a field to the NW.
The driveway started curving N, so Lupe and Sidney left it to cross the dam of a small stock pond. They headed SE over a low pass back onto USFS land, and soon after arrived at USFS Road No. 256.
Hours had gone by. Sidney wasn’t used to anywhere near this much exercise. He was tired! The easiest and most merciful thing to do would have been to follow No. 256 a few miles E to reach the G6 at the junction with Rocky Johnston Road. Lupe, however, wasn’t done exploring. She crossed No. 256 going SSE, eventually climbing up a ridge. Sidney did his best to keep up, but his enthusiasm was clearly waning.
The ridge Lupe led Sidney to was hideous. Either fire, pine bark beetles, or a combination of both had wiped out the pine trees. Loggers had subsequently come through and clear cut a large area. All the devastation did have one benefit. It opened up views of higher country to the SW.
From the hideous ridge, SPHP looked for an easy route to the E or NE. The sun was starting to get low, and Sidney was fading. The terrain stubbornly remained easiest going SSE. Finally, the time came to forget about the terrain and just do it. Lupe turned NE entering a thick, healthy forest and descended into a valley.
The valley was in shadow and noticeably darker, but Lupe and Sidney made good progress going NE through the forest. They found a dirt road, which led to USFS Road No. 203 up on Minnesota Ridge. No. 203 eventually led N to No. 256 again.
Sunset was imminent. The G6 was still nearly 2 miles E. Big Sid was a trooper, but desperately wanted to stay on the road now. He couldn’t understand why the crazy American Dingo insisted upon remaining in the forest. She was still racing back and forth while wandering up and down various slopes. Sidney tried to follow Lupe, but headed straight for the road every time she got close to it.
The sun set. Lupe stayed in the forest N of the road. She went down a steep, snowy slope. She jumped over a small stream at the bottom. The G6 was in view! To Sidney’s relief, the Carolina Dog finally returned to the road and led him to the G6. At 5:41 PM (40°F), Lupe’s fun and Big Sid’s ordeal were over.
Expedition No. 67 had been the biggest outing of Sidney’s life! JB and Nina later reported that poor Sid couldn’t even move the next day. He was exhausted and sore for days on end.
Dingo initiation rites are brutal, but Big Sid had made it! Sidney would be invited along again on more expeditions for more adventures. Over the next few months, he was a regular member of Lupe’s pack. Long-suffering Sid willingly braved whatever she put him through.
Big Sid must love a challenge, he was always eager to go!Links:
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