2019 Yukon & Alaska – The (Mostly) True Adventures of Lupe

Along the Racing River & the Long Road Home, Canada (9-12-19 thru 9-15-19)

Days 39 – 42 of Lupe’s Summer of 2019 Dingo Vacation to the Yukon & Alaska!

9-12-19, 7:34 AM, 35ºF, S Klondike Hwy just S of Carcross – Pavement at last! It had taken the G6 nearly an hour to creep a little over 4 miles down stony, steep Montana Mountain Road. No worries now! Smooth sailing for the next 2,200+ miles. Lupe was on her way home.

Yes, there was still some thought of climbing Mount White (5,016 ft.), but Montana Mountain had been a big day. SPHP really didn’t feel up to it, and a glance over at the American Dingo said she wouldn’t have any objections if it didn’t happen. So SPHP skipped the turn S off Tagish Road onto Hwy 7, waiting instead to head E on the Alaska Highway at Jake’s Corner a few miles later.

So it was over as far as mountain climbing on this Dingo Vacation. That didn’t mean Loopster couldn’t do a little sightseeing along the way. By mid-morning she felt up to her traditional stop at Teslin Lake for a look at the Dawson Peaks.

**Dawson Peaks** (Center) from **Teslin Lake**. Photo looks SSE.

It wasn’t until mid-afternoon E of Watson Lake that things started to get more interesting. First up was a pleasant 30 minute walk on a dirt road leading into a forest that a sign said was part of the Kaska Nation. Lupe found a squirrel to bark at. That excitement was followed by a short stop at rapids along the Liard River.

**Liard River** from the Alaska Highway.

The squirrel had been just a warm-up. Far more exciting things were ahead. Bears and bison!

Lupe barked herself into a complete frazzle! So she didn’t mind relaxing in the G6 when SPHP stopped in at Liard River Hot Springs for an hour long pleasant soak. By evening the Carolina Dog had made it all the way to Muncho Lake Provincial Park.

**Muncho Lake** with **Peterson Mountain** (L) in the distance. Photo looks SSW.

Approaching **Peterson Mountain** (Center). Photo looks SSW.

9-13-19, 6:15 AM – It was barely light out when Lupe hit the road again. On the way out of Muncho Lake Provincial Park, 2 moose got the day off to a rousing start. The sun was just coming up when the American Dingo reached the Racing River. Time to keep a promise!

Just before the bridge, a dirt road left the Alaska Highway on the R. SPHP pulled in and parked.

The great day has finally arrived, Looper! Wha’dya say we have that romp we’ve always been meaning to take up the Racing River? See what we can find?

Loopster was all in! Bursting with energy after a day of rest, she could hardly wait. For years now, the Racing River had been a favorite quick stop between Muncho Lake and Stone Mountain Provincial Park. She’d always spent a little while looking for squirrels in the forest, but had never really gotten to do much exploring. This was her big chance!

9-13-19, 7:35 AM, 38ºF, Racing River – Chilly, but a gorgeous morning! A short trot through the forest on the dirt road took Loop past some superb dispersed camping sites, then on to the Racing River itself. The river was a fabulous glacial blue! Downstream, the first rays of sunlight were just hitting Peak 4388.

*Someday we ought to climb **Peak 4388** (L), SPHP!* Photo looks NE.

Lupe was heading upstream. For a little while yet, the river valley in that direction was still in shadow. Open ground up on the river bank made progress easy as Loop followed the Racing River S. She soon veered off into a big field, which was as far as she’d ever made it on a quick initial reconnaissance last year.

A quick glance downstream at the spreading sunshine. **Peak 4388** (R). Photo looks NNE.

Loop already about as far as she got in 2018. Photo looks SW.

Lupe continued upstream, sometimes exploring away from the river, but often returning to it, since the Racing River was so stunningly beautiful. As soon as the sun peeped over the mountains, the day started warming up nicely. Peak 7203, the high point of a long light-colored ridge, was in sight farther up the valley.

**Peak 7203** (Center). Photo looks SSW.

A glorious morning! **Peak 7203** (R). Photo looks SSW.

Checking out the downstream view again. **Peak 4388** (L). Photo looks NE.

*The **Racing River** is so beautiful!* Photo looks S.

*Of course, the forest is mighty nice, too, fellow squirrel fans!*

45 minutes into her journey, the Carolina Dog came to a side channel that had enough flow in it to keep her from continuing along the Racing River’s main course. Lupe followed the side channel upstream hoping either to find a way across, or that it would rejoin the main channel at some point.

Along the stony, mucky side channel. Photo looks SW.

She wound up sniffing in the forest quite a bit, returning only now and then to the side channel.

At least the main course of the **Racing River** wasn’t too far away. Photo looks S.

No luck! The side channel did not rejoin the main course. The farther Lupe followed it, the muckier and less appealing prospects for crossing it became. The American Dingo was forced to spent more and more time in the forest, which was becoming taller and thicker as she pressed on. This wasn’t too much of a problem, since there were plenty of animal trails to follow.

*Muckier than ever, SPHP!* Photo looks S.

Just when it looked like the situation was about to improve, a swampy region forced Lupe even farther from the main river. She soon came to an ancient beaver pond blocking the way forward.

Blocked by a long abandoned beaver pond. Photo looks SW.

The dam was old and decrepit, clearly no beaver had been here in ages.

*No beaver in ages? You sure about that, SPHP? This looks mighty fresh to me!*

OK, so maybe there was a live beaver around here somewhere, but it couldn’t have been a terribly ambitious one, or its dam and pond would have been in better shape. At any rate, it looked like Lupe’s Racing River adventure had come to an end.

*Follow me, SPHP! Let’s just cross this beaver dam! Looks like its going the right way.*

An attempt to cross the beaver dam lead only to what was either the last remains of the side channel, or a swampy pool. Hardly mattered which. Lupe had given it her best shot. She had enjoyed a marvelous, fun trek along the Racing River, but with no way to get back to the main channel, it was time to turn back.

*The dam keeps going, SPHP! You left it too soon!*

The retreat was about to begin, when SPHP suddenly had a brilliant idea. Maybe Looper had left the beaver dam too soon? Perhaps it kept going across the rest of this swamp, too? Returning to the beaver dam, it turned out it did go farther! The Carolina Dog continued across it.

Hey! Hey! The manuever worked! Lupe got past the swamp in nothing flat. Back in business! A short trek through the forest brought Loop to the lovely Racing River again.

*Good job, SPHP! Told ya it would work!* Photo looks NE.

As Lupe continued upstream, the forest grew denser and extended all the way to the riverbank. Still animal trails to follow, but with fewer and fewer opportunities to actually see the river, how much farther did it make sense go?

Looper had no concerns at all about that. She pressed on, having a grand time in the forest.

Two hours after leaving the G6, it didn’t look like the situation was about to change anytime soon. Maybe this was far enough? As wonderful as the Racing River was, the long road was calling Lupe home. Happy as she could be, the American Dingo enjoyed a few minutes relaxing by the incredibly blue Racing River. This was her point of furthest advance.

*Let’s keep going forever, SPHP! ….. I’d like nothing better, Loop!*

Of course, the fun wasn’t over. Lupe had the whole return trip to enjoy, too. The American Dingo retraced her forest wanderings back to where she’d reached the river after crossing the beaver dam.

**Peak 4388** with help from the telephoto lens.

*Hey, SPHP! When we get back to the G6, look in the trunk and see if we have a raft! Who knows where this might go?*

After crossing the beaver dam again, Lupe wanted to explore more of the territory away from the river. Sure. Why not?

Toward the end, where the forest was thinner and the ground more open, it was back to the Racing River for the final, easy downstream stroll. What a perfect day!

Back to the **Racing River**. Photo looks NE.

Similar view with help from the telephoto lens.

All too soon, the Alaska Highway bridge was in sight again. Lupe went all the way to it. Still 2.5 long days of driving left to get home. Oh, there would still be stops along the way, but this marvelous trek along the Racing River way up in northern British Columbia was the last really “big” adventure of Lupe’s Summer of 2019 Dingo Vacation. Once Lupe crossed this bridge, it would all pass into history.

What a grand time it had been! So many adventures that hadn’t panned out, but plenty of unexpected twists and turns, and great successes, too!

9-13-19, 11:08 AM, 68ºF, at the G6 near the Racing River –

Terribly sorry, Loop, but I’ve looked everywhere. We don’t seem to have a raft with us.

That’s a pity, SPHP! Such a perfect day for rafting the Racing River, too!

It sure is, Looper! We’ll have to come back another time, I guess.

Well, next time make sure to bring the raft. And a map of Peak 4388, too, so we can climb it before we sail away.

I’ll do it Loop! Some day we’ll stand together on the top of Peak 4388.

Promise, SPHP?

I promise.

By noon, Lupe was at Summit Lake in Stone Mountain Provincial Park with another unfinished project in view. Beyond the lake stood Mount Saint George (7,402 ft.). In 2017, Lupe had succeeded in climbing Mount Saint Paul (6,985 ft.) here. She had nearly made it to the top of Mount Saint George, too, but fog rolled in and a storm had chased her off the mountain.

Great times! Fun to be here and think about them again.

At **Summit Lake**. **Mount Saint George** (L). Photo looks SW.

An hour later, the Carolina Dog was out of the mountains. Although she could still see the northern Rockies, she wouldn’t be back in them again. For hundreds of miles S of Fort Nelson, the G6 rolled through a region of big flat-topped ridges separated by deep river valleys.

Looking back at the northern Rockies. Photo looks W.

Unknown peaks with help from the telephoto lens.

Getting farther from the mountains. Photo looks SW.

Same view with help from the telephoto lens.

Definitely autumn. The drive was gorgeous! So many yellow leaves! Now and then even more brilliant colors, too.

S of Fort Nelson in the land of big ridges.

Last bear of Lupe’s Summer of 2019 Dingo Vacation.

It was nearly dark by the time Lupe crossed the Peace River at Taylor.

9-14-19, 5:44 AM, 50ºF – No more messing around! Lupe hit the road at first light. Hundreds of miles to go, so not going to be many stops today. One did come fairly early on, though, shortly after reaching Alberta. The Carolina Dog wanted to pay a visit to Valhalla Centre, which turns out to be located on Hwy 59, a fact even SPHP had been unaware of before. Since Valhalla has a fabulous reputation, and was basically along the way, SPHP had no objections to dropping in for a few minutes.

Maybe it was the off-season? After all, it was already after Labor Day. A Saturday, too, so maybe Valhalla was simply closed for the weekend? Whatever the reason, the sky was gloomy and gray when Lupe arrived. The only thing happening was a bit of dreary drizzle. Instead of being Epic, Triumphant, & Glorious, Valhalla Centre was distinctly ho-hum.

Not at all what I thought it would be, SPHP.

Me either, Loop.

Not even a lone gleaming ray of sunlight breaking through towering clouds, or a single trumpet blast! Where are the cheering crowds, rose petal-strewn streets of gold, the shining city and mighty fortress? I was hoping to partake of the victory feast.

Doesn’t look like they were expecting us Looper. Maybe we haven’t done enough epic stuff yet?

What are you talking about, SPHP? We’re just finishing up our Grand Summer of 2019 Dingo Vacation to the Yukon & Alaska! We made it to the Arctic Circle, climbed countless mighty mountains, braved smoke, wind, rain, and snow. Isn’t that epic enough?

Oh, you know how it is, Loop. No matter what one does, someone else has done it faster, stronger, higher, longer. We might not be anywhere close to having earned a spot in Valhalla. Maybe we’re just on some waiting list, way down near the bottom?

Oh, pooh! The least they could have done is have a few Dingo treats around. Not even a cat is here to welcome us.

Well, maybe we were supposed to fill out an application before showing up. You know how it is, times change. The bureaucracy wants all its i’s dotted and t’s crossed these days.

Bureaucracy! It isn’t Valhalla, if there’s bureaucracy!

Loopster had a point, but she was here now, so she might as well get out and have a quick look around. The most impressive building in Valhalla Centre was an old-time style white church.

The white church. Most impressive building in Valhalla Centre, Alberta.

SPHP had scarcely let the American Dingo out of the G6 when she pooped on the lawn.

Lupe! Really? Did you have to do that? Here in Valhalla, no less!

As a matter of fact, I did. When you gotta go, you gotta go!

I suppose. And here I was thinking that someday we might be moving to Valhalla permanently, but it’s never going to happen, if you’re busy racking up demerits every time we drop by.

Move here? Now that I’ve actually seen Valhalla, I think I’d rather stay at home in the Black Hills. Or if you want to move, remember that cute Dingo bunkhouse in Keno City up in the Yukon Territory? Maybe it’s still for sale?

Maybe. We’ll worry about that later. Let’s clean this mess up and get outta here before anyone notices.

A nice break at a little park in Marshall, Saskatchewan was the only other significant stop of the day.

Long after sunset, the G6 finally rested S of Chamberlain beneath a full harvest moon. An 831 mile day. Ugh!

9-15-19, 4:33 AM, 50ºF – The harvest moon was pioneering in the W. Still dark. Breezy and comfortably cool. A few minutes to stretch outside, and Lupe was on the road again. Within minutes, the American Dingo was all riled up! Oh, it was going to be a glorious day! Lupe knew that scent anywhere. This was cattle country!

Loopster couldn’t see the cows she was barking at, but sniffing them was good enough; her enormous enthusiasm for the project was undeterred. SPHP finally pulled into a rest area along Hwy 6. This was the same rest area Lupe had first been to exactly a year ago.

Morning in Saskatchewan! As long as the Carolina Dog was still in Canada, it didn’t feel like her Dingo Vacation was over quite yet. A tour of the premises, breakfast, then a little while spent picking up trash. Not nearly as much of it this time around. Maybe last year’s efforts really had made a difference?

9-15-19, 7:45 AM, Saskatchewan, at the rest area along Hwy 6 –

Come on, Looper! No more prolonging the inevitable. Time to say good-bye to Canada!

Lupe hopped into the G6, and settled comfortably on her pink blanket as always. Still almost an hour’s drive to the Montana border at Regway. The border wouldn’t be a problem. Plenty of cows to bark at both before and after.

70ºF, clear and calm in Sidney, Montana, but it was 93ºF by the time Loop made it to Baker. A quick stop at Reynold’s market for a box of mint chip Eskimo pies to share on the road. They were gone in a jiffy.

Middle of September! Why does it have to be so beastly out? Always seems like we’re coming back to Mordor!

Don’t look at me, SPHP! You’re the one who was in such a rush to get back!

Eastern Montana was beautiful in an Old West high plains sort of way, but it sure looked and felt parched. Clouds of grasshoppers and yellow butterflies blew across the highway, swept along on a blazing hot SW breeze.

9-15-19, 4:40 PM, Black Hills of South Dakota – Home again. 94ºF! The house was even more of an oven than that. All closed up and sweltering hot! Must have had a bunch of rain sometime, though. Instead of dead and brown, the lawn was exceptionally green and long.

A few more weeks, and we’d need a machete to get to the front door! Guess we’re going to have to get back to chores before they condemn this joint, Looper.

It’s over, isn’t it, SPHP?

Your 2019 Dingo Vacation? Yeah, I’m afraid so. Feels like we left Alaska way too soon, doesn’t it?

Lupe didn’t say anything, just sighed and laid down on the carpet staring out the living room window. Oh, to be back again in the chill mountain air among the pom-poms and wild forests along the banks of the glacial blue Racing River!

Along the **Racing River**, British Columbia, Canada 9-13-19

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Montana Mountain, Yukon Territory, Canada (9-11-19)

Days 37 & 38 of Lupe’s Summer of 2019 Dingo Vacation to the Yukon & Alaska!

9-10-19, 7:55 AM, 37ºF – Good-bye Donjek River! Lupe was heading S. Stars last night, but no sign of the northern lights. A beautiful, clear early fall morning today with no sign of yesterday’s smoky haze.

For a travel day, the morning got off to an exciting start. A grizzly bear! Now that was something worth barking about! The Carolina Dog gave it her foaming-at-the-mouth best.

Grizzly along the Alaska Highway 4 or 5 miles NW of Burwash Landing.

A little later, Lupe stopped at a favorite pullout at the S end of Kluane Lake, the largest lake entirely within the Yukon Territory. The water level still seemed to be dropping. The Slims River, once the lake’s main water source had largely dried up back in May, 2016, when most of its flow had been naturally diverted into the Kaskawulsh River due to the retreat of the Kaskawulsh Glacier.

At the S end of 50 mile long **Kluane Lake**. Photo looks W.

**Sheep Mountain (6,400 ft.)** (R of Center), which Lupe climbed back in 2017, and **Mount Wallace (7,700 ft.)** (R). Photo looks NW.

On the way to Haines Junction, several more stops were made to enjoy the beauty of the St. Elias Mountains.

Possibly **Mount Cairnes (9,186 ft.)** (L). Photo looks SW.

**St. Elias Mountains** from the Alaska Highway. Photo looks SW.

Miles rolled by. Hours passed away. By evening, the American Dingo was at the Mount Lorne (6,629 ft.) trailhead along the S Klondike Highway. Nearly a month since Lupe had ventured up Mount Lorne now. Already seemed like a long time ago.

Loop enjoyed two trips along the early easy portion of the trail. The first, a 0.5 mile romp looking for squirrels a little before sunset. Next, a second, longer foray at dusk as gloom spread through the forest. The Carolina Dog waded in Bear Creek, and spotted a deer wandering in the woods. Fun times! But the real action wouldn’t start until tomorrow.

On the Mount Loren trail near sunset. Photo looks W.

9-11-19, 9:39 AM, 34ºF, S of Carcross, on Montana Mountain Road – Close enough! The G6 had done well to get this far. SPHP parked at a wide spot 200 yards beyond the last building. Lupe hopped out. The road wasn’t bad here, but had been stony, rough, and often steep most of the 4+ miles to this point. Somewhere not too far ahead, it was supposed to become impassable.

4+ miles up Montana Mountain Road a little beyond the last building (Center). **Caribou Mountain (6,400 ft.)** (R). Photo looks N.

Montana Mountain (7,233 ft.) located just S of Carcross is known for its awesome mountain biking trails. The Mountain Hero trail, designated as one of only 6 “epic” trails in Canada by the International Mountain Biking Association (IMBA), is especially popular. On the way up, SPHP had stopped for a quick look at posted maps of the trail system.

Montana Mountain lower trail map. S is up on this map.

Of course, Loop wasn’t here for the mountain biking. If possible, she was going to climb Montana Mountain. Maybe even Brute Mountain (7,000 ft.) or Mount Matheson (7,200 ft.), too, if she had time and they looked viable. As soon as SPHP was ready, Lupe started up the road.

Setting out for Montana Mountain. Photo looks SSW.

Within 10 minutes, the hills and ridges of Brute Mountain were already coming into sight. Another 5 minutes brought Looper to a spot where a small stream passed through a culvert. Half of the road had eroded into the V-shaped gully down by the stream. The G6 might have made it past this point, but SPHP never would have chanced it.

The road trek was a steady uphill grind. 20 minutes past the washout, Lupe reached an intersection with the McDonald Creek trail. Beyond this junction, the road curved SW. A small black bear was 100 yards ahead! However, by the time Lupe got there, the bear had vanished among the bushes.

At the **McDonald Creek trail** junction.

Before long Montana Mountain Road began curving back to the S again. From this bend, Lupe could see a sliver of Bennett Lake off to the W.

**Bennett Lake** (Center). **Peak 4260** (far R). **Mount Gray (6,083 ft.)** beyond it. Photo looks WNW.

Peering around the bend. The hills and ridges are all part of **Brute Mountain** which sports several areas within 7,000 ft. contours. Photo looks SW.

Continuing around the bend, Lupe’s ultimate destination, the summit of Montana Mountain (7,233 ft.), came into sight for the first time. Looked like there was a skiff of new snow up there!

**Montana Mountain** (L) comes into view! Photo looks S.

The road kept curving. Within a few minutes of turning SE, Lupe came to a landslide where the entire roadbed had collapsed into a deep valley. So much for Montana Mountain Road!

At the start of the landslide, the effective end of Montana Mountain Road as far as any vehicles are concerned. Photo looks NW.

Looking down the collapsed slope. **Brute Mountain** in the distance. Photo looks SW.

A narrow, single track trail continued on from here. At first the path stayed on relatively firm terrain, but soon Lupe was traversing the worst of the landslide on loose sand and small rocks.

Near the end. **Mount Gray** (L). Photo looks NW.

Hundreds of feet of road were completely gone. Looper eventually did get past the landslide to where the road picked up again heading due S. The American Dingo was already close to treeline, but bushes remained abundant. Long abandoned, what remained of Montana Mountain Road was rough and partially overgrown.

Before long, the road appeared to dead-end. Yet, Lupe could still see it continuing S only modestly higher up the slope to the SE. A short trek on open ground following a faint path got her up there. Looking back, SPHP was under the impression that perhaps a thickly overgrown switchback had been missed. This was almost certainly all part of the same road.

Whatever! Lupe kept going. The road kept climbing. After a while, a better jeep trail came in from over the ridge to the NE.

Beyond the landslide, looking up the drainage separating the road Lupe was on from **Brute Mountain**. Photo looks SW.

At the junction with the better jeep trail. **Caribou Mountain** (L), **Mount Lansdowne (5,882 ft.)** (Center), and **Nares Mountain (5,833 ft.)** (R). Photo looks NNE.

Following the jeep trail, Lupe soon came to a fork. One branch angled off toward the SW, descending into the valley between here and Brute Mountain. Seeing that this route went clear down to a creek ford before winding its way up lower slopes of Brute Mountain, Looper continued straight S instead. Another km on the jeep trail brought the Carolina Dog to the saddle between Brute Mountain and Sugarloaf Hill (6,106 ft.).

This saddle was a major intersection. Roads came in from all directions. A large post stuck up from a cairn. Beyond this cairn was a landscape incapable of supporting anything more than minimal tundra vegetation. Not a single tree or shrub dotted the barren expanse between here and Montana Mountain.

The barren expanse between the saddle and **Montana Mountain** (R). Photo looks SE.

A good 5 km from the G6 now, Loopster was ready for a break. While she enjoyed water and Taste of the Wild, SPHP surveyed the situation. A tiny creek swept down the wide open basin between here and Montana Mountain. Off to the SW, a road led gradually higher along lower slopes of Brute Mountain. That appeared to be the way to go.

Brute Mountain (7,000 ft.) didn’t look like a difficult climb from here, although it was hard to tell which of several high points might actually be the true summit. Maybe Loop really could climb it later in the day?

Eh. Too soon to think about that! Montana Mountain was the American Dingo’s main objective. She appeared to have 2 choices on how to get there. The first, and most direct route, was to head up to an opening just W of the summit. The second, and likely easiest approach, was to go up the NW end of a big ridge W of that region. Following the ridge SE ought to get Lupe to high ground providing summit access.

Relaxing in the saddle. Lupe would take the road seen heading off to the L (SW) on her way to Montana Mountain. The **three highest points of Brute Mountain** are visible from here. Looked like maybe the middle one was highest, but hard to say for sure. Photo looks W.

**Montana Mountain summit** (L, with snow). Two possible routes: (1) the saddle at Center, or (2) the big ridge on the R. Photo looks S.

Once underway again, Lupe took a road heading SW along the base of Brute Mountain, gaining only a little elevation before reaching another fork. At this fork she went L (SE) on a road that lost all the elevation she had just gained.

At the fork. From here Lupe took the road seen winding toward the gap at Center. Photo looks SE.

The road began to climb again, and a choice soon had to be made. Which way? SPHP was undecided. Cutting across the tundra up to the end of the big ridge, which wasn’t too far away, seemed like maybe the thing to do.

Off road now, heading for the NW (R) end of the big ridge. Photo looks S.

Some nut who had gotten a bulldozer in his Christmas stocking had been all over the place, scarring up the whole region. Lupe reached a spot where she could see roads going toward both the end of the big ridge, and the gap just W of Montana Mountain.

The road heading straight for the gap (R) was tempting. So direct! **Montana Mountain** (straight up from Lupe). Photo looks SE.

Option 2: Follow the big ridge higher. Photo looks SW.

Looking back. **Sugarloaf Hill** (R) beyond Lupe. The saddle with the cairn and post that Lupe had come up from is at the base of the hill in the foreground on the L. **Nares Mountain** (L) pokes up from behind this same hill. Photo looks NE.

A snowfield immediately below the gap looked suspiciously shiny even from a distance, but the temptation to try to save a bunch of time and distance proved to be too much. SPHP led Lupe toward the gap.

The road going that way started out merely rocky. From there it ramped up to very rocky, then extremely rocky, finally becoming a jagged jumble of huge stones even the bulldozer must had trouble with. Eventually all signs that a bulldozer might have made it this far vanished. Picking a way through all this rubble was distressingly time-consuming, but did let Loop get a look at a good-sized tarn nestled below a steep ridge to the E.

A lovely tarn comes into view on the way to the gap. Photo looks E.

The “road” gets a bit rough approaching the gap (Center). Photo looks SE.

If the snowfield had actually been snow, Lupe wouldn’t have had much of a problem reaching the territory above the gap. However, she arrived at the edge of the snowfield to find not snow, but a thin, crystalline mini-glacier instead. Ice! Rocks were embedded in the ice, but in insufficient quantities to provide reliable support all the way up to the gap.

Close up of the crystalline ice of the mini-glacier.

The ice was hard, damp, and very slick. Even though the gap wasn’t all that far away now, any attempt to cross the steep mini-glacier looked like an invitation to an uncontrolled rocket slide to be dashed upon rocks waiting below. No way!

A line of small cliffs formed a wall a little above Lupe’s current position. A couple of breaks might have provided a reasonable scramble to better terrain higher up, but those breaks were full of ice, too.

At the edge of the thin, steep mini-glacier with the gap tantalizingly close, yet unobtainable. **Montana Mountain** (L of Center). Photo looks SE.

A line of small cliffs a little higher up looked insurmountable, too. Photo looks S.

Hmm. Coming this way was starting to look like a mistake, but SPHP wasn’t ready to give up quite yet. Maybe Loop could go around the lower end of the mini-glacier? The rocky slopes on the opposite side might be negotiable.

So down the edge of the glacier the sure-footed American Dingo went. SPHP carefully picked a way lower using poles and ice-embedded rocks for support. Slow, but faster than trying to scramble amidst the boulder field next to the ice.

Heading down the edge of the mini-glacier. Photo looks NE.

Looking up the mini-glacier toward the elusive gap. Photo looks SSE.

Once at the bottom of the glacier, Lupe turned E. She got only halfway along the toe before SPHP called a halt. The territory beyond the glacier looked less friendly than before. Looper could climb that hillside, but whether SPHP could seemed doubtful. Maybe yes, maybe no. The longer SPHP pondered, the stronger the “no” impression became.

The territory beyond the mini-glacier. **Montana Mountain** (L of Center). Photo looks SE.

Zoomed in for a closer look. Maybe going up toward the R passing below the boulder near (Center) would work?

Well, it might have worked, might even have been easy, but this jaunt to the mini-glacier had already taken more than an hour. With prospects for success still uncertain, investing more time in what could prove to be a lost cause seemed a poor choice. Should have stuck with the big ridge! At least it had looked like an almost guaranteed success.

Before heading back to give the big ridge a shot, Lupe climbed up onto a small ridge overlooking the scenic tarn.

About as far as Lupe got around the mini-glacier (off the R edge). Photo looks E.

Near the tarn. The ridge Lupe had to return to is on the L. Photo looks NW.

On the field of stones leading back to the big ridge (L). **Brute Mountain** (Center). Photo looks WNW.

Once back on the road winding up to the lower NW end of the big ridge, Lupe followed it to a point overlooking the pass between the ridge and Brute Mountain. More of Bennett Lake and smoke from several small forest fires were in view beyond the pass. Loopster left the road here, starting up a moderately steep slope of white stones. Her ascent of Montana Mountain’s long NW ridge had begun.

Starting up **Montana Mountain’s NW ridge**. Photo looks SE.

Nothing to it! The ascent went well. Views improved. The nutcase with the bulldozer had been zig-zagging higher even up here. Every now and then, Lupe crossed the bulldozer’s path, little more than flattened zones of loose rock.

**Sugarloaf Hill** (L) and **Tagish Lake**. Photo looks NE with help from the telephoto lens.

**Montana Mountain** (R) and the mini-glacier Lupe hadn’t gotten past (closest one straight up from her ears). Photo looks ESE.

The rocks eventually changed from white to tan or brown. After gaining 600 feet of elevation, Loop reached the first high point along the ridge. A cairn sat on a rocky knoll here, and a patch of tundra provided a good spot to take a break.

Approaching the **first high point at 6,600 ft**. (Center). Photo looks S.

**Brute Mountain** from the 6,600 ft. high point. Photo looks NW.

Looking down the **Knob Creek drainage** at smoke from forest fires on the lower slopes of **Finger Mountain (5,500 ft.)** (Center) across **Bennett Lake**. Photo looks WSW.

Zoomed in on the smoldering **E slopes of Finger Mountain**. Photo looks W.

**Caribou Mountain (6,400 ft.)** (Center). Photo looks N with help from the telephoto lens.

From this vantage point, the true summit of Brute Mountain appeared to be one of two closer, gentler high points rather than a much more jagged region farther NW. An ascent later on still looked feasible. However, a mere glance at Mount Matheson (7,200 ft.), which was now in view to the S, instantly dispelled any notion that Lupe might be able to climb it.

The forbidding N aspect of **Mount Matheson** (Center). Photo looks S.

20 minutes, and it was time to move on. A couple of successively higher points were visible farther SE along the ridge. Lupe set out for them on a trail that started out right up on the ridgeline, and never strayed too far from it. Soon she was getting views of the broad, moderately sloping region she had been unable to reach above the mini-glacier.

Montana Mountain was in sight, too, a striking peak of mottled dark and light grays, tans, and browns.

Loopster ready to get going again. **Montana Mountain** (L). Photo looks SE.

Looking down on the tarn Loop had visited below the mini-glacier. **Sugarloaf Hill** (L). **Tagish Lake** (Center) in the distance. Photo looks NE.

**Montana Mountain** from its NW ridge. Photo looks E.

Upon reaching the 3rd high point along the ridgeline, Lupe could see that the ridge flattened out from here on. Instead of heading directly for Montana Mountain, which would have required substantial elevation loss, she kept following the ridge SE.

At the 3rd high point along the ridgeline. Photo looks SE.

Glancing back at **Brute Mountain** from the 3rd high point. Photo looks NW.

The American Dingo stuck with the ridgeline until she was able to leave it with minimal elevation loss. Sweeping around the S end of the broad basin to the E, she headed for a minor ridge SW of Montana Mountain’s summit.

Sticking with the NW ridge all the way to the R. **Montana Mountain** (L). Photo looks E.

Crossing the upper end of the rocky plain. Photo looks NE.

No trail led across the flat, rocky plain, but Lupe picked one up again as soon as she got to the SW ridge. Following the first part of this ridge was easy. The SE (R) side dropped sharply away, but the NW side was never difficult. Most of the time Looper could stay right up on the ridgeline.

Near the end, Lupe came to a minor pass of light brown sand and rock. This was easily crossed. Ahead was a much steeper climb, but not a long one. The summit was now only 200 or 300 feet higher!

Approaching the light brown pass. Photo looks NE.

A trail was visible going up from the W, the direction Lupe would have come from if she had made it past the mini-glacier. She reached this trail partway up. A bit of light scrambling was involved, but nothing at all daunting. Soon Loop was only a short stroll from the top.

Approaching the true summit. Photo looks N.

9-11-19, 4:45 PM, 38ºF, summit of Montana Mountain – Despite doubts during the final approach, it was immediately obvious that Lupe really had reached the true summit of Montana Mountain. Off to the NE, a high point with a tower was clearly somewhat lower.

The very top of Montana Mountain (7,233 ft.) was a rocky point. A small region almost as high extended a little way S. The N face was a cliff. No cairn, but a metal rod stuck up out of the rocks. A shiny metal plate shaped like a stop sign rested right below the true summit. SPHP picked it up expecting to find a registry, but found only rocks beneath.

Lupe at the true summit. Photo looks NE.

With the fruitless mini-misadventure to the mini-glacier, it had taken a while to get here. The weather seemed to be deteriorating. Shortly after reaching the summit, Lupe was pelted with snow granules for 5 minutes, followed soon after by a series of cold, light rain showers. Any sunshine lingered in the distance in a few scattered spots.

Yet the gray clouds overhead were still above the mountaintops. Driven by a 10 to 15 mph S breeze, they sailed N in endless procession. The air below them was rather hazy, obscuring the most distant peaks, but Lupe could see plenty of closer mountains in all directions.

Mount Matheson loomed only a couple of km off to the SW. To the W, bits of Bennett Lake were visible, along with smoke still rising from the fires smoldering on Finger Mountain. Nearly the entire length of the long ridge Lupe had traveled to get here was in view, too.

The long dark ridge Lupe followed (from R to L) on her way here is in the foreground. **Bennett Lake** beyond. **Mountain Matheson** (L). Photo looks WSW.

Off to the NW, Brute Mountain still looked quite climbable. Sadly, it was clear by now that SPHP must have been nuts. The Carolina Dog wasn’t going to have anywhere close to enough time to do that, but it was still possible to admire the mountain from here.

**Brute Mountai**n (Center). Photo looks NW.

Seen dimly through the haze to the N were a couple of friends! Two splendid peaks Lupe had been to – Mount Lorne (6,629 ft.), which she had climbed exactly a month ago, and Canyon Mountain (4,901 ft.) way up by Whitehorse.

**Mount Lorne** (Center) in the distance. **Canyon Mountain** (L) even farther away. **Caribou Mountain** (R). Photo looks N with help from the telephoto lens.

Another friend was in sight to the NNE. Nares Mountain (5,833 ft.), which Lupe had visited a year ago, was lined up almost directly beyond Sugarloaf Hill.

**Nares Mountain** (Center) is lined up behind **Sugarloaf Hill** in the foreground. **Caribou Mountain** (L). Photo looks NNE with help from the telephoto lens.

To the S, a couple of small green tarns nestled in a cirque. Far beyond them, the S end of Tutsi Lake was visible.

**S end of Tutsi Lake** (R). Photo looks SSW with lots of help from the telephoto lens.

Rocks everywhere! No place for the American Dingo to get comfortable except SPHP’s lap. For a good long while, Lupe curled up as SPHP sat petting her, and gazing at the wonders all around.

Might that not be Paddy Peak (7,238 ft.) way off to the SSW? And far to the ESE, that had to be Mount Minto (6,913 ft.)! So on and so forth, as Lupe’s precious minutes on fabulous Montana Mountain ticked away.

**Paddy Peak (7,238 ft.)** (L of Center)? Photo looks SSW.

**Mount Minto (6,913 ft.)** (Center). Photo looks ESE.

**Tagish Lake**. Photo looks NE with help from the telephoto lens.

**Mount Patterson (6,500 ft.)** (Center), with **Mount Conrad (5,800 ft.)** in front of it. **Ramshorn Creek valley** (L). Photo looks SE.

Looking S with help from the telephoto lens.

The weather was improving again. Nearly an hour gone by. Ready or not, soon time to leave. Lupe explored the little summit region again. She could have gone all the way on to the high point with the tower, but never did. Getting too late even for that.

*Might have been fun to go over to that tower, SPHP!* Photo looks NE.

**Brute Mountain** (Center) from the N face of Montana Mountain. Photo looks NW.

All too soon, beneath a clearing sky in Canada’s fabled Yukon Territory, an American Dingo again stood at the summit of Montana Mountain. This was it. Time to say good-bye to the last incredible peak Lupe would climb on her grand Summer of 2019 Dingo Vacation. What a great choice Montana Mountain (7,233 ft.) had been!

Final moments at the summit. Photo looks N.

Onward! Puppy, ho!

The return was beautiful! Same route, minus the misadventure to the mini-glacier. No Mount Matheson, or even Brute Mountain, but it was an evening of solitude, breath-taking scenery, and joy.

Back down to the SW ridge. **Mount Matheson** (R). Photo looks SW.

Heading back along the NW ridge. Photo looks NW.

A colorful bit of tundra in a gray world.

Back at the first 6,600 ft. high point along the NW ridge. Photo looks SE.

Same place, by the little cairn. Photo looks N.

Farewell, **Montana Mountain**! Photo looks SSE.

By the time Lupe made it to the abandoned upper reaches of Montana Mountain Road on the way back to the landslide, trouble was brewing. The sun was long down, and it was getting too dark to see. Worse yet, the road was becoming way more overgrown than SPHP remembered.

The flashlight had to come out. Helpful, but not with orientation. The landslide couldn’t be too much farther, but the road vanished. Bushes everywhere. SPHP followed a faint trail N until it too, appeared to end. Confusion. Now what? SPHP wasn’t even certain whether Lupe was too high or too low. Too low would be a disaster.

The Carolina Dog made a sharp turn to the SW. Gradually descending, she went farther than SPHP thought could possibly be correct. Finally, Lupe turned W beginning a steeper descent. Not even the slightest sign of a trail! Better not go too far! She didn’t. A road appeared. Had Loopster saved the day? No telling. SPHP marked the middle of the road with a small cairn. Might have to find this spot again, and go back up.

No need. A short road trek N, and there was the landslide! Alright! Back on track! In the silent Yukon night, Lupe led the way back across the landslide along the skinny soft trail, the only sound made by pebbles tumbling down the steep slope.

Made it! Still a few weary km to go, but the G6 was sure to be waiting at the end. (9-11-19, 10:51 PM, 44ºF)

**Montana Mountain**, Yukon Territory, Canada 9-11-19

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