Category: 2012 West Coast

Shell Falls, Porcupine Falls & Bald Mountain in the Bighorn Mountains, WY (8-9-12)

Day 2 of Lupe’s 2012 Dingo Vacation to the West Coast.

Lupe was doing somersaults.  A squirrel was chattering away in a tree somewhere outside Lupe’s “tiny house”.  Lupe was desperate to go bark at it.  She was hurling herself repeatedly against the screen door of the tent, not realizing it was zipped shut.  She couldn’t get out.  The crazy Carolina Dog was going paws over head, and doing a complete somersault each time she charged the fabric.  The whole tent shook.  SPHP and Lanis woke up.

Lanis, SPHP and Lupe were camped at Shell Creek in the Bighorn Mountains of Wyoming.  It was morning, and clearly time to get up to relieve the American Dingo’s anxiety.  After breakfast, Lanis, Lupe and SPHP took a short walk along Shell Creek.  Returning from the walk, it was time to leave Shell Creek campground.  Someone else had reservations for Site No. 11 tonight.

Lupe runs along a trail next to Shell Creek.
Lupe runs along a trail next to Shell Creek.
Lupe busy at Shell Creek.
Lupe busy at Shell Creek.

Lupe at Shell Creek, Bighorn Mountains, WY 8-8-12Shell Creek, Bighorn Mountains, WY

Shell Creek, Bighorn Mountains, WY
Shell Creek, Bighorn Mountains, WY
Lanis and Lupe's "tiny house" at Shell Creek.
Lanis and Lupe’s “tiny house” at Shell Creek.
Lanis' Honda Element was a great vehicle for Lupe's first ever Dingo Vacation. There was lots of cargo space and lots of doors for easy access to everything, including this set of double doors. Lupe had a great time riding in the Element.
Lanis’ Honda Element was a great vehicle for Lupe’s first ever Dingo Vacation. There was lots of cargo space.  Plenty of doors, including this set of double doors, provided easy access to everything. Lupe had a great time riding in the Element.

Where to next?  Shell Falls was relatively close by farther down Shell Canyon.  About a mile upstream of Shell Falls, there were also some smaller waterfalls just off Hwy 14 where Lupe could go wading.  Lupe went to visit both Shell Falls, and the smaller falls.

Lupe and Lanis visit Shell Falls in the Bighorn Mountains.
Lupe and Lanis visit Shell Falls in the Bighorn Mountains.
Below the falls.
The gorge below Shell Falls.

Below Shell Falls, Bighorn Mountains, WY 8-9-15

Shell Creek cascades down a series of smaller waterfalls about a mile upstream of Shell Falls.
Shell Creek cascades down a series of smaller waterfalls about a mile upstream of Shell Falls.

Waterfall in Shell Canyon, Bighorn Mountains, WY 8-9-15

Lanis and Lupe at the smaller waterfalls in Shell Canyon.
Lanis and Lupe at the smaller waterfalls in Shell Canyon.

After visiting Shell Falls and the other smaller waterfalls in Shell Canyon, there was a debate over what to do next.  Should Lupe return to Shell Creek campground to see if another site had opened up?

In the end, Lupe wound up going to Burgess Junction instead.  Lanis went into the store and bought ice cream bars again, just like he’d done the previous day at Spotted Horse.  Lupe liked this new ice cream bar tradition.  She sacrificed any concerns over her own health, to help make sure SPHP didn’t get fat.

Lupe, Lanis and SPHP headed W on Hwy 14A.  There were two more waterfalls that would be worth seeing.  One was Bucking Mule Falls.  The other was Porcupine Falls.  Both were miles N of the highway along gravel roads, but they were in the same general area.  Since SPHP had seen Bucking Mule Falls once before, Porcupine Falls was chosen as Lupe’s destination.

The trail to Porcupine Falls wasn’t very long, but it was steep.  Shortly after leaving the trailhead, it went steeply downhill most of the way.  Porcupine Falls poured through a narrow gap in a rock wall into a big pool below.  It was very pretty and dramatic looking gushing out between the high cliffs.

Porcupine Falls in the Bighorn Mountains, WY.
Porcupine Falls in the Bighorn Mountains, WY.
Lanis relaxes at Porcupine Falls.
Lanis relaxes at Porcupine Falls.

After seeing Porcupine Falls, and spending some time sniffing around the edges of the big pool below it, Lupe led everyone back up the trail to the Honda Element.  Now that the trail was going steeply uphill, it didn’t seem nearly so short as before.

Once everyone was back at the Element, the consensus was that it was time to eat and secure a campsite.  Bucking Mule Falls would have to wait for another day.  Lupe went back to Hwy 14A.  At the Bald Mountain campground, once again, Site 11 was the best one available.  Lanis and SPHP pitched the tent and made dinner.  After dinner, Lupe, Lanis and SPHP started climbing Bald Mountain.  It was a really easy climb up a long grassy slope SE of the campground.

Lupe snoops around on her way up Bald Mountain. Photo looks NW toward Medicine Mountain, where the Bighorn Medicine Wheel is located.
Lupe snoops around on her way to climb Bald Mountain. Photo looks NW toward Medicine Mountain (9,962 ft.), where the Bighorn Medicine Wheel is located.  The Bald Mountain campground, where Lupe would spend the night, is at the closest clump of forest at the right edge of this photo.

When Lupe was about halfway up Bald Mountain (10,042 ft.), it started becoming apparent that a rainstorm was coming.  A line of showers that had been quite some distance away to the W was moving in.  By the time Lupe was near the top, rain showers were all around to the S, W & N.  Now and then, there was some lightning off in these directions, too.

Within just a few minutes of when Lupe, Lanis and SPHP reached the top of Bald Mountain, the storm hit.  A chill wind blew fiercely, and there was a cold stinging rain.  The downpour was much harder than expected.  With absolutely no cover on Bald Mountain, Lupe, Lanis and SPHP all got soaking wet.  The storm wasn’t a big one, though, and would soon pass.  SPHP expected to be able to just tough it out.

Suddenly there was a flash of lightning relatively close by, followed by the roar of thunder.  There’s no toughing out lightning.  Lupe, Lanis and SPHP all hastily abandoned the summit of Bald Mountain.  Fifteen minutes later, the storm had blown on by.  There was still light rain, but nothing of consequence.  The rain had dampened everyone’s spirits, though.  Lupe, Lanis and SPHP continued on down back to the campground.

After setting up Lupe’s “tiny house”, SPHP had thrown everything needed for the night into the tent.  Unfortunately, SPHP had not put the rain cover on the tent.  Most things were now damp.  Lanis’ sleeping bag was just plain soaking wet.  Lanis was not amused.  Lupe and SPHP spent the night in the tent.  Fortunately, there were still some dry blankets in the Honda Element.  Lanis spent the night in the Element huddled under them, running the heater now and then to keep warm.Medicine Mountain from Bald Mountain, Bighorn Mountains, WY 8-9-12Shell Falls is located 14 miles E of Greybull, WY in Shell Canyon.  A parking lot and visitor center are right next to the N side of the highway.  Shell Falls is a quick scenic stop for travelers on their way W to Yellowstone National Park.

Porcupine Falls and Bucking Mule Falls are located N of Hwy 14A (E of Lovell, WY) toward the W side of the Bighorn Mountain Range.  Gravel roads lead to the trailheads.  The 0.5 mile hike to Porcupine Falls leads to a large pool at the base of the falls.  The trail to Bucking Mule Falls leads 1.5 miles to a scenic overlook from which the falls can be viewed from a distance.

Directions to Porcupine Falls and Bucking Mule Falls:  E of Bald Mountain campground, there are two roads going N from Hwy 14A.  (The first road is just E of the turn to Bald Mountain campground, the second is 2 miles farther E.)  Both roads lead in just a few miles to an intersection with Devil’s Canyon Road.  Take Devil’s Canyon Road W 4 miles to the Porcupine Falls trailhead, or 7 miles to the Bucking Mule Falls trailhead.

Advisory: Online information on the Bucking Mule Falls National Recreation Trail indicates that the trail to the scenic overlook of the falls is part of a much longer 15 mile trail.  Continuing on beyond the viewpoint, the trail drops steeply 2,000 feet in 2 miles into Devil’s Canyon.  One online trip report dating from July, 2013 said there were 5 miles of trail down in Devil’s Canyon choked with dead trees.  In some places the trees had fallen 3 and 4 deep across the trail.  Lupe recommends checking for current information on the trail’s condition before continuing beyond the overlook.

Lupe returned to Bald Mountain on the first day of her 2013 Dingo Vacation to the Beartooths and Canadian Rockies.  Click the red link to view Lupe’s post about her return visit.

Shell Falls
Shell Falls

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Bucking Mule Falls, Porcupine Falls & Duncum Mountain, Bighorn Range, Wyoming (6-14-18)

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Spotted Horse, The Giant Mushroom & Shell Creek, Wyoming (8-8-12)

Day 1 of Lupe’s 2012 Dingo Vacation to the West Coast.

Something different was happening.  Lupe didn’t know what it all meant.  She was 1 year and 7 months old, so the world was still pretty new.  A couple days before, Lanis had arrived from Indiana in his Honda Element.  Now Lanis and SPHP were carting the rear seats out of the Element, and into the living room.  Lots of gear got stuffed into the back of the Element.

Lupe wondered what was going on.  She had no idea what was coming.  She didn’t know she was about to set out on her first ever Dingo Vacation.  Even Lanis and SPHP had only a vague idea where Lupe was ultimately going to go.  For starters, the Bighorn Mountains in Wyoming, then probably to the Beartooths, Yellowstone, and Glacier National Park.  After that, well, who knew?  It was an adventure!

Shortly after 10:00 AM on 8-8-12, Lupe, Lanis & SPHP headed out.  Lanis drove, SPHP was navigator, and Lupe was perched on a pile of camping gear and supplies covered with blankets and pillows.

When Lupe was a little puppy, she hated riding in the car.  It made her sick.  Her ears drooped at just the mention of the car.  It took a long time, but Lupe had outgrown her car sickness.  She finally realized riding in the car meant that something fun was about to happen.  Still, SPHP wondered how she would fare on a long trip.

Lupe sets out on her first ever Dingo Vacation in Lanis' Honda Element perched comfortably on a pile of blankets.
Lupe sets out on her first ever Dingo Vacation in Lanis’ Honda Element perched comfortably on a pile of blankets.

Lupe did great in the Honda Element!  She was getting attention, and having a good time looking out the windows.  Soon Lupe was in Wyoming heading W on I-90.  She was going to the big mountains for the first time ever.  Her first big mountain range would be the Bighorns in north central Wyoming.

At Gillette, WY, Lupe left I-90.  She went N to Spotted Horse on Hwy 14/16.  This was a slightly longer route than just staying on I-90, but SPHP was curious to see what was there.  Spotted Horse turned out to be just a wide spot in the road.  However, there was a little store.  More importantly, there actually was a spotted horse!

Lanis went into the store to see what they had.  Meanwhile, Lupe met a white and black dog.  Lanis returned with ice cream bars, the first treat of the trip.  Lupe was quite enthusiastic about this turn of events.  She eagerly helped SPHP out.

Lanis at Spotted Horse, WY. Lupe met a white and black dog here, and helped SPHP devour an ice cream bar. Her first ever Dingo Vacation was off to a good start.
Lanis at Spotted Horse, WY. Lupe met a white and black dog here, and helped SPHP devour an ice cream bar. Her first ever Dingo Vacation was off to a good start.

By the time Lupe reached Sheridan, WY, it was getting to be time for something a little more substantial than an ice cream bar.  Lanis and SPHP stopped, and got Subway sandwiches.  Lupe would have her Taste of the Wild.  At Dayton, WY, there was a park on the Tongue River.  Lupe, Lanis and SPHP stopped at the park for a peaceful picnic along the clear running stream.

At least it started off as a peaceful picnic, but after a few minutes, there was the sound of machinery.  It seemed to be coming from upstream.  It got louder.  In a couple of minutes, the source of the noise appeared – a front end loader came right down the middle of the stream carrying a boulder.  Back and forth it went.  The front end loader was busy retrieving and rearranging boulders in the Tongue River.  Apparently nature had placed them in the wrong spot.

Lanis was rather amazed and amused by the front end loader charging up and down through the river.  Somehow it just didn’t seem right.  Lupe, Lanis and SPHP went farther downstream to escape the noise, but the clear running river wasn’t clear any more, at least not during the picnic.

A front end loader moving boulders around in the Tongue River attended Lupe's picnic in Dayton, WY.
A front end loader moving boulders around in the Tongue River attended Lupe’s picnic in Dayton, WY.  Even Lupe looks like she thinks it’s funny.

From Dayton, Lupe headed up into the Bighorn Mountains on Hwy 14.  SPHP suggested going to Dead Swede campground, which is situated in a beautiful location on the Tongue River.  At Dead Swede, Lupe and SPHP stayed at a campsite to claim it, while Lanis went to get a registration slip.  Campground hosts came by patrolling on an ATV.  They saw Lupe and SPHP standing at the empty campsite.

Right away they stopped and launched into a speech about how Lupe couldn’t be off leash, we had to pay within 30 minutes, we couldn’t do this and couldn’t do that.  We had to do this and had to do that.  The campground hosts claimed to be here to help us enjoy OUR national forest and wilderness experience.  Then they left.

Yeah, right!  SPHP has no use for Washington bureaucrats, and certainly doesn’t need them to enjoy a “wilderness” experience.  Lanis was back within a few minutes with the registration slip.  SPHP told him to forget it – Lupe was leaving!

Looking NE out at the high plains from one of the turnouts along Hwy 14 heading up into the Bighorn Mountains.
Looking NE out at the high plains from one of the turnouts along Hwy 14 heading up into the Bighorn Mountains.

Lupe, Lanis and SPHP went on to check out the Giant Mushroom area.  There were some nice views from up on a ridge there to the SE toward Cloud Peak (13,167 ft.), the highest mountain in the Bighorns.  There were interesting dolomite rock formations, including the Giant Mushroom.  Lupe had fun exploring.  The ground was pretty lumpy for camping, though.  Lupe, Lanis and SPHP went on to Shell Creek campground.

Lanis at the giant mushroom in the Bighorn Mountains.
Lanis at the giant mushroom in the Bighorn Mountains.

SPHP had a chat with the campground hosts at Shell Creek.  They were pretty cool and laid back.  They didn’t care too much what happened, as long as no one complained and everyone acted responsibly.  That was fine.  Lanis and Lupe also approved of Shell Creek campground, which was in a beautiful spot in the upper end of Shell Canyon.

So Lanis and SPHP reserved site No. 11.  Like all the other sites, it was right next to Shell Creek.  Lanis and SPHP set up the tent, or Lupe’s “tiny house”.  Lupe, Lanis, and SPHP all went for a walk along Shell Creek.  For the first time ever, Lupe saw a moose.  The moose had a calf.  Mama and baby were down along the creek getting a drink.  They soon sauntered off into the woods.

The moose at Shell Creek, Bighorn Mountains, WY.
Mama moose at Shell Creek, Bighorn Mountains, WY.

Back at the campsite, Lanis and SPHP made a late dinner.  Lupe had some Alpo.  By the time dinner was done and cleaned up, it was 10:00 PM.  Lupe, Lanis and SPHP all piled into the tent.  Lupe was pretty excited.  She was going to spend the night out here?!  This was new and different.  It took her a while to settle down.  She finally fell asleep to the soothing sound of the rushing waters of Shell Creek.

Now and then as she dreamed, she still twitched in excitement.

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