It seemed like a very long night. SPHP kept waking up expecting it to be dawn, but it wasn’t. Finally dawn came. The sky was about 50% clear with some haze – a promising start to the day. Lupe and SPHP were on USFS Road No. 28 at Merle Creek in the Bighorn Mountains of Wyoming.
Disappointingly, by the time breakfast was done, the sky was completely overcast. SPHP drove Lupe over to USFS Road No. 29 off Hwy 16 near Hesse Mountain(10,385 ft.) and Hazelton Pyramid(10,534 ft.). Both peaks were socked in the fog with the darkest clouds around.
Hesse Mountain (L) and Hazelton Pyramid (R). This shot was taken from near Road No. 29 and Hwy 16 after Lupe had climbed Hesse Mountain.
Hope sprang from a patch of blue sky to the W. SPHP decided Lupe should try Hesse even in the clouds. If the fog lifted, Lupe would go on to Hazelton Pyramid. If not, Hesse Mountain would be Lupe’s last peakbagging success of her grand summer of 2014 Dingo Vacation to the Canadian Rockies and Beartooths. SPHP took USFS Road No. 444 to Munkres Pass and parked the G6. Lupe left for Hesse Mountain at 8:20 AM. It was 48°F and calm. Hesse Mountain was still in the fog.
Hesse Mountain in the Bighorn Mountains of Wyoming. The high point near the center is the true summit, though it is a very close contest with the high point on the left.
There was no trail, but Hesse Mountain is only about 1.25 miles SE of Munkres Pass as the crow flies. Lupe and SPHP climbed through the forest. Eventually Lupe reached tree line. Fog was now swirling around the mountain. At times Lupe and SPHP could see the summit or in other directions. Visibility was good enough to guide Lupe to the top. The area above tree line was dominated by boulder fields interspersed with some grassy areas which became increasingly scarce as Lupe gained elevation.
Lupe nearing the summit of Hesse Mountain.Looking back towards the NE high point (not the true summit, but almost as high) on Hesse Mountain.Near the summit of Hesse Mountain.
Lupe reached the summit of Hesse Mountain and found a cairn there. On the other side of the mountain was a steep drop. Soon fog moved in and completely shut off all views.
Reluctantly, SPHP decided this was it. There was no sense in having Lupe try to go on to Hazelton Pyramid, which was seldom even in view with all the fog. With no trails, if the fog moved in and stayed, it would be easy to get turned around and lost. It didn’t seem that likely, but on the other hand, the Beartooths to the W where Lupe had just come from had been overcast and drippy for several days. The weather in the Bighorns usually comes from that direction.
Success! Lupe at the Hesse Mountain summit 8-6-14.
Lupe seemed perfectly happy with her ascent of Hesse Mountain. SPHP was happy with it, too. At least Lupe had gotten to the summit of Hesse, even if Hazelton Pyramid had to be left for another day on another dingo vacation. On the way back down, the fog continued to swirl around and come and go. At times, the views were pretty good. Five or ten minutes later, the clouds would close in again. It felt kind of mystical. Views came and went in unpredictable directions.
The lower NW high point on Hesse Mountain.Rocks near Hesse Mountain summit.Looking N towards Hwy 16 from Hesse Mountain.
Lupe reached the G6 again at 12:22 PM. It was a pleasant 65°F, still overcast, calm and almost foggy. Lupe and SPHP had lunch near the stone pillar at Munkres Pass before heading out.
SPHP hatched another peakbagging plan for Lupe. Even though she was about to leave the Bighorn Mountains, she might still go up to Warren Peaks(6,650 ft.) or climb Inyan Kara(6,360 ft.) in the Black Hills of Wyoming on the way home. It didn’t happen. At a gas station convenience store in Buffalo, WY there was news on the TV about severe storms and flooding in the Black Hills.
Lupe and SPHP just cruised E on I-90 back to the Black Hills of South Dakota and home. The 74th annual Black Hills Motorcycle Classic was going on in Sturgis, SD. It was kind of fun to be packed in with huge numbers of motorcyclists flocking to the area. There were still big clouds around, but the storms seemed to be over in the Black Hills by the time Lupe reached them.
Shortly before 6:00 PM, Lupe arrived home. Her great summer of 2014 Dingo Vacation all the way to the Canadian Rockies and back was over. Lupe had been gone 23 days, 22 nights and traveled 3,288 miles in the G6. Dingoes are very practical. They don’t dwell on the past or statistics much. If Lupe was sad that it was all over, she didn’t show it. As soon as she got home, Lupe happily ran next door to Dog Heaven to hit up the neighbors for a treat.
Hesse Mountain in the Bighorns was Lupe’s last peakbagging success of her summer of 2014 Dingo Vacation.
SPHP woke up in the G6 about 7:30 AM on the morning of 8-4-14. Lupe and SPHP were parked near their favorite camping spot on the Clark’s Fork of the Yellowstone River in the Beartooth Mountains. The previous day Lupe and SPHP had spent a wonderful long day climbing Lonesome Mountain, the highest mountain Lupe has ever climbed so far. The sky was overcast, but not too dark. SPHP had hopes of pitching the tent next to the Clark’s Fork of the Yellowstone, and spending a lazy recovery day there with Lupe while plotting new adventures in the Beartooths.
It was not to be. Although by 11:30 AM SPHP was able to claim Lupe’s favorite camping site, it started to rain. The rain lasted for several hours and then quit. The skies remained heavily overcast. The tent didn’t get set up. The mosquitoes were bad. The skies never cleared. Everything outside was sopping wet. No ray of sun appeared. Lupe and SPHP spent most of the day in the G6 resting up and waiting for the weather to break. It looked like it could start raining again at any moment. Another night was spent in the G6.
On 8-5-14, SPHP woke up at 6:45 AM. 52°F and still heavily overcast, almost foggy. Lupe was well rested again by now. There wasn’t going to be any keeping the lively dingo satisfied with another day in the G6. SPHP’s plans for more Lupe adventures in the Beartooths had to be scrapped. It was time to move on. Lupe and SPHP headed for Cody, WY via the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway, Hwy 296 and then Hwy 120. Lupe’s 2014 Dingo Vacation to the Canadian Rockies & Beartooth Mountains was rapidly drawing to a close.
It wasn’t over yet, though. The fog and clouds were hanging over the mountains to the W, but Lupe and SPHP drove out into the sunshine even before reaching the pass on Hwy 296. SPHP still had a few adventures in mind for Lupe. After fueling up in Cody, just to see something new Lupe and SPHP continued SE on Hwy 120 through Meeteetse all the way to Thermopolis. Lupe was happy just to be moving again with the opportunity to bark at cows and horses along the way. Neither SPHP nor Lupe had ever taken this route before, so it was all new and interesting.
Most of the way from Cody to Thermopolis was like much of Wyoming – sagebrush, dry high plains with ridges and buttes all around and higher mountains in the distance. Very Old West looking and largely unspoiled. Meeteetse is in the Greybull River valley where there were some green trees, green irrigated fields, and a little more going on. Meeteetse itself is less than 400 population. Thermopolis was considerably larger, around 3,000 population. It is named after natural hot springs in the area. After days spent outdoors, SPHP was pretty grimy. SPHP was looking forward to the hot springs as a great relaxing way to get cleaned up.
Lupe roaming the grounds at the Thermopolis hot springs with a Stegosaurus. American Dingoes are natural born leaders.
Fortunately the day hadn’t heated up much yet, with temperatures still around a comfortable 70°F. SPHP left Lupe in the G6 parked in the shade with the windows partially down. She set about entertaining herself by watching squirrels in the trees. SPHP spent a pleasant hour and a half in the pools or on the waterslide at the State Bath House, and returned much revived to the by-now bored dingo in the G6. Nothing promotes an appreciation of cleanliness like long days spent outdoors.
It was time to head for the Bighorn Mountains! The drive on Hwy 16/20 from Thermopolis to Worland was flat and dull with little to commend it, but heading E from Worland to Ten Sleep on Hwy 16 was another matter. The scenery was wild, remote and dramatic. At Ten Sleep, SPHP noticed that Dirty Sally’s was still open, but didn’t stop. E of Ten Sleep, Hwy 16 started up beautiful Ten Sleep canyon into the Bighorns.
A little over a mile past the lodge on Meadowlark Lake, SPHP turned S on FS road No. 429. SPHP parked the G6 just off No. 429 close to the highway. Lupe was certainly ready to get out and stretch her legs again. No. 429 is a gravel road that leads about a mile up through mostly open meadows to a forest near High Park Lookout(9,477 ft.). There is a small parking lot at the edge of the forest. A 15 minute hiking trail winds up through the forest to the old lookout tower. The now unmanned lookout tower is closed to the public due to a broken support beam.
Lupe along road No. 429 on her way to High Park Lookout in the Bighorn Mountains. No. 429 is accessed via Hwy 16 a little over a mile SE of Meadowlark Lake.
Lupe and SPHP followed No. 429 and then the hiking trail to the High Park Lookout summit. From some rocks near the lookout tower the best views were toward Meadowlark Lake to the NW and the higher mountains to the NNE. On the way back down to the G6, Lupe followed the trail to the little parking lot, but did not follow No. 429 again.
Instead, Lupe and SPHP took a shortcut through the beautiful high country meadows and a small forest. That got Lupe more into the spirit of things than just following the road. She started sniffing and exploring around more enthusiastically.
Lupe at the High Park Lookout in the Bighorn Mountains. Photo looks N.At look back up at High Park Lookout. Lupe was already on her way back to the G6. Photo looks S.
From High Park Lookout, Lupe and SPHP had seen lots of clouds around. To the N where the Cloud Peak Wilderness is, all the high country was lost in dark clouds and fog. Any thoughts SPHP had of taking Lupe to Cloud Peak were dashed.
There were fewer clouds to the S though, and SPHP started thinking about climbing Hazelton Pyramid as a substitute. Consulting the maps, SPHP found it might be possible to hike three 10,000+ foot peaks easily enough in a day – Hesse Mountain(10,382 ft.), Hazelton Pyramid(10,534 ft.), and Hazelton Peak(10,264 ft.). SPHP decided Lupe would try it the next day.
Lupe and SPHP headed E on Hwy 16 over Powder River Pass. About a mile E of Powder River Pass, SPHP turned S on gravel road No. 29 and about 1/8 mile later onto USFS Road No. 448. Half a mile later Lupe arrived at Munkres Pass. Hesse Mountain and Hazelton Pyramid had been visible from No. 29 and looked like easy climbs. SPHP was satisfied that Munkres Pass was a good starting point for Hesse Mountain the next day.
Lupe and SPHP left Munkres Pass to find water and a place to park for the night. Water was found at Lost Cabin campground, and SPHP was fortunate to find a dispersed camping spot along gravel road No. 28 just after it crossed Merle Creek.
The G6 at the dispersed camping site on Merle Creek.
Lupe was quite happy with Merle Creek, a rushing little stream where she was able to drink and lay down to get cooled off. She soon found squirrels to bark at in the surrounding forest, always a major dingo benefit. SPHP checked the map and saw that only another 1.5 miles from Merle Creek, road No. 28 ended at the Sheep Mountain(9,610 ft.) lookout tower. Leaving the G6 at Merle Creek to claim the spot, Lupe and SPHP set out along No. 28 to go see the views from Sheep Mountain.
The lookout tower at the top of Sheep Mountain.
There wasn’t much to see. By the time Lupe and SPHP reached the top of Sheep Mountain, there was fog in every direction. Dark clouds and thunder were to the E, but were moving farther away out onto the prairie beyond the Bighorns. No one else was around. Lupe and SPHP got up on the platform around the top of the lookout tower. SPHP took a few photos.
The area immediately around the tower was not yet in the fog, but it was close by on all sides. Less than 10 minutes after Lupe left, the Sheep Mountain Lookout Tower itself disappeared in the fog. On the way back, instead of following the road, Lupe and SPHP headed down the SW slope of Sheep Mountain going almost directly back to the G6 through a big opening in the forest.
A happy American Dingo arrives at the Sheep Mountain lookout tower to see what there is to see.Normally the views would be great from Sheep Mountain. When Lupe was there, not so much.Look, SPHP! The view is almost as good with my eyes closed!
Despite the fog, the trek up Sheep Mountain had still been a pleasant excursion. Once back at the G6, Lupe had some Alpo and entertained herself barking at squirrels. Dusk came on. The squirrels called it a day and disappeared. Without the squirrels around, Lupe realized she was kind of tired too. She wanted to get in the G6. There she curled up for the night on her throne of blankets and pillows. SPHP stayed up sitting on a big stone next to Merle Creek until it was too dark to write.
Lupe in Merle Creek, Bighorn Mountains of Wyoming, 8-5-14
