Days 23-26 of Lupe’s 1st Summer of 2022 Dingo Vacation to Wyoming!
7-8-22, 9:16 AM, Agee Creek – Slept long and hard last night, yet still got off to a slow start. The sun was well up, the morning clear and bright, when Lupe emerged from the tiny house. Last night’s rain was but a memory now. The Carolina Dog sniffed around while SPHP puttered about getting ready for the trek ahead.
SPHP was feeling lethargic, but inevitably it was that time.
Onward! Puppy, ho!
Returning to Trout Creek Trail No. 763, Loopster headed NW up a gentle incline. A mere 250 feet, and she reached the 3rd signed trail junction of her journey to Trout Peak thus far.
We want West Trout Creek Trail No. 763.1A. Stay L, Loop.
No. 763.1A led straight to a sunny hillside of burnt trees. After gaining some elevation, the trail crossed a mucky spot created by a tiny tributary of Agee Creek. Once past the mire, the rate of climb diminished. Lupe came to a live forest of aspens and a few pines in a broad shallow valley.
The shade was wonderful, but didn’t last long. Beyond the aspens, the trail soon led to the flat top of a dusty ridge. A lone wooden pole stood on end with a couple more poles on the ground nearby. The upper Agee Creek drainage basin was now in sight ahead. The N half was all grassy slopes, the S half a mostly dead forest. Robbers Roost (12,040 ft.) was to the NW. The ridge Lupe needed to get to was also in sight.
The trail went W from here, coming down off the ridge. Directly ahead, several lines of brown volcanic rocks ran down the open slope Lupe was traversing. The trail dipped enough to pass below the largest of these rock formations where a couple of big pillars reminiscent of yesterday’s Middle Finger Rock stood.
As Lupe drew near the largest pillar, a hawk began screeching, wheeling through the sky overhead. A nest was visible more than halfway up the SE side of the pillar.
Oh, I’ve got a name for that big pillar now, SPHP! And it’s not offensive like the one you chose for the first column we saw yesterday.
No offense intended, Loop, Middle Finger Rock was simply what sprang to mind. Descriptive, not offensive! Anyway, you can name this one. What’s your pleasure?
How about “Raptor Rock”? It’s perfect, SPHP!
I agree, and marvelously inoffensive, Looper. Raptor Rock it is!
Raptor Rock may not have been offensive, but apparently Lupe and SPHP were. The hawk continued to circle screeching displeasure. Fun to watch, but rude to stay too long. After enjoying several minutes of dizzying aerobatics, Lupe continued on her way.
The trail soon led to a tributary of Agee Creek, then partway up a slope full of sagebrush. Swinging around to the S side of this slope, the entire upper Agee Creek basin was on display, beautifully defended and boxed in by a high ridge to the WNW. Forested nearby, plenty of open terrain was visible farther on below the enormous ridge.
See where that high ridge comes swooping down over toward the L, Loop? That’s where we’re headed. We need to get over that lower part to return to the Trout Creek valley again. By the looks of these GPS tracks posted by Duane Gilliland and Richard Hensley, they must have gone clear around most of this forested region.
Seems easy enough, SPHP. We aren’t going to have to cross Trout Creek again, are we?
Nope, only a couple of tributaries. Doubt they’ll be a problem.
The trail soon petered out. After going a little farther without finding it again, exploring the forested part of the basin began to seem like a good idea. By now Loopster was feeling hot in her fur coat beneath the July sun. She’d be mighty happy to come across Agee Creek again.
Bushes surrounding the forest made this a questionable decision at first, but SPHP waded through them without too much trouble. Sure enough, Lupe came to one of Agee Creek’s branches almost right away.
Working WSW amid mostly dead trees, Lupe came more rivulets, plus some marshy areas as well. The ground eventually dried out, providing firmer support. Sagebrush reappeared. Traveling through a gigantic meadow of purple wildflowers, Lupe lingered whenever possible in the shade of isolated stands of trees.
Beyond the meadow, Lupe reached considerably steeper terrain where a forest had burned. Wandering a maze of deadfall, she found more open territory above it. The ridge separating the upper Agee Creek basin from the Trout Creek valley wasn’t much farther now. SPHP called a halt when the Carolina Dog got to it.
Whew! Seemed harder getting here than it ought to have been. Guess I’m still sort of worn out from yesterday. How long does it take to get in shape anyway, Loop? We’ve been climbing mountains for 3 weeks!
We’re doing OK, aren’t we, SPHP? Here’s the Trout Creek valley again. How much farther do we have to go?
Still quite a long way, Loopster. There’s a flat spot on the topo map at 10,600 feet about 3 miles W of here in the upper valley. Would be great if we could camp there tonight. 3 miles may not sound like much, but that’s as the crow flies, and we’re about to enter more rugged territory.
More scenic, too! The rounded ridge Loop was on featured a few wind-swept trees, but consisted mostly of open ground. The American Dingo enjoyed a great view of the Trout Creek valley from here almost all the way W to the 10,600 foot area SPHP was referring to. Trout Creek was hidden far down in the forest below.
A faint trail left the ridge descending into the valley, but SPHP didn’t trust it not to vanish completely once down in the forest. Rather than taking the trail, Lupe stayed high. Peak 12120 was in sight along the huge ridge at the far end as she headed W.
The decision to stay high seemed a good one. Lupe enjoyed tremendous views while making great progress. Eventually the open slope she was on flattened and widened out to some degree. Loopster passed a line of posts running N/S down the mountainside. Some of the posts had coils of unused barbed wire around them.
It didn’t take long to reach a wide valley coming down from the N carved by a tributary of Trout Creek. Robbers Roost (12,040 ft.) was visible at the upper end, and looked like it wouldn’t be a difficult climb from here. Trout Peak was the American Dingo’s top priority, though. Loop kept on going to the stream, where she promptly laid down to cool off.
After her refreshing dip, climbing SW out of the stream valley, Loopster found herself on a steeper, rockier slope. Staying high no longer looked as viable as before, so a gradual descent began during this next traverse. Progress was much slower here. As Lupe drew near the upper edge of the forest, a jumble of rocks was hidden among thigh-high bushes.
At first, the forest wasn’t much of an improvement, but descending a bit more, game trails helped speed things along. The ordeal ended with an even better view of Robbers Roost from along the edge of a second valley carved by another tributary of Trout Creek. Partway up this stream, a waterfall roared down a rockier part of the gorge.
This second stream was definitely somewhat bigger and livelier than the first one. SPHP had to walk a little way upstream to find a spot where it could be rock-hopped. Once across, a 50 foot climb up a steep bank got Lupe to a small, sloping meadow. Crossing it in just a few minutes, she entered the forest again.
Wandering WSW, the Carolina Dog came across a trail heading the right direction. The trail persisted, becoming quite clear as it went up a 200 foot high headwall that had been visible earlier on. Once above the headwall, the trail vanished in another meadow.
More forest ahead. Still climbing, but more slowly, Lupe stayed in the meadow which angled NW. Above the trees, a beautiful strip of green territory opened up to the W, bordered by the forest on the S, and a mountainside to the N.
This region was easy traveling, a gradual uphill trek where at times a faint trail pointed the way. Lupe came to a third, much smaller stream gurgling down from a big snowbank to the N.
Near the W end of the strip, Lupe came to a shallow depression. To the SW, a beautiful giant bowl was across the valley. SPHP wearily dropped the pack.
Want to stop here, Loop? Please say yes, because I’m about done.
The scenery is marvelous, SPHP! Is this the 10,600 foot region we were aiming for?
No, that’s still a little farther. Saw that area from a distance on the way here, but the terrain is about to get quite a bit steeper ahead, and I just don’t feel like I have the energy to do it right now, Loop.
Are we close enough to get to Trout Peak (12,244 ft.) tomorrow, SPHP?
Oh, I’m pretty sure we are, Looper. We’re at about 10,000 feet here, and while it would sure be nice to get that extra 600 feet out of the way today, I’ll have an easier time of it tomorrow with a lighter pack. We can ditch the tiny house and sleeping bags right here, if we stay. Trout Peak is only 1.25 miles N now. We’ll get there.
5:54 PM, high camp, upper Trout Creek valley – Another early end. Still a few hours of daylight left, but SPHP had the tiny house set up. Loopster relaxed on the grass nearby with a grand view of the big bowl on the far side of the Trout Creek valley.
Dinner, then a nap. At dusk, the Carolina Dog emerged from the tiny house to sniff around a little more. Lupe discovered an old antler, and proudly carried it around in her mouth, every now and then stopping to gnaw on it for a minute or two before ultimately deciding it was too big and difficult to deal with.
Stars appeared. Such amazing solitude! A wonderful evening.
A wind came up later on, flapping the tiny house practically all night. It was a strange, intermittent affair with periods of complete calm between gusts. The American Dingo snoozed like a rock, though. Amazing what sufficient exercise can do.
7-9-22, 7:10 AM, high camp, Upper Trout Creek valley –
Daylight in the swamps, SPHP! And, oh, what a gorgeous day it is, too! Up and at ’em!
Alright, alright! Give me a few minutes, and I’ll be right with you, Looper.
We’ve got to go back, Loop!
Back? Back where, SPHP?
To that last little stream we passed below the big snowbank it was coming from. I was listening to the wind last night, and suddenly realized we only have one bottle of water left. We’ve got to fill up before taking on Trout.
The little stream was a 0.25 mile back E, but it didn’t take long to get there and tank up again. A quick return to the tiny house, and it was
Onward! Puppy, ho!
Heading WNW, the terrain steepened, but wasn’t difficult, especially with a lighter pack. Lupe roamed green slopes at will. Soon a sloping ridge came into view.
There’s our ticket to success, Loopster! Trout Peak’s S ridge.
Looks easy, SPHP!
Yeah. That’s the way Duane Gilliland, Mark Adrian, Desert Rat, Bob Bolton, and Richard Hensley went a year ago. They know what they’re doing! We’re just following in their pawsteps. Gonna be cake!
Except it wasn’t. Gradually turning NW, Lupe kept climbing. Soon she was looking down on an upper bowl off to the SW where the 10,600 foot flat region that SPHP had hoped to get to yesterday was. Nothing wrong with that, but going a little farther, suddenly a very steep-sided ravine was ahead. A long, continuous snowbank with a near vertical edge ran along the opposite upper W side.
Well, shoot! We’re too high already! We started up too soon, Loop. How are we going to get past this darn ravine?
We can go back down, if you want to, SPHP. Get back on the right track.
Eh. I don’t know. Hate to have to do that. You know me, Loopster. Let’s go a little higher. Maybe there’s a decent spot to cross?
The Carolina Dog didn’t care either way. Up she went, but the situation didn’t improve as far as being able to get past that ravine. If anything, it got worse. No relief in sight. Meanwhile, lots of beautiful open terrain was immediately beyond the ravine. Looked like it went all the way to Trout’s S ridge only 0.5 mile away.
Fiddlesticks! So pathetically easy, and I’ve messed it up! We’re not going to be able to get over there, Looper. Hang on. Lemme check the map.
Are we going to have to go back down, SPHP?
No, I don’t think so. Looks like this all connects. Kinda steep, but it really couldn’t be easier. Shouldn’t run into any problems until we’re almost all the way up to HP11843, which we can already see from here. Doesn’t look too bad. I bet we can find a way. It’s that last 50 or 100 feet of rock bands that may be tricky.
Up then, SPHP?
Yup. Let’s do eet!
Lupe kept climbing. The long, steep slope above was grassy, and full of little wildflowers. Hardly any rocks, and no obstacles at all, other than the limits of lung, heart, and leg endurance. The views kept improving. Looper had plenty of time to enjoy them during SPHP’s frequent pauses to gasp for air.
1,000 feet up before the rate of climb finally diminished. Lupe was now high enough to have a terrific view of Robbers Roost (12,040 ft.).
The broad, rounded slope got rockier and narrower as Lupe continued N on an easier stroll higher. The ridge she’d reached was soon destined to merge with another one coming up from HP10721. Trout Peak’s summit was already in sight.
After reaching the ridge junction, Lupe turned NW along Trout Peak’s SE ridge. A nice level stretch led to an increasingly steep climb toward the rock bands forming the prow of HP11843. There were actually 2 prows, the second one a little lower formed by a thinner band of rocks.
As Lupe closed in on the prow, SPHP studied that upper band of rocks. Hard to say whether Loopster would be able to scramble right on up to HP11843, or not. Sort of looked possible, but might pan out either way.
The American Dingo easily made it up to the lower prow. Plain as day, she would also be able to get near the top of the upper one, but success still didn’t appear assured.
Guess we won’t know until we get there, SPHP.
Yeah, that last little bit still looks mighty steep, Loop. If it goes, that would be great. Certainly the most direct route, but I’m kind of leaning toward traversing this S slope. Looks like we ought to be able to get over to the S ridge from here.
That’s also pretty steep, SPHP. Looks like loose scree, too. Sure you don’t want to give the prow a try first? It’s really not that much higher now.
SPHP demurred. To heck with the prow! Over to that S ridge where Lupe was supposed to have been all along!
Went fine at first, but halfway across the scree was, indeed, very loose. Little rock showers clattered down the mountain with every step. Even some big stuff wasn’t stable at all. In the end it worked! Lupe reached firm rock along the edge of the S ridge. A quick scramble, and she was there.
The American Dingo now stood on super easy terrain, just small rocks and a bit of scattered vegetation. Still hundreds of feet higher to go, but no sweat! Off to the N, a giant green ramp led up to a hilltop.
That’s it, SPHP! Trout Peak’s summit!
Absolutely! Got it made in the shade now, Looper!
What shade, SPHP?
Just an expression, Loop.
Before heading for the summit, Lupe went over to HP11843 first, which was close by, and really not much of a detour. A quick glance over the edge convinced SPHP that the traverse to the S ridge hadn’t been a bad decision.
The jaunt from HP11843 to the summit was a joyful one! No worries, no obstacles. Lupe was thrilled to find a snowbank still melting away to thrash around on.
7-9-22, 11:41 AM, 60ºF, Trout Peak (12,244 ft.) – The wind was 15 mph out of the SW when Lupe reached a semi-circular low wall of rocks up on Trout Peak’s summit ridge. The sky was smoky near the horizons, but visibility was otherwise good. Within the wall of rock, a white tube of the sort that nearly always contains a registry was next to a survey benchmark stamped with the lovely word “Trout”.
The very highest ground looked like it might be a bit farther NW along the summit ridge, which was hundreds of feet long, or maybe a rock along the N edge right here. Coming up from the S, Trout had been a nothingburger romp up the big ramp, but the N edge was a precipice.
Lupe had barely gotten to the summit when the unexpected happened.
SPHP! Someone’s coming!
What? Lupe hadn’t seen a soul since leaving the Jim Creek trailhead 2.5 days ago, and one minute after reaching Trout Peak she had company? Glancing up from the survey benchmark, SPHP saw it was true. A man was rapidly striding this way from the NW.
Moments later, Lupe met Peter Gram.
Peter Gram was soft-spoken and had a relaxed demeanor. He gave Lupe a pat and chatted with SPHP for most of the 20 minutes or so he stayed on Trout Peak. The tale Peter told was fascinating.
Peter had once lived in the Black Hills region where Lupe and SPHP are from. He’d graduated from high school there years ago, and had enjoyed rock climbing in the Black Hills. Peter now lives in Wyoming, working remotely for a Silicon Valley company.
Considering Trout Peak a mere day hike, Peter had left Spout Springs at 6:00 AM this morning. Initially intending to come over Robbers Roost on the way here, he’d gotten near that summit only to find it blocked by a grizzly with 2 cubs.
Forced to retreat, traveling fast and light, Peter had descended into the deep valley N of Trout Peak, and made his way over to the NNW ridge. Not quite noon, yet Peter had already hiked 12 miles, and accumulated over 8,000 feet of total elevation gain just this morning. He attributed his incredible speed and endurance to having taken up running 100 mile marathons 5 years ago.
Including the 3 grizzlies on Robbers Roost, Peter had run into a total of 9 so far. There’d been more grizzlies on Trout Peak’s NNW ridge. Peter had even taken a fabulous video of 2 enormous grizzlies fighting, or maybe playing, on a snowbank not too far from here.
During the course of the conversation, Peter mentioned he’d climbed all 14’ers in the 48 contiguous states. Since it was a long way back to Spout Springs, he eventually excused himself with a friendly good-bye. His plan was to head down to HP11843 where Lupe had come up, scramble down to the ridge leading to Robbers Roost, and hope mama grizzly and her cubs would have moved on by the time he got there.
Then just like that, as quickly as he had arrived, Peter was on his way.
Wow! Doesn’t happen very often, but every now and then we meet some incredible people in the mountains, don’t we, SPHP?
You know, Looper, the mountains are full of humbling experiences. That was another one. Super nice and incredibly capable guy! Thought of telling him about the chipmunk we saw 2 days ago, but somehow I just couldn’t.
Well, you do what you can. Might as well be happy with it. Someone else can always do it higher, faster, farther, better. Just the way it is.
Bet you’re ready for a chocolate coconut bar, Loop! Stand on that highest rock near the edge, then we’ll split one to celebrate the success of our 2.5 day trek to Trout Peak.
Can we toast Peter’s under 6 hour success with some water, too, SPHP? I’m parched!
Oh, but of course, sweet puppy!
Neither Peter nor SPHP had been able to open the white tube containing the official Trout Peak registry. However, there was also a green bottle of Valerian Root near it that SPHP opened without difficulty. Inside, a few long pieces of paper were stapled together. The top page contained the only entries. Mark Adrian, Bob Bolton, Duane Gilliland, and Richard Hensley, the same group whose GPS tracks and trip reports had inspired Lupe’s visit to Trout Peak today, were all there, and an apparent entry by “jh – NoDak” among the others might have been a clue as to Desert Rat’s true identity.
The only other entry was by Josh Super on 8-1-21.
Peter Gram hadn’t bothered to sign this flimsy registry before moving on, but SPHP made certain Lupe’s name got added.
There was a lot to see! After relaxing together for a while with Lupe curled up on SPHP’s lap near the survey benchmark, it was time to get up and have a look around. The chocolate coconut bar was long gone, and so was the last of the package of beef jerky SPHP had brought along.
The SE end of the summit ridge was closest, so the American Dingo went that way first. Robbers Roost (12,040 ft.) where Peter Gram would soon be shooing away grizzlies was only a mile E. Rattlesnake Mountain (9,116 ft.), Cedar Mountain (7,880 ft.) and the Buffalo Bill Reservoir were a lot farther SE.
To the NE, Lupe looked down on the huge, deep bowl Peter had visited NW of Robbers Roost after conceding the mountain to the grizzlies. Looking S, the ridge leading to Peak 12120, and the region Josh Super had explored was in view. The narrow ridge W of Peak 12120 featured several unusual and aesthetically pleasing blocky high points.
A journey of several hundred feet was required to reach the NW end of the summit ridge. The view of Trout Peak’s NNW ridge was interesting. It featured a big, flat meadow with ragged cliffs along the edges. How had Peter come up it? The Beartooths were all snowy on the N horizon. With the help of the camera’s telephoto lens, it was possible to pick out Castle Mountain (12,612 ft.).
The twin spires of Pilot Peak (11,699 ft.) and Index Peak (11,240 ft.) were more easily discernable far to the NW, but looked small from here. Windy Mountain (10,262 ft.) was much closer, but not as high.
To the W, Dead Indian Peak (12,216 ft.) lined up almost directly behind Dewey Mountain (12,220 ft.). A snowy mountain far beyond both may well have been Sunlight Peak (11,922 ft.).
Mountains stretched away in every direction as far as Loopster could see, except to the E, where it was clear they eventually came to an end. A big bowl NW of Peak 12120 with many snow-capped mountains in the distance was a favorite scene, but it was all splendid, a vast wilderness waiting to be explored!
7-9-22, 1:19 PM, Trout Peak (12,244 ft.) – Peter had left more than an hour ago. Now Lupe’s time had come. The American Dingo stood in the SW breeze atop that high rock along the brink of the N edge only a few feet from the survey benchmark for the last time. When and if she might ever actually get to explore more of this wonderful part of the Absaroka Range was an unknown, part of the uncertain future.
The Carolina Dog had made it to Trout Peak, though, despite it being a 2.5 day journey at SPHP’s pace, and that was all that mattered today.
Onward! Puppy, ho!
A brief pause for a last look at all the glory before descending the broad green ramp leading down to HP11843, and Lupe was on her way.
Going down was so easy and fun! Spectacular views all around every step of the way. This time Lupe did go down Trout Peak’s S ridge, taking the route originally intended for her ascent. Turned out to be rockier than expected, but not difficult at all. Views of the upper Trout Creek valley far below were incredible.
Eventually Looper got down close to where the 10,600 foot plain SPHP had hoped to pitch the tiny house at last night was just across the way. Good thing that last effort required to get there had never been made. Someone else had already claimed it!
An enormous snowbank occupied part of the valley. The Carolina Dog had a blast on it! Exploration of this new part of the Trout Creek valley continued until the tiny house finally appeared ahead.
Lupe ate, then relaxed enjoying the fabulous view of the big bowl across the valley while SPHP packed up the tiny house.
How far are we going, SPHP?
As far as we can before it gets dark, Loop, or until one of us just can’t go any farther.
This time SPHP did a much better job of following West Trout Peak Trail No. 763.1A. Lost it once for 15 minutes in the forest, but otherwise it all went well. Most of this route was considerably lower than where Lupe had been on the way in yesterday.
7-9-22, 7:05 PM, Trout Creek valley – SPHP lasted long enough for Loop to make it past both tributaries of Trout Creek coming down from the N, but that was it. The tiny house was set up on a grassy meadow just E of the last stream. Lupe had been energetic all this way, but now even she was looking tired, wanting to rest while watching the evening sunlight leave the mountains.
7-10-22, 3:46 PM, 90ºF, Jim Creek trailhead – It was a long march back over all the same hills and ridges, following the same trails, and crossing all the same streams as 3 days ago, but the American Dingo had done it. Although the RAV4 was baking hot, Lupe couldn’t wait to leapt back up onto her pink blanket.
Crazy Dingo! You’re going to cook in there!
SPHP opened all the windows, and the rear hatch. A hot, desert breeze blew the super-heated air out of the RAV4 in no time. Lupe was panting hard, but didn’t seem to care. Soon enough, SPHP had everything back in order. The AC was on, the RAV4 on its way back to Hwy 14/16/20, and life was good!
Lupe’s Trout Peak adventure was over. What a grand time it had been!
As it turned out, Trout Peak was also the final adventure of this entire Dingo Vacation. There’d been plans for a stop in the Bighorns next, but E of Cody a ferocious wind swept in out of the N. 51ºF, temp dropping, and a gale when Loop arrived N of Bald Mountain (10,042 ft.).
Well, Loopster, I’m no Peter Gram. Cramping up, and feeling worn out. Been a fabulous trip to Wyoming, but we can be home yet late tonight.
Is that what you want to do, SPHP?
Yeah, let’s go get cleaned up, rested up, and resupplied. Big things ahead, you know! Canada’s opened up!
We’re going to Canada again, SPHP? We haven’t been there in 3 years!
Darn tootin’ we’re going to Canada, Dingo! And Alaska, too!
(End, home, 7-11-22, 1:06 AM)
Links:
Next Adventure Prior Adventure
Trout Peak, Absaroka Range, WY – Part 1: Jim Creek to Agee Creek (7-7-22)
Francs Peak, Absaroka Range, Wyoming – Part 1: The Meadow Creek Trail & Beyond! (7-15-20)
Francs Peak Absaroka Range, Wyoming – Part 2: HP12064 – Part 2: HP12064 to the Summit! (7-15-20)
Want more Lupe adventures? Choose from Lupe’s Summer of 2022 Dingo Vacations to Wyoming, Canada & Alaska Adventure Index, Dingo Vacations Adventure Index or Master Adventure Index. Or subscribe free to new Lupe adventures.
