2017 Yukon & Alaska – The (Mostly) True Adventures of Lupe

Big Baldy Mountain, the Judith Basin County High Point, Montana (9-12-17)

Days 42, 43 & 44 of Lupe’s 2017 Dingo Vacation to the Yukon & Alaska!

9-10-17, 7:09 AM, 45°F, E of Vanderhoof, British Columbia – Time to scoot! Lupe was on her way home. With her successful ascent of Harvey Mountain in Babine Mountains Provincial Park near Smithers yesterday, her adventures in Canada were concluded. Only one big adventure left to go on this Dingo Vacation, and that would be in Montana, more than 1,000 miles away.

SPHP drove E on Hwy 16. A fuel stop in Prince George, then Lupe was seeing new territory heading S along Hwy 97. Pretty country, but a far more populated region than staying on Hwy 16 would have been. Lupe liked this route well enough; she had cows and horses to bark at. SPHP preferred the more secluded, remote feel of Hwy 16. Still it was fun to see something new.

The drive went on all day. Lupe escaped the G6 at a few scenic breaks along the way. She saw the Thompson River a little N of Spences Bridge.

After a long drive S on Hwy 97 from Prince George, Lupe escaped the G6 for this view of the **Thompson River**. Photo looks S.

Looking upstream along the **Thompson River**. Southern British Columbia was much drier than the Yukon and Alaska where Lupe had spent the vast majority of this Dingo Vacation.

At Spences Bridge, SPHP turned E. Hwy 8 was winding, narrow, and far less traveled. Lupe visited the Nicola River. The river was running low.

The quiet, slow pace ended at Merritt. Traffic zoomed S along Hwy 5A, then E on Hwy 97C over highlands before dropping down to a junction with Hwy 97 again. SPHP drove S along the W shore of Okanagan Lake. The huge, long lake was beautiful, but this area was all citified. Traffic was bumper to bumper all the way to Penticton.

S of Penticton, Lupe needed relief from the G6 again. She found it at a park at the S end of Skaha Lake in Okanagan Falls.

At the S end of **Skaha Lake**, Okanagan Falls, British Columbia. Photo looks N.

Oh, yeah! This is better! Say are we going to climb any of the mountains around here, SPHP? …. Fraid not, Looper, you’re on the way home. You have only one more adventure, and that’s still far away in Montana.

Lupe left Canada near Osoyoos. While the Okanagan Lake area had been thriving and overrun with people, N Washington State looked dry, deserted, desolate. Night fell along Hwy 20 E of Tonasket putting an end to Looper’s travels for the day.

9-11-17 – Last night there had been stars in the wee hours. Even the moon was out. For a month and a half, Lupe had scarcely seen them in the far N. The night sky made a good impression, but Lupe woke to find herself in Mordor.

Across Washington, Idaho, and into Montana, the farther E the Carolina Dog went, the browner and yellower the world became. Only the tinder dry forests somehow remained green. Had even a drop of rain fallen on this parched land since Lupe left home at the end of July? Didn’t look like it. The day was hot. Smoke filled the air.

Are you scared, SPHP?

Not at all, why would I be scared?

You never told me we’d be going to Mordor!

Oh, yeah. Looks that way, doesn’t it, Loop? Guess you’ve figured it out. Peakbagging Mount Doom ought to be a spectacular end for your 2017 Dingo Vacation to the Yukon & Alaska, don’t you think?

Mount Doom! Are you crazy? I thought you might have something special planned for my last adventure, but Mount Doom? I don’t mind telling you, I am a bit scared. Do you have it?

Have what?

Don’t be so coy. You know what I mean.

Actually, I don’t.

Do I have to drag it out of you, SPHP? The ring! Do you have the ring?

What ring?

The ring of power!

Oh, that. Why yes, I think so. Should be in the glove box, unless I left it on the nightstand at home, or maybe it was in that box of odds and ends I took to the Salvation Army before we left.

You took the ring of power to the Salvation Army? You can’t be serious!

Maybe. I don’t remember for sure, Loop. Anyway, what’s the difference? What good is having a ring of power? They haven’t been perfected yet. Nearly all of them have serious manufacturer’s defects. You can never use them, and they just cause endless trouble. Why, even recycling them is a major pain. Look at all the inconvenience Frodo had to go through.

Well, if you didn’t want the ring of power, SPHP, you could have given it to your dearest Dingo, or at least put it up on eBay, and have gotten something for it. Maybe you don’t care to have a ring of power, but they are in high demand from what I hear. They’re all the rage! A ring of power would have brought a pretty penny on eBay, I bet. Besides, here we are, well into Mordor now, and you don’t even know what you did with it. Everyone else that’s got a ring of power is obsessed with keeping track of it. But not you, SPHP. Oh no! You can’t be bothered with such trifles can you? How can you be so absent-minded? We are going to need that ring of power when we get to Mount Doom!

Oh, I suppose you’re right, Loopster. Remind me to look for it when we get to the Mount Doom trailhead. Don’t worry. It’s probably in the glove box, like I said before.

By nightfall, Lupe was back at King’s Hill Pass in the Little Belt Range, the same place she’d spent the first night of her long journeys.

9-12-17 – A bright morning. This was it! The last adventure! SPHP drove 2 miles NE from King’s Hill Pass to a R (E) turn off Hwy 89 onto USFS Road No. 3328. The dusty road wound N through the forest, and was fine for several miles. Looper rode with her head out the window eagerly watching for squirrels.

SPHP made a wrong turn onto USFS Road No. 3356, eventually realized the mistake, and returned to No. 3328 again. A couple miles farther N, and No. 3328 deteriorated to the point where SPHP would have turned back, if there had been a decent turnaround spot. The stony roadbed was beating the poor G6 to death.

Fortunately, No. 3328 improved going forward. At Jefferson Creek, Lupe reached an intersection. SPHP didn’t have a map of the area. A sketchy route description SPHP did have said to keep driving N on No. 3328 to a sharp bend in the road at Chamberlain Creek.

Once at Chamberlain Creek, the G6 could be abandoned. Lupe would then climb the forested slope to the E, and arrive up on a broad, open ridge a little over a mile S of Big Baldy Mountain (9,177 ft.). A short stretch of 4WD road would take the Carolina Dog to an obvious trail to the top from the SW. Seemed easy enough.

No. 3328 went W from Jefferson Creek. The road went a mile, curved N, then headed NNE. About 2 miles from Jefferson Creek, the road turned sharply W. No signs, but a quick inspection confirmed the existence of a small creek. SPHP stashed the G6 at the widest spot along the narrow road. Lupe was on her way!

*Remember to get the ring of power out of the glove box, SPHP!* Lupe on USFS Road No. 3328 ready to set out for Big Baldy Mountain. Photo looks NE.

Staying well S of the creek, Lupe left the road climbing E up a forested slope. The stream soon angled N. Lupe continued E.

An opening in the forest on the way up the slope. Photo looks NE.

The forested slope was steep, and rocky in spots. For some mysterious reason, heavy equipment had mowed down wide swathes of the forest, then left the dead trees piled up in the openings. Lupe worked through several such bands of destruction before getting above the highest one.

After gaining 700 feet of elevation or more, the terrain finally leveled out. Lupe arrived up on a wide saddle.

Nothing looked right! The saddle was completely forested. No open ground, no 4WD road, no trail, no sign anyone ever came here! Big Baldy Mountain wasn’t even in sight.

After climbing more than 700 feet up the ridge, Lupe arrives at a forested saddle not at all like what SPHP had been expecting.

Lupe and SPHP searched for a trail. Nada. Higher ground was SW or NE. To the SE, the terrain dropped away on the other side of the saddle. SPHP made an arrow on the ground out of big sticks. The arrow pointed W where Lupe had come up. Maybe the arrow would come in handy later on when trying to find the way back?

Big Baldy Mountain was almost certainly somewhere N of here. With the arrow in place, Lupe headed NE through the forest. She was soon gaining elevation steadily, though not as rapidly as before. After a little more than 0.25 mile, a meadow of dead grass and scattered dead trees could be seen ahead.

0.25 mile NE of the saddle, Looper enters a meadow of dead grass and scattered dead trees. Photo looks NNE.

Lupe headed NNE through the meadow. When she reached the shade of a live tree, she was ready to for a break. It was hot and sunny. The Most High Exalted Dingo of the Arctic Sisterhood was no longer used to such a climate. She eagerly lapped up water SPHP provided, then took it easy, panting in the shade.

*Whew! We aren’t in Alaska any more are we, SPHP? Mordor is like an oven!*

Close to this live tree, a road was coming up a long slope from the SE. For a 4WD road, it was in surprisingly good shape.

Lupe ready to roll again next to the road she discovered close to her shady pine tree. Photo looks SSE.

With any luck at all, this was the 4WD road that would take Lupe to the trail up Big Baldy Mountain. Before following the road, Lupe crossed it. She headed N until she was high enough to see what was beyond this broad ridge she now seemed to be on.

Oh, yeah! There was Big Baldy Mountain (9,177 ft.)! No mistaking it.

Crossing the ridge, Lupe caught this view of **Big Baldy Mountain**. Photo looks N.

Big Baldy was farther away than expected. SPHP must not have driven far enough N on USFS Road No. 3328. That little stream Lupe had started up by couldn’t have been Chamberlain Creek. No matter. Lupe had a longer trek in store, but certainly a doable one. Puppy, Ho! Onward!

Lupe and SPHP returned to the 4WD road, and began following it NW. The road climbed gradually, entered a stretch of forest, and emerged back out onto open ground. Lupe could see King’s Hill Pass from here.

**King’s Hill Pass** where Lupe had spent the night is at Center. **King’s Hill (8,008 ft.)** is the ridge on the L. **Porphyry Peak (8,192 ft.)** is the high hill on the R. Photo looks SW.

The road curved around the W side of a barren hill, then headed NE. Big Baldy Mountain was in sight ahead. Lupe passed through both forested and open territory on the way down to a saddle leading to Big Baldy.

From here, the road goes to a saddle leading straight to **Big Baldy**. Photo looks NE.

Heading down to the saddle. Photo looks NE.

*You know, SPHP, we spent all our time in the Yukon & Alaska hoping for sunshine. Now that we’re in Mordor, we’re spending it all hoping for shade!*

After crossing the saddle, Loop arrived at the start of the trail to the top of Big Baldy Mountain.

At the start of the trail up Big Baldy Mountain.

The first part of the trail wound up through a pine forest. The trail was dusty, eroded, and had lots of loose rocks. Lupe enjoyed the shade of the forest as long as she could. She had already seen that, soon enough, she would be up where there wasn’t a tree or bit of shade to be found.

Where it left the forest, the trail was steep and consisted entirely of small rocks. Lupe began the long, sunny part of the climb. At first, there were still occasionally a few trees where a Carolina Dog could take a shady break. Higher up, Lupe roamed a barren slope. Near the summit, progress became easier as the rate of climb steadily decreased.

Leaving the forest, the trail was all rock. Photo looks N.

For a while there were still scattered trees where Loop could take a break in the shade. The saddle Lupe crossed on the way here is the line of bare ground on the L. The road comes this way from the distant bare spot. Photo looks SW.

Looper could forget about shade the rest of the way from here. Photo looks NNE.

Big Baldy Mountain looks like a huge dome from the W. However, when Loop was almost to the summit, she discovered that the mountain drops sharply into a big canyon to the E. From the edge, Lupe could see Rhoda Lake 900 feet below.

**Big Baldy Mountain** looks like a giant dome from the W. Approaching the summit, however, Lupe discovered that the mountain drops sharply into a big canyon to the E. Photo looks E.

Almost there! Lupe along the E edge of **Big Baldy Mountain**. The summit is beyond her and a little to the R. Photo looks NNW.

**Rhoda Lake** from the E edge of **Big Baldy Mountain**. Photo looks E.

The summit of Big Baldy Mountain (9,177 ft.) was a large barren area strewn with smallish rocks. A crudely constructed cairn was at the high point. A metal box rested on the cairn weighed down by a single rock. Nearby, an old wooden sign giving the elevation as 9,175 feet stood close to the E edge. A white structure with solar panels and an antenna completed the man-made items atop the mountain.

The wooden sign, summit cairn, and white building with the solar panels and antenna. Photo looks SSW.

Since it was only mid-day, Lupe and SPHP lingered at the summit. Lupe had plenty of time to sniff around and check out the views. She drank water, devoured Taste of the Wild, and in general lazed about.

The air was somewhat smoky from distant forest fires. The views weren’t as clear as they might have been, but the smoke wasn’t too bad. Lupe could see many of the higher peaks of the Little Belt Range.

Looking N or NW(?) from **Big Baldy Mountain**.

**Long Mountain (8,621 ft.)** (Center) with help from the telephoto lens. Long Mountain is the Cascade County, Montana high point. Photo looks SW.

The far barren hill toward the L is likely **Yogo Peak (8,801 ft.)**. Photo looks SE.

The most impressive view was actually the one of Rhoda Lake.

The most impressive view from **Big Baldy Mountain** was the one looking down on **Rhoda Lake**. **Gibson Peak (8,065 ft.)** is on the L. The bare peak at Center far beyond the lake is **Bandbox Mountain (8,100 ft.)**. Photo looks E.

**Rhoda Lake** with **Bandbox Mountain** beyond at Center. Photo looks E.

**Rhoda Lake** with lots of help from the telephoto lens.

So, where’s Mount Doom, SPHP? How far away is it? I’ve looked in every direction, and I can’t even see it from here. Why didn’t we park closer?

This is it.

What do you mean? This is what?

This is Mount Doom.

Don’t be ridiculous! This can’t be Mount Doom! Where’s the impossibly craggy summit, the thick smoke, the intense heat? It’s warm out alright, and a bit smoky, but nothing like Mount Doom will be. Where are the bubbling lava streams and dark swirling clouds overhead? Where are the constant lightning strikes and all the rumbling earthquakes? Where are the explosive eruptions flinging fire and brimstone everywhere?

Hmm. I suppose you’ve got a point, there, Loopster. Two theories. Either we’ve come when Mount Doom is dormant – mountains can’t carry on like that all the time you know – or I got the route description to the trailhead messed up. In that case, this is some other peak.

Dormant! Mount Doom isn’t dormant! We’re at the wrong mountain. This doesn’t look remotely like Mount Doom. Neither does anything else around here. Sometimes I think you only pretend to be able to read maps. Did you even bring a map? I’ll bet you didn’t. Sheesh! Well, what do we do with it then, SPHP?

Nothing. You were right. I didn’t bring a map.

Not the map! The ring of power! What do we do with the ring of power? Just fling it over the edge and hope it lands in Rhoda Lake?

I suppose we could. Smeagol found a ring of power in a pond once, which had been a good hiding place for it for a long time, but I don’t think my arm is strong enough to throw the ring all the way to Rhoda Lake, unless it takes some mighty favorable bounces. Anyway, it doesn’t matter. The ring wasn’t in the glove box.

Wasn’t in the glove box? So you don’t actually have the ring of power with you?

No, not really.

Lupe thought for a moment.

Well, maybe that explains it, SPHP. Perhaps you were right. Maybe Mount Doom only goes nuts when the ring of power gets close? Since we haven’t actually got the ring with us, the mountain could be just disguising itself as this innocent looking big hill. There’s magic in Mordor, you know. Maybe the mountain is dormant and under a spell, just waiting for the ring to come closer?

Oh, I think you’ve hit upon it, Loop! That makes perfect sense! Or maybe it’s the power of the ring that causes the mountain to go crazy? Either way, it explains why nothing is happening here at the moment, which is for the best, anyway.

Ha ha! Mount Doom sure had me fooled, SPHP! What a disguise! I’m not used to dealing with magical places. Anyway, I’m kind of glad. This isn’t scary at all, and now we’ve peakbagged Mount Doom! There’s some bragging rights for ya! We don’t have to tell anyone the mountain was like this when we came. Let them think whatever they like.

Don’t sell yourself short, Loopster. You’ve been to plenty of magical places on this Dingo Vacation. We both have.

Since Big Baldy Mountain was the last big adventure of Lupe’s grand 2017 Dingo Vacation to the Yukon & Alaska, the American Dingo thought SPHP ought to open that metal box on the summit cairn. No doubt it contained a registry, and she wanted SPHP to enter her name. May as well leave proof that she had actually climbed Mount Doom!

Loop also wanted to check up on her friend mountaineer Jobe Wymore. Had Jobe ever been to Mount Doom? According to his ascent records on peakbagger.com, Jobe has been all over the place. Had he really done all that stuff? If so, he’d probably been to Mount Doom, too.

*So, SPHP, why don’t you open this metal box? Must have a registry in it, don’t you think? Put our names in there, and then see if you can find Jobe’s name anywhere. Pretty please?*

SPHP was happy to comply with the Carolina Dog’s wishes. The metal box contained not 1, but 3 registries. Lupe’s name got entered in the most recent one, then SPHP searched to see if Jobe had been here.

Tons of people had been on top of Mount Doom. Loopster was amazed! Who would have ever guessed? SPHP searched and searched, but wasn’t finding Jobe’s name. Then on about the last page SPHP checked in the last of the 3 registries, there it was.

*Hah! Here it is Looper, proof Jobe was here. Satisfied now?*

Lupe was happy that SPHP put her name in the registry. She was glad SPHP had found Jobe’s name. She wasn’t the least bit surprised that Jobe had been here, too. He sure does get around! Jobe was on the up and up. No doubt about it. What a modest guy, though. He’d never even mentioned that he climbed Mount Doom, but maybe Mount Doom had been dormant then, too, so it hadn’t seemed like such a big deal?

After close to an hour on Big Baldy Mountain, the inevitable end was drawing near. Lupe returned to pose on the summit cairn a final time. The last picture on the last summit of her 2017 Dingo Vacation to the Yukon & Alaska! The Most High Exalted Dingo of the Arctic Sisterhood tried to look indomitable, all noble and serious like. Even though Mount Doom wasn’t anywhere near the Arctic, it was a legendary peak.

On Big Baldy Mountain, Little Belt Range, Montana 9-12-17

Lupe was satisfied. She started down Big Baldy Mountain on the way back to the G6. It was a bittersweet moment for sure – sad to think her epic adventures culminating with an ascent of Mount Doom were all over, but good to be going home, too.

Starting down **Big Baldy Mountain**. Photo looks SW.

The arrow of sticks SPHP had made back down at the forested saddle was still there. Lupe did find it. She headed down the steep slope to the W, and eventually reached USFS Road No. 3328 again. There was the G6, just down the road a little way. (3:22 PM, 80°F)

On the W slope almost back to USFS Road No. 3328 and the G6.

At Jefferson Creek, not wanting to brave the worst of USFS Road No. 3328 again, SPHP tried going W on the intersecting road. USFS Road No. 267 had a zillion annoying speed bumps built into it, but proved to be a much shorter and far superior route back to Hwy 89.

9-13-17, 1:50 AM, Black Hills of South Dakota – The long drive was over. A weary SPHP parked the G6 in the driveway. Two minutes later, Lupe was trotting into her living room. All was quiet and dark. Nothing had changed. Everything was as she’d left it. SPHP flicked on the kitchen light. The Carolina Dog was ready for a drink of water, and a bite to eat.

While SPHP was distracted dishing up her Alpo, the Carolina Dog snuck up the dark hallway to the bedroom. She leapt up on the bed, then carefully and excitedly sniffed the top of the nightstand. A few moments later, Lupe sighed.

The ring of power wasn’t there.

Mount Doom

At first he could see nothing. In his great need he drew out once more the phial of Galadriel, but it was pale and cold within his trembling hand and threw no light into that stifling dark. He was come to the heart of the realm of Sauron and the forges of his current might, greatest in all Middle-earth; all other powers here subdued. Fearfully he took a few uncertain steps into the dark, and then all at once there came a flash of red that leaped upward, and smote the high black roof. Then Sam saw that he was in a long cave or tunnel that bored into the mountain’s smoking core. But only a short way ahead its floor and the walls on either side were cloven by a great fissure, out of which the red glow came, now leaping up, now dying down into darkness, and all the while far below there was a rumour and a trouble as of great engines throbbing and labouring. The light sprang up again, and there on the brink of the chasm, at the very Crack of Doom, stood Frodo, black against the glare, tense, erect, but still as if he had been turned to stone.

“Master!” cried Sam.

Then Frodo stirred and spoke with a clear voice, indeed with a voice clearer and more powerful than Sam had ever heard him use, and it rose above the throb and turmoil of Mount Doom, ringing in the roof and walls.

“I have come” he said. “But I do not choose now to do what I came to do. I will not do this deed. The Ring is mine!”

– from The Lord of the Rings, Return of the King, by J. R. R. Tolkien

Big Baldy Mountain trailhead notes:

Low clearance vehicles – Take Hwy 89 about 5 miles N from King’s Hill Pass to a R (E) turn onto unmarked USFS Road No. 267 only 0.25 mile N of milepost 34. (A large pullout is along the same side of Hwy 89 just N of this turn in the event it gets missed.) USFS Road No. 267 passes over (no ford) Jefferson Creek close to the highway. Follow No. 267 4 miles E to a L (N) turn on USFS Road No. 3328. Follow No. 3328 another 4 miles to Chamberlain Creek. Park here (wherever, Lupe never got this far) and climb the ridge to the E to arrive at the saddle close to the start of the trail up Big Baldy from the SW.

High clearance vehicles – It may be possible to drive right to the start of the trail SW of Big Baldy. Take Hwy 89 about 2 miles N from King’s Hill Pass to a R (E) turn onto USFS Road No. 3328. After 2 miles, a very sharp bend to the R (S) at an intersection puts you onto USFS Road No. 3356 (unmarked). 2 miles on No. 3356 brings you to the top of a ridgeline and another intersection. Go L (N) on USFS Road No. 251, following it 3.5 miles to a “Y”. Bear L (N) onto USFS Road No. 3300. The trailhead at the base of Big Baldy is about 4 miles N on No. 3300. Lupe did not explore this whole route. All distances are approximate. Intersections may not be marked. In general, remain up on the ridge after reaching No. 251, and head N staying W wherever possible.

Want more Lupe adventures? Choose from Lupe’s 2017 Dingo Vacation to the Yukon & Alaska Adventure Index, Dingo Vacations Adventure Index or Master Adventure Index. Or subscribe free to new Lupe adventures.

Harvey Mountain, Babine Mountains Provincial Park, British Columbia, Canada (9-9-17)

Days 39, 40 & 41 of Lupe’s 2017 Dingo Vacation to the Yukon & Alaska!

9-7-17, 6:24 AM, 44°F, Tombstone Territorial Park, Yukon Territory – Lupe and SPHP were awake dark and early. That’s right – dark and early. A week into September now, long days of the far north were ending. SPHP drove S on the Dempster Highway just to let the G6 warm things up a bit. Lupe stopped and had breakfast near the big sign at the entrance to Tombstone Territorial Park.

Lupe’s Tombstone Park adventures were over. She’d had a grand time climbing Surfbird Mountain, Goldensides, and taking the Grizzly Ridge trail to Grizzly Lake. In fact, Loopster was done here in the Yukon. It was time to head home, but home was thousands of miles away. Most of the remaining days of her 2017 Dingo Vacation to the Yukon & Alaska would be spent on the road. Still, there would be stops at various sights, and a couple more big adventures along the way.

After breakfast, Lupe rode shotgun watching for wildlife, while SPHP drove. The fall scenery was magnificent.

A week into September, the fall scenery along the Dempster Highway was magnificent.

Upon reaching the North Klondike Highway, SPHP turned SE toward Whitehorse, the capitol city of Yukon Territory. Whitehorse, which was 550 kilometers from where the Carolina Dog started this morning, was as far as Lupe was going today.

Lupe and SPHP had never been on the North Klondike Highway before. The road wound among countless hills, ridges, and valleys. There were mountains to be seen, but the highest ones were generally far away on some horizon. The highway crossed streams and rivers, and went past small lakes. Everywhere Loop looked, bright yellow forests of deciduous trees mixed with the dark greens of conifers.

The long, peaceful drive was beautiful and relaxing – just the ticket after Lupe’s nearly 14 hour day on the Grizzly Ridge trail yesterday. Loopster snoozed when she felt like it, but was always eager to get out of the G6 to look around when SPHP stopped briefly at memorable spots along the highway.

A view of the **Tintina Trench** from along the North Klondike Highway. Photo looks N.

The **Tintina Trench** is a geological feature which extends across the Yukon into Alaska. A fault line along the trench has shifted laterally 450 kilometers.

Patches of low clouds hang over the **Tintina Trench**. Photo looks N with help from the telephoto lens.

View of the **Five Finger Rapids** area on the **Yukon River**. Photo looks W.

**Fox Lake** was the largest lake Lupe saw along the North Klondike Highway. She wasn’t far from Whitehorse by the time she got here. Photo looks NW.

Late in the afternoon, Lupe arrived in Whitehorse. SPHP found a Jiffy Lube, and the G6 got a needed oil change. Evening featured a roasted chicken from President’s Choice. The American Dingo enthusiastically helped to devour the chicken at Takhini Hot Pools, which SPHP enjoyed for the second time on this Dingo Vacation.

9-8-17, 4:41 AM, 48°F in Whitehorse – Two foxes! SPHP watched them for a couple of minutes before Lupe woke up and saw them, too. A Dingo barkfest ensued, but the foxes only seemed perplexed and curious. After a minute or two of this abuse, they sauntered off together heading for downtown. Awesome!

Another relaxing day on the road. The morning featured gorgeous S Yukon Territory scenery along the Alaska Highway. After turning S on the Cassiar Highway, Lupe spent the afternoon in British Colombia. The Cassiar Highway was in better shape this year than in 2016. No more long stretches of gravel. Those had been replaced with new pavement. Smooth! Lupe passed by many beautiful lakes – Good Hope, Lang, Deese and others.

Lupe by the **Yukon River** SE of Whitehorse. Photo looks W.

With so many miles to go, it wasn’t possible to stop much. By late afternoon, after nearly 2 days in the G6, Lupe was getting restless. Something had to be done. A stop along the Stikine River for a 30 minute break helped. Loop found a squirrel up in the trees. Superb Dingo therapy!

Loop licks her schnoz after enjoying some **Stikine River** water. Photo looks ESE.

*About time you let me out of the G6!* Photo looks SW.

This is more like it! Searching for squirrels in the trees along the **Stikine River**. Found one, too! Oh, happy half hour!

Two black bears and a horse along the highway provided what little excitement there was the rest of the day. Between these episodes, Lupe’s eyelids grew heavy. She went back to snoozing. The highway went by many beautiful snow-capped peaks. Made 550 miles today. Stopped for the night somewhere S Ningunsaw Pass. Out of Alpo. Out of everything. Crackers for dinner. Oh, yum! (8:37 PM, 50°F)

9-9-17, 4:11 AM – Out to sniff the air, then onward! Turned out Lupe hadn’t been far from the Bell 2 rest stop last night. Reached it within 15 minutes. Later stopped briefly at Bell 1 near the Bell Irving River where Lupe had spent a night on her 2016 Dingo Vacation. In the dark, Bell 1 seemed just as mysterious now as it had back then.

5:55 AM – Still dark. Stopped to fuel up at Meziadin Junction. Raining! Not good. Hours to Smithers yet, though. Hopefully the rain will stop, so Lupe can climb Harvey Mountain (6,083 ft)!

From Meziadin Junction, it rained for a long way. Finally, though, the rain slackened to only intermittent showers. Still lots of clouds around, but even that situation improved enough so that by the time Lupe was approaching Smithers on Hwy 16, it was decided the American Dingo was at least going to take a shot at Harvey Mountain.

After a quick stop at Safeway in Smithers, Lupe and SPHP continued SE on Hwy 16. On the way out of town, the highway crossed a bridge over the Bulkley River. SPHP watched for a N (L) turn onto Old Babine Lake Road. The turn soon materialized. Several miles of twists and turns later, Lupe was heading up Driftwood Canyon.

10:10 AM, 47°F – The Harvey Mountain trailhead has limited parking. No problem. There was plenty of room for the G6. No other vehicles around. As soon as Lupe got out of the G6, she ran across the road over to Driftwood Creek for a drink. The rushing creek was shaded in deep forest. Mossy rocks lined the creek banks, and formed mossy islands midstream. Pretty, but once Looper was hydrated, it was time to hit the trail for Harvey Mountain (6,083 ft.)!

At **Driftwood Creek** right across Driftwood Road from the Harvey Mountain trailhead.

The Harvey Mountain trail proved to be an abandoned road or former jeep trail. Most of it was grassy, though a single track was beaten down to dirt a lot of the way. In some places, forest undergrowth had taken over all but the single track.

Looper hits the Harvey Mountain trail in **Babine Mountains Provincial Park**.

The trail started off easy enough, but that didn’t last long. Soon it was a steady uphill grind at a pretty fierce rate of climb. It stayed that way for a long way with only occasional short level stretches. SPHP was pausing frequently to catch breath. Lupe enjoyed showing off, trotting easily up and down the trail, while SPHP stood gasping between pushes onward and upward.

The trail switchbacked up a steep mountainside though dense forest. Other than the challenging rate of ascent, everything about this was easy. No rocks, no roots, no cliffs, no rough terrain or obstacles. In many places the whole grassy roadbed was exposed, so the trail was plenty wide, too. This was simply a relentlessly steep road hike.

Due to the dense forest, there were also no views. Even after gaining 2,000 feet of elevation, Lupe still hadn’t seen much of anything except trees. Oh, there were hints of views now and then, but not even a single decent opening appeared to allow some contemplation and appreciation of what was out there just beyond the forest.

Lupe came to a large yellow metal gate. The gate was padlocked shut to prevent any possibility of vehicle traffic on the trail. After passing this gate, the situation finally started to show some signs of changing. The forest ahead was beginning to thin out. Before long, Loop was emerging from the trees. A huge sloping alpine meadow was ahead.

After passing a large yellow metal gate, Lupe finally began to emerge from the forest.

As Lupe left the forest, she entered a huge, sloping alpine meadow. The trail went on in the general direction of the high point seen on the L. Photo looks E.

Onward and upward! Climbing the steep alpine meadow. Photo looks NW.

Lupe had gone a long way up the slope, when it became apparent rain was approaching from the SW. SPHP donned the blue rain poncho, then sat next to a modest-sized rock which had a cairn on it. Looper curled up on SPHP’s lap inside the rain poncho, hoping to stay dry, too.

Lupe was high on the long slope she’d been climbing when it became clear rain was on the way. Photo looks SW.

*Better get that rain poncho on fast, SPHP! The rain is almost here!* Photo looks W.

Staying dry while rain and fog sweep over Harvey Mountain.

Rain and fog swept over Harvey Mountain. Visibility was close to zero. The rain showers had seemed limited in scope, when SPHP saw them coming. 30 minutes later, however, Lupe and SPHP were still sitting next to the rock with the cairn in dense fog. Rain continued to fall.

The rain fell hardest shortly before suddenly ending. The fog flew away. Loop was out of the rain poncho like a shot when SPHP urged her to move. Locally the sky was brighter again, but ragged clouds clung to nearby mountains. More rain wasn’t far off in several directions.

Conditions after the shower weren’t nearly so bright and encouraging as SPHP had expected, but Harvey Mountain wasn’t being threatened at the moment. This was Lupe’s chance to make a break for the summit. Puppy, ho! Onward!

*Yes, we hid right here from the rain!* Photo looks S.

Lupe still at the rock with the cairn. From here she headed for the high point beyond her. Photo looks SE.

Although **Harvey Mountain** wasn’t directly threatened at the moment, ragged clouds clung to nearby mountains. Photo looks N.

The trail had completely faded away even before the rain hit. Loop was climbing SE following Harvey Mountain’s broad NW ridge. Cairns were seen every now and then, but the route was clear enough without them. The obstacle free terrain was getting even easier. The slope of the ridge was decreasing as Lupe progressed.

Going up the very broad NW ridge. A small cairn is seen beyond Lupe a little to the R. Photo looks SE.

The topo map showed a high point labeled “Mt. Harvey” toward the N end of the mountain. This N high point couldn’t be the true summit. The map also clearly showed a higher contour well to the SSE. Since the N high point was closest, Lupe went looking for it first.

The Carolina Dog climbed or skirted several minor high points along the N end of the mountain before reaching the highest one. She sometimes had glimpses of impressive mountains and the deep valley to the N, but even during this break in the clouds, Looper could seldom see very far. She did get a good look at the true summit of Harvey Mountain from one of the minor high points.

Even during this local break in the clouds, Lupe could seldom see very far. She did get glimpses now and then like this one of the huge, deep Driftwood Creek valley to the N. The S end of **Mt. Elmsted** is on the L. Photo looks NNE.

The true summit at the S end of **Harvey Mountain** is the dark knob directly beyond Lupe. Photo looks SSE.

The true summit (L) from the same spot with help from the telephoto lens.

Looking toward **Mt. Hyland** (R) during a rare semi-break in the clouds in that direction. Photo looks NE.

Once Lupe made it to the highest of the N high points, the one marked “Mt. Harvey” on the topo map, all that remained was an easy trek across an undulating summit plateau to the true summit. Loop could see her destination from here.

Lupe at the N high point. The true summit is in the distance at Center. Photo looks SSE.

Another view from the N high point showing more of Harvey Mountain’s summit plateau. The true summit is on the L. Clearly there’s another spot on the mountain higher than where Lupe is on the R. Call it the S Central high point. Photo looks S.

The weather made the otherwise simple trek to the summit far more dramatic than it otherwise would have been. Fog repeatedly streamed by out of the SW producing temporary whiteouts, or giving the summit plateau a ghostly aura. Big patches of blue sky also appeared, suddenly bathing the American Dingo in brilliant sunshine.

Another look at the true summit from the same spot. Photo looks SE with help from the telephoto lens.

The true summit of Harvey Mountain was up on a small ridge of dark colored rock. This ridge was 25 to 30 feet long, 5 to 10 feet wide, and sat 25 to 30 feet above the immediately surrounding terrain. Looper easily scrambled to the top from the W end. Except for doubt caused by the weather, Harvey Mountain (6,083 ft.) had been cake!

Loopster claims another peakbagging success at the summit of **Harvey Mountain**. Photo looks E.

On a clear day, Lupe would have had some spectacular views of the Babine Mountains from **Harvey Mountain**. No such luck today!

With the weather as dicey as it was, Lupe only got to spend 10 minutes at the summit before SPHP thought it best to start the descent. Reaching Harvey Mountain’s summit was still an accomplishment, even if Lupe didn’t have long to relish her success.

More rain showers in the distance. Photo looks SW.

Looking NNW back across the summit plateau. Lupe came here from this direction. The S Central high point is on the L. The N high point is the dark bump R of Center.

Sunshine in the distance. The S Central high point is on the R. Photo looks W.

SE of the summit, Harvey Mountain dropped very steeply away into a deep canyon. Lupe could see clear to the bottom. Clouds continually hid Pyramid Mountain on the other side. The topo map suggested it might be possible to journey over to Pyramid Mountain and an even higher peak to the E traversing a saddle farther N, but the weather squelched all ideas of giving that a try.

In fact, after only 10 or 12 minutes at the summit, with another line of showers approaching from the SW, Lupe had spent long enough up here. The American Dingo would have had tremendous views of the Babine Mountains on a clear day, but that didn’t seem to be in the cards. Loop had better start her descent in case the situation decided to take a turn for the worse.

So Lupe left the summit of Harvey Mountain. She proceeded NW toward the S Central high point.

On the way to the S Central high point (L) after leaving the summit. Photo looks NW.

This time, Lupe did go to the top of the S Central high point. By the time she got there, though, the next squall had arrived. This one was mostly a dense fog. Once again, everything disappeared from view. Raindrops fell at first, quickly followed by snow granules.

Lupe was stuck here. The snow granules, which stung a little driven by the wind, weren’t the problem. With no trail and no visibility, it would be way too easy to get turned around.

Another wait doing nothing. The wind and snow made it cold. SPHP started getting nervous when the fog didn’t show any sign of breaking up quickly. 20 minutes went by. Finally, the outline of another hill not far to the N could be seen. Lupe headed for it, and the fog thinned some more. Enough so Loop could keep going.

After waiting more than 20 minutes up on the S Central high point, the outline of another hill to the N could be seen. Lupe headed for it. Photo looks N.

By the time Loop was near the N end of the mountain again, the fog was only wispy. She turned and started down the broad NW ridge. Blue sky appeared! Oh, yeah! Nearby, though, clouds still prevailed.

Looper back near the N end of **Harvey Mountain** again as wisps of fog continue to sweep by. The summit she’d left behind is on the L, the S Central high point on the R. Photo looks S.

Blue sky returns! Summit on the L. Photo looks S.

Improvements in the weather looked potentially temporary. Photo looks W.

By the time Lupe reached the last big rock formations on the NW ridge, she was in sunshine. She had it made now. The trail was just down the big alpine slope from here. Once she reached the trail, it wouldn’t matter how foggy it got.

In sunshine on the last big rock formation on the NW ridge. Photo looks SSW.

Looking W from the same spot. Lupe would pick up the trail again down toward the L.

A peek back to the NE before continuing the descent.

Beautiful W slope of Harvey Mountain. Photo looks S.

Of course, Lupe did reach the trail. The return was super simple the rest of the way. Gravity helped to make it all so easy compared to SPHP’s huffing and puffing ascent. The weather steadily improved (naturally!). Looper even saw the glacier on Hudson Bay Mountain (8,494 ft.) off to the WSW, although the summit remained shrouded.

**Hudson Bay Mountain** W of Smithers is an ultra prominent peak (more than 5,000 ft. of prominence). Photo looks WSW.

After glimpsing Hudson Bay Mountain, it was down the winding trail through the forest all the way back to the trailhead. (3:46 PM, 59°F)

On the pleasant, now sunlit, journey back to the trailhead.

Back for another taste of refreshing **Driftwood Creek**.

*Delicious! Why don’t you ever have any, SPHP?*

Harvey Mountain was destined to be the last peak Lupe climbed in Canada in 2017. After another round of refreshment in Driftwood Creek, the Carolina Dog left the Babine Mountains returning to Highway 16. The rest of the day was spent on the road, traveling SE through gorgeous British Columbia toward Prince George.

Loop didn’t make it all the way to Prince George. Toward evening she stopped for another adventure. This adventure wasn’t about climbing mountains, instead it was an adventure in beauty. In 2016, when Lupe had been on her way NW on Hwy 16, she had stopped at the prettiest city park, Steelhead Park, in the little town of Houston.

Steelhead Park is right along the highway. It isn’t very large, but walkways lead across a beautifully manicured lawn past shady trees and carefully cultivated flower beds. There is even a fountain. A stop to stretch those legs and enjoy Steelhead Park again was a must!

Lupe sets out on an adventure in beauty at **Steelhead Park**.

**Steelhead Park** features beautifully manicured lawns and carefully cultivated flower beds.

*Whatcha think, SPHP? Do I look good in pink? …. Oh, yes! You’re so beautiful, Looper!*

*See any tall, dark, and handsome Dingoes around, SPHP? This is my sweet come hither look. …… Oh my, deadly!*

By the fountain featuring leaping **Steelheads**.

**Harvey Mountain** was the last mountain I’m going to get to climb in Canada this year? That’s a sad thought!

*Purple and gold! Think the Minnesota Vikings need an American Dingo mascot? I’d be pretty scary with horns, you know. Give me the ball, and I’m fast enough to score touchdowns, too!*

*No, on second thought, maybe I’ll just stick with beautiful things like mountains and flowers. Hard to win when they out weigh you 10 to 1. One good hit in the NFL, and I would be a Dingo pancake!*

*Yes, beautiful things are the way to go. I fit right in, don’t I?*

*Steelhead Park really is wonderful. So glad we stopped to enjoy it again! There’s mountains near Houston, too, SPHP! Maybe we could come back and climb one or two around here some day?*

After visiting Steelhead Park, Lupe continued on. Near Cluculz Lake SE of Vanderhoof, it got dark. Lupe and SPHP stopped for the night. No sense missing any scenery! Tomorrow was another day.

Harvey Mountain trailhead directions: From Smithers, British Columbia head SE on Hwy 16. After crossing the Bulkley River bridge, watch for Old Babine Lake Road, which soon appears on the L. Follow Old Babine Lake Road approximately 4 miles to another L turn onto Telkwa High Road. Go 1 mile to a R turn onto Driftwood Canyon Road. Follow signs to Driftwood Canyon Provincial Park. Keep going 6 km up Driftwood Canyon. After crossing a series of single lane bridges over Driftwood Creek, the Harvey Mountain trailhead appears on the R. Parking is limited. Additional parking is available 1 km farther on at the Silver King trailhead. Total elevation gain to the summit is 2,943 feet.

Links:

Next Adventure Prior Adventure

Babine Mountains Provincial Park

The Little Onion, Astlais Mountain & The Big Onion, Babine Mountains, British Columbia, Canada (8-8-18)