2012 West Coast – Page 6 – The (Mostly) True Adventures of Lupe

Glacier National Park, Montana (8-17-12)

Days 9 & 10 of Lupe’s 2012 Dingo Vacation to the West Coast.

On the morning of 8-16-12, Lupe woke up not in Lanis’ Honda Element or in her “tiny house” (tent), but on a comfy soft bed in a motel in Bozeman, MT. Ahhh! This was the life American Dingoes were meant to live! Lupe was clearly enjoying motel life.

Of course, the soft life lasted only until Lanis woke up. Then it was time to get back to the other life American Dingoes were meant to live – exploring and adventuring in the big, wide world! For Lupe, it was going to be a pretty passive day of exploring from a pile of blankets and pillows in the back of the Element, though. Day 9 of Lupe’s 2012 Dingo Vacation was spent traveling.

From Bozeman, Lupe, Lanis and SPHP went to Helena, and then on to Flathead Lake and Kalispell. By evening, Lupe’s tiny house was set up at Whitefish State Park in Whitefish, MT. The state park was quite a popular place. There were lots of other campers around. It was a pretty spot, but felt more like being in a small community than a wilderness experience.

Whitefish State Park featured a scenic lake where people were boating. The lake even had a small dog beach where Lupe could sniff around and wade in the water. Whitefish State Park had another interesting feature. It was situated right next to the railroad tracks. Trains rumbled by regularly during the night, each event causing Lupe some excitement, and SPHP some trouble trying to keep her from rousing the neighbors.

The next morning, Lupe, Lanis and SPHP left Whitefish State Park, and headed for Glacier National Park. To be certain to have a place to stay for the night, Lupe’s tiny house got set up almost right away at the Sprague Creek Campground on the E shore of Lake McDonald.

Lake McDonald from the Sprague Creek campground.

Once the tent was set up, Lupe, Lanis and SPHP drove E on the famous Going-to-the-Sun Road. Lanis parked the Element at one of the higher viewpoint turnouts for a chance to take some photos.

Lupe and Lanis along Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier National Park.

Heavens Peak (R) from Going-to-the-Sun Road. — **Heavens Peak** **(8,987 ft.)** (R) from Going-to-the-Sun Road.

SPHP believes the mountain toward the R may be Mount Cannon. — SPHP believes the mountain toward the R may be **Mount Cannon** **(8,952 ft.)**.

The intention was to stop up at Logan Pass to explore some trails, but when Lupe got there, the parking lots were completely full. Lanis had to continue driving E beyond the pass. Down at Saint Mary Lake, SPHP had Lanis stop to check out the prices on the boat tours.

It was $23.75 per person for the standard 1.5 hour boat tour on Saint Mary Lake, but the last tour of the day at 6:30 PM was a shorter 1.0 hour tour for only $16.00. Best of all, Lupe could ride along for free! Lupe had never been on a boat before in her entire life. Instantly, the plan became for Lupe to return at 6:30 PM for a spectacularly beautiful introduction to getting her sea legs!

There was still a lot time left in the day before then, though. Lupe, Lanis and SPHP went on to the Many Glacier Hotel on Swiftcurrent Lake. Lots of beautiful trails into the backcountry leave from the Swiftcurrent Lake area. Lanis and SPHP were looking forward to doing some exploring with Lupe!

Before hitting any of the trails, it was time for lunch. Lanis went in to the Many Glacier Hotel to buy a couple of box lunches containing hamburgers and French fries. Lupe got to share, too, of course. American Dingoes love hamburgers! They will gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today! Lupe, Lanis and SPHP ate the lunches down by dazzling Swiftcurrent Lake.

Lupe at Swiftcurrent Lake. It was pretty sunny and hot out. The sensible Carolina Dog liked staying in the shade, while digesting a sizable portion of Lanis' and SPHP's hamburgers. — Lupe at Swiftcurrent Lake. It was pretty sunny and hot out. The sensible Carolina Dog liked staying in the shade, while digesting a sizable portion of Lanis’ and SPHP’s hamburgers.

After lunch, which didn’t take long with a Carolina Dog helping, Lupe, Lanis and SPHP drove around to the opposite side of Swiftcurrent Lake. The plan was to spend the afternoon exploring the trail up to Iceberg Lake with Lupe.

Swiftcurrent Lake and the Many Glacier Hotel from the opposite side of the lake.

Disappointment awaited Lupe at the trailhead, though. Park regulations prohibited dogs (even American Dingoes) from going on any trails into the backcountry. Even on a leash, Lupe couldn’t go to Iceberg Lake, or pretty much anywhere else in Glacier National Park. It was just like Yellowstone National Park!

The light finally dawned on SPHP. It was going to be the same at every U.S. National Park! Dogs weren’t going to be welcome at any of them. Regulations were going to prevent Lupe from really experiencing or fully enjoying any of the National Parks that SPHP had planned to take her to on her Dingo Vacation. All she would be able to do would be sit in the Honda Element, or be on a leash in parking lots and campgrounds.

There was nothing that could be done about it, either. It was a major blow. Glacier National Park is full of trails that look so promising on the maps. Lupe, Lanis and SPHP had been looking forward to exploring some of them. Now it seemed the only alternative was to avoid U. S. National Parks. It wouldn’t be fair or safe to leave Lupe stuck alone in the Element while Lanis and SPHP spent long hours away in the mountains.

Well, at least Lupe could still get her first ever boat ride on Saint Mary Lake in Glacier National Park. There was still time to kill before then, though. Lupe, Lanis and SPHP drove E out of Glacier National Park intending to take a look at Duck Lake on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation. The road to Duck Lake proved to be dusty and full of rocks. Lanis very reasonably wanted to avoid subjecting the Element to it. Lupe got close enough to see Duck Lake from a distance, but that was about it.

Duck Lake E of Glacier National Park on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation. Lupe never got all the way to the lake. The mountains in Glacier National Park are seen in the distance to the W.

After Lupe’s rather pointless glimpse of Duck Lake, Lupe, Lanis and SPHP went to the little community of St. Mary at a highway junction just E of the Glacier National Park Entrance. Lupe and SPHP stayed in the Element, while Lanis went in to kill a little time checking out the merchandise in an upscale tourist shop.

At least it was a very nice looking building, but apparently even upscale tourist shops aren’t above selling such delicacies as Moose Poo. Naturally, Lanis was intrigued even before entering the shop.

SPHP hoped Lanis wasn't really going to stock up on Moose Poo! Even chocolate-covered Moose Poo didn't sound very appealing. On the other hand, you can't get Moose Poo just anywhere. Right now was Lanis' big Moose Poo opportunity! — SPHP hoped Lanis wasn’t really going to stock up on Moose Poo! Even chocolate-covered Moose Poo didn’t sound very appealing. On the other hand, you can’t get Moose Poo just anywhere. Right now was Lanis’ big Moose Poo opportunity!

Lanis eventually returned with a humongous soft drink, but Moose Poo-less. There was still some time to go before the 6:30 PM Saint Mary Lake boat tour. Lupe, Lanis and SPHP went over to the lake, anyway. SPHP bought the boat tour tickets. Lupe and SPHP then went on a little stroll along the lake shore. Finally, it was Saint Mary Lake tour time!

There were quite a few people on the tour, but the boat wasn’t entirely full. Once underway, Lupe wasn’t quite sure what to do with herself. Cruising on a lake was something she had never experienced before. She liked it, but seemed to want to get out there and explore the lake, perhaps without the aid of a boat. She threatened to leap overboard on several occasions. SPHP had to keep Lupe on the leash and hang on to her.

It was great time relaxing on the beautiful lake listening to the tour guide, who was also the captain of the ship. The views were magnificent, the people friendly, and price was quite reasonable. Lupe and SPHP highly recommend the evening cruise on Saint Mary Lake!

Lupe on her first ever boat ride on Saint Mary Lake in Glacier National Park.

It was only 7:30 PM and still light out, when Lupe returned from the boat tour having earned her sea legs. Lupe, Lanis, and SPHP returned to Logan Pass. The visitor center was closed. Most of the crowds were gone. There were plenty of places to park now, even though a large section of the parking lot was cordoned off for people who were setting up telescopes to view the expected Perseid Meteor shower after dark.

SPHP stayed with Lupe at the parking lot while Lanis took a stroll along the Hidden Lake trail. After a little while, SPHP noticed a trail across Going-to-the-Sun Road that didn’t have the usual no pets sign. Lupe and SPHP started crossing the road to take a look at the view from over there, and see if the trail looked promising. Instantly, a ranger came running over to make certain Lupe wasn’t going to set a single paw on the trail.

SPHP asked the ranger if there were any trails at all in Glacier National Park where dogs could go? The ranger said the only exception to the no pets policy was the Trail of the Cedars nature trail. Dogs could go there, but it was miles away close to Avalanche Creek. (Not true, as it turned out the next day! Sadly, there were no pets signs there, too.)

Lanis returned. SPHP was disappointed to learn he hadn’t gone far enough to get to the Hidden Lake viewpoint, but Lanis was happy with what he’d seen. He did have some photos of the Logan Pass area.

Clements Mountain and the Hidden Lake trail at Logan Pass. The trail leads to the L of Clements Mountain where there is a viewpoint overlooking Hidden Lake. Lanis didn't go that far. — **Clements Mountain** **(8,760 ft.)** and the Hidden Lake trail at Logan Pass. The trail leads to the L of Clements Mountain where there is a viewpoint overlooking Hidden Lake. Lanis didn’t go that far.

Mountains N of Logan Pass. Lupe wasn't allowed to set a single paw on a trail heading off in this direction. — Mountains N of Logan Pass. Lupe wasn’t allowed to set a single paw on a trail heading off in this direction.

As the sun set behind the mountains, Lupe, Lanis and SPHP returned to the Sprague Creek campground at Lake McDonald for the night. Glacier National Park was gorgeous, and Lupe did have a good time on her first boat ride ever on Saint Mary Lake. However, since Lupe couldn’t explore the trails in the park, it was clear Lupe’s stay was going to be short. SPHP resolved to at least take Lupe to the Trail of the Cedars nature trail the next morning.

Links:

Next Adventure Prior Adventure

Want more Lupe adventures? Choose from Lupe’s 2012 West Coast Adventure Index, Dingo Vacations Adventure Index or Master Adventure Index. Or subscribe free to new Lupe adventures.

Gardner Lake & Beartooth Pass, Wyoming (8-14-12 & 8-15-12)

Days 7 & 8 of Lupe’s 2012 Dingo Vacation to the West Coast.

The sky was just starting to get light. Lupe and SPHP were up and out of Lupe’s “tiny house” (tent) to greet the day before Lanis woke up. Lupe, Lanis and SPHP were camped on the beautiful Clark’s Fork of the Yellowstone River. Lupe sat on SPHP’s lap wrapped in a blanket for a long time, watching the sunlight start shining on Pilot (11,699 ft.) and Index (11,240 ft.) Peaks beyond the bend in the river.

After a while, Lupe felt like sniffing around in the forest. After two days in Yellowstone National Park, where she wasn’t free to do much more than ride in Lanis’ Honda Element, Lupe was just happy to be free again. While SPHP made breakfast, Lupe roamed a little downstream exploring the Clark’s Fork of the Yellowstone.

Lupe explores the Clark's Fork of the Yellowstone River in the early morning light. — Lupe explores the Clark’s Fork of the Yellowstone River in the early morning light.

A deer visited Lupe's camp. — A deer visited Lupe’s camp.

But Lupe was too busy watching squirrels to worry about deer and spiders. — But Lupe was too busy watching squirrels to worry about the deer and spider.

Eventually Lanis woke up. Lanis & SPHP discussed plans for the day. If Lupe was going to get all the way to the west coast, it was probably time for her to start making her way farther W pretty soon. However, since Lupe’s recent trip to Beauty and Becker Lakes had been so gorgeous, SPHP suggested spending one more day in the Beartooths before moving on. Lupe would get a lot of exercise, which would make her happier riding in the Element the following day. Lanis agreed.

The Honda Element and Lupe's tiny house along the Clark's Fork of the Yellowstone River. — The Honda Element and Lupe’s tiny house along the Clark’s Fork of the Yellowstone River.

Lanis has breakfast along the river with Pilot and Index Peak in the distance. It was pretty hazy out all day long due to big forest fires in Idaho. — Lanis has breakfast along the river with Pilot (L) and Index (R) Peaks in the distance. It was pretty hazy out all day long due to big forest fires far away in Idaho.

After breakfast, Lupe, Lanis and SPHP hopped in the Element and headed E on the Beartooth Hwy No. 212. Lanis stopped at the Top of the World store. SPHP ran in to buy a couple of topo maps. Meanwhile, Lanis checked out the directions outside.

The directions outside the Top of the World Store weren't as helpful as Lanis had hoped. — The directions outside the Top of the World Store weren’t as helpful as Lanis had hoped.

After consulting SPHP’s new topo maps, it was decided to check out part of the Beartooth Loop National Recreational Trail. There was a trailhead just a few miles E along Hwy 212 near Long Lake. Soon Lupe, Lanis and SPHP were setting out on the trail. Lupe was very happy! There was a lot of open ground with sweeping vistas where she could run and run. She was full of energy!

The trail went past several lakes. Hauser Lake came first. Quite a bit farther on, down in a valley, Lupe reached Losekamp Lake. From Losekamp Lake, Lupe followed a spur trail that wound E up onto a ridge N of Tibbs Butte. Up on the ridge, Lupe, Lanis and SPHP turned N to reach Gardner Lake – Lupe’s ultimate destination.

Open ground along the Beartooth Loop National Recreational Trail. Lupe ran all day!

Gardner Lake in the Beartooths. Photo looks N along the W shore.

The trek to Gardner Lake wasn’t as spectacularly beautiful as Lupe’s trip to Beauty and Becker Lakes a few days earlier. There weren’t as many lakes and streams, the mountains didn’t seem quite as close or high, the forests were sparser and more distant, and there weren’t as many wildflowers.

On the other hand, there was much more open grassland where Lupe could race along with her nose to the ground sniffing at top speed. At some points, there were some pretty grand sweeping vistas. Best of all, there was absolutely no one else around. And at Gardner Lake, Lanis did manage to find some pretty nice wildflowers near the shore.

Except for a long exploration of the forested ridge NE of Losekamp Lake, where Lanis and SPHP split up for a while, Lupe’s return trip from Gardner Lake just retraced her path from earlier in the day. By the time Lupe was back at the Honda Element again, there was no question that she’d gotten enough exercise. She had run all day long. It had been a wonderful day to be a Carolina Dog wild and free in the Beartooths!

Lupe and Lanis near a pond just downstream of Gardner Lake. Tibbs Butte is seen in the distance. Photo looks S.

Lupe, Lanis and SPHP returned to the campsite on the Clark’s Fork of the Yellowstone River for another night in Lupe’s tiny house. During her last evening on the beautiful river, the American Dingo slept very soundly.

The next morning, it was time to leave the Beartooths and start heading farther W. After breakfast, Lanis and SPHP broke camp and packed up Lupe’s tiny house. When everything was ready, Lupe jumped up into the Honda Element ready for whatever adventure might be next.

Lanis drove the Element E on Beartooth Hwy No. 212 again, just like the day before. This time, Lupe was going to go over 10,947 foot Beartooth Pass, the highest point she had ever been to yet! She was then going to cross the border into Montana for the very first time, making Montana the 3rd Lupe state!

Just a few miles before reaching Beartooth Pass, Hwy 212 was up on top of barren mountains overlooking Gardner Lake, where Lupe had been just the day before. Naturally, Lupe, Lanis and SPHP wanted to stop and take a look at Gardner Lake from above.

Fog started sweeping over the ridge ahead as Lupe neared Beartooth Pass. Up at the pass, the tops of the mountains were mostly clear, but the giant valleys and canyons to the N were full of clouds. Lupe, Lanis and SPHP stopped for 20 or 30 minutes to look around, but it didn’t take long to get the idea what a bank of fog looked like. Soon Lupe was on her way again.

Fog starts sweeping across the highway in places as Lupe approaches Beartooth Pass.

The mountains had trapped a big bank of clouds N of Beartooth Pass. Photo looks NW. — The mountains had trapped a big bank of clouds N of the pass. Photo looks NW.

The border with Montana was just a few miles from Beartooth Pass, where the highway was still at a great height in the mountains. Amazingly, there was a speed limit 70 mph sign up there!

Lanis especially found this highly amusing. It was obviously some kind of Darwinian Introduction to Montana/Wyoming Intelligence Test (DIMWIT) to see if tourists were smart enough to survive in Montana. For what lay ahead was not a nice straight, smooth highway, but miles of 20 mph, 15 mph, and even 10 mph hairpin curves snaking tortuously along the brink of tremendous precipices.

Partway down the giant descent, there was a little parking lot at a viewpoint. Lupe, Lanis and SPHP stopped to check it out.

The first thing Lupe discovered at the viewpoint, was that squirrels were using little holes built into the bottom of the rock retaining walls to come onto the walkways and beg for food from tourists. Lupe was keenly interested in the frequent sudden appearance, and subsequent disappearance of all these squirrels! She peered over the walls to see where all these squirrels were disappearing to.

Lanis at the viewpoint N of Beartooth Pass in Montana. Clearly not having as much fun as Lupe! Perhaps suffering from coffee deprivation?

Lupe thought this viewpoint along the Beartooth Hwy, was great fun! She wanted to stay and play Catch-A-Squirrel (the American Dingo version of Whack-A-Mole) all day!

With all the clouds trapped on the N side of the Beartooth Mountains, it wasn’t surprising that it was raining by the time Lupe reached Red Lodge, Montana. Lupe spent the afternoon snoozing comfortably in the Element while Lanis drove on to Bozeman.

In Bozeman, for the 1st time on her big 2012 Dingo Vacation, Lupe got to stay in the lap of luxury at a motel near I-90. She was very curious about it all, but was on her very best behavior. Dingoes are very adaptable to a wide range of conditions. Rest assured, Lupe took a dose of soft living completely in stride!

Lupe leaves the driving to Lanis on the way to Bozeman, MT.

Links:

Next Adventure Prior Adventure

Want more Lupe adventures? Choose from Lupe’s 2012 West Coast Adventure Index, Dingo Vacations Adventure Index or Master Adventure Index. Or subscribe free to new Lupe adventures.