The Pinnell Mountain National Recreation Trail, Alaska – Twelvemile Summit Wayside to Table Mountain (8-5-23)

Day 14 of Lupe’s 2nd Summer of 2023 Dingo Vacation to Canada & Alaska!

8:14 AM, 52ºF, Steese Highway MP 85.5, Twelvemile Summit Wayside – Sigh.  Smoky again this morning.

Definitely worse than yesterday, SPHP.  Are we still going?

Can’t win for losing, can we, Loopster?  Yeah, we’re still going.  We’re here now, and the smoke isn’t terrible, so we might as well make the best of it.

Crossing the Steese Highway, Lupe started up the boardwalk path at this end of the Pinnell Mountain National Recreational Trail.

Relatively new, the boardwalk was in great shape as Lupe followed it NW up a long slope of tundra and low bushes.  Two hills were ahead.  The closest, HP3762, appeared to have some rock formations on top.  The other hill was a huge featureless dome that was considerably higher.

The Carolina Dog hadn’t made it very far before SPHP began to realize that smoke wasn’t the only detraction today.

Ugh!  The mosquitoes are bad, Looper.

Use your bug spray, SPHP.

Didn’t even think to bring it, Loop.  Left it in the RAV4.

We can still go back for it, if you want to, SPHP.

Eh, the mosquitoes weren’t actually all that bad.  Like a fool, SPHP kept going, hoping for a breeze.

As the trail began curving N toward HP3762, the nice, new boardwalk came to an end.  In some places, a much older, deteriorating boardwalk still existed, in others, Lupe followed a dirt path.  Going through a long stretch of larger bushes, mosquitoes and flies plagued SPHP’s left ear, leaving the right one largely unscathed.

Not sure why they don’t like my right ear, Loopster, but I wish the left one had the same issue.

No whining, SPHP!  You had your chance to go back for the bug spray and didn’t take it.

The trail got fairly close to HP3762, but didn’t go all the way to it, and neither did Lupe.  Instead, the increasingly dilapidated boardwalk took aim at a saddle to the NE along the same enormous, gently-rounded ridge HP3762 was part of.

By the time the American Dingo reached the top of the ridge, she was well beyond what remained of the old boardwalk.  The Pinnell Mountain National Recreation Trail turned NE, soon leading to a steeper climb in rockier terrain.  Bushes vanished, and, to SPHP’s relief, so did the bugs.

As Lupe gained elevation, part of Table Mountain (4,472 ft.) came into view, still several miles away.  The trail began passing several cool rock formations.  Lupe scrambled up onto one of the first big ones.

The giant ridge soon began to level out.  Ahead, a series of hills appeared along it, each one a bit higher than the one before.

Along in here, Lupe met a young man who related a most interesting tale to SPHP.  Two days ago, he had set out from the opposite end of the trail at Eagle Summit Wayside.  Without realizing it, this guy had somehow managed to walk into the middle of a very large herd of caribou.  They’d scared him half to death when they all suddenly spooked, springing up and fleeing right past him in all directions.

The backpacker continued on, leaving the Carolina Dog extraordinarily impressed.

Wow!  Can you imagine that, SPHP?  Being right in the middle of the herd!  It doesn’t get any more exciting than that!

An incredible tale to be sure, Loopster, but don’t get your hopes up.  If he’d had an excitable, shrill-barking Dingo with a keen nose along with him, I doubt he would have ever gotten anywhere close to any caribou, much less find himself surrounded.

Among the minor hills, progress was rapid.  The trail bounced along, sometimes going right over the high points, and sometimes skirting them to the L (NW).  Soon Lupe was approaching the last one, which was the highest.

Staying toward the R (SE), the trail didn’t go to the top, but this time the American Dingo did.  Venturing off-trail across a mix of sparse tundra and scree, Lupe visited HP4125.  This short side jaunt rewarded her with her first unobstructed view of Table Mountain, now a mere 2 miles away as the crow flies.

10:04 AM, 61ºF, HP4125 – Sadly, the smoke was pretty bad, marring the views in all directions.  Nevertheless, Lupe took a short rest break here, enjoying water, beef jerky, and a light SE breeze.  However, it was soon time to press on.

Returning to the trail, it switchbacked approximately 300 feet down a SE slope before turning NE while crossing a saddle leading to HP3865, the next significant hill along the ridge.  This mostly downhill trek was super easy.  Even while approaching HP3865 elevation gain was minimal, since the trail didn’t go over the top, instead skirting around the L (NW) side.

Once Lupe made it to HP3865‘s NNE slope, another 200 foot descent on a few more switchbacks to a broad, rounded saddle was ahead.  From the saddle, an equally broad ridge rose NNE toward Table Mountain.  Like the rest of the trail, none of this terrain was particularly rugged.

Cake, SPHP!  At least, until we get to the base of the mountain.

Even from there, the trail shouldn’t be all that steep, Loop.  The topo map shows it angling up the R (SE) side of the mountain.  It won’t even reach the upper plateau until it’s nearly 0.5 mile past the summit.  An easy romp circling back to the high point once up on the plateau, and we’ll be there!

After descending to this final saddle on the way to Table Mountain, Lupe started up the ridge.  The trail got pretty faint, but that didn’t matter in the least, since the overall route was entirely obvious.  Even if it hadn’t been, a series of cairns with wooden poles or tall stones sticking up from them showed the way.

Following the ridge, the vast majority of the terrain continued to be a mix of low tundra and scree, but the American Dingo also passed a few scenic boulders and minor rock outcroppings.

As Lupe approached the base of Table Mountain, SPHP became puzzled.  There didn’t seem to be any sign of the trail angling up the mountain’s SE slope as indicated by the topo map.  In fact, the faint trail Lupe was on seemed inclined to veer off to the N.

While SPHP studied the mountain, Lupe was focused on something else.  Suddenly dashing ahead, she stopped, putting her nose to the air.

SPHP, look!  Caribou!

They were so far off, it took SPHP a moment to spot them.  Sure enough, a small herd of caribou was almost directly ahead, a bit toward the N, grazing on Table Mountain’s SW slope.  Lupe was tremendously excited!  Here was her chance to saunter right into the middle of the herd, just like the young man had!

Yeah, right!  As SPHP expected, the caribou quickly noticed the Carolina Dog’s approach as the trail headed straight for them.  Becoming nervous, and perhaps knowing something about the route along the SE side of the mountain, they ran over that way, eventually disappearing from view.

Naturally, Lupe was keen on following the caribou, but the trail never did turn SE.  Instead, it curved N and began climbing Table Mountain’s massive, but relatively short NW ridge.

A few rocky stretches presented no difficulties at all, since the trail was in decent shape up here, and a marmot helped divert Lupe’s focus from her disappointment over the caribou’s wary vanishing act.  Near the top, a series of switchbacks finished the climb to the crest of the ridge.  Lupe reached it just below a 10 or 15 foot high escarpment of rock.

Initially following the base of the escarpment, the trail soon led above it.  Beyond a stretch of gently rising tundra, a second escarpment was only a few minutes stroll ESE.  A cairn was visible at the high point.

12:23 PM, 63ºF, Table Mountain (4,472 ft.) – Near the NW edge of the upper escarpment, Lupe stood on a flat, square rock next to the summit cairn.  6 feet on each side, and 2 feet thick, this rock was easily larger than any of the others scattered across an open plain of tundra and scree very similar to the rest of the territory the American Dingo had been traveling through along the Pinnell Mountain National Recreation Trail.

Despite the smoky haze, the Carolina Dog could see the mountains that weren’t too far away, although the scene lacked as much in crispness and clarity as these hills and ridges lacked any genuine ruggedness.

Beyond Lupe, back in the direction she’d come from, HP3865, HP4125, HP3762, Dome 4150, and the even larger McManus Benchmark Dome (4,200+ ft.) were in sight below a flotilla of small cumulus clouds drifting above the worst of the smoke.

The smoke still hasn’t gotten any better, has it, Loopster?  Too bad, but at least it’s not any worse, either.  Kind of cool to see the vast emptiness of the territory we’ve just explored.

Actually, I was rather hoping that the caribou were up here, SPHP.  Maybe a chocolate coconut bar could help me deal with my disillusionment?

SPHP shook Lupe’s paw, congratulating her on her successful ascent, then sat on the big square rock supporting the cairn.

Have a seat, Loop.  I’ll see what I can do about that.  About time for lunch, anyway.

After sharing beef jerky and water with the American Dingo, SPHP was just about to dig the anticipated chocolate coconut bar out of the pack when Lupe abruptly got up and left.  Glancing up from the pack, SPHP saw what had caught her attention.  People!  They were approaching from the E, and Lupe was trotting over to greet them.

It turned out to be an Alaskan family, or at least most of one, a mother and her 3 children.  Happy and surprised to see Lupe, and also ready for lunch, they joined SPHP over at the square rock supporting the summit cairn.  Taking sandwiches out of their packs, they cheerfully related their tale while stroking and admiring Lupe.

This family lived completely off the grid in a home on 20 acres not too far from the Steese Highway.  Since no road or driveway actually goes to their house, getting to town regularly was difficult.  Consequently, mom home schools all of her children, ranging in age from 7 to 15.

Although they didn’t live all that far away, they’d never explored the Pinnell Mountain National Recreation Trail before.  Happily, 2 days ago, the children’s uncle had given them a ride to the Eagle Summit Wayside at the opposite end, where, just like the young man Lupe met earlier, they’d set off intent upon backpacking the entire 27 mile trail.  After 2 nights spent along the way, later this afternoon they would complete their journey at the Twelvemile Summit Wayside where their own car was parked waiting for them.

The children were all extremely polite, friendly, and eager to talk about their backpacking experience.  Lupe’s ears perked up when she heard that they’d been counting caribou as they went along as accurately as they could, and were now up to 460!  Most of the caribou had been along the central part of the trail, many miles from the highway.

By the time the family bid Lupe farewell in order to resume their trek to Twelvemile Summit, her traditional summit hour was nearly over.

460 caribou, SPHP!  I know we were going to turn back here, but maybe we should go a little further?

Actually, I’d like to go all the way to Peak 4447, Loop, but that would add an awful lot of round trip distance.  However, if you like, we can explore Table Mountain’s NE ridge.

Sounds great, SPHP!  Let’s do it!

Hitting the trail again, Lupe followed it E, beginning a gradual descent along a sweeping mile long arc out to the N end of Table Mountain’s NE ridge.

Lupe regained a little elevation as the trail traversed the NW side of a modest rise before resuming the descent to a broad saddle.  Here, the trail continued NE over the edge of the ridge, vanishing on its way to a couple more peaks along the official route.  Peak 4447 was somewhere out there, but SPHP wasn’t certain if it was among the ones in sight.

Abandoning the trail, Lupe turned N as she reached the broad saddle, which was a slightly brighter green than the rest of the tundra.  Crossing this region, it turned out to be wet, but another a modest rise soon got the Carolina Dog back on dry ground.

Staying toward the W edge, Lupe went all the way out to the N end of Table Mountain’s NE ridge.  Table Mountain looked quite a bit different from this angle.  Sadly, no caribou were out this way.  At the moment, a few brown and white mushrooms were about the most scintillating and exotic form of life on the entire ridge.

Going a little E along the N edge, Lupe had the best view yet of some of the territory the rest of the trail went through.  Far to the NE, SPHP was virtually certain that Pinnell Mountain (4,934 ft.), the trail’s high point, and Porcupine Dome (4,915 ft.) were in sight, both nearly lost in the smoky haze.

We were way over there, Loopster, on Pinnell Mountain only a little over 11 months ago, remember?

Of course, I do, SPHP.  A cold wind was blowing, and we looked this way while waiting for sunset, wishing we could do the entire Pinnell Mountain National Recreation Trail like the young man and the Alaskan family we met today.  When sunset arrived, it was glorious!

You looked like you were floating among the golden clouds, Looper!  Later that evening, fog rolled in, and it got mighty cold in the tiny house.

What an adventure, SPHP!  Already seems like a long time ago.  Have to admit I’m glad that I don’t have to be cold and wet on the way back to Twelvemile Summit Wayside today, like I was returning from Pinnell Mountain.

2:22 PM, N end of Table Mountain’s NE ridge – Well, Lupe was right, this was it.  Time to head back.  If SPHP had brought Lupe’s tiny house and lugged all the necessary supplies along today, she could have continued on to Peak 4447 and beyond.  What an exciting time the American Dingo would have had among 460 caribou!

Discouraged by the smoke, though, SPHP hadn’t brought the tiny house.

Sometimes, I just don’t know what to do, Loop.

We do the best we can, SPHP.  Always another adventure somewhere, isn’t there?  Table Mountain has been fun and easy.  Nothing wrong with that!

On the way back, Lupe simply retraced her route, paying another brief visit to Table Mountain’s summit before switchbacking down off the NW ridge, another hours long romp among the rolling hills and ridges of the Pinnell Mountain National Recreation Trail ahead.  (End 5:31 PM, 70ºF)

Links:

Next Adventure                        Prior Adventure

Lupe’s Scrollable GPS Track

The Pinnell Mountain National Recreation Trail

The Pinnell Mountain National Recreation Trail, Alaska – Part 1: Eagle Summit to Porcupine Dome (9-2-22)

The Pinnell Mountain National Recreation Trail, Alaska – Part 2: Porcupine Dome to Pinnell Mountain (9-2-22)

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