Lupe didn’t show up at the Stillwater TH until 1:49 PM on 8-21-15, Day 13 of her Summer of 2015 Dingo Vacation. Lupe and SPHP had both spent the morning recovering from Lupe’s big adventures the previous day going to the Devil’s Causeway, Peak 12,008, the Rio Blanco County High Point and Orno Peak. Now Lupe was setting out from the same TH, but in a new direction – she was going to climb Flat Top Mountain (12,354 ft.).
It had been breezy all day, even down in the valley. The breeze whipped up waves on the Stillwater Reservoir. To get to Flat Top Mountain, Lupe was going to follow Trail No. 1122. The trail went across the Stillwater Reservoir dam, dropped down a bit to cross a valley, and then climbed up a ridge to the S to a pass. From the pass, Lupe would leave the trail and climb the long, reasonably gentle SW slope leading to the summit of Flat Top Mountain.
SPHP stopped to register Lupe’s trip into the Flat Tops Wilderness Area at the registry station along Trail No. 1122. Although there were quite a few pages in the registry book, they all seemed to be completely filled in already.
SPHP flipped back to the first page to start looking for room to place an entry, and received a bit of a shock. For there, in big bold handwriting in the margin on page one, was a name SPHP recognized. Furthermore, the entry bore today’s date, 8-21-15, noted Flat Top Mountain as the destination, described the party as 1 person and 1 dog, and concluded with “Out!”
Beth Lakin had already climbed Flat Top Mountain earlier in the day with her black lab, Sprocket! Lupe and SPHP didn’t really know Beth and Sprocket at all, but SPHP recognized the name.
It all started in early May, 2014, when SPHP happened across the website Peakbagger.com. Peakbagger.com is a site for people (and American Dingoes!) interested in mountains, and like recording data about their hikes and climbs. The site has a large database on mountains worldwide including locations, elevations, various maps, photos and trip reports submitted by users, etc. Registration for a Peakbagger.com account is free, so SPHP registered an account for Lupe. Click here to visit Lupe’s homepage on Peakbagger.com.
In general, anyone can view data submitted by registered account holders on Peakbagger.com – including what mountains they’ve climbed, trip reports they’ve submitted, etc. One day in September or October, 2014, SPHP happened to click on Beth Lakin’s account on Peakbagger.com. Her homepage had a link to her blog at 3UpAdventures.com. Beth blogs about her adventures in life with her black lab, Sprocket.
Beth is a prolific and talented blogger, likes climbing mountains with Sprocket (who is close to the same age as Lupe), and has an incredibly wide variety of interests and adventures. She is a member of Columbia Sportswear’s #Omniten program. During the #OmniGames in early 2014, Beth won a place on a Columbia Sportswear sponsored trip later that year to the nation of Jordan in the Middle East (click the Jordan link to see the video on that trip). She is also an ambassador for other company brands.
SPHP first became interested in blogging while reading 3UpAdventures. It’s fair to say that The (Mostly) True Adventures of Lupe at least partially owes its existence to Beth Lakin, Sprocket and 3UpAdventures.com. Check on what Beth & Sprocket are up to any time from The (Mostly) True Adventures of Lupe by using the drop down menu under the category “Favorite Blogs”.
So, by now, SPHP had been a regular reader of Beth’s 3UpAdventures blog for nearly a year. As Lupe climbed Trail No. 1122 up to the pass, SPHP thought how fun it would be for Lupe to meet Beth and Sprocket. It was Friday, so they were probably around for the weekend. SPHP knew one of Beth’s climbing priorities has been to climb as many county high points in Colorado as possible. SPHP guessed Beth and Sprocket might be heading for the Rio Blanco County High Point tomorrow, the same Rio Blanco County High Point that Lupe had been to just yesterday.
About the time Lupe was reaching the pass on Trail No. 1122, SPHP suddenly realized the weather was deteriorating. While SPHP had been thinking about Beth & Sprocket, a squall line had approached out of the W. For a few minutes, a combination of rain and little tiny snowballs fell out of the sky. Then the squall line headed E. The weather cleared, but another bigger squall line was visible off to the W. It was still far off, but headed this way.
Lupe needed to make fast tracks up Flat Top Mountain! She left Trail No. 1122 and started heading NE up the long ridge to the summit. Along the way, she arrived at an intermediate high point called Flat Top Mountain West (11,685 ft.), a minor peakbagging goal. There was still a big climb left up to the main summit.
As Lupe climbed the rest of the way up Flat Top Mountain, SPHP kept an eye on the still approaching 2nd squall line to the W. It spread out and became a long inescapable wall of rain heading straight for Lupe. However, there was no sign of any lightning or thunder. Lupe could keep going, but she and SPHP might just have to grin and bear it for a while at the top. It looked like the squall would hit right about the time Lupe got there.
The luck of the Dingo held. As the squall line, which had been strengthening, drew closer, it changed and started to dissipate. Lupe reached the top of Flat Top Mountain. The squall hit, but it was only a shadow of its former self just 10 minutes earlier. The wind blew pretty hard, but the rain was lighter than expected. For 10 minutes, the top of Flat Top Mountain wasn’t a great place to be. And then it was again.
Climbing 12,354 foot Flat Top Mountain set a new personal elevation record for Lupe! Flat Top Mountain broke the record of 12,180 feet she had achieved by climbing Mount Zirkel (12,180 ft.) just 4 days earlier on 8-17-15. Although Flat Top Mountain was higher, Mount Zirkel had been more of a challenge.
It was time to head back down the mountain. On the way, Lupe took time for more photos near Flat Top Mountain West and a few other points.
Lupe reached the G6 down at the Stillwater TH at 7:36 PM (52°F). Her adventure to Flat Top Mountain was over, but a new adventure was about to begin. Lupe and SPHP were going to look for Beth & Sprocket! SPHP knew Beth would likely be driving an easily recognizable vehicle – her red 1977 Jeep Cherokee FSJ. There couldn’t be too many of those hiding out around the campgrounds and trailheads between Stillwater Reservoir and Yampa!
So the search began, but it didn’t go well. There was no vehicle around that even slightly resembled a 1977 Jeep Cherokee FSJ. The FSJ was the only clue Lupe and SPHP had to go by. There was no telling where Beth & Sprocket might be, or if they were really still even in the area – it made sense, but was only a hunch.
The light faded fast. Night was coming on. Soon the stars would be out. Lupe and SPHP returned to where the G6 had been parked the prior two nights. And then, there it was. Parked in the exact same spot, was a red 1977 Jeep Cherokee FSJ!
SPHP wound up startling poor Beth out of a deep sleep. After introducing Lupe, SPHP piteously pled to be allowed to take a picture of Lupe with Beth & Sprocket. Despite any annoyance Beth may have felt, she very graciously consented. SPHP seldom takes pictures of Lupe in the mountains at night, and at first could not remember how to use the flash. In a few minutes, the problem was solved and the prized picture was taken.
At first, Sprocket seemed puzzled by the whole turn of events. Why are we getting up? Why is this Dingo here? What is going on? Beth allowed SPHP to give Sprocket a few Cheesy Barkin’ Beggin’ Strips. Although it was still all rather confusing, Sprocket clearly hoped events would continue along this trend. Beth permitted SPHP to stretch Sprocket’s quota by one more Cheesy Barkin’ Beggin’ Strip.
Beth and SPHP had an amiable chat. Beth and Sprocket were indeed planning to head up to the Rio Blanco County High Point in the morning. On August 8th, they had been to Mount Zirkel. Had Lupe been there? SPHP confirmed that Lupe had climbed Mount Zirkel, too, on the 17th. And so it went for a little while. Soon it was time to let Beth & Sprocket get back to sleep.
It had been a great day! Lupe climbed Flat Top Mountain setting a new personal elevation record. She saw beautiful places she had never been to before along the way. She met Beth Lakin, whose 3UpAdventures had at least in part inspired The (Mostly) True Adventures of Lupe. She sniffed with the tall, dark and handsome Sprocket. She had her souvenir photo with Beth & Sprocket, the Celebrity Adventuring & Blogging Duo of 3UpAdventures.com – both as awesome and friendly in real life as they are on the internet.
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