Lupe – Page 343 – The (Mostly) True Adventures of Lupe

Black Hills, SD Expedition No. 123: White Rocks, Mt. Roosevelt & Crow Peak (3-21-15)

Lupe was destined to have a bit of a different excursion this beautiful, sunny and unseasonably warm Saturday in March. SPHP had decided she should go do a bit of peakbagging in the northern Black Hills and hit 3 different peaks she’d never climbed before. The 3 peaks were scattered far enough apart so Lupe would have to get a ride in the G6 to get from peak to peak. That alone was unusual enough, since Lupe doesn’t normally return to the G6 until the end of the day. However, all three peaks were also in areas where Lupe would likely see people and other dogs, too. Usually Lupe and SPHP are in remote enough areas so they rarely see anyone else once they leave the G6.

The first peak Lupe went to was White Rocks (5,250 ft.). Lupe was pretty surprised to jump out of the G6 at 10:11 AM and find herself at a little park in the town of Deadwood, SD. Lupe started off trotting past several blocks of houses following Cemetery Road steeply up to the Mt. Moriah Cemetery. There were several tourists around since a number of local celebrities are buried at the Mt. Moriah Cemetery, including “Wild Bill” Hickok, Preacher Smith, Calamity Jane, Seth Bullock and Potato Creek Johnny.

SPHP checked, but, of course, dogs aren’t allowed in the cemetery. This saved the $1.00 admission fee, but also meant Lupe had to go back down Cemetery Road just a little bit and then turn and climb straight up a long steep forested slope to get up to White Rocks. Shortly before reaching the summit, she did reach a dirt road, which she followed to get to the summit area. The summit area consisted of a number of limestone outcroppings. The highest one had a solar panel on it.

At first, SPHP was a bit concerned that it wasn’t even possible to get safely up to the actual summit. Fortunately, there was one reasonably safe route up, provided one made good careful use of the available handholds and didn’t rush things. Lupe had no problem leaping up the rocks to the top, and then peering over to see what was keeping SPHP. Soon SPHP joined Lupe at the summit.

Lupe on the summit of White Rocks. Bear Butte visible out E on the horizon.

Looking down on Deadwood from White Rocks. Snowy Deer Mountain (center left) and Terry Peak (center right) in the distance.

There was a nice view of the W end of Deadwood. A little farther off in the general direction of Deer Mountain, some of the buildings of the old Homestake gold mine could be seen. Still snowy Terry Peak (7,064 ft.) and Deer Mountain (6,652 ft.), both downhill ski resorts, were farther W. The nearby hills to the E and S were all barren, having burned in the 10,771 acre intense Grizzly Gulch fire back in June, 2002. Bear Butte (4,422 ft.) was visible to the E out on the plains.

Grizzly Gulch burn area looking S from White Rocks. — Looking S from White Rocks towards Grizzly Gulch fire burn area.

A view to the E of the Grizzly Gulch burn area from White Rocks.

Once done at the summit, Lupe sniffed and explored around the other rock outcroppings for a little bit before heading S along a ridge that soon led her to the burn area. There Lupe and SPHP followed some jeep trails to lose elevation hoping to get back down to street level in town without having to go down a steep slope. This was partially successful, but the jeep trail eventually ended at a big power line. From there the rest of the way down was a steep open slope. Lupe wound up at the dead end of a short street where there was a little creek flowing out of a big pipe.

Exploring more of the White Rocks area near the summit.

Lupe had to walk a few blocks in town to get back to the G6 at the little park. The temperature hadn’t changed, it was still 60 degrees out, but by now it was 12:07 PM. Her first peakbagging task of the day, to climb White Rocks, was now out of the way. The next goal was to climb Mt. Roosevelt. Lupe got to enjoy the luxury of a ride in the G6 with the windows partially rolled down so she could sniff the air while heading for Mt. Roosevelt (5,680 ft.).

The little red car was high-centered in the snow and abandoned on the road to Mt. Roosevelt. Lupe & SPHP proceeded on paw and foot from here. — This little red car was high-centered in the snow and abandoned on the road to Mt. Roosevelt. Lupe & SPHP proceeded on paw and foot from here.

Mt. Roosevelt is just a couple miles NNW of Deadwood and 2.5 miles W of Hwy 85 via Mt. Roosevelt Road. About 2 miles from Hwy 85 a little red car was high-centered and abandoned on the road. It was stuck in the only big patch of snow along the whole road. SPHP just parked the G6 at a small turn off just before the red car instead of attempting to drive through the snow. Later on it was clear that at least high clearance vehicles weren’t having any trouble getting through.

Lupe checks out the view to the S over the embankment near Mt. Roosevelt Road. Pillar Peak (center) and Bear Den Mountain (right) just visible on the horizon.

Lupe left the G6 at 12:27 PM (59 °F) to start the trek to Mt. Roosevelt. Before starting up the road past the little red car, though, Lupe went up a short barren embankment to the S which gave her a view back in the general direction of Deadwood. While not much of Deadwood was seen, Lupe did catch a glimpse of Pillar Peak (5,469 ft.) and Bear Den Mountain (5,642 ft.) where she had been a week ago on Expedition No. 122. She then went back to the road and trotted on past the little red car on her way to Mt. Roosevelt.

Lupe on the trail to the summit of Mt. Roosevelt. Terry Peak in the distance. — Lupe on the trail to the summit of Mt. Roosevelt. Snowy Terry Peak (center) and Deer Mountain (left) in the distance.

Near the summit of Mt. Roosevelt is a picnic ground. From there the rest of the way to the top is via a maintained foot trail. At the top of Mt. Roosevelt is a 31 foot tall stone tower, known as The Friendship Tower. It was built in 1919 through the efforts of Seth Bullock to commemorate the life and death of his personal friend Theodore Roosevelt. Lupe climbed the narrow steep winding stairway to get up to the top of The Friendship Tower.

Lupe up at the top of The Friendship Tower on Mt. Roosevelt.

The view N from the top of The Friendship Tower on Mt. Roosevelt.

Lupe at the top of the stairs to The Friendship Tower on Mt. Roosevelt.

By 1:39 PM (still 59 °F), Lupe was back at the G6. Only one of her 3 peakbagging goals for the day remained – Crow Peak (5,787 ft.), located about 5 miles WSW of Spearfish, SD. Lupe was in for a longer ride to get to Crow Peak. SPHP even stopped briefly in Spearfish to pick up a Subway sandwich to bring along.

Crow Peak as seen from I-90 near Spearfish, SD.

There is a good maintained trail up to the summit of Crow Peak from a trailhead located along Higgins Gulch Road (USFS Road No. 214). (To find Higgins Gulch Road turn W on Hillsview Road at the Burger King on N. Main Street in Spearfish. Follow it all the way W to the hills. Higgins Gulch Road is on the left where Hillsview starts to turn N.) At the trailhead, there isn’t any sign visible from the road. There is just a big flat open parking area. The trailhead sign is 50 feet in along the trail hidden in the trees.

SPHP was surprised to find the Crow Peak trailhead parking lot virtually full. Lupe was destined to meet quite a few people and dogs on the Crow Peak trail. The 3.5 mile trail was pretty much a steady moderately paced climb all the way with only a few short downhill stretches. The last 1.5 miles past the spur trail to Beaver Ridge were the steepest with lots of long switchbacks. There were some very nice views to the WNW towards Warren Peaks (6,650 ft.) in the Bear Lodge Mountains N of Sundance, WY on the higher switchbacks.

Lupe reaches the summit of Crow Peak. Terry Peak (center) in the distance.

At the summit of Crow Peak was a wooden sign showing the elevation of 5,760 feet. There were great views of the city of Spearfish and far out onto the prairie to the N and E. Bear Butte could be seen, but looked far away. To the S, Terry Peak dominated. Forest blocked the view to the W. Lupe and SPHP spent quite a long time up at the summit. People came and went. Even a few little kids made it. Lupe shared the Subway sandwich with SPHP. The sandwich was a sloppy, tasty mess. (Note to Self: Don’t have them put any dressings or sauces on a sandwich you intend to pack up a mountain.) Lupe even got in a little nap while SPHP wasted some time contemplating the world below.

Lupe on Crow Peak 3-21-15. Bear Butte far away on the horizon (center right). — Lupe on Crow Peak 3-21-15. Bear Butte far away on the horizon (center). Spearfish, SD is at the base of the forested hills on the left.

On the way down, SPHP decided to take a look at Beaver Ridge, but did not wait until coming to the spur trail to go looking for it. Lupe wound up on a high narrow ridge with some tall thin limestone walls along the spine of it. This was not Beaver Ridge, which SPHP later realized was farther SW. The high ridge ended and Lupe had to head steeply back down into a valley. There Lupe and SPHP headed S and soon came to the main trail right where the intersection with the 0.5 mile Beaver Ridge spur trail was.

However, by now SPHP had lost so much time wandering around on the high ridge that wasn’t Beaver Ridge, it was probably best not to wander too far away from the main trail. It was going to get dark. SPHP decided not to go to Beaver Ridge. The trail heading in that direction looked pretty faint. Instead SPHP picked up some trash around the trail junction, while Lupe sniffed around in the forest. Even without going to Beaver Ridge, it was getting pretty dark by the time Lupe arrived back at the G6 at 7:49 PM (47 °F).

It had been an odd, but successful, Black Hills, SD Expedition No. 123. Lupe achieved all 3 peakbagging goals, had several rides and rests in the G6, and had seen lots of people and sniffed with lots of other dogs. Barely visible in the growing darkness, she went wading down in the little creek across Higgins Gulch Road from the trailhead parking lot. There she got a big drink of cold water. A couple minutes later she hopped into the G6 for the ride home.

Lupe wishes you happy adventuring from Crow Peak!

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Wilcox Pass Trail, Jasper National Park, Canada (7-29-14)

An easy side hike SW from the high point on the Wilcox Pass Trail is the edge of a ridge featuring the most splendid panoramic snow-covered mountain and glacier view Lupe and SPHP have ever seen anywhere. Mt. Athabasca, Mt. Andromeda, the Athabasca Glacier, Snow Dome, and Mt. Kitchener are on display in all their frozen glory. Although basically the same scene can be seen from down along the Icefields Parkway Hwy 93, the view is even better from 1,400 feet above and well worth the effort.

The Wilcox Pass trailhead is located just E of Icefields Parkway Hwy 93 along the gravel road that leads to the Wilcox Creek campground. The turnoff is just a mile or two N of the Banff and Jasper National Parks boundary at Sunwapta Pass, and just a couple miles S of the Icefields Centre across from the Athabasca Glacier.

The spectacular view of Mt. Athabasca, Mt. Andromeda and the Athabasca Glacier from Wilcox Pass — The spectacular view of **Mt. Athabasca (11,453 ft.)**, **Mt. Andromeda** **(11,286 ft.)** and the Athabasca Glacier from Wilcox Pass.

Lupe arrived at the Wilcox Pass trailhead on 7-29-14 less than 10 minutes after having just completed a wonderful short day hike to Parker Ridge to see the Saskatchewan Glacier. It was 12:06 PM, 72 degrees F, with totally clear skies and a dead calm when Lupe set out up the Wilcox Pass trail.

The trail starts out climbing steadily at a pretty good clip through a conifer forest. This is deservedly a very popular hike and there were lots of people hiking the trail. For the first third or more of the roughly 4 km to the top of Wilcox Pass, the trail is climbing through the forest with only glimpses of the spectacular scenery nearby.

Lupe and the view toward Snow Dome & Mt. Kitchener. 7-29-14 — Lupe and the view toward **Snow Dome** **(11,483 ft.)** & **Mt. Kitchener** **(11,417 ft.)** (R). 7-29-14

The first really good look at the fantastic scene to the SW comes at a rock ledge just a few feet off the trail shortly before the trail emerges from the forest. From the ledge you get a clear view of Mt. Athabasca, Mt. Andromeda, the Athabasca Glacier, Snow Dome and Mt. Kitchener.

Lupe only stopped here for a few minutes before continuing on. From this 1st viewpoint, the trail climbs at a slower pace and soon emerges from the forest. Scattered clumps of trees are still around, but the area is mostly open so most of the time the view to the SW is unobstructed.

The Athabasca Glacier flows down from the 325 square kilometer Columbia Icefield, the largest icefield in the Rocky Mountains of North America.

After almost completely leveling out, the trail, which has been heading NW, takes a jog more to the N for a rather steep stretch of climbing until it gets completely above tree line. Gradually the rate of ascent decreases as the trail turns back more to the NW once again. Shortly before reaching the high point on Wilcox Pass, Lupe came to a nice creek where she cooled off and got a drink.

The Wilcox Pass area in Jasper National Park, Canada. Mt. Athabasca (L) and Mt. Andromeda (R).

From the high point on Wilcox Pass, the trail continues NW over a broad, open, gently sloping area between Mount Wilcox (9,462 ft.) to the SW and a large rocky ridge to the NE extending out from Nigel Peak (10,535 ft.). If followed beyond the pass, the trail eventually leads down to the Tangle Creek area.

This view of the Wilcox Pass area looks NW in the direction of Tangle Creek.

However, the spectacular panoramic view Lupe had come to see, was not in the direction of Tangle Creek. Instead, Lupe turned SW at Wilcox Pass and followed an unmaintained trail which climbed a little bit before reaching the edge of a ridge 1,400 feet above the Icefields Centre. Here Lupe stopped to rest and survey the breathtaking scene.

Lupe and SPHP spent a long time gazing out at Mt. Athabasca, Mt. Andromeda, the Athabasca Glacier, Snow Dome, and Mt. Kitchener. The Icefields Centre, the Icefields Parkway Hwy 93, and the parking lot for the hike to the toe of the Athabasca Glacier were all in view, too. Special buses designed for glacier tours were crawling slowly like little black caterpillars up towards and onto the Athabasca Glacier. A portion of the huge Columbia Icefield from which the Athabasca Glacier descends loomed above the glacier.

P1050381 — Mt. Athabasca, Mt. Andromeda & the Athabasca Glacier. 7-29-14

Lupe and SPHP spent quite a bit of time at this glorious viewpoint. Lupe had some water, some Taste of the Wild and posed for photos. She soon spotted a strange creature she had never seen before coming towards her from the southern end of the Wilcox Peak area to the NNW. It was a large mountain goat! Lupe watched intently, but silently, as the mountain goat strolled very calmly on by heading SE. The mountain goat seemed completely unfazed by Lupe’s presence and eventually disappeared over a little ridge.

This large mountain goat approached from Mt. Wilcox. Lupe watched in amazement, but did not even bark. 7-29-14 — The large mountain goat approaching from Mt. Wilcox. Lupe watched in amazement, but did not even bark. 7-29-14

When it was finally time to leave this most glorious viewpoint, Lupe headed a little way up towards Wilcox Peak to see if a view of the huge Sunwapta River valley heading NW and the mountains beyond it could be easily reached. Reaching the spine of the ridge coming down from Wilcox Peak, Lupe saw that only a partial view was possible in that direction without a considerable further climb. Instead of doing that, Lupe headed ESE back down towards the country to the NW of the Wilcox Pass high point.

Lupe near Wilcox Pass. Athabasca Glacier and Snow Dome beyond her.

A new goal was in SPHP’s mind, and that was to go see Wilcox Lake, which is tucked in a cirque to the NW of Nigel Peak. Lupe crossed over to the NE side of the Wilcox Pass area. To get to Wilcox Lake, it was necessary to climb over a large ridge extending NW from Nigel Peak.

SPHP studied the ridge as Lupe approached it, looking for the best route up and over, without having to do too much climbing. Selecting a likely route that appeared to have some sort of trail leading up it, Lupe and SPHP were soon climbing up the ridge, which seemed quite a bit higher than it had looked like from afar.

P1050368 — Lupe, Mt. Athabasca (L) and Mt. Andromeda (R) from near Wilcox Pass.

The main problem though, was that the ridge consisted of extremely sharp rocks. SPHP began to worry that Lupe would cut up the pads on her paws on the jumble of extremely sharp rocks. Lupe did get to the spine of the ridge, but the view on the other side to the SE in the direction of Nigel Peak was discouraging. Wilcox Lake was nowhere in sight. A beautiful, but very barren rocky terrain lay in the direction where Wilcox Lake had to be.

If the rocks hadn’t been so sharp, Lupe would have pressed on to Wilcox Lake. However SPHP didn’t want her paws to get cut up and gave up on the idea of reaching the lake. SPHP now made an error in judgment. (Not exactly the first time!) Instead of just going back down the steep scree slope Lupe had just climbed, SPHP led her NW down a more gradual slope that looked like it would be an easier route down. Unfortunately, the sharp rocks continued in that direction too, and it proved to be quite a long hike NW before an easy way down off the ridge presented itself.

P1050375 — Lupe, Snow Dome & Mt. Kitchener from near Wilcox Pass. 7-29-14

Once back down on the heather, it was an easy matter to hike back to Wilcox Pass. Lupe drank from streams, and cooled off in shallow ponds on the way. Amazingly, the pads on her paws looked just fine after all those sharp rocks, and she showed no signs of discomfort. Quite the contrary, Lupe was full of energy and rambunctious.

It was now getting later in the day and most people had already left the Wilcox Pass area, although the sun was still well up in the sky. A few puffy white clouds were drifting by in a sea of blue. On this beautiful and amazingly warm early evening, Lupe started heading back across the open heather. She passed well to the E of the high point on the Wilcox Pass trail, but eventually worked her way back to the trail for the hike back down.

It was 6:58 PM and still 75 degrees F when Lupe reached the trailhead again. Lupe had been gone almost 7 hours, but had spent several extra hours enjoying the most glorious viewpoint and on her unsuccessful exploration up to the ridge in the direction of Wilcox Lake.

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