Day 39 of Lupe’s 2018 Dingo Vacation to the Yukon, Northwest Territories & Alaska!
6:30 AM, Nares Mountain trailhead, Blattas Point Road – Nooooo! Late last night, silver stars had shone overhead as the tired American Dingo settled in for a long snooze. The sky had been 80 to 90% clear! Hopes had been high for Peak 6053 this morning, but that was then. Lupe had just woken up to a dreary uniformly overcast day. SPHP was dismayed. Loopster’s final chance for an ascent of Peak 6053 on this Dingo Vacation appeared doomed.
At least it wasn’t raining. Maybe the situation would improve in the next hour or two? Seemed unlikely, and certainly no sense sticking around if Peak 6053 simply wasn’t going to happen, but Loop could wait a little while before hitting the road home. While SPHP straightened out the G6 and made breakfast, the Carolina Dog explored a nearby grove of trees.
8:00 AM – Hmm. The clouds seemed higher and thinner than before. Didn’t look like rain was likely at all. Provided the mountains remained beneath the cloud cover, an attempt on Peak 6053 was actually worth considering! Even if the sun never came out, Lupe might still enjoy some incredible views. Now or never! Lupe and SPHP piled into the G6.
Hopes soared during the drive S from Carcross on the South Klondike Highway. Expecting darker skies closer to the Alaskan coast, conditions were improving instead! Far from a perfect day, but the cloud cover was getting higher, lighter, brighter, and even tinged with blue!
9:41 AM, 41°F – Upon arriving at the International Falls trailhead just N of the Alaska border near White Pass, even the highest regions of what could be seen of Peak 6053 were out in the open. That settled it! Lupe was going give it a shot!
The International Falls trail starts out with a short descent to Captain William Moore Creek. The last part of this descent being nearly vertical, SPHP was glad to find 4 ropes in place to help prevent a fall. Lupe had first taken the International Falls trail a year ago. Back then, there had been only 1 rope. 4 was better! Not that Lupe needed any help. As usual, the American Dingo managed to get down all on her own.
This late in the season, Captain William Moore Creek was very low, an easy rock hop for SPHP. Loopster easily waded across. Beyond a delta created by a tributary coming in from the W, the International Falls trail started up a slope full of bushes and stunted conifers. After gaining 200 feet, the trail continued higher along the N side of the tributary taking Lupe past a series of waterfalls.
The waterfalls weren’t as impressive as they had been in early August, 2017. The volume of flow had been much greater then, but they were still charming.
The trail kept climbing at a moderate pace. Somewhere along the way, Lupe left British Columbia and crossed into Alaska, but exactly where wasn’t clear. The border was unmarked.
Just above the tallest of the waterfalls along the International Falls trail, the stream flowed over a wide area of exposed bedrock. The water was so spread out, it was only inches deep, if that.
The trail went on and on. Lupe kept coming to more waterfalls, but the steepness of the slope she was climbing was diminishing. The waterfalls were becoming smaller, and eventually deteriorated into mere rapids.
Loop stayed on the International Falls trail until the terrain leveled out so much that the South Klondike Highway could no longer be seen back to the SE. Ahead, the trail continued on to the NW, still following the stream and gradually gaining elevation.
Lupe had seen what was up there a year ago. The trail would eventually disappear in a region of beautiful little lakes and small rocky ridges all down in a vast saddle between Feather Peak (5,889 ft.) and other high ground to the S, and Peak 6053 to the N. At the far NW end, a gigantic boulder sat atop a final ridge. Beyond it, the land sloped steeply away into the seemingly bottomless Taiya River canyon, where the famed Chilkoot Trail lay hidden below.
And beyond that? An inaccessible vast wilderness of seldom seen, much less explored, mostly nameless glacier-clad Alaskan peaks.
Yes! More than a year ago, Lupe had journeyed to that magical region of sparkling ponds and spectacular views on a sunny day of soft breezes.
As enticing as that magical place was, it wasn’t her destination today. Lupe was leaving the International Falls trail here to climb Peak 6053, where, if successful, she would see those same incredible views from a lofty summit 2,000 feet higher than where she’d been before.
Leaving the International Falls trail behind, Lupe began a long, easy trek NNW toward Peak 6053. Wandering a boulder-strewn plain of spongy tundra, the American Dingo gained elevation steadily. Upon reaching the SE end of the mountain, she came to a tiny rock-filled creek.
Crossing the stream, Looper started climbing NNW much more steeply toward a big ravine coming down from the W. Following narrow ramps and benches, Lupe gained a fair amount of elevation rather quickly. She was already getting to some worthwhile views! Feather Peak (5,889 ft.) in particular was looking awesome!
Upon reaching the S side of the big ravine, Lupe could see a steep, rocky gully entering the ravine from the N. High above and beyond this gully was a line of dark cliffs. Near the upper end of the gully was a lower line of cliffs, but it looked like there were ramps leading up through breaks in this cliff wall. Once above the lower cliffs, Loop ought to at least be able to scramble up to the base of the dark cliffs.
Crossing the ravine, Lupe climbed to the upper end of the gully without difficulty. Here she turned W looking for an easy way to get above the lower cliffs. However, this area was rougher than it had seemed from below. What had appeared to be the best ramp higher, actually ended with a bit of an exposed scramble.
SPHP hates exposure! After all, should a mishap occur, it takes very little exposure to kill or seriously injure, which might easily amount to the same thing way out here. However, the exposed section appeared to be very short, and Lupe had no better prospect in sight. Didn’t look that bad, so up she went.
The Carolina Dog showed off, easily scrambling above the tricky spot. A couple of cautious moments later, SPHP joined her up on the brink.
Excellent news! No more exposure to deal with! Breaks existed in the line of dark cliffs that still loomed considerably higher along the upper rim of a steep rocky slope. Lupe had no problem scrambling clear to the top. Above the dark cliffs, a rumpled flat area provided access to a somewhat easier climb NW up another slope. Exploring ever higher, Lupe managed to get up to where this slope began to level out.
By now the American Dingo had gained a great deal of elevation! Lupe had reached a world of rock, sky, and little else. Lichens and sparse clumps of tundra were the only vegetation. Magnificent views were on display! Lupe could see much of the Tormented Valley to the NE and E, and fabulous mountains to the SE and S. However, incredible snow and ice-draped peaks beyond the Taiya River canyon to the SW caught the eye more than any other scene.
To the NW, Lupe could now see an enormous rocky slope rising toward Peak 6053’s massive main ridge. Getting to this upper ridge proved more complicated than it looked. A series of gashes running SW/NE sliced across this region perpendicular to the direction Loopster needed to go. Exploring this rugged area was fun, but time-consuming. The Carolina Dog often came to small cliffs, and had to go back and forth looking for ways into and out of the gashes.
Two steps up, one step down! Lupe and SPHP repeatedly gained and lost the same elevation during a long, winding ascent.
Finally nearing the E end of Peak 6053’s massive upper ridge, Lupe came to another sizable gash. On the far side was a wall of white rock. Loop crossed the gash, and found a way up onto it.
From a distance, more gashes had been evident up on the main ridge, so SPHP had been thinking maybe Lupe ought to skirt along the S side to get closer to the W end before climbing to the top. That way Loop would gain the upper ridge much closer to the true summit of Peak 6053, which the topo map showed at the far NW end of the mountain.
However, from the wall of white rock, it was clear that this notion was totally impractical. The terrain S of the main ridge was simply too steep and rough. Loop’s only realistic option appeared to be to climb straight to the top of the E end of the main ridge, and take her chances from there. A gully of light-colored rock looked like a possible route up.
Staying on top of the wall of white rock, Lupe headed NNE toward the promising gully. The wall ended near a snowbank next to a big pool of meltwater. Loop had to down climb and work her way past these minor obstacles before scrambling up the gully.
At the top of the gully, Lupe found herself in a fairly flat area an acre or two in size. Venturing N brought her to the edge of towering cliffs. For the first time, Lupe could see the gigantic canyon between Peak 6053 and Taiya Peak (6,844 ft.) to the N. She now also had a view to the NW.
A tall dark rock outcropping sat at the NE end of the flattish area. Lupe went over and climbed it. Views of the Tormented Valley from here were fantastic! Loop could again see the International Falls trailhead she had started out from way down at the South Klondike Highway.
One view in particular from here was of paramount importance. For the first time, Lupe could see along the length of the N side of Peak 6053’s main ridge. The mountain’s true summit was clear over at the far NW end completely opposite of where the American Dingo was now.
The view was worrying. Felt like Lupe had already been climbing for a long time. Peak 6053’s summit was a little less than 500 feet higher than where she was now, but it still looked far away. Much closer, a big fin of rock jutted skyward. Would Loop be able to get past it? A deep gash might easily be on the other side.
No choice, but to head over there and find out. The terrain leading to the fin was rocky and sloped higher, but not difficult. The N end of the fin was close to the gigantic cliffs, and trying to go over the top seemed a poor choice too. However, going around the S end looked quite feasible. The big question was what Lupe would find on the other side?
Lupe got quite high on the S end of the big fin. Going this way was a cinch! Nothing to it! Best of all was the view Loopster had once she got to where she could see the area W of the fin. No big gashes or drop offs! In fact, once beyond the fin, it didn’t look like a fin at all from the W.
The Carolina Dog now made rapid progress journeying WNW along the broad main ridge. She crossed a series of gashes, but none presented any real difficulties. Lupe actually lost elevation approaching a final big drainage that sloped down toward the SW. Staying toward the N edge near the cliffs, Lupe had little difficulty getting past it.
Beyond the last big drainage, Lupe roamed freely heading NW on a broad slope. A maze of benches and ramps led higher and higher. This climb wasn’t hard at all; no more going down into gullies! Loop was having fun, and SPHP was joyful knowing that the summit couldn’t be much farther. Lupe was actually going to get to the top of Peak 6053!
The terrain finally leveled out in a rough area. What? Oh, no! This wasn’t the top! Quite close by, the highest point on the mountain was clearly visible a short distance off to the N. Definitely higher, though not by much, than where Lupe was now, the true summit of Peak 6053 sat isolated beyond one more good-sized drop. Whether the Carolina Dog could get over there or not wasn’t initially clear, but the situation didn’t look good. Gah! All this way, only to fail!
Some old wooden boards were toward the SW end of the rough area, part of a collapsed wooden tripod. SPHP lifted a couple of rocks off a pile beneath the boards to reveal a survey benchmark dated 1936.
Lovely. Apparently the surveyor hadn’t thought it possible to get over to the true summit, and had settled for this location instead. Discouraging! After replacing the rocks over the benchmark, Lupe and SPHP went over to the edge of the final drop off to take a better look.
30 feet lower, a snow bank rested in a gash shorter than any others Lupe had come to. Both ends dropped away into fearsome chasms. At first, it didn’t look like there was any safe way to scramble down. Loop had to do it, though, if she was ever going to get to the top of Peak 6053.
There was a way down! Looked like Loop ought to be able to get back up it again during the return, too – critically important, if there ever was going to be a return. A quick, careful scramble, and Lupe was standing on the snow bank!
The snow bank was more like ice than snow. Staying away from the NE edge where the drop was almost vertical, Lupe crossed only a short icy section before completing her long journey to the top of Peak 6053. The true summit was a light gray boulder. The American Dingo hopped up onto it to claim one of her most remarkable peakbagging successes ever.
SPHP praised Lupe highly, but the Carolina Dog didn’t seem impressed. Looper willingly participated in a few photos of some of the incredible glacier-clad peaks in Alaska to the W, but after that she just wanted to rest. Using a jacket and a pullover, SPHP made a little bed where she could doze more comfortably on the rocky ground.
While Lupe rested, SPHP gazed at the unbelievably beautiful remote peaks toward the W.
Peak 6053’s summit area was about 40 feet wide E/W and 70 feet long N/S. A similar sized area about 20 feet lower extended farther N. So there was plenty of room to move around. At the N end of the summit area, 35 feet from the boulder Lupe had been on, a less conspicuous rock looked equally high. Might even be a tad bit higher? SPHP went over to check it out, came to no definite conclusion, then ventured down to the lower region to the N where it was possible to look down on a glacier.
As tired as Lupe was, she wasn’t completely out of it. Fearing she was being left behind, Loop came looking for SPHP. Weary or not, the loyal American Dingo stuck closely to SPHP from then on.
Lupe was so lucky! Although the sky had remained quite cloudy all day, conditions at the top of Peak 6053 weren’t bad at all. Cool (low 40’s °F), but calm. Importantly, the cloud deck was high enough to permit clear views of even the highest and most distant peaks. Nothing was hidden. Every now and then, the Carolina Dog stood in glimmers of sunshine.
Getting late. Should be moving on, but Lupe and SPHP lingered in the splendor of Peak 6053. Glory at every turn!
7 hours to get here. 50 unforgettable minutes gone by up at the summit of Peak 6053! 3 hours until sunset. Sadly, time to go. Past time, actually.
Not far from the summit boulder, Lupe stood perched by the W edge of the mountain overlooking the unseen depths of the Taiya River canyon. Beyond the gaping chasm, a fabulous world of pristine peaks cloaked in glacial ice – ancient, creeping ice still locking in the frigid cold of countless dark winters eons ago.
Fleeting last moments at the top of Peak 6053!
The race against time was on! Back down to the short gash and its icy snow bank. A careful scramble up to the rough area where the survey marker lay hidden beneath rocks and old boards. Down the ramps and benches to the big drainage to the SW.
Now, a calculated, crucial gamble. If it didn’t succeed, Lupe was going to be stuck on Peak 6053 all night. No way on earth could she get down off the mountain before dark going back the way she had come up. Lupe and SPHP turned SW heading down the big drainage. If the American Dingo cliffed out, a very long night was ahead.
Far, far below, Lupe could see the little lakes of the magical region she had visited beyond the end of the International Falls trail on a beautiful evening more than a year ago. The lakes weren’t sparkling today, but if she could get down close to them, Loopster ought to be able to find the International Falls trail again before dark.
Down steep ramps and gullies, down rough loose rock, down scrambling around rock formations trying to avoid getting cliffed out.
At last, success was certain. Loop’s gamble was going to pay off! Once she made it down to where the slope became more gradual, SPHP turned and looked back up. Lupe hadn’t cliffed out, but it sure looked like she should have.
The Carolina Dog was thrilled to be out of all the rock! She wasn’t nearly as tired as she’d let on up on Peak 6053. In fact, Lupe was energized! She raced across the soft tundra far ahead of SPHP joyfully exploring a land of ridges and little streams, glancing back now and then to make sure SPHP was still coming.
Lupe never did get close to most of those once sparkling little lakes again. However, in the distance, she did see the huge boulder on the far W ridge that she had visited a year ago. Instead of going all the way to the lakes, Lupe took a shortcut turning SE as soon as it was practical. The American Dingo roamed a long way. She finally stumbled upon the International Falls trail again, as she passed by a couple of little ponds reflecting the last glowing beauty of the dying day.
Peak 6053 was the final and most difficult of 4 climbs on 4 consecutive days. SPHP’s feet had become sore on the rough terrain even before Lupe had reached the summit. Although the return trip was the easiest possible route back, it was still a long march. Hobbling along, each step became more difficult to bear.
Darkness fell. SPHP sometimes lost the trail. Loopster usually found it again in just a minute or two. The roar of the now invisible waterfalls the trail went by went on and on. At last, it was over. Across Captain William Moore Creek, and up the ropes. The G6 sat waiting alone at the dark trailhead. (10:46 PM, 47°F)
So sore! So weary! Yet, what a day! As it turned out, Lupe had likely taken about the longest, hardest route to the top of Peak 6053 possible. Clearly, the way she had taken back was the fastest, easiest way to go. What an experience it had been though – the long treks higher on all that rough ground, wandering the wild gashes and gullies, then exploring along the whole massive main ridge.
And at the end of it all, the American Dingo had done what she had set out to do – Lupe had once more gazed over the depths of the enormous Taiya River canyon into a world of ice, snow, and jagged peaks, a world in sight, but forever beyond reach, this time seen from the lofty heights of Peak 6053.
Directions to the International Falls trailhead: The trailhead is a pullout less than a kilometer inside the Canadian border along the W side of the South Klondike Highway. This pullout is located 7.5 miles (12 km) S of Canadian Customs. Coming from Skagway, the trailhead is the 2nd pullout on the L shortly after crossing the high point of the highway near White Pass. A small lake is visible down in the creek valley W of the highway.
There are no facilities or information at the trailhead other than a sign about avalanche dangers. The trailhead is located between US Customs and Canadian Customs, so it will always be necessary to pass through one or the other on the way back to either Skagway or Carcross. Remember to bring appropriate documentation!
Links:
Next Adventure Prior Adventure
International Falls, Canada to Alaska (8-8-17)
Fraser Peak, British Columbia, Canada (8-9-17)
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