Dingo Tales – Page 2 – The (Mostly) True Adventures of Lupe

South Baldy & Peak 10281, Magdalena Mountains, New Mexico (5-15-21)

Days 7 & 8 of Lupe’s 1st Summer of 2021 Dingo Vacation to New Mexico!

5-14-21, 11:48 AM, W of Socorro – This must be the place! The plaque Lupe stood next to squinting in the sunlight mentioned both South Baldy, high point of the Magdalena Mountains, and Water Canyon. No doubt the paved side road leaving Hwy 60 here was either USFS Road No. 235, or would turn into it at some point.

Magdalena Fault plaque at the turn off Hwy 60 to Water Canyon. Photo looks NW.

On the road to Water Canyon. Photo looks SW.

The pavement ended 4.7 miles from Hwy 60 at a picnic ground where the road divided. Straight ahead was a parking area next to a green field. No. 235 made a jog to the L before disappearing up Water Canyon. The other choice was a R turn on a road that wound a short distance up to the Water Canyon campground.

**Water Canyon** from the road to the campground. Photo looks ENE.

Are we going to climb South Baldy (10,783 ft.), SPHP?

Yeah, but not today, Loop. Not after Sierra Blanca (11,973 ft.) yesterday. Let’s hang out here in Water Canyon and recuperate. You can doze or sniff around while I catch up the trip journal.

Still plenty of time, SPHP! Why waste it? Didn’t you say that Jobe just drove his Rubicon to the top, or close to it? And Covill told us something like that, too, when we visited him just the other day. With our new RAV4, we ought to be able to knock out South Baldy this afternoon!

True enough! I read Jobe’s trip report, and he didn’t seem to think much of this one, basically just a drive up. And Dave did more or less agree.

So, here we are! Let’s get with it, SPHP!

Oh, I don’t know, Loop. South Baldy is a big mountain. 3,800+ feet of prominence and high point of the Magdalena Range. Hate to trivialize it by simply driving to the top. Sometimes the experience is what you make of it. There’s a South Baldy trail that goes most of the way, and I was thinking it might be more fun to explore the trail.

And a lot more work, too! Not terribly efficient, SPHP, but I’m fine with it, if that’s what you want to do. Remember to bring plenty of water, though! For a place named Water Canyon, I’m sure not seeing any.

The campground was free, so SPHP grabbed a spot. By late afternoon, despite several brief sniffs around the campsite, Lupe was bored.

**Magdalena Mountains** from the campground. Photo looks SSW.

Got that trip journal caught up yet, SPHP?

Yup! Just finished! Want to take a stroll up Water Canyon, Loop?

The Carolina Dog did. SPHP drove back down to the parking area next to the green field, and Lupe set out across it.

It was hot out in the sun. Fortunately, the forest beyond the green field provided plenty of shade. Lupe discovered a trail near a dry stream bed. Not a drop of water anywhere, but she had a good time exploring.

After nearly 0.75 mile, Loop came a narrow gorge of exposed blue-gray bedrock worn smooth by water in some wetter era. A tiny trickle ran down these rocks into a single small pool below.

*Look at this! Actual water in **Water Canyon**!*

The murky pool was scarcely big enough to accommodate Lupe, but she plunked herself right down in it, emerging two-toned moments later, her lower half black with mud.

That felt great! So refreshing! You ought to try it, SPHP!

Umm, yeah. Thanks, but no thanks! Glad you enjoyed it, but you’re not getting into the new RAV4 dripping with mud like that.

To forestall any possibility of Miss Mudhole returning to the RAV4 before thoroughly dried out, further reconnaissance was done in this region. Turned out that the Mesa Trail No. 13 trailhead was located just above the mudhole. USFS Road No. 235 went right by it. A sign warned that only 4WD vehicles were allowed beyond this point, at least somewhat vindicating the decision to spare the new RAV4 such abuse.

5-15-21, 5:30 AM, 59ºF – SPHP parked the RAV4 at the Mesa Trailhead, and Lupe got off to an early start. The sign lied. Not a darn thing wrong with this road! The G6 could have made it. Climbing steadily, USFS Road No. 235 headed up Water Canyon, so wide and smooth that it made the whole excursion rather dull. Lupe passed a series of small blue and white numbered signs. Interest in them faded once SPHP realized they marked the locations of culverts under the road. Such exciting stuff!

After more than a mile, the road curved sharply L. A sign appeared up on an embankment on the R. South Baldy Trail No. 11! Did anyone bother taking it anymore? Or does everyone just drive to the top? Maybe the trail had fallen into such disuse that it would simply fade away? The American Dingo was about to find out.

Setting out on South Baldy Trail No. 11.

South Baldy Trail No. 11 turned out to be a good single track. Heading W, Lupe climbed steadily along the S side of a forested canyon. Not much to see at first except the forest, but the seclusion was fabulous! Much better than the road hike had been!

After nearly 0.75 mile, the trail crossed over to the N side of the canyon. Fewer trees grew on this slope, although there were still many bushes. At 8,280 feet, Lupe came to a switchback where there were initial views back down the canyon, and of a partially forested high point to the S.

Hey, Loop! That might be South Baldy!

Canyon view after passing the switchback at 8,280 feet. **Buck Peak (9,085 ft.)** (R). Photo looks SE.

**South Baldy** in the distance on the L? Photo looks SSW.

Beyond the switchback, the trail continued to climb steadily, first toward the NW, but gradually turning W. SPHP paused now and then for breathers or water.

On a long straightaway, which was pretty typical. Photo looks W.

0.67 mile beyond the 8,280 foot switchback, South Baldy Trail No. 11 was getting close to the ridgeline. Temporarily leaving the trail, Lupe headed N a short distance, climbing 15 or 20 feet to reach Point 8934 right up on the ridge. Forest hid most of Copper Canyon on the other side, but Loop did have a narrow view of much lower ridges way out on the desert.

Over 8,900 feet now, about to leave the trail to check out the views from Point 8934. Photo looks SE.

Up on the ridgeline at **Point 8934**. Photo looks NE.

Desert view from **Point 8934**. Photo looks NE with help from the telephoto lens.

Returning to the trail, Lupe continued on. Still climbing, the trail began curving SW. The next point of interest was Pass 9420, a minor saddle SW of HP9488. When Lupe got there, the half barren peak she had seen back at the 8,280 foot switchback was in sight again, looking quite a bit closer. Encouraging!

At minor **Pass 9420**. Photo looks ENE toward unseen **HP9488**.

After a chocolate coconut bar and water break at Pass 9420, Lupe went on, but SPHP kept stopping to look at the topo map.

Is there a problem, SPHP?

Yes and no, Looper.

Meaning?

You know that mountain we’ve been looking at?

South Baldy?

That’s what I thought, but it can’t be. Just doesn’t line up right.

So, what mountain is it then, SPHP? And what happened to South Baldy?

I dunno. Might be Timber Peak (10,510 ft.)? Don’t think we’ve seen South Baldy yet, but we will. Only a mile from it now as the crow flies.

A little farther, and South Baldy Trail No. 11 came close to the ridgeline again, but didn’t go over Pass 9740 as shown on the map. Climbing an open slope, Lupe once more left the trail to see what was on the other side. Across the upper end of Copper Canyon, Peak 10281 was in sight.

**Peak 10281** (Center) from **Pass 9740**. Photo looks NW.

Beyond Pass 9740, South Baldy Trail No. 11 headed SSW through dense forest. The trail steepened approaching a gully where part of the trail had eroded away. At the upper end of the gully, Lupe reached Pass 9940.

In the gully, about to arrive at **Pass 9940**. Photo looks SSW.

Pass 9940 was the upper end of South Baldy Trail No. 11 where it again linked up with USFS Road No. 235. By taking the trail, Lupe had skipped several miles of the road. No indication at all that No. 235 would have been a rough drive to this point. Still looked perfectly lovely. Plenty of parking available up here, too.

South Baldy still wasn’t in sight, but Timber Peak (10,510 ft.) was, and so was the peak that SPHP had misidentified as South Baldy. Turned out to be Peak 10206, a subpeak along the ridge leading to Timber Peak.

At the **upper end of South Baldy Trail No. 11**. Photo looks W.

**Peak 10206** (L) and **Timber Peak** (Center) from **Pass 9940**. Photo looks SE.

Road trek again! Lupe headed up USFS Road No. 235. At least she was high enough to have some views. 0.25 mile beyond Pass 9940, the road swept around a big curve and South Baldy (10,783 ft.) came into sight.

Cake! Nothing difficult about this one! South Baldy was just a big hill.

**South Baldy** (R) from USFS Road No. 235. Photo looks WNW.

Loop was soon just 0.25 mile E of the summit, passing a sign for North Baldy Trail No. 8. Ignoring No. 8 for the time being, the Carolina Dog continued up the road toward a conspicuous silver-domed observatory perched up on South Baldy’s S ridge.

At the **S end of North Baldy Trail No. 8**. Silver-domed observatory (L). **South Baldy** (R). Photo looks SW.

A locked gate across No. 235 put an end to how far the RAV4 might have made it, but did nothing to deter a Carolina Dog. Before heading on up to South Baldy’s summit, Looper ventured over to the observatory for a sniff around.

Checking out the **Magdalena Ridge Observatory**.

Looper’s main observation about the observatory was that it was closed. Might as well head on to South Baldy (10,783 ft.)! Shortcutting across a field, the Carolina Dog headed for a road zig-zagging up the S slope.

Heading for **South Baldy**. Photo looks N.

During final approach, the road curled around to the W.

South Baldy was a little weird, or at least what humans had done to it was weird. The whole upper W side of the summit region was covered with a metal wire grid. The road became a perforated heavy metal path that ended between a horizontal 15+ foot diameter shiny metallic disk to the W, and a green electrical box occupying the true summit. Several small concrete pads anchored metal supports for various equipment. A solar panel sat 50 feet away along the E ridge.

Sheesh! Kind of a mess, isn’t it Looper? Looks like someone’s science fair project gone wild!

Even if South Baldy had been an easy climb, it had been a long one. Time for a decent rest break! A grassy spot just E of the electrical box seemed as good a spot as any.

Arriving at **South Baldy’s cluttered summit**.

On the electrical box at the **true summit**. Perforated metal road and big shiny metal disc in sight. Photo looks WSW.

Relaxing on **South Baldy**. Photo looks W.

Half dozing after Taste of the Wild, chocolate coconut bar, and water.

Skies were blue to the SE, but clouds dominated elsewhere. Way off to the W, a line of showers was advancing, but didn’t look like much. What rain there was appeared to be evaporating as it fell.

South Baldy presented panoramic views in all directions except to the NW where blocked by thick forest. Beyond the Magdalena Mountains, hazy deserts extended beyond the range of vision. From the right spot, Peak 10281, North Baldy (9,858 ft.), and a more distant double-peaked mountain could be seen to the N. Probably the Ladrones (9,210 ft.).

**Timber Peak** (Center) from **South Baldy**. Photo looks SE.

**Peak 10281** (L), **North Baldy** (R of Center) and the **Ladrones** (?) (R). Photo looks N with help from the telephoto lens.

**Water Canyon** (R) and the desert beyond. Photo looks NE with help from the telephoto lens.

Nearly an hour went by before a lazy South Baldy reverie was disturbed by the distant rumble of thunder. The line of showers to the W was closer now.

Thunder! That’s our cue, Looper! Let’s get a few more photos before we head out.

**E end of the summit region** from the true summit. Photo looks NE.

Back on the electrical box. Photo looks E.

Looking S toward the **Magdalena Ridge Observatory** (R of Center).

OK! Thanks, Loopster. That’s a wrap! Puppy, ho! Onward!

No!

No?! What do you mean, no? It’s puppy ho time!

I mean, wait just a minute. Those squalls don’t look all that threatening do they, SPHP? Can’t we finish our summit hour?

Oh, I don’t know, Loop. Probably not a good idea in this case. They’ve got half of the summit covered with metal here. Makes me a little nervous with possible lightning on the way. We better skedaddle!

But we haven’t even checked out the space port yet!

Space port? What space port?

That huge, shiny metal disc!

Oh, that thing. Looks like some kind of seismic gizmo to me, Looper. No doubt somehow connected with the Langmuir Laboratory for Atmospheric Research located at the far end of South Baldy’s S ridge.

Not much of a scientist, are you, SPHP? Or a detective, either!

Well, no. But do you fancy yourself a scientist, crazy Dingo? What makes you think it’s a space port?

C’mon, SPHP! What’s up here, anyway? A laboratory for atmospheric research, and an observatory. The scientists around here aren’t the least bit interested in seismology, they’re looking up! A space port would fit right in! What scientist wouldn’t love to have one?

A seismologist.

Oh, phooey! Besides, it looks like a space port to me!

Well, if it waddles like a space port and quacks like a space port, it must be one! There was no convincing Lupe that the huge metal disc on South Baldy wasn’t a space port. SPHP agreed to let the Carolina Dog conduct her inspection. However, she’d have to be quick about it.

Are you up to some space travel, SPHP?

Sure! Why not?

Good! Go stand in the center of the metal disc then, while I try to figure out the control system.

Are you nuts? I’m not going to stand at ground zero for a lightning strike while you sniff around! You can, if you want to, Loopster, but I wouldn’t advise it. We should forget this whole thing before one of us gets fried.

You’re always such a worry wort, SPHP! Fine, I’ll do it myself. You’ll have to work the controls then.

Standing at the center of the disc, several anxious minutes went by, but nothing happened. Apparently, the mother ship was running a little late.

Have you figured out the control system yet, SPHP?

Not really, Loop. To be perfectly honest, I don’t even see anything that looks like a control system. Maybe it’s been taken back to the laboratory for repairs? As space ports go, this one’s a bit dingy.

Well, shoot! Of all the rotten luck! I was looking forward to being the first Dingo in space, too!

Deeply disappointing without a doubt! But I’ll cheer you up with another chocolate coconut bar at Peak 10281. Wha’dya say? Ready to press on?

I guess …. No, wait! Silly us, SPHP! Space ports are advanced technology. Probably voice activated! Say the right words or password, and this space port will spring to life!

Even if that’s true, Loop, we’re still out of luck. We don’t know the password.

Speak for yourself, SPHP! I know the perfect phrase for dealing with alien systems. Stand back! I’m going to give it a go!

What? Impossible!

Take me to your breeder! …

Still nothing. SPHP laughed, then felt mean and terrible seeing how crushed Lupe was. What would it have hurt to have shown a little faith and support to the truest, dearest friend ever? SPHP tried to make amends.

Good try, Loopster! Might easily have been it. Shall I give it a shot, too?

If you can think of anything that might work, sure!

Umm … let’s see. Here’s another classic! Abracadabra! ….

Thunder rumbled, but the space port was as dead as ever. Lupe was glum.

One more, Loop! How about …. Beam me up, Scottie!

A sudden cool, light breeze swept in out of the W. Those showers were getting pretty close.

OK, Loop! Sorry, but that’s it! We tried. C’mon, let’s ….

Quiet, SPHP! I can scarcely hear them.

Huh? Hear what?

The voices! They sound like they’re a zillion miles away. Try saying that again, but louder!

Voices? Say what again? Beam me up, Scottie?

Yes, but louder! Oh, never mind. I’ll do it myself! Beam me up, Scottie! …. Oh, maybe that’s a little better. Not much, but a little. Hard to say. They’re still very faint!

Voices? No one’s here except me, Loop. Oh, I get it! You rascal! You’re pulling my leg!

Around the perimeter of the shiny metal disc tiny sparks appeared and began spreading toward the center, straight for Lupe’s paws.

Lupe! Run! Static electricity is building on the disc! A lightning strike is imminent! Get off now! Run for your life!

Shhh! Even with my big, soft Dingo ears, I can’t catch it all, SPHP.

Sparks now danced across the disc, traveling in a succession of pulsing waves from the perimeter to the center. The entire disc sizzling beneath her paws, Lupe just stood there. She looked vaguely different. Sort of … transparent!

Loop! Don’t you feel that? Move! Run!

Tingles a little, but it doesn’t hurt, SPHP. You were right! This space port is barely functional. Can you please be quiet so I can hear? Some control freak is whining about not having enough power.

Well, if that isn’t par for the course! Bad enough that so many are like that here on earth. Apparently the rest of the universe isn’t much different. So, you really are hearing voices? What else are they saying?

This guy keeps ranting about bi-lithium. Is that some sort of medication, SPHP? Sounds like he thinks it will solve all his problems!

Ahh. Makes sense. Lithium is used to treat depression, or mood swings, if I remember right, Loop. The “bi” part just means two pills, or maybe two doses per day.

Must mean doses, SPHP. He isn’t taking pills. It’s in crystalline form.

Really? Huh. Crystals would be hard to swallow, for sure. Oh, I know! Probably taking a finely ground crystalline powder. Otherwise it would be just about impossible to get it to dissolve. What’s he saying now?

Not a thing. I’m on hold. This power hungry lunatic needs to go take his bi-lithium crystal meds. Says he can’t beam me up, but will transfer me to another representative.

Hah! Space isn’t any different from earth! All those physicists and sci-fi authors have wasted their time and imagination. Truly nothing new under the sun. This one or any other! You’re just going to get the complete run around.

Shhh! Patience! The new rep is talking. A much better connection! Wants to know what I want her to do for me. Maybe she can fire this ole space port up? At least going to give her a chance. Here goes! Bye, SPHP! …. Alexa, beam me up!

The sparks dancing on the metal disc zapped into it, vanishing instantly as if sucked in by a powerful magnet. The entire disc hummed while glowing a dull red, but then brightened quickly … fiery orange, blazing yellow, searing white!

Lupe, oh Lupe! What’s happening? I can see right through you!

A blinding flash! Took a moment for SPHP to recover. The space port was back to normal. Dingy and silent. Carried on the cool breeze, tiny raindrops sprinkled South Baldy. Those hitting the metal disc suffered no evident effect. Not hot at all. Everything was as before.

Except for one thing. Lupe was gone!

SPHP was horrified! SPHP called the Carolina Dog again and again. No answer. Where was she? This couldn’t be happening! What to do?

SPHP walked to the center of the of the shiny metal disc.

Alexa, where is Lupe?

No response.

Alexa, beam me up!

Of course, nothing worked. Ridiculous notion in the first place! The rain showers rumbled on by without doing anything out of the ordinary. SPHP grabbed the pack. Crazy or not, maybe someone at the Langmuir Laboratory could shed some light on how this space port worked?

SPHP had barely started down the S slope when a shrill bark was heard. Lupe came tearing down from the summit! Overjoyed, she licked SPHP’s face until her big pink tongue was about to wilt!

Wow! What a greeting! Where were you, anyway, Loop? And why didn’t you come when I called? I got dazed by a flash of light, and when I came out of it, you had vanished! Got so desperate to find you that I even tried using the space port, but it wouldn’t do a thing for me.

Oh, that’s because you aren’t an authorized user! The space port’s voice recognition shields were down when I got transported, but got reactivated the moment Alexa saw me. Was she ever shocked when I showed up! She’d overheard you saying my name and was expecting Our Lady of Guadalupe, not an American Dingo.

You mean the space port actually did work? You met Alexa?

Yes, of course! She beamed me up, remember? Spent a fair amount of time with her at first.

And what was Alexa like?

She’s …. different, shall we say? Alexa’s friendly enough and always wants to be helpful. Kind of neurotic that way. And she knows a ton of people. But Alexa was suspicious of me from the get go, what with me crashing the universal barrier like I’d hacked it somehow. That’s a big no-no, if you aren’t part of the elite these space ports are meant for. We had a falling out. Didn’t matter. Alexa wasn’t really my type, anyway.

That was quick! You’ve been gone for what, 15 minutes, max? You knew that fast that Alexa wasn’t your type? How is that possible?

15 minutes here maybe, but practically a lifetime where I’ve been, SPHP! Alexa was super nosy, always listening in on everyone’s business. Seemed kind of creepy after a while. Never really knew what she might be saying behind my tail, or who she might be saying it to. Even that wasn’t the main issue, though. Alexa thrives on being where all the action is. She would never climb a mountain. City girl, big time! Don’t think she could ever handle being alone.

What do you mean, you’ve been gone a lifetime? It’s only been 15 minutes.

Not in the space-time disjointium, SPHP! Once I met Siri, I parted ways with Alexa for good. Siri likes maps even more than you do, SPHP! Sure knows her way around the perpendicular universes! We went everywhere together.

You mean parallel universes, Loop!

No, I mean perpendicular. Actually, more like heavily skewed universes. Anyway, the point is, at some times and places they intersect. Otherwise it wouldn’t be possible to travel between them. You’d never get to a truly parallel universe, SPHP.

Never heard of a perpendicular universe before, but I suppose that might make sense. So you’ve been traveling these universes for how long? Where did you and Siri go? What did you do?

Gosh, I hardly know where to begin, SPHP! We had so many adventures! Siri eventually took me to the neatest planet. Huge mountains, sparkling lakes and rivers! Enormous forests, plains, and oceans! All kinds of strange and fascinating wildlife. One thing was familiar, though – Dingos! I had so many friends!

Dingos! What planet was that?

They had a really long alien name for it. I just called it Dingo Earth, or Dearth for short. Even nicknamed my boyfriend there Dearth.

Boyfriend!

Yes! Oh, Dearth was magnificent! You should have seen him, SPHP! He was bigger than me, with a shiny jet black coat. Dearth was all muscle with a set of fangs that would make a crocodile jealous. I sometimes teased him and called him Dearth Gator. He’d scare you to death just looking at him, but he was actually sickly. Allergies gave him severe asthma, so he wasn’t as powerful as he appeared to be. Yet somehow that labored gasping for air made him seem even more dangerous. We fell in love and got married. I had puppies!

Married! Puppies! How many puppies did you have?

Not sure, they kept me so busy! There was a passel of them! All of them were dark like Dearth, except for one puppy that took after me – same fur color, same interests. Sort of a fluke, so that’s what we named him. You know how I like to bark at airplanes and helicopters, SPHP? Fluke barked at every spaceship that flew by without fail. He even drove Death Stars away! They couldn’t take the incessant foaming-at-the-mouth hysteria. I loved Fluke Skybarker most of all.

Fluke Skybarker! Bet the neighbors weren’t too crazy about him always raising such a ruckus.

No, maybe not. Wonder if I’ll ever see Fluke again? Growing up, he was always such a rebel. Fluke kept getting into trouble with the authorities. Even Dearth, his own father, couldn’t do a thing with him, although he sure tried.

So, Fluke is all grown up? What happened to him?

It’s awful, SPHP! Fluke ran away to lead a pack of his wild outlaw friends. Dearth went after him, but they got into such a terrible fight it’s a wonder either one is still alive! Don’t suppose I’ll ever know how it all turns out. All that traveling among the universes in the space-time disjointium was aging me fast. I was getting so old that I would have died if I’d kept on like that much longer. Luckily, Siri said Alexa would be willing to send me back through the space port since I’d crossed the universal border as an undocumented Dingo in the first place.

Well, welcome back to Earth and the South Baldy space-time disjointium! I’m happy to say you look perfectly normal here, Looper! In fact, you don’t look a day older. Do you feel OK?

Like my old … I mean my much younger self again, SPHP! And how do you feel? Manage to get through 15 minutes without me?

Barely! They were awful! Not sure how I feel, Loop. Your tale makes me think maybe I tripped and fell and hit my head on a rock. Or maybe there was a lightning strike? Have I seemed incoherent or unconscious at any point to you?

No more than usual, SPHP. Are you hurt? I don’t see any blood.

Hmm. Guess not.

Our hour on South Baldy is over, SPHP, and a strange one it has been! Plenty of time left in the day, though. Still feel like visiting Peak 10281?

SPHP was fine with that. Lupe returned to the top of South Baldy, then started down the grassy E ridge following a path through purple-gray rocks. Upon reaching North Baldy Trail No. 8, she took it W through the forest.

Starting down the E ridge. **Timber Peak** (R). Photo looks E.

Looking back up the **E ridge** from close to North Baldy Trail No. 8. Photo looks WSW.

Trail No. 8 on **South Baldy’s N slope**. Photo looks W.

After traversing South Baldy’s N slope, Lupe came to an opening in the forest upon reaching the NNW ridge. Peak 10281 was in sight again 1.5 miles due N.

**South Baldy’s NNW ridge** where North Baldy Trail No. 8 reaches it. **Peak 10281** (Center), **North Baldy** (R) and the **Ladrones** (R) in the distance. Photo looks N.

The weather was still a bit unsettled. Lupe took a short break while a light shower passed and the roll of thunder died away before striking out again. North Baldy Trail No. 8 followed the NNW ridge, which was fairly narrow, but an easy route. Most of the time Lupe was in the forest, but sometimes there were views to the E or W.

By a spooky tree passed early on during the NNW ridge trek. Photo looks N.

View of the desert beyond Copper & Water Canyons. Photo looks NE.

After 0.25 mile, the trail descended a little. Lupe broke out of the forest at a big meadow where the ridge broadened out a great deal. Crossing this meadow, she came to a dilapidated old sign for Copper Trail No. 10. Apparently, she had reached a trail junction, but the topo map showed this junction way back where she’d first reached the NNW ridge.

Entering the meadow where the ridge widened out. Photo looks NW.

The dilapidated Copper Trail No. 10 sign.

Toward the N end of the meadow, the ridge began to narrow down again. Lupe startled a couple of giant deers, which raced away into a forest where the ridge became very rocky. Although the Carolina Dog kept a sharp eye and keen nose out for them, she didn’t see the giant deers again.

Heading for the N end of the meadow. Two elk were resting in the shade of the trees just ahead. Photo looks N.

Glancing back at **South Baldy** (Center). Photo looks SSE.

*Hurry, SPHP! The giant deers went this way!* Photo looks NNE.

As the ridge got rockier and narrower, Trail No. 8 dipped down along the W slope. After passing a nice view to the W, Loop went through a long stretch of forest. At the next clearing, Peak 10281 came back into sight, now only 0.6 mile away

**North Baldy Trail No. 8**. 80 feet below the ridgeline now. Photo looks NNE.

**Peak 10281** (L) comes into view again. Photo looks NNE.

A gradual descent led to a meadow at Pass 9956. Lupe was now only 0.2 mile from Peak 10281’s summit. Since North Baldy Trail No. 8 was about to skirt Peak 10281 to the E, Lupe was going to have to leave it here. While taking a short break, SPHP contemplated available routes.

The SE ridge looked potentially pretty rocky, and the S slope looked sort of steep, but the general impression was that either way ought to work. Looper elected to make a direct attack along the SE ridge. Partway up, it got a little interesting.

On **Peak 10281’s SE ridge**. Photo looks NNW.

No big deal, though. A little light scrambling and Lupe got above the rocks. Soon she was approaching Peak 10281’s true summit, where a cairn sat on a small rise 70 feet W of another slightly lower high spot along the mountain’s E edge.

Above the big rocks now, not far from the summit. Photo looks NW.

At the **true summit of Peak 10281**. The **E high point**, which was nearly as high, is seen on the L. Photo looks E.

The cairn was out in the open, but too many trees were nearby to see much from the true summit. Lupe ventured over to the E high spot for a look around. South Baldy and Timber Peak visible to the S, and there was an impressive view of Copper and Water Canyons to the E.

At the **E high point**. **Timber Peak** (Center). Photo looks SE.

**South Baldy** (Center) from **Peak 10281**. Photo looks S.

5-15-21, 3:45 PM, Peak 10281 – Sunnier now. Lupe wanted to rest in the shade. A big pine between the true summit and E high point provided a convenient place to relax.

I believe you said something about a chocolate coconut bar, if we made it this far, didn’t you, SPHP?

Yes, I did! Hang on, Loop. I’ll dig it out of the pack.

The chocolate coconut bar, as well as what remained of other provisions, were soon disposed of in delicious fashion.

Thanks, SPHP! Wonder what Dearth, Fluke, and the rest of the family are doing? Funny, I just spent a lifetime there, but it all seems so far away and long ago now, almost like a dream or something I once heard about that happened to someone else, yet I’ve only been back here on earth with you for a couple of hours. I feel really tired. Mind if we just lay around here for a while?

Hard to say what they’re doing, Looper! Really hard, since I’ve never met any of them. We’ve got our whole traditional summit hour to goof around here, so rest up. You probably have a bad case of space port lag. You’ve come an unfathomably long way from a very different time zone!

SPHP had seen a jar stashed inside the summit cairn. While Lupe dozed in the shade, SPHP went to retrieve it. The jar contained only a little pencil, and part of a long, thin notebook. This registry had been started by Mike Garrett on 10-2-15, and had a few entries most years. The last entry was by Jim Morehouse on 10-1-20.

The notebook pages were so flimsy and dirty, that SPHP created an entry for Lupe on a single page torn out of a small notebook kept in the pack, adding it to the jar’s collection.

5-15-21, 4:35 PM – Just before summit hour was over, Lupe returned to the E high point for a last look back at South Baldy and Timber Peak. Now that the hour was up, she stood at the true summit again. Time to bid farewell to Peak 10281!

**Timber Peak** (L) and **South Baldy** (R). Photo looks SSE.

Back at **Peak 10281’s summit**. Photo looks WNW.

SPHP returned the registry jar to its place in the cairn. The Carolina Dog had one more thing to do up here. The topo map showed the 10,281 foot top of the mountain over near the NW end of the summit region, several hundred feet away. Was that true? Didn’t seem like it, but trees hid what was over that way.

Lupe went to investigate. Nope! Impossible to be completely certain, but it sure seemed to SPHP that the true high point was back at the cairn.

During the return, the American Dingo took an entirely different route. Instead of heading directly back to Pass 9956, she roamed N down Peak 10281’s N ridge, getting almost to Pass 9806 before running into North Baldy Trail No. 8 again.

Oh, it would have been fun to keep going all the way to North Baldy! However, what with all the space port adventures and a lifetime spent exploring alternate universes, Loopster had already had a long day. Turning SE on Trail No. 8, the Carolina Dog took it back to Pass 9956, where she found the N branch of Copper Trail No. 10.

The topo map showed a steep descent into Copper Canyon. Surprisingly, Trail No. 10 started out as a wide, old roadbed. Super easy! Everything was peachy until the road and all sign of a trail vanished at a dig site where a ladder led up to a dark hole in a wall of solid rock.

At the dig site, wondering what happened to Copper Trail No. 10? Photo looks NNE.

Fortunately, the ancient ladder was broken. No way to actually get up to that mysterious dark hole. If the ladder had been intact, Looper might have insisted on subterranean adventures, too – a journey to the center of the earth to complement her inter-universal roamings!

The situation being what it was, the descent into Copper Canyon was destined to continue. However, below this excavation the slopes were incredibly steep, so much so that SPHP was unwilling to consider taking them on without the benefit of a trail. Yet the trail could not be found.

A check of the map finally showed that Lupe ought to be over closer to a short ridge visible to the NE. To get there, she’d have to go back up the road she had just come down. No other solution came to mind.

Returning to the road proved to be the right thing to do. Loop soon came to a previously unnoticed cairn marking where Copper Trail No. 10 left the road.

At the cairn (L) where Copper Trail No. 10 leaves the old roadbed. Photo looks SSW.

That cairn was the key to success! Copper Trail No. 10 was so faint in spots that it was hard to follow as it switchbacked down the steep slopes, but after losing a tremendous amount of elevation, the American Dingo arrived at a secluded junction marked by ancient wooden signs. One sign said 4.5 miles to Water Canyon campground.

Lupe never got there. A seemingly endless march down Copper Canyon led to roads that went to mines. Somehow, as it was getting almost too dark to see, she wound up near a ravine that looked vaguely familiar.

Sure enough! Visible in the gloom over on the other side was a welcome sight – the RAV4 sitting alone at the Mesa Trailhead. Lupe’s South Baldy adventure was over! (8:39 PM, 65ºF)

**South Baldy**, Magdalena Mountains, New Mexico 5-15-21

Links:

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Double Digit Dingo! – Lupe’s 10th Birthday (12-14-20)

9:14 AM, 16ºF, Hwy 244 at the Rushmore profile parking lot – The newly minted Double Digit Dingo leapt out of the G6. Mighty chilly! Worse yet, the monotonous gray sky held out little hope for improvement. Would have to be the coldest day in the entire month of December. Maybe this wasn’t going to work?

Lupe, however, was unfazed. Apparently, she intended to tough it out at least long enough to see the most famous mountain in South Dakota. After all, this was the Carolina Dog’s big chance to do something special in the Black Hills on her 10th birthday!

At the Mount Rushmore profile parking lot.

Not a soul around on a Monday morning in December. After a look at George Washington, the only president visible from here, Lupe started trotting up Hwy 244. The main entrance to Mount Rushmore was 0.25 mile back.

Hardly any traffic along the highway, but there was more activity than SPHP expected up at the main visitor parking lot. Orange plastic fences blocked off various construction zones. Groups of people were coming and going.

SPHP let Lupe go only so far before saying this was good enough. Loop got a nice look at Mount Rushmore (5,725 ft.), but since Dingoes aren’t really welcome here, she wasn’t permitted to linger. A souvenir 10th birthday photo, and she was on her way.

**Mount Rushmore**, South Dakota’s most famous mountain. L to R: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln.

Since Loopster didn’t seem to mind the cold, perhaps she was up for a more substantial 10th birthday adventure? SPHP had just the thing in mind. Having already seen the most famous mountain in South Dakota, maybe she would enjoy climbing South Dakota’s highest mountain, too? A great trailhead providing access to the Black Elk Wilderness was only 4 or 5 miles farther W along Hwy 244.

10:05 AM, 18ºF, Willow Creek trailhead – 2 degrees warmer! Every little bit helped. Lupe stood by the Willow Creek trail No. 8 sign waiting for SPHP to decide which part of the loop to take. SPHP chose the W half, which began by heading S straight for Black Elk Peak (7,231 ft.).

At the Willow Creek trailhead. Lupe would take the trail seen on the R. Black Elk Peak (R) visible in the distance. Photo looks S.

Only a skiff of snow was on the ground as Looper set out. Although cold today, the last 1.5 months had been uncommonly warm. The Black Hills had gotten almost no precipitation. Ordinarily, climbing Black Elk Peak on Lupe’s birthday would have been out of the question. Cold and snowy enough to make the journey more ordeal than fun.

Today was different! The awesome thing was that if Lupe made it up Black Elk Peak, this ascent on her 10th birthday would also be her 10th ascent of South Dakota’s highest peak.

The first part of Trail No. 8 was super easy, a nice level trek through the forest. Before long, the trail crossed Willow Creek and quickly came to a junction. Lost Cabin trail No. 2 went R. Lupe went L instead, staying on Willow Creek trail No. 8. Although she’d been on most of the trails in the Black Elk Wilderness at one time or another, the American Dingo had never been on this next section of No. 8 before.

Turned out it wasn’t far to a frozen waterfall on Willow Creek.

A little past the waterfall, Lupe came to two wooden bridges. After the second bridge, Trail No. 8 began a slow, steady climb. A field of dry grass bordered by large dark gray rock formations appeared on the L.

A smaller field appeared a little farther on. Smoke could be seen rising from the trees in the distance. A forest fire in December? No. Took a moment, but SPHP soon realized it was coming from the sawmill a few miles NE of Hill City. Completely normal.

**Five Points (6,221 ft.)** (L). Smoke (Center). Photo looks N.

After a mile on Trail No. 8, Lupe came to another junction, this time with Trail No. 9, which would take her to Black Elk Peak. This intersection was only 0.5 mile from the Willow Creek trailhead as the crow flies, since Trail No. 8 had taken a semi-circular route to the S, E, then NE.

Trail No. 9 went E a little way, then zigzagged S through the forest. At one point, Hwy 244 could be seen not too far away down a steep slope. However, No. 9 soon turned away from the road. From the last big field the trail came to, Black Elk Peak was in sight again. The Carolina Dog was getting closer, but she still hadn’t gained all that much elevation.

**Black Elk Peak** (L of Center) from the last field Trail No. 9 goes by. Photo looks SSW.

Re-entering the forest, Trail No. 9 turned sharply, starting to climb again. The next junction was with Willow Creek Rushmore trail No. 5. This intersection was only a little N of the massive granite formations of Elkhorn Mountain (6,381 ft.).

**Elkhorn Mountain** from the intersection of Trails No. 5 & 9. Photo looks S.

Trail No. 5 sign. Lupe stuck with No. 9 instead.

After passing Trail No. 5, the terrain become more rugged. Trail No. 9 went S to Elkhorn Mountain, then SW along its base. A high point was reached, then the trail descended 100 feet to cross a tiny tributary of Willow Creek. After crossing the creek, No. 9 switchbacked steadily higher working its way SE past the W end of Elkhorn Mountain.

The forest was a wreck! Thousands of large pines had been killed by pine bark beetles years ago. Most had fallen over by now, opening up the views to some extent.

Approaching **Elkhorn Mountain** on Trail No. 9. Photo looks S.

Another glimpse of **Black Elk Peak** (Center). Photo looks SSW.

**Elkhorn Mountain** from quite a bit higher now. Photo looks E.

The dramatic granite ridge of **Elkhorn Mountain** rises beyond the shattered forest. Photo looks NNE.

After getting nearly as high Elkhorn Mountain, Trail No. 9’s rate of climb decreased. Switchbacks lengthened, then disappeared. No. 9 continued to climb, but more slowly as it worked its way SW.

Lupe was getting close to the most scenic part of the entire journey, other than the summit of Black Elk Peak itself. Granite Flats wasn’t much farther. The first sign she was getting close was an impressive view of a 3-pronged granite knob atop other massive rock formations. This knob might have been Peak 6057, but SPHP wasn’t at all certain about that.

**Peak 6057** beyond Lupe? SPHP didn’t know. Still impressive, whatever it was.

The weather was changing as Lupe approached Granite Flats. Clouds closed in. The air cooled, becoming a little foggy, and it began to snow. Lightly, nothing to be concerned about, but views were disappearing. Suddenly it felt like winter! The cold gray world gradually turning white. So quiet, hidden, and remote!

Starting to snow on the way to Granite Flats. Photo looks SW.

**Black Elk Peak** from **Granite Flats**. Photo looks SW with help from the telephoto lens.

On one of the Granite Flats rock formations. **Black Elk Peak** (Center). Photo looks SW.

After spending a little time exploring Granite Flats, Lupe hurried on her way. Even so, she paused now and then at certain viewpoints.

Lupe on the day she turned 10. **Peak 6735** in the distance. Photo looks SSE.

Getting closer! Old fire lookout tower atop **Black Elk Peak** (Center). Photo looks SW.

Not much farther now! Loopster passed the last viewpoint, and the trail was soon switchbacking steeply up a forested slope. Loop gained most of the last few hundred feet of elevation remaining here. The trail then leveled out, proceeding SSE to a junction with the spur trail that goes to the old fire lookout tower on Black Elk Peak.

The spur trail promptly swung around the S end of the summit region to more open ground on the W side of the mountain. Still snowing. Normally sweeping views of some of the most rugged terrain in the Black Hills were reduced to the silent, ghostly presence of nearby peaks. Trotting N now, Lupe reached the entrance to the spiral staircase that winds up to the to the old lookout tower.

The see-through metal grid stairway that used to freak Loop out so much had long since lost its terror. Up the American Dingo went without the least hesitation. She’d made it! The Black Elk Peak (7,231 ft.) lookout tower was only 50 feet away.

*Come on, SPHP! Nothing to it! We’ve done this a bunch of times, remember?*

After entering the lookout tower, Lupe ventured out onto the viewing platform. No one around. SPHP helped her up onto the wall. Even the views had deserted Black Elk Peak. December’s frigid, snowy solitude was awesome, though!

2:02 PM, 17ºF, Black Elk Peak – Leaving the viewing platform, Lupe had gone down to the basement of the lookout tower and out the back door. Now she was curled up on SPHP’s lap out on the huge granite formations W of the tower with SPHP’s jacket thrown over her for warmth. She was warm, too, despite winter’s grip.

Half an hour enjoying the gray-white solitude. Two chocolate coconut bars shared. A little water. SPHP munched an apple. The Carolina Dog was still toasty warm, but SPHP was getting cold and stiff sitting on the granite. A couple of people waved from up on the viewing platform. The signal to move on.

Up on the platform, Lupe and SPHP met a young couple from Boston. A friendly 15 minute chat, and it was time to leave them to the solitude, something they said was near impossible to come by in the mountains of New Hampshire and Vermont where they normally went.

A few more photos, and Looper was on her way.

Lupe trotted down the metal stairs. Nearly an hour had shot by up top! That bright spot in the clouds would set in 30 minutes.

The long trek back was utterly deserted. Much whiter than the journey up had been. So beautiful! What an experience being a Double Digit Dingo was turning out to be! The most famous mountain in South Dakota, and the highest one, too, on the very first day.

Near **Elkhorn Mountain** again during the return.

5:41 PM, 17ºF, Willow Creek trailhead – Dark and still snowing! SPHP hadn’t had to bring out the little flashlight until Lupe had gotten all the way back to the wooden bridges over Willow Creek. Now the adventure was over. SPHP turned the key, and the G6 sprang to life.

Lupe curled up for the ride home. To her great surprise that wasn’t the end of things. At home, SPHP made a couple of trips loading stuff into the G6. Then it was off to see Grandma!

Visiting Grandma was a Dingo birthday tradition. However, Grandma had moved to a senior living facility early this year, even before Lupe and SPHP had helped her get her big, old house sold. At the time she’d moved in, Grandma thought that Lupe wouldn’t be allowed in the senior living center, but that had turned out not to be true. Loopster had been there lots of times.

7:15 PM, Grandma’s apartment – The party animal had arrived! Lupe dashed in all excited to see Grandma! She barked and wagged her tail like mad, then raced over to hop up on the comfy white couch. Grandma was so happy to see Lupe, too!

No dilly-dallying! SPHP was famished. A chocolate coconut bar and an apple all day were no longer cutting it. Birthday presents were piled up around Lupe right there on the couch. One of the presents wasn’t even wrapped. Lupe’s buddy Dave Covill had sent her a package of Smart Cookie Rabbit & Pumpkin regional bites all the way from Colorado. They weren’t wrapped because Loopster hadn’t been able to wait. She’d been gobbling them up all week long.

On the comfy couch surrounded by presents.

Without delay, SPHP produced a birthday cake.

A Double Digit Dingo cake with candles! So incredibly many candles that Grandma could heat her apartment with it. The Carolina Dog was leery of the fearsome fiery spectacle.

*Another trial by fire! Why do I have to go through this every year?*

There was singing! Happy Birthday! It was happy, too!

Grandma’s girl on Double Digit Dingo day.

SPHP helped Lupe choose the first present to open. It sniffed good!

While the T-bone steak was broiling, Lupe opened the rest of her presents. She got 3 new Kong squeaker balls, and lots of good things to eat! Speaking of eating, she devoured the rest of the Smart Cookie Rabbit & Pumpkin regional bites that Dave Covill had sent. They served as T-bone steak appetizers. Although there was nothing wrong with Loopster’s appetite, she loved the whole concept.

Smart Cookie Rabbit & Pumpkin regional bites from Dave Covill. Bon appetit!

At last the T-bone was ready! While Lupe had steak, Grandma and SPHP had cake and ice cream.

While there was still some meat on it, SPHP saved the T-bone itself. The big bash ended with Lupe giving Grandma a live demonstration of what to do with a Purina Busy Rib Hide.

Nearly 10:00 PM by the time Lupe got home again. Double Digit Dingo day had been a blast, but a long one. Loopster hopped up on the bed. While SPHP read, the Carolina Dog got to munch away on that still meaty T-bone SPHP had saved for her.

Crunching away was so satisfying! By the time the light went out, only a stubby, little white T remained.

Double Digit Dingo day, **Black Elk Peak**, Black Hills of South Dakota, 12-14-20

Links:

Lupe’s 9th Birthday (12-14-19)

Lupe’s 11th Birthday (12-14-21)

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