2016 Canadian Rockies, Yukon & Alaska – Page 3 – The (Mostly) True Adventures of Lupe

Leaving Alaska & Lupe’s Return to Yukon Territory, Canada (9-1-16 & 9-2-16)

The end of Day 34, plus Day 35 of Lupe’s Summer of 2016 Dingo Vacation to the Canadian Rockies, Yukon & Alaska

Day 34, 9-1-16, 4:00 PM, 72°F – Well, it was over. After 7,500+ feet of elevation gain in the past 31 hours, Lupe was back at the Lazy Mountain Recreation Site trailhead. Blisters and a pulled muscle in the front right leg, suffered yesterday while coming down Pepper Peak, caused SPHP to hobble slowly onto the parking lot behind her.

Make that almost over. A tall, lanky, young guy immediately struck up a conversation. Both Lupe and SPHP just wanted to go the remaining 50 feet to the G6 and sit/lay down. Instead this complete stranger launched into a monologue about mountains and trails. He talked with a strange accent, or maybe a lisp, and seemed kind of, well – “off”, somehow.

Remind you of anyone, SPHP?

Oh, please! Silence, wisecracking Dingo of mine!

Actually the friendly stranger’s conversation would normally have been of great interest. He was a wealth of knowledge about Alaska, and what there was to do outdoors around here. Moreover, he was eager to share his experiences.

Where had he been for the last 3 weeks? Off or not, any other time SPHP would have enjoyed talking to him for hours, but not now. Not his fault, but his timing was atrocious. No need for his insight now. Lupe had just returned from Lazy Mountain (3,740 ft.), the last mountain she would climb in Alaska in 2016. Recuperation at the G6 was priority one.

After a seeming eternity, a brief lull came in the one-sided conversation. SPHP used the opening to wish the stranger well, and encourage his speedy enjoyment of the Lazy Mountain trail. Off he went, happy as a clam. SPHP limped 50 feet and unlocked the G6. Lupe eagerly leaped in. Now it was over! No more climbing mountains in Alaska. Sad, tragic really, but paws, feet, legs, and lungs all advised getting over it. Wow, it did feel good to rest!

With the G6’s windows down on this beautiful, warm afternoon so Lupe could sniff the air, SPHP drove the few miles back to Palmer. Brief stops for groceries and gas. A trip to McDonald’s. Lupe ate only one bite of cheeseburger. Surprising, but she knew how she felt. She seemed cheerful and perfectly fine.

At long last, off with the boots. What a relief! So much better! In stocking feet, SPHP drove E out of Palmer on the Glenn Highway, marvelously equipped with cheeseburgers, fries and a Coke. Lupe panted happily, looking out the window at the splendid scenery of the Matanuska River valley going by. A relaxing, astonishingly beautiful evening drive was ahead. After 22 unforgettable days in Alaska, Lupe was starting for home.

In a sense, Lupe had already been going home for 5 days, ever since she left Grace Ridge (3,136 ft.), back near Homer on the Kenai Peninsula. So far, though, every day had been mostly filled with adventures. She hadn’t really gotten all that far. The Carolina Dog was still more than 3,000 miles from home in the Black Hills. Time to make tracks. 450 miles per day for the next week should about do it.

The return trip would be fabulous! Endless forests, mountains, rivers, lakes, sky and clouds. A road trip made in heaven. Lupe’s Summer of 2016 Dingo Vacation to the Canadian Rockies, Yukon and Alaska had been a huge success! Time to kick back and enjoy the road home. Lupe would still have a chance for a few adventures along the way, if they weren’t too long, and there would be plenty of stops to stretch, sniff the air, and admire the world.

Lupe’s first stop this evening was to see the Matanuska Glacier again. She’d had absolutely fabulous views of it earlier on her Summer of 2016 Dingo Vacation when she’d climbed Lion Head (3,185 ft.).

The Matanuska Glacier from the Glenn Highway (Alaska Route 1).

Lupe stops for a quick look at the Matanuska Glacier again. She’d had absolutely fabulous views of it earlier on her Summer of 2016 Dingo Vacation when she’d climbed nearby **Lion Head (3,185 ft.)**. Photo looks S.

Snowy peaks near the Matanuska Glacier. Photo looks S using the telephoto lens.

Lupe didn’t make it much beyond the Matanuska Glacier this evening, stopping near Gunsight Mountain (6,441 ft.) for the night. Gunsight Mountain was the highest peak in Alaska that Lupe had climbed. She had met Laura from Montana, and Luke Hall from Australia up there.

The best views from the highway near Gunsight Mountain were to the S. The peaks in that direction appeared to have fresh new-fallen snow.

Looking S from the Gunsight Mountain area.

Day 35, 9-2-16, Predawn, 32°F – Orion hung low in the E. The pale light of dawn hadn’t arrived yet, but there was a hint of it on the horizon. The North Star was high overhead. Northern lights, not a great display, but easily seen, streamed from the N toward the coming sun.

With the G6’s right headlight not working, it was still too early to leave the Gunsight Mountain area. Lupe and SPHP walked W along an abandoned stretch of the old Glenn Highway. Chilly out, but Lupe was in fine form, sniffing like mad among the bushes lining the old road. A mile, maybe a mile and a half later, it was time to turn around.

The were-puppy attacked SPHP! Once the were-puppy was fended off, the Carolina Dog showed off how fast and agile she was, racing up and down the road, running circles around SPHP. Ahh, to feel like that! So much energy and joy of living! Shrill Dingo barking filled the air for a couple of minutes before Lupe returned to sniffing.

On the way back to the G6, sunrise was on its way. Soon time to depart.

Looking E from the Gunsight Mountain area on Lupe’s last morning in Alaska.

First light hits the peaks S of Gunsight Mountain. Photo looks S.

Heading E toward Glenn Allen, Mount Drum (12,010 ft.) came into view. Lupe hadn’t seen it before. When she’d first arrived in Alaska, the towering white monsters of the Wrangell Range were all shrouded by clouds. Now they basked in brilliant sunshine. Lupe saw them from various angles as SPHP followed the highway beyond Glenn Allen around to the Tok Cut-Off.

SPHP meant to stop at the same viewpoint overlooking the Copper River where Lupe had stopped before, but somehow missed it. The white monsters were far from the highway, but could be seen for many miles. After a while, though, they receded from view as the miles clicked by.

One of the white monsters of the Wrangell Range SE of Glenn Allen. SPHP didn’t know their names, but they were spectacular peaks covered in huge quantities of snow and ice.

One hell of a sledding hill! Kind of a rough ending, though.

After being in view for many miles as Lupe circled them to the N, the huge white Wrangell Mountains began to recede in the rear view mirror.

After all her many Alaskan adventures, Lupe was feeling pretty relaxed on this first full day of driving on her way home.E of Tok, Lupe crossed the Tanana River. She was happy to get out of the G6 to stretch her legs a bit.

Lupe stretches her legs after crossing the Tanana River, which flows all the way NW to Fairbanks. The Tanana is ultimately a tributary of the Yukon River.

Lupe near the Alaskan Highway bridge over the Tanana River E of Tok. Photo looks downstream toward the NW.

With the majestic high peaks of the Wrangell Mountains now far behind, Lupe traveled through an area of lower hills, ridges and distant mountains. Fall was coming to Alaska, as Lupe was leaving. There were many hills with colorful displays of fall colors.

Lupe stops along the Alaska Highway for a photo with the fall colors.

Lupe left Alaska, returning to Yukon Territory in Canada around 2 PM Alaska Time (3 PM Pacific Time). Soon she was seeing bigger mountains closer by again. She crossed the White River without stopping. A few weeks earlier, it had been wide and impressive, but now it was mostly dried up.

After Lupe left Alaska entering Yukon Territory, she began to see higher mountains near the Alaska Highway again.

Yukon Territory from the Alaska Highway.

By the time Lupe reached the Donjek River, it was getting to be late afternoon. The Donjek was running low, too, but it seemed like a good time to get out of the G6 to stretch and walk around a bit. Lupe went for short walks on both sides of the scenic river, spending about 45 minutes in the area.

Lupe near the NW bank of the mighty Donjek River. Of course, the river was running low this time of year. Photo looks SW.

The Donjek River is a major tributary of the White River. Both are part of the Yukon River’s drainage area.

Most of the Donjek was mud flats when Lupe was here, but the river must be gigantic during the spring runoff when the snow melts.

The beautiful mountains and impressive river bed of the Donjek invite exploration, but away from the Alaska Highway this is true wilderness.

The Alaska Highway bridge over the Donjek River. Although the mountains to the SW looked high, remote and dangerous, this one to the E looked like something Lupe could climb if she’d had enough time. Photo looks E.

The Donjek has a braided floodplain. This was only one small channel. Love that big cloud boiling up over the far ridge!

Lupe on the SE bank of the Donjek now. There was more flow over here. Photo looks WSW.

Lupe’s time along the Donjek River was a wonderful break. The whole area was so beautiful and remote. Lupe and SPHP were lucky to be here to see it. There are still amazing places in the world far beyond casual exploration. The Donjek and White Rivers capture the imagination, but few ever glimpse more of them than Lupe was seeing from near the highway.

A little S of the Donjek River, a mountain with new snow on top caught SPHP’s fancy.

This striking mountain with new snow on it some miles S of the Donjek River caught SPHP’s fancy, and gave Lupe another opportunity to sniff around for a few minutes out of the G6.

For the last 5 or 6 days Lupe had been in Alaska, the sky had been almost totally clear. However, there were quite a few clouds here in the Yukon. Near Destruction Bay on Kluane Lake, Lupe and SPHP drove through rain showers. Lupe saw a rainbow.

Rainbow near Destruction Bay on Kluane Lake.

In Kluane National Park, Lupe and SPHP stopped again at the Tachal Dahl visitor center in the Slims River valley at the S end of Kluane Lake. The visitor center was closed. Not a soul was around. SPHP made use of one of the picnic tables to prepare dinner. Lupe was eager to help SPHP make the last can of beef stew and remaining cheese disappear, but she buried a cracker with her nose.

The mood had changed remarkably since Lupe had been here in early August. Back then, there had been activity. It hadn’t been crowded at all, but people had been around. The Alaska Highway had lots of traffic. The days were warm and bright, and the sun stayed up late. Dust had been blowing dramatically down the Slims River valley toward Kluane Lake.

Now there was new snow on the mountaintops. The air was chilly. The Slims River valley was still dry, but no dust blew. No one at all was around. Traffic on the Alaska Highway was only a trickle. The whole place felt deserted, like late fall with early winter knocking on the door. SPHP ate while watching two large herds of wild sheep high up on Sheep Mountain (6,400 ft.). Lupe sniffed around nearby.

Lupe returns to the Slims River valley in Kluane National Park in the Yukon near the Tachal Dahl visitor center. The mood had changed since early August when Lupe had last been here. The mountains had new snow on them. A chill was in the air. Dust no longer blew down the still parched Slims River valley toward Kluane Lake. Photo looks SW.

Although it was only September 2nd, new snow on the mountains already hinted of the approach of another deadly cold, dark winter.

Lupe was more than 500 miles from Palmer, Alaska now. She’d made her 450 miles for the day from where she’d left Gunsight Mountain this morning, so it was time to stop for the night. As the light of day faded much earlier than it had only 3.5 weeks ago, Lupe got to spend time playing and sniffing around the S shore of Kluane Lake once more.

Lupe at the S shore of Kluane Lake. Photo looks W.

Sheep Mountain from Kluane Lake. Photo looks NW.

Lupe spent the rest of the evening playing and sniffing around the S shore.

One thing hadn’t changed. Beyond Kluane Lake, a line of mountains marched endlessly away to the N horizon toward the Arctic. The remote peaks were part of a vast wilderness only a little less mysterious than before, and as beautiful and romantic as ever.

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Lazy Mountain, Chugach Range, Alaska (9-1-16)

Day 34 of Lupe’s Summer of 2016 Dingo Vacation to the Canadian Rockies, Yukon & Alaska

Pepper Peak (5,381 ft.) had been a stupendous day and a glorious summit, but Lupe and SPHP hadn’t really recovered yet from yesterday’s huge 4,500 feet of elevation gain. No matter. Feeling it or not, Lupe was climbing one more mountain today. The calendar now said September. After 3 fabulous, unforgettable weeks in Alaska, this was the American Dingo’s last full day in the Land of the Midnight Sun.

Lazy Mountain (3,740 ft.) was destined to be the last peak Lupe and SPHP would climb together in Alaska in 2016, or maybe forever. Tired or not, it was time to begin (9:55 AM, 48°F). At least Lupe had another clear, bright day. She was guaranteed some great views of Palmer, the Matanuska River valley all the way to the Knik Arm off Cook Inlet, and mountains in all directions.

Right away, Lupe had a choice to make. Two trails diverge near the trailhead parking lot. They both go about halfway up Lazy Mountain to where they meet again near a picnic table situated on a point with a view. A single combined trail goes the rest of the way to the summit. The old Lazy Mountain approach was supposed to be the steepest. The newer Lazy Moose trail is an easier climb, but winds around a bunch on switchbacks that add considerable distance.

Even though energy levels were low, Lupe and SPHP started straight up the Lazy Mountain trail. The reports were no joke. The trail started out steep. It didn’t stay that way long. It soon got steeper, and then stayed that way. Whoever named Lazy Mountain must have realized what they were in for, and decided they were too lazy to even attempt it. Otherwise, the name makes no sense at all.

As usual in most of Lupe’s Alaskan trail experiences, the Lazy Mountain trail started in a forest. Gradually the forest thinned, and tall bushes started to dominate. The forest had thinned out considerably, by the time Lupe reached the picnic table near the intersection with the Lazy Moose trail. It had been a long, hard climb with frequent rest breaks, but Lupe was halfway up the 3,000 feet of elevation gain needed to reach the summit.

At the picnic table, SPHP chatted for a little while with a guy who came running (yes, running!) up the same Lazy Mountain trail Lupe and SPHP had just staggered up. He said he lives in Palmer, and runs this far up Lazy Mountain 3 times a week. He plays in a Christian music band, and was very surprised to hear that Lupe lives in South Dakota.

Why he was flying to Sioux Falls, SD tomorrow to play in a big concert there! He had been with his band to South Dakota many times, including Pine Ridge and Lupe’s Black Hills. South Dakota was a hot spot for his kind of music. He wished Lupe and SPHP well, before running off down the longer Lazy Moose trail.

Small world. Sort of. Lupe still had another 1,500 feet of mountain climbing left to do in Alaska. Somehow it still loomed large, not small. Lupe’s trek resumed. Still steep, but perhaps not quite as steep as before. Tall bushes dominated, but most of the trees were gone. On and on. Up and up, for a while longer.

Finally, Lupe was past the bushes. She was up in the tundra zone. Some places were devoid even of the tough, beautiful, little tundra plants. Bare dirt and small rocks were exposed. Lupe had made a lot of progress up the mountain by now. For a while, the trail leveled out. There was even a completely flat section! A high point that might be the summit was in view ahead.

Getting there! Lupe climbing Lazy Mountain. She’s already up above tree line here. Only scattered clumps of bushes and tundra remain. Photo looks NE.

For a while, SPHP wasn’t sure which high point might be the true summit of Lazy Mountain. It turned out to be the one on the L that the trail is heading for. Photo looks NE.

The trail soon started climbing again, but never as steeply as earlier on. Below a ridge, Lupe passed a second picnic table. The built-in benches were in good shape, but nearly all the boards forming the table part were missing. Lupe did not stop. She kept on going. Her final climb in Alaska was dead ahead.

Lupe on her final climb in Alaska. The top of Lazy Mountain is in view only a short way ahead. Photo looks NE.

Lupe gained the summit ridge. It wasn’t terribly long, maybe 100 feet. At the far NE end, was a smaller ridge of solid lumpy-looking rock. The true summit of Lazy Mountain was perched at the far end of the little ridge, perhaps an extra 20 feet above the main ridge.

Lupe rests in the shade at the base of the lumpy rock ridge at the far NE end of Lazy Mountain’s main summit ridge. Matanuska Peak is the high point in the background. Photo looks SE.

Lupe scrambled up to the highest point at the far end of the lumpy rock ridge. She was done mountain climbing in Alaska! This was it, the true summit of Lazy Mountain (3,740 ft.)!

Lupe perched at the true summit of Lazy Mountain, having just completed all of her mountain climbing in Alaska in 2016. Photo looks NNE.

Lupe could not be persuaded to stay up at the highest point on Lazy Mountain when SPHP tried to back down off the lumpy ridge for a more distant shot of her at the summit. There was quite a bit of exposure up there, and not a lot of room to maneuver.

It was OK, she had made it to the top for a good close up. Not to mention all the many other dramatic peaks she had climbed on her Summer of 2016 Dingo Vacation! If the Carolina Dog felt better a little lower down, she had certainly earned a reprieve from posing at the top of precipices.

Lupe on the lumpy rock ridge. The true summit of Lazy Mountain is on the L. Lupe couldn’t be persuaded to remain at the high point long enough for SPHP to scramble back down for a more distant photo of her up there. The high point had a lot of exposure and not a lot of room. Photo looks ENE.

Matanuska Peak from Lazy Mountain. Photo looks SE.

Mountain climbing in Alaska was over. Time to take a look around at what Lupe could see from her last Alaskan mountain. Unlike most of the mountains Loop had climbed, where the most impressive views were of other mountains, Lazy Mountain’s most dramatic views were down toward the Matanuska River valley.

More than 3,000 feet below Lazy Mountain, the braided confluence of the Matanuska River and Knik River could be seen to the SW near the start of the Knik Arm of the North Pacific Ocean off Cook Inlet. Bodenburg Butte (886 ft.) rising more than 600 feet above immediately surrounding terrain, looked like a little hill.

The Matanuska River (Center) flows toward the Knik River (L). They have a braided confluence near the Knik Arm seen on the upper R. Bodenburg Butte(L) looks like a little hill from Lazy Mountain. Photo looks SW.

The most dramatic mountains Lupe could see from Lazy Mountain were very far away to WSW, in the direction of Mount Susitna (4,396 ft.), also known as Sleeping Lady. (The Legend of Sleeping Lady) Well beyond Mount Susitna were impressive white mountains on the edge of vision.

Mount Susitna (Sleeping Lady) is the long blue ridge, subject of a local legend. Photo looks WSW from Lazy Mountain using the telephoto lens.

High, white mountains could be seen faintly very far away beyond Mount Susitna. Photo looks W using the telephoto lens.

Considerably closer, it was possible to see several smaller peaks with snow and ice on them in other directions.

Unknown peak with snow in view from Lazy Mountain. Taken using the telephoto lens.

Matanuska Peak (6,093 ft.) to the SE was easily the most impressive of the nearby mountains.

Matanuska Peak (L) was easily the most impressive of the mountains nearby. Photo looks SE.

Matanuska Peak through the telephoto lens.

Even including the larger summit ridge, and not just the small, final lumpy rock part leading to the true summit, there wasn’t much exploring to be done up on Lazy Mountain. Lupe could see virtually the entire summit area at a glance. However, there was plenty of room to move around some from one end to the other, gaining slightly different vantage points.

Except for the highest lumpy rock part where the true summit is, most of Lazy Mountain’s summit area is in view here. The town of Palmer is below, mostly on the far side of the Matanuska River. Mount Susitna can be made out on the far horizon. Part of the Talkeetna Range is seen on the R. Photo looks W.

Lupe found a shady spot close to the lumpy rock ridge where she could doze a bit. SPHP relaxed gazing off first in one direction, then another, seeing dazzlingly beautiful Alaska, possibly for the last time, from the top of a mountain Lupe had climbed.

Lupe dozes a little below the true summit. Photo looks NE.

Lupe stayed up on Lazy Mountain for 45 minutes. The time came to start thinking about moving on. Despite the rigors of the steep trail up, the perfect day and wonderful views at the top had made Lupe’s final climb in Alaska a lovely, memorable experience. Now only the return trip down the mountain remained.

Looking down on the town of Palmer, situated mostly on the far side of the Matanuska River. Photo looks WSW.

The Matanuska flows away toward the Knik Arm. Photo looks SW.

Starting down the trail. Several peaks of interest are seen along the far ridge. Straight up from Bodenburg Butte, the little hill in the valley at (Center), are 3 dark wavy peaks. The two on the L are **East Twin Peak (5,840 ft.)**(L) and **West Twin Peak (5,472 ft.)**(R). To their L across a gentle saddle is a seemingly unimpressive hill in sunlight. That hill is actually **Pepper Peak (5,381 ft.)** where Lupe had such a tremendous adventure only a day earlier. The high point of the dark peaks to the L of Pepper Peak is **Pioneer Peak (6,398 ft.)**. Photo looks SW.

When Lupe got down close to the first picnic table, she took the Lazy Moose trail instead of the Lazy Mountain trail. The Lazy Moose trail was considerably longer, but not nearly so steep. The trail had markers along it, which seemed to represent feet traveled along the trail, starting from the lower end.

The first marker Lupe came to said 15,800, implying that Lupe was about 3 miles from the trailhead. The markers were about 1,000 feet apart on the higher part of the trail. Lower down, they were consistently 200 feet apart. The Lazy Moose trail had lots of switchbacks and general winding around. The markers told the story of Lupe’s progress down her last Alaskan mountain.

Lupe enjoyed trotting and sniffing along the easier trail. Late afternoon on the first day of September was comfortably sunny and warm. Lupe led SPHP down Lazy Mountain, exploring for only a little longer the fabled Land of the Midnight Sun (4:23 PM, 72°F).

Loop on the Lazy Moose trail, Lazy Mountain, Chugach Range, Alaska.

Directions to the Lazy Mountain Recreation Area trailhead: From the Glenn Hwy in Palmer, go E on Arctic Road (Old Glenn Highway) for 2.5 miles. Take a L on Clark-Wolverine Road, 0.5 mile after crossing the Matanuska River. Proceed 0.5 mile to a T intersection. Take a R on Huntley Road, following it to the end. Stay to the R going down to the trailhead parking lot.

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Matanuska Peak, Chugach Range, Alaska (9-5-19)