Montana – Page 14 – The (Mostly) True Adventures of Lupe

Sky Pilot Lake, Beartooth Mountains of Montana (7-17-13)

On 7-16-13, the day after Lupe’s long day spent looking for Fossil Lake (and actually reaching Fizzle Lake instead) in the Beartooth Mountains of Montana, Lupe and SPHP spent an easy day in camp on the Clark’s Fork of the Yellowstone River. There weren’t nearly so many “bad bugs” (mosquitoes) at camp, so SPHP started feeling more positive about staying in the Beartooths another couple of days.

SPHP still had it in mind that Lupe ought to at least try to reach Sky Pilot Lake before leaving the Beartooths. Getting there would be a very long day hike. In the morning, SPHP spent some time looking at maps to consider possible alternate routes. In the afternoon, a guy named Mick drove up in his motor home and camped by the river near Lupe’s camp. Mick was originally from England, but had married an American. Now he and his wife live in Boulder, CO.

Mick was very friendly and quite a character. He had a start in the music industry in England, but spent most of his career as a welder in the USA. He had been many places and had lots of stories to tell. Although Mick was traveling alone, he does own a dog. Mick was very kind to Lupe, even giving her treats intended for his dog.

SPHP spent hours visiting with Mick. In the evening, Mick invited SPHP and Lupe in for a tour of his motor home. Lupe got to spend the whole evening in there “roughing it” in the lap of luxury. Mick knows lots of famous people from the music industry. He said he has had a tremendously fun life. He told some pretty wild tales about the music industry, places he had been, and people he knew. His nickname in the music industry was “puker” – not terribly charming, but related to the wild partying lifestyle he shared for a while with the rich and famous.

On 7-17-13, Lupe and SPHP woke up pretty early, refreshed from the easy prior day in camp spent visiting with Mick. Lupe and SPHP were ready to go find Sky Pilot Lake! SPHP intended to start the trek Beartooth Lake campground, so Lupe and SPHP went there first. However, SPHP wasn’t able to find a source of water there. Since the familiar Island Lake campground and trailhead were only a few miles farther E on Beartooth Hwy No. 212, SPHP quickly gave up on a start from Beartooth Lake. At the Island Lake campground, SPHP got water and Lupe was ready to go.

Lupe left the Island Lake trailhead at around 8:15 AM. Even though Lupe had taken the trail from Island Lake twice before (once with Lanis in August, 2012 as far as Beauty and Becker Lakes, and a 2nd time just 3 days earlier on 7-14-13 as far as Two Bits Lake), Lupe and SPHP were perfectly happy to take this trail again. It really is the easiest and most direct route to Sky Pilot Lake from Beartooth Hwy No. 212. Better yet, the entire trail goes through simply gorgeous alpine territory.

At first, Lupe and SPHP made very good time. Lupe and SPHP passed Island Lake, Night Lake, Flake Lake, Mutt & Jeff Lakes, Becker Lake and were all the way to Albino Lake by 11:15 AM. Soon Lupe and SPHP reached Jasper Lake. From Jasper Lake on, the going became much slower. Lupe left the trail at the S end of Jasper Lake, and the ground became progressively rougher with more and more boulder fields. The weather had been cool and overcast, which was great for hiking, but began to clear and became sunny as Lupe and SPHP worked around the E side of Jasper Lake.

Lonesome Mountain from Jasper Lake 7-17-13. Much later in the day, Lupe and SPHP were caught in a storm near this point.

From Jasper Lake, Lupe headed NNW up a rocky ridge towards Two Bits Lake. On the other side of the ridge was a series of little lakes and ponds scattered among the rocks and grassy areas. Once up on the ridge, instead of heading N for Two Bits Lake again (which Lupe had reached just 3 days earlier), this time Lupe stayed farther W. She wound her way around to cross the stream which comes from Two Bits Lake just downstream of Triskele Lake.

Beyond the ridge NNW of Jasper Lake. A portion of Triskele Lake is seen beyond this pond toward the left side of this photo. — Beyond the ridge NNW of Jasper Lake. A sliver of Triskele Lake is seen beyond this pond toward the left side of this photo.

Lupe takes a break not far from Triskele Lake in the Beartooth Mountains. — Lupe takes a break near the pond before reaching Triskele Lake in the Beartooth Mountains.

Lupe investigates something interesting near the stream below Triskele Lake.

Lupe and SPHP were happy. Lupe was now exploring new country. It was all wonderful! Lupe and SPHP climbed NNW up the big ridge beyond Triskele Lake. Lupe kept coming to one false top after another. It was very rough country, but not a dangerous climb.

When Lupe finally reached the top of the ridge, there was a grand view from the SE to the SW all the way around to the NW. There were many high mountains in view. Relatively close by and most dramatic was Lonesome Mountain (11,399 ft.) back to the S. Nearby and for the first time, Lupe and SPHP could now see Donelson and Maryott Lakes below to the WNW.

Lupe up on the ridge NNW of Triskele Lake and W of Two Bits Lake. Lupe is enjoying a view of the SE end of Donelson Lake. Photo looks SW.

Donelson Lake and a bit of Maryott Lake beyond. Looks like very interesting territory to explore! Photo looks SW. Beartooth Mountains, Montana.

Donelson (closest) and Maryott (farthest) Lakes. The W arm of Donelson Lake is seen beyond the little ridge at the left side of the photo. — Donelson (closest) and Maryott (farthest) Lakes from higher up. The W arm of Donelson Lake is seen beyond the little ridge at the left side of the photo.

Once up on the ridge, SPHP had expected it to be relatively easy to find High Pass where Lupe needed to go to get to Sky Pilot Lake, but even with the topo map it was hard to figure out exactly which way to go. Lupe and SPHP kept climbing along the ridgeline heading N and scrambling around the boulder fields trying to figure out which way was the easiest way to High Pass. The boulder fields really slowed progress down. SPHP could now see what looked like a line of storms developing to the W, and some big clouds that looked a bit threatening to the N of the high ridge hiding Sky Pilot Lake.

Lonesome Mountain as seen from the ridge W of Two Bits Lake and NNW of Triskele Lake. — **Lonesome Mountain** **(11,399 ft.)** as seen from the ridge W of Two Bits Lake and NNW of Triskele Lake.

Our intrepid American Dingo, Lupe, rests above Donelson and Maryott Lakes in the Beartooth Mountains of Montana on 7-17-13.

After much consulting of the maps and gazing at the terrain to the N, SPHP could see 3 possible ways that might lead to High Pass. The closest one was the westernmost. SPHP thought Lupe was too far W for it to be the right one, but although steep, it looked relatively easy to climb.

Since it was taking so long to traverse the endless boulder fields, SPHP didn’t want to go to the E to check out the other possibilities. SPHP decided Lupe would just climb this closest big ridge, which was directly N of the ridge Lupe was on. It took a while to get up there, but Lupe and SPHP finally got to the top.

Lupe reaches the top of the ridge about 0.67 mile NNE of Donelson Lake and just W of High Pass. This was her high point reached at around 11,120 feet. The jagged mountains N of High Pass are now in view.

At the top was a huge view in almost every direction. For the first time Lupe and SPHP could see farther N. SPHP had been right. Lupe’s climb up to this N ridge was W of the best access to High Pass. A few hundred feet below, Lupe and SPHP could see High Pass and High Pass Lake. Some dramatic towering jagged mountains including Sky Pilot Mountain (12,047 ft.) were in view beyond High Pass Lake.

High Pass Lake. SPHP believes the mountain at the L is a false peak of Sky Pilot Mountain (12,047'). The mountain seen in the center beyond the gap is probably Whitetail Mountain (12,551'). Beartooth Mountains, Montana, 7-17-13 — High Pass Lake. SPHP believes the mountain at the L is the SE ridge and a false summit of **Sky Pilot Mountain** **(12,047 ft.)**. The mountain seen in the center beyond the gap is probably **Whitetail Peak** **(12,551 ft.)**. Photo looks NNE. Beartooth Mountains, Montana, 7-17-13

Lonesome Mountain from the ridge just to the W above High Pass. Photo looks S. — Lonesome Mountain from the ridge just to the W above High Pass. In the far distance beyond Lonesome Mountain to the L a small portion of Island Lake is seen. The far side of the lake is where Lupe started this long day hike! Photo looks S.

By now the storm clouds to the W & N looked closer. SPHP realized there wasn’t a lot of time to dawdle. High Pass is 10,800+ feet and Lupe had climbed several hundred feet higher than that. Lupe was probably somewhere around 11,120+ feet. Lupe and SPHP worked on down the other side of the ridge into High Pass. Despite the need to hurry, it was slow going. Once down in the pass, the going was much easier. Lupe and SPHP headed N past High Pass Lake up to a small ridge. SPHP hoped to see Sky Pilot Lake from this ridge, but was disappointed when it was not visible from there.

There was one more ridge to the N, a bit lower, but which was hiding some land in a big cirque. SPHP thought Sky Pilot Lake might be just beyond that ridge. SPHP certainly hoped it would be. SPHP could see that there was a gigantic canyon ahead heading off to the NE. Lupe shouldn’t go very far down into the gigantic canyon to find Sky Pilot Lake, given the developing weather conditions. This last ridge was as far as SPHP was willing to go. So Lupe went down to the lower ridge. The first thing that Lupe saw was the upper end of the big cirque beyond the ridge.

The big cirque as viewed from the final (lower) ridge. Snow, yes, but not looking like a glacier to SPHP! — The big cirque as viewed from the final (lower) ridge. Snow, yes, but not looking like a glacier to SPHP no matter what the topo map showed!

The topo map showed a glacier in the big cirque. Although there was a considerable amount of snow, it really didn’t look like much. It certainly didn’t look like there was a glacier any more. More disappointingly, Sky Pilot Lake was not visible. Lupe and SPHP headed a bit further to the NNE up to the end of the ridge. There, nearby, but hundreds of feet below Lupe, was Sky Pilot Lake! Lupe had succeeded in finding it!

Sky Pilot Lake (10,478 ft.) shines beautifully in the sunlight. **Whitetail Peak (12,551 ft.)** is shrouded by clouds to the N.

Sky Pilot Lake was a very beautiful lake! It shimmered with a gorgeous blue-green color when the sun shone on it. SPHP wished it hadn’t taken so long to get here, because it would have been great to go down to the shore of the lake and see it from there. However, it was getting late and the weather looked increasingly ominous. It clouded up, but then blue sky came out again. Lupe and SPHP sat high up near the end of the little ridge looking at the great view of Sky Pilot Lake. Lupe rested and had some Taste of the Wild and water.

The SE arm of Sky Pilot Mountain, which is a false summit.

Looking E from the ridge SW of Sky Pilot Lake and N of High Pass. The mountain at L may be the W side of Beartooth Mountain (12,351'). — Looking E from the ridge SW of Sky Pilot Lake and N of High Pass. The mountain at L may be the W side of **Beartooth Mountain** **(12,351 ft.)**.

SE arm and false summit of Sky Pilot Mountain (L) and Whitetail Peak (center).

Lupe and SPHP had been there maybe 20 minutes or more when Lupe started hearing thunder in the distance. Reluctantly, SPHP decided Lupe had better get going. After a last glance at Sky Pilot Lake, as fast as SPHP could manage, Lupe and SPHP scrambled back over to High Pass and High Pass Lake. Soon it completely clouded up and started to sprinkle. SPHP had raingear in the backpack, but did not stop to put it on.

Lupe got over High Pass and had just barely started down the S side of the pass when the storm hit with driving rain. Soon there was hail, too. The hail was only pea-sized, but still stung a bit. SPHP saw an especially big rock nearby with a little bit of an overhang. Lupe and SPHP headed for it. Arriving at the big rock, SPHP got Lupe under the overhang and out of the hail. There was room for SPHP’s head under there too, but that was it. At least the backpack provided some protection, too. Still, it was a good thing the hail didn’t get any bigger, or SPHP would have been pounded. Lupe and SPHP hid there under the overhang for a few minutes while it hailed and SPHP got drenched.

The hail let up pretty soon. Lupe and SPHP got going again. It was still raining, but not as hard. More concerning, lightning was now not too far away, and there was frequent thunder. The lightning was really the scariest thing. Lupe needed to lose elevation as fast as possible. Lupe and SPHP were way too high up and easy targets. As far as SPHP could see to the W (and SPHP could see a long way from here!), there were more storm clouds.

Lupe and SPHP scrambled onward. Sometimes it rained harder again, but mostly it was relatively light. Thankfully, it didn’t hail again. From the sound of the thunder, lightning was close, but still a little ways away. Lupe and SPHP made it all the way down through the biggest boulder fields and crossed the stream below Triskele Lake again. Lupe and SPHP were utterly alone. The scenery seemed even more beautiful, dramatic and wild in the storm. Once past the stream, Lupe and SPHP headed up and over the ridge to the S and down to Jasper Lake.

Lupe and SPHP were heading around the E side of Jasper Lake when the storm hit hard again. It poured rain and hailed again, but the hail was so tiny it didn’t do anything. This time though, the lightning was now close. It flashed all around and thunder roared, echoing in the mountains. Lupe and SPHP crouched down beside a big boulder not far from the shore of Jasper Lake. There Lupe waited for the storm to pass. It was an amazing view. The surface of Jasper Lake danced with raindrops while lightning struck Lonesome Mountain on the other side of the lake.

After 10 or 15 minutes, the rain let up quite a bit. The lightning and thunder moved away to the E. Lupe and SPHP got going again. Lupe and SPHP got up over the ridge S of Jasper Lake and started heading for Albino Lake. Although occasionally thunder and lightning threatened again, it was never as bad as at Jasper Lake and never again caused Lupe to seek cover. It rained, but not hard. Eventually the rain diminished to become just a light sprinkle. At times it quit entirely. The clouds broke up and the half moon was out.

Lupe had fun exploring. There no more mishaps the rest of the way to the G6. It got so dark, SPHP had to start using the flashlight before Lupe was even back to Mutt & Jeff Lakes. For hours, Lupe continued to see lightning in the darkness far to the SE. SPHP was tired, but still felt amazingly good. Lupe seemed to feel the same way. Lupe made it back to the G6 back at the Island Lake trailhead at 11:42 PM. It was 50°F.

By 12:30 PM, Lupe and SPHP were back at camp at the Clarks Fork of the Yellowstone River. It looked like it had really rained hard there. SPHP was tempted to sleep in the G6, but Lupe wanted to go in her “tiny house” (tent). So SPHP got rid of the water in the tiny house and put things in order. Sometime around 1:00 AM, Lupe and SPHP sacked out in the tiny house.

At nearly 15.5 hours, this was Lupe and SPHP’s longest day hike in the Beartooths on her 2013 Dingo Vacation, and the most spectacular. It had also been the most dangerous, when Lupe and SPHP got caught in the storm up in High Pass at around 10,800 feet elevation. Sometime it would be fun to explore the high country around Donelson and Maryott Lakes. SPHP was very happy Lupe did get to see Sky Pilot Lake, which was very pretty and remote. The peaks nearby and the gigantic canyon to the NE below Sky Pilot Lake were most impressive too.

A year later, Lupe returned to the Beartooth Mountains as part of her 2014 Dingo Vacation. On 8-3-14 she climbed Lonesome Mountain, which she had passed by this day on the way to Sky Pilot Lake.

Whitetail Peak beyond Sky Pilot Lake, Beartooth Mountains, Montana 7-17-13

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Lonesome Mountain in the Beartooth Mountains of Montana (8-3-14)

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Fizzle Lake, Beartooth Mountains, Montana (7-15-13)

This long day hike to Russell, Ouzel, Skull and Fizzle Lakes starts at the Clark’s Fork trailhead about 3 to 4 miles E of Cooke City, in southern Montana along Beartooth Highway No. 212. The short gravel access road to the trailhead is on the N side of the highway, just slightly SE of the entrance to the Chief Joseph campground on the S side of the highway. Very close to the trailhead, the trail crosses the Clark’s Fork of the Yellowstone River above a waterfall (there is a short side trail to a viewing platform).

The Clark’s Fork trailhead is at 8,000 feet elevation. Lupe took the trail on to Russell Lake (8,372 feet), Ouzel Lake (9,400+ feet), Skull Lake (9,660 feet), and Fizzle Lake (9,818 feet). She saw other lakes along the way too, although she never did make it to Fossil Lake, her main objective, due to SPHP’s map reading error.

After a long day the previous day going to Frozen Lake, Lake Promise, Heart Lake and several other alpine lakes in the Beartooths, SPHP thought that Lupe should just try a relatively easy short trek on July 15, 2013. Lupe and SPHP could then spend a pleasant restful late afternoon and evening back at their favorite campsite on the Clark’s Fork of the Yellowstone River.

In August of 2012, Lupe and SPHP had gone to Kersey Lake with Lanis on Lupe’s first ever big summer Dingo Vacation. The trail to Kersey Lake almost immediately crosses the Clark’s Fork of the Yellowstone River, but is otherwise a pretty ordinary stroll through the forest the rest of the way to Kersey Lake. Today though, SPHP thought Lupe might go further. Rock Island, Fox, Widewater and Big Moose Lakes were all possible destinations.

So on the morning of 7-15-13, Lupe and SPHP set out from the Clark’s Fork Trailhead. Lupe crossed the Clark Fork’s of the Yellowstone River and followed the trail to Kersey Lake. The S side of Kersey Lake is set in a dense forest. Although the trail passes fairly close to the lake, there weren’t many good views of it from the trail. Soon Lupe and SPHP were beyond Kersey Lake.

Lupe explores in the forest near the trail.

Well before reaching the turn-off for the trails to the other lakes SPHP had in mind as destinations, Lupe and SPHP met up with a young couple heading in the opposite direction. They were going towards Kersey Lake. SPHP asked them where they were headed. They replied that they had just spent 4 days coming over from East Rosebud, which seems to be a very popular backpacking start or end point. They were headed for the Clark’s Fork trailhead, so their trip was nearly done.

SPHP asked them what part of the trip they had liked the best. They said the top of the world around Windy Lake and Fossil Lake. Around Windy Lake the sky had been beautiful with rainbows in addition to the great alpine views.

SPHP is a total sucker for the high country. Lupe loves it too. After the young couple went on, SPHP took a quick check of the map. (SPHP didn’t even have a topo map of this area – just a map of the general area for tourists Lanis picked up in August, 2012 at the visitor center in Cooke City.)

The map showed Fossil Lake and a trail going to it. Furthermore, Fossil Lake was on the edge of being close enough to where Lupe and SPHP might just be able to make it there and back as a very long day hike. All thoughts of a short day and restful evening in camp evaporated. Fossil Lake was Lupe’s new destination!

SPHP had seen from a high point S of Kersey Lake a large canyon off to the NE heading N into the high country. This had to be the route to Fossil Lake. SPHP knew it would be uphill all the way, but thought it was worth a try. When Lupe came to the junction of the trails to Big Moose Lake and Russell Creek, Lupe and SPHP chose Russell Creek.

Lupe was passing through a nice forest. There were mosquitoes, but they weren’t bad. It was a pretty easy stroll for a while, since the trail wasn’t climbing very fast. Lupe passed another trail to Fox Lake, but stayed on the Russell Creek trail. It was definitely heading for the big canyon. A little while after passing the Fox Lake trail, Lupe reached Russell Creek.

The waterfall on Russell Creek just below Russell Lake in the Beartooths.

From then on the trail started climbing more and more steeply as Lupe followed Russell Creek up the big canyon. In places there were switchbacks. Eventually Lupe reached a bridge downstream from a nice waterfall. There were some big smooth rocks there. Lupe and SPHP took a break. There didn’t seem to be any mosquitoes at all here. Just above the waterfall was a lake (unnamed, but shown on the visitor guide map). SPHP learned weeks later, this was Russell Lake. It was very beautiful. Russell Lake is set deep in the canyon with high thinly forested rock walls around most of it.

Somewhere along the E side of Russell Lake there was supposed to be another trail leading E to Mariane Lake. SPHP was watching for it, but never saw it. Lupe wasn’t going there anyway.

Lupe at Russell Lake. — Lupe at Russell Lake 7-15-13.

N of Russell Lake the trail climbed very steeply with many switchbacks. Lupe came to some beautiful meadows, marshes and ponds set deep in the canyon. Russell Creek, or some fork of it, ran through it all too. After climbing lots of switchbacks, Lupe reached Ouzel Lake – another pretty, but smaller lake shown on the map. From here the trail turned W. Lupe and SPHP started encountering more alpine terrain, and unfortunately lots more mosquitoes. Lupe soon came to a place with a very nice view of the creek flowing down gently from the W in a narrow part of the canyon.

Wildflowers along the creek near "Mosquito Ford". (W above Ouzel Lake and just downstream of the unnamed lake.) — Wildflowers along the creek near “Mosquito Ford”. (W above Ouzel Lake and just downstream of the unnamed lake.)

There was no bridge across the creek here, so Lupe and SPHP had to ford it. SPHP made the mistake of taking socks and boots off to ford the creek barefooted. That greatly slowed SPHP’s progress across the slippery stones on the creek bottom. The mosquitoes were delighted. SPHP was eaten alive while making the creek crossing. Lupe was also being plagued by the “bad bugs” waiting for SPHP to hurry up and get across.

The trail went W following the S shore of the creek. Soon Lupe was at another lake. This lake was larger than Ouzel Lake, but not shown on the visitor guide map, which had at least shown Ouzel Lake as a little blue do. As it turns out, this lake is unnamed even on the Peakbagger.com topo map. The trail continued W above the S shore of the unnamed lake.

Once past the unnamed lake, the trail turned N. Before long Skull Lake came into view (also not shown on the visitor guide map). Skull Lake was larger than Ouzel Lake, but smaller than the unnamed lake. Lupe followed the trail N along the W shore of Skull Lake.

N of Skull Lake, Lupe was getting very high. SPHP knew she had to be getting very close to Fossil Lake. Lupe and SPHP were following the trail on the W side of the creek, and came to another place where the creek had to be forded. SPHP now made the mistake of not just fording it and staying on the trail. (The visitor guide map did show the trail crossing the creek not long before reaching Fossil Lake, but by now SPHP had lost a great deal of faith in the map since it failed to show so many landmarks.) Instead, Lupe and SPHP left the main trail and continued upstream on a spur trail heading NNW still on the W side of the creek.

Lupe climbed a fairly long way, maybe 1/2 mile from Skull Lake, without coming to any better spot to cross the creek. However, Lupe did come to a gorgeous lake, larger than any of the others, with views of high snow-capped peaks off to the NNW. Fossil Lake was shown on the visitor guide map as a large and very interestingly irregular-shaped lake. Maybe this was Fossil Lake? It didn’t seem to be in quite the right spot, but only a portion of the lake could be seen.

The outlet stream at the SE end of Fizzle Lake. Initially SPHP thought this might be Fossil Lake. Fossil Lake is actually considerably larger. It is about 0.5 mile E of Fizzle Lake. Lupe never made it to Fossil Lake this day. 7-15-13

Lupe and SPHP climbed up near the top of a ridge along the SW part of the lake. Lupe actually got up on top of the ridge, but SPHP was blocked by a nearly vertical 20 foot high snow bank. Lupe had no problem going right on up. She stood on top of the snow bank peering down at SPHP. SPHP made it partway up the snow bank. The view was splendid. SPHP didn’t realize it then, but Lupe and SPHP were looking at Fizzle Lake – not Fossil Lake.

A corner of Fizzle Lake in the Beartooths 7-15-13. Fizzle Lake has a very irregular shape. Lupe and SPHP only saw part of the lake.

It was starting to get late in the day. SPHP was pretty tired from the long climb, although Lupe seemed quite happy. At least there weren’t any more of the “bad bugs” to plague her up on her snow bank. The terrain around Fizzle Lake was rugged enough to discourage SPHP from any further exploration around the lake. It was time to head back. This was supposed to have been an easy day, after all!

On the way back down towards Skull Lake, SPHP could see the main trail on the hillside on the other (E) side of the creek. Having pondered the visitor guide map some more, SPHP now realized that Lupe had not reached Fossil Lake. It had to be just over the ridge on the other side of the creek. Thirty more minutes and Lupe could be there. If it had been earlier in the day and the mosquitoes weren’t so bad, Lupe and SPHP would have forded the creek and gone to see Fossil Lake. As it was, Fossil Lake was going to be left to a future American Dingo adventure.

A look back at the trail to Fizzle Lake in the Beartooth Mountains.

The mosquitoes were horrible almost everywhere on the way back, even where they hadn’t been on the way up. Lupe and SPHP hurried along. At the outlet of the unnamed lake W of Ouzel Lake, there were lots of little 3″ to 5″ trout leaping out of the stream to eat mosquitoes flying above the waters. Lupe and SPHP paused momentarily on the trail to cheer the little trout on! A few minutes later, SPHP was plunging right on through the creek at the ford a bit farther downstream. The boots got soaked, but Lupe and SPHP did not have to serve as the local blood bank.

Along the E side of Russell Lake, Lupe encountered 7 or 8 backpackers coming up the trail. A young woman leading them was startled by Lupe. The backpackers were on their way to East Rosebud. They intended to camp at Russell Lake, which was a very good choice. It is a beautiful spot, and by some miracle there still weren’t any mosquitoes here.

Below Russell Lake, Lupe and SPHP stopped to rest on the big smooth stones near the bridge across the creek where there is a view of the waterfall. Lupe hadn’t eaten anything all day. She eagerly wolfed down part of a trail mix bar, and all of the Taste of the Wild SPHP had brought for her.

Lupe had a fun time sniffing an exploring along the trail the rest of the way back. SPHP was pretty miserable due to mosquitoes which were very annoying all the way. Deet was helping, but the mosquitoes still whined all around SPHP’s face looking for vulnerable spots. It was enough to start SPHP thinking it was about time for Lupe to leave the Beartooths and head for the Canadian Rockies.

When Lupe got back to the G6, it was 47°F and 9:38 PM. Just another short, easy 11-hour day on the trail in the beautiful Beartooth Mountains!

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