Start – 8:41 AM, 43°F along Norris Peak Road 0.75 mile from Nemo Road
So was this someone’s driveway or USFS access? Hard to say. No signs, no mailbox. A single set of days old tire tracks was evident on a snowy road that went up a short hillside before curving L out of sight. Lupe and SPHP got out of the G6. Wouldn’t hurt to go see what was around that bend, would it?
No worries! A USFS gate was beyond the curve. The Carolina Dog was good to go! Looper trotted on up past the gate.
Lupe was good to go! A USFS gate (L) was around the bend. Photo looks WNW.
Beyond the gate, the road curved NNW and entered a flat, grassy field. Lupe came to a faint 4 way intersection. Only the road to the R was marked. An old brown wand said this was USFS Road No. 166.1I. Lupe went straight ahead. She was on No. 166.1B, though the designation wasn’t known at the time.
Near the faint 4 way intersection. Lupe followed unmarked USFS Road No. 166.1B straight ahead. Photo looks NNW.
No. 166.1B led up a shallow valley. After gaining some elevation, the road wasn’t quite as steep as it curved first NW, then W. The road faded away as Lupe approached what appeared to be the top of a ridge.
Halfway along No. 166.1B. Photo looks NW.Getting close to the top. Photo looks W.
Upon reaching the high ground, Lupe found herself on a broad, gently sloping grassy area thinly forested with tall pines. The American Dingo was up on a big ridge alright, but this wasn’t the top. A forested hill was 150 yards or more off to the NW.
Up on the ridge, but not at the top. A small hill (R) is still ahead. Photo looks NW.
Lupe did not climb the hill yet. SPHP wasn’t entirely certain where she was on the topo map. Loop stayed on easier, flatter terrain S of the hill traveling NW among the tall pines.
Exploring the tall pines area. Photo looks NW.
After less than 0.2 mile, Lupe reached the end of the ridge. She could see Nemo Road down in the Boxelder Creek valley.
At the NW end of the ridge. Nemo Road is in sight. Photo looks NW.
SPHP now understood exactly where Lupe was. The forested hill she had just skirted was High Point 4700, summit of the big ridge she was on. Peak5136, her peakbagging objective, was 1.5 miles due W.
Since Lupe was only a little W of High Point 4700, she might just as well go back and pay it a visit before heading on. She only needed to gain 50 or 60 feet of elevation to reach the top.
Loop heads back to tag High Point 4700, which is up on top of the rock wall beyond her. Photo looks NE.At High Point 4700. Photo looks SE.
At the NW end of High Point 4700, a rock ledge provided views to the N. Pines hid the views in all other directions.
View to the N.Nemo Road again from a little higher up. Photo looks NW.
Satisfied she had seen what there was to see, Lupe headed back down to the tall pines. Staying close to the NW end of the ridge, she traveled SW through the sunny tall pines area.
The quickest route to Peak 5136 from here is to go straight ahead through these tall pines. Piece of cake! Photo looks SW.
Beyond the tall pines, Loopster came to a more densely forested steep embankment. Only a little snow was on the ground here, which made it slick going for SPHP. However, Lupe easily made it down to a saddle leading to another forested ridge ahead.
Approaching the saddle leading to the next ridge. Photo looks WSW.
Once across the saddle, the climb up onto the next ridge was the steepest of the day. Lupe regained all of the elevation she had lost since leaving High Point 4700 and more. She only had to gain 200 feet, though, before the ridge leveled out.
Starting up the next ridge after crossing the saddle. Photo looks W.After gaining 200 feet of elevation, the terrain levels out. Photo looks W.
Lupe continued W along the ridgeline. The ridge narrowed, becoming rocky and rough. A couple of times Loop had to down climb a bit.
Loop had to down climb a little here so she could continue W. Photo looks E.Looking back along the skinny ridgeline. Photo looks ESE.
After 0.2 mile, Lupe came to a very minor saddle. Beyond this saddle, the ridge widened again and rose steadily. Another 200 feet of elevation gain brought the Carolina Dog to a roomy hilltop. Lupe had reached High Point 4990. She was now only a mile E of Peak5136.
On the way up to High Point 4990. Photo looks W.Here we are at High Point 4990. Only a mile to go to Peak 5136! Photo looks N.
The last mile was easy. This was Lupe’s favorite part of the entire trek. From High Point 4990 on, the ridge was broad and reasonably level to moderately sloping the whole way. The American Dingo had plenty of room to run around exploring the forest. She had no views, but was happy roaming anyway.
Sniffing around on the way to High Point 5040. Photo looks NW.
From High Point 4990, the ridge went 0.5 mile NW to High Point 5040. Lupe discovered a snow-covered trail. SPHP followed it much of the way. High Point 5040 proved to be a 10 foot high wall of rock. Kind of odd. Lupe hadn’t passed any similar rock formations since leaving High Point 4990.
At High Point 5040 now! Strange how this one solitary rock wall is right at the top. Photo looks WNW.
For the final 0.5 mile from High Point 5040 to Peak 5136 the broad ridge went WSW. Lupe sniffed wherever she wanted to. SPHP stayed mostly on the trail. When glimpses of blue sky appeared between the trees ahead, it was clear Lupe was nearing her destination.
Getting close to the summit of Peak 5136. Photo looks WSW.
Lupe arrived at the SW edge of the mountain a little SE of the summit. A great view of the Bogus Jim Creek valley was spread out before her.
This is the SW edge of Peak 5136. That’s the Bogus Jim Creek valley below. Photo looks W.
A clearing near the W end of the mountain proved to be the true summit of Peak5136. Lupe had that same terrific view of the Bogus Jim Creek valley from here, but that was about it. Forest hid everything else. SPHP was disappointed that Green Mountain(5,240 ft.) couldn’t be seen.
Lupe reaches the clearing at true summit of Peak 5136. Photo looks NW.
A narrow, slightly lower rocky ridge continued W. Lupe went partway along it. She found a spot where there was less snow to take a break. She relaxed here, devouring the entire Taste of the Wild supply SPHP had brought along.
Partway out on the narrow W ridge. Photo looks W.The Bogus Jim Creek valley from the break point. Photo looks WSW.
While Lupe was relaxing, SPHP noticed Green Mountain actually could be seen between the trees. Only a little piece was visible, but that had to be it! The ridge looked a bit treacherous farther W, but maybe it wasn’t that bad? Maybe there actually was a clearer view of Green Mountain, if Loop could follow the ridge far enough?
So when the American Dingo was ready to move on, the first thing she did was to explore the narrow ridge as far W as she could. She lost more elevation, but the ridge didn’t become impassable. However, no views of Green Mountain materialized until, after going perhaps another 200 feet, Lupe arrived way out at the point at the absolute end. Then sure enough there it was! Green Mountain(5,240 ft.)!
Green Mountain (Center) from the far W end of Peak 5136. Photo looks NW.
Once upon a time, Lupe had been to Green Mountain. That was 4 years ago now. The summit had been a single rock so high that she needed a boost from SPHP to get up on top. The day had been windy. Loop really hadn’t enjoyed being up there. However, it had been a memorable day. Lupe had seen a rainbow off to the N! In January, no less!
It was fun seeing Green Mountain again from Peak 5136.
Green Mountain (L). The white peak in the distance is Custer Peak (6,804 ft.). Photo looks NW with help from the telephoto lens.
Lupe sat out at the end of the point in a strong breeze. Sheltered by the forest on the way to Peak 5136, a gusty 20 mph N wind had barely been noticeable. Loop quickly tired of being exposed to its full force. She’d seen Green Mountain. Enough already! The Carolina Dog headed E back along the narrow ridge.
Lupe near her break spot on the way back to the summit. Norris Peak(4,982 ft.) is the distant ridge on the R. Photo looks SE.Back at the summit. Photo looks SE.
From the summit, Lupe explored farther SE along the edge of Peak 5136. She came to a spot where she could see Norris Peak(4,982 ft.), Thrall Mountain(5,091 ft.), Boulder Hill(5,331 ft.) and other high points she recognized far to the S & SE.
Bogus Jim Creek valley from SE of Peak 5136’s summit. Photo looks SSE.
Then it was time to depart. Lupe returned to the trail through the snowy woods. She went by High Points 5040 and 4990 again.
Returning to High Point 5040. Photo looks ESE.On the way to High Point 4990. Photo looks SSE.
Beyond High Point 4990, Lupe altered her return route. From the minor saddle W of the skinny ridge, she descended into a big valley to the SE. Near the floor of this valley she picked up a faint road, which improved as Loop gradually lost elevation.
Down in the tall grass valley. Photo looks ESE.
As SPHP suspected, this road eventually brought Lupe back to the first 4 way intersection she had come to early in the day. She had been on USFS Road No. 166.1H.
Lupe headed back to the USFS gate and the G6. Her adventure to Peak 5136 was over. Peak 5136 hadn’t been a particularly long, difficult, or exciting expedition, but the American Dingo had explored new territory, and seen some places she hadn’t been to in a while.
In the dead of winter, a warm day like this one was a day to cherish. The Carolina Dog had made good use of it. (1:21 PM, 50°F)
Hey, SPHP! Remember that rainbow we saw from Green Mountain (Center) 4 years ago? …. Sure do, Looper! Awesome, wasn’t it? On Peak 5136, Black Hills of South Dakota, 1-27-19
Day 8 of Lupe’s 2018 Dingo Vacation to the Bighorn Mountains & Wind River Range of Wyoming!
Before SPHP even got the pack ready to go, Lupe went down to the shore of Lower Green River Lake. Having spent yesterday resting in the G6 while traveling to get here, the Carolina Dog was in fine form and great spirits. Thankfully, her sore L front paw was no longer bothering her.
Scarcely a ripple marred the still, smooth surface of the big lake. Beyond it, flanked by other massive peaks stood the majestic sentinel of the NW entrance to Wyoming’s rugged Wind River Range – mighty Squaretop Mountain(11,695 ft.)!
Squaretop Mountain (R of Center) from Lower Green River Lake. Photo looks SE.
Lupe had been here before. In 2015, she had taken the Highline Trail on a reconnaissance mission to see if she might be able to climb Squaretop someday. SPHP had an old book, Wind River Trails by Finis Mitchell, in which Mitchell described a route to the summit from Beaver Park.
Loop’s 2015 reconnaissance had only been a day hike. She did make it to Beaver Park, but what she had seen wasn’t promising at all – glimpses of giant vertical rock walls soaring more than 2,000 feet above and beyond a densely-forested ridge, the top of which was itself 1,200 feet higher than Beaver Park.
That hadn’t been the end of it, though. Lupe returned to Green River Lakes in 2017 and took an alternate route up to Porcupine Pass. SPHP thought maybe she could get to the top of Squaretop Mountain from there, but Loop only made it as far as New Benchmark (11,850 ft.) where a huge, steep snowbank blocked further advance.
In Wind River Trails, Finis Mitchell insisted the route up Squaretop from Beaver Park was “not difficult”. Finis claimed to have taken 4 year olds up the mountain. So now, 3 years after her initial reconnaissance, Lupe was back to see if she could find Mitchell’s route!
Still looks impossible, but what are we waiting for? I’m already 7!
7-20-18, 8:28 AM, 59°F – After reading Finis Mitchell’s route description one last time, SPHP left the book in the G6. All systems go! It was on! Lupe headed for the footbridge over the Green River close to where it left Lower Green River Lake.
There’s the bridge over the Green River! It’s just downstream of Lower Green River Lake. Photo looks E.
A year ago, there had been signs warning that a bridge over Clear Creek near the far end of the lake had been wiped out by flooding. Luckily, no such signs were seen today.
This bridge provides access to the Highline Trail (No. 094)! Photo looks NNE.
After crossing the bridge, Lupe picked up the Highline Trail (No. 94), which would take her all the way to Beaver Park. For the first couple of miles, the trail ran along the lower slopes of a mountainside paralleling Lower Green River Lake. Views of the lake, Squaretop Mountain, and all the neighboring peaks were absolutely grand.
(Note: The Highline Trail runs the length of the Wind River Range.)
Starting for Squaretop Mountain (Center) on the Highline Trail. Photo looks SE.Halfway along Lower Green River Lake. White Rock(11,284 ft.) (L) and Squaretop Mountain (Center). Photo looks SE.
Lupe had a blast exploring the mountain slopes near the trail. Almost before she knew it, she was getting close to the S end of Lower Green River Lake. She passed a junction with the Clear Creek Trail (No. 184). Shortly thereafter, after going through a stand of tall bushes, Loopster arrived at the new bridge over Clear Creek.
S end of Lower Green River Lake. Squaretop Mountain (L). The Bottle(11,480 ft.) is the rectangular pinnacle at Center. Photo looks SSE with help from the telephoto lens.Loopster about to cross the new bridge over Clear Creek. Photo looks SE.
Despite no Dingo level pawrails, Lupe had no problem crossing the Clear Creek bridge. The Highline Trail was now on low, flat terrain. Soon the Green River was in view again, tranquilly meandering down from Upper Green River Lake. Another bridge over the Green River was ahead.
The next bridge over the Green River between Upper & Lower Green River Lakes comes into view. Photo looks S.
This next bridge provided access to the Porcupine Trail (No. 137), which Loop had taken to Porcupine Pass last year, or to the Lakeside Trail (No. 144), an alternate route along the W shore of Lower Green River Lake going back to the trailhead. Lupe did not need to cross it.
Looper skipped this second bridge over the Green River, staying on the Highline Trail. Photo looks SW.
Beyond the bridge, the Highline Trail left the Green River, veering E off into the forest. Lupe followed it over a minor ridge. A mere 0.33 mile from the bridge, Upper Green River Lake came into view.
Upper Green River Lake is much smaller than the lower lake, only 7 feet higher, and equally exquisite. Photo looks S.
3 miles from the trailhead now, taking a break somewhere along the shore of the incredibly beautiful upper lake sounded like a great idea. The Highline Trail was about to cross a marshy area here, so Lupe left it to follow a short spur trail S along the lake’s NW shore.
Squaretop Mountain (L of Center) from Upper Green River Lake. Photo looks SSE.Squaretop Mountain (L) and The Bottle (R) from Upper Green River Lake. Photo looks SSE with help from the telephoto lens.
The views were stunning, but something else soon became the focus of Lupe’s attention. A flotilla of 15 ducklings came paddling along close to the shore led by their mama. A charming sight, they seemed to be thoroughly enjoying a mid-summer float trip on Upper Green River Lake.
Mama duck, admiral of a 15 duckling fleet, came paddling by.These lucky ducklings had a mama with a keen eye for choice real estate. She could hardly have chosen a more beautiful home for her brood.Common Goldeneye or perhaps Barrow’s Goldeneye?
After entertaining Lupe for a while, the duck display paddled onward. The American Dingo moved on, too. She returned to the Highline Trail, which now proceeded S above the E shore of Upper Green River Lake.
Heading S past Upper Green River Lake. Photo looks S.
Once past Upper Green River Lake, the trail continued S up the Green River valley. Sometimes the river was in view, and occasionally the Highline Trail even went right by it. Other times, the river was farther away. Most of the time Lupe was in the forest, but clearings provided lovely views of Squaretop Mountain, and allowed the American Dingo to gauge her progress.
Lupe cools off in one of many small streams that cross the Highline Trail.Squaretop Mountain from the Green River Valley. Photo looks S.Same view with help from the telephoto lens. The Bottle is on the R.Looking W across the valley.
The trail sometimes went up or down, but net elevation gain was almost negligible. The day was gorgeous, and the trail began to get busy. SPHP occasionally stopped to chat briefly with passers-by. Lupe stayed busy checking trees for squirrels. The view of Squaretop began to change as the Carolina Dog got closer.
Getting closer, but still 4 miles to Beaver Park! Photo looks S.The Green River is so beautiful! It’s got that pale, glacial look to it. Photo looks S.A bend in the Green River. The Bottle is on the L. Photo looks SW.
Approaching Squaretop, the Highline Trail started bending toward the SE. It stayed in the forest and began to gain elevation. The Green River was now well below the level of the trail. Finally the river began to get closer again, and came into view down a steep embankment. Lupe left the trail and went down to the river.
This was a favorite spot! Lupe had stopped here in 2015, too. The Green River was much higher today. The river poured down a series of rapids past a large rock midstream and disappeared into the forest below.
Loop at her favorite spot along the Green River.These rapids are down a steep embankment next to the Highline Trail.The Green River disappears into the forest after flowing around the big rock on the R.
The weather was perfect! Early afternoon and Beaver Park wasn’t that much farther. 2 or 3 miles maybe? No more than that. A break, a nice long one, at this gorgeous spot sounded wonderful!
Lupe rested in the shade of a spruce tree, listening to the mesmerizing roar of the water while snapping at flies and ants. SPHP dangled a foot in the frigid river until bones ached with cold. Then the other foot took a turn at suffering, while the first one basked in warm sunshine. Rinse and repeat, literally, over and over again.
SPHP counted how many times short sticks swirled around in an eddy before the current caught them and they sailed downstream. Lupe dozed. The Green River swept relentlessly, hypnotically, by.The river wasn’t the only thing sweeping by. Time flowed relentlessly along as well. An hour and 40 minutes vanished, before SPHP finally shook off a lethargy induced by the idyllic setting. Puppy, ho! Onward! But the time spent along the bank of the Green River had sure been splendid.
Lupe returns to the Highline Trail. Granite Peak(9,892 ft.) dead ahead! Photo looks S.
At intervals, Lupe had come to various small streams which crossed the trail. None had been even close to large enough to cause any problems. All had merely been places where Loop could get a refreshing drink and cool her paws off. However, as she was getting close to due E of Granite Peak, she came to two much larger streams in rapid succession.
The first was Elbow Creek. SPHP didn’t remember crossing any major streams in this area back in 2015, but the Green River was running much higher now than back then, so perhaps these tributaries were also commensurately larger? Looper was reluctant to ford the scary stream, but after SPHP started across, she ultimately made a successful soaking dash for the opposite bank.
The glow of this success was immediately extinguished upon reaching Pixley Creek minutes later. Pixley Creek was 20 feet across! Even at its deepest the stream was only knee deep on SPHP, but the water was fast and powerful. After hesitating, SPHP waded in. The force of the water was strong enough to make it doubtful Lupe could be carried across without falling, as had happened while attempting to cross Porcupine Creek last year.
SPHP managed to ford Pixley Creek, but Lupe hadn’t dared to follow this time. Full of separation anxiety, she ran back and forth along the N bank searching for a way, but it was all too deep and frightening. She finally sat in the tall grass peering across the stream at SPHP pleading for help.
Desperate not to be left behind, Lupe pleads with SPHP for help crossing swift-flowing Pixley Creek. Only a fraction of the stream’s width is shown here.
SPHP was convinced Lupe would be fine if she swam across herself, but no amount of coaxing could induce her to enter the stream. Pixley Creek was frigid, over her head, and simply too terrifying. In all fairness, if the situation had been reversed, no way would SPHP have done it either.
Downstream of the Highline Trail, a single log bleached white by the sun was stretched out across the entire width of Pixley Creek. The log wasn’t terribly wide, especially near the S bank. The danger was that if Lupe fell off it, the stream would instantly wash her into a logjam of sticks, branches and other logs immediately downstream.
When nothing else worked, SPHP reluctantly pointed the white log out. Lupe caught on instantly! While SPHP looked on with trepidation, the Carolina Dog raced across without the slightest problem. Worked great, but SPHP still didn’t like it. The what if was too terrible to think about.
At any rate, Lupe was safely across Pixley Creek. The trail continued S up the Green River valley. Sometimes it wound fairly high up into the forest. Sometimes it went right along the Green River. SPHP made one mistake leading Lupe down a short side spur that ended at the river.
Continuing up the Green River valley S of Pixley Creek. Photo looks S.SPHP made a mistake going down to the river here. The Highline Trail actually stayed up in the forest. Photo looks S.
The Highline Trail was in the forest up on a mountainside when Lupe went around a sharp bend and saw a bridge over the Green River. The bridge was a welcome sight. Beaver Park was close at paw!
The footbridge over the Green River near Beaver Park. Photo looks SE.Crossing the Green River. Photo looks NE.This is how river crossings are meant to be!Looking up the Green River from the bridge near Beaver Park.Looking downstream.
Once across this last big bridge, Lupe was actually on an island. A short distance farther on the trail brought her to a little bridge across a small side channel of the Green River. Beyond this little bridge Lupe entered Beaver Park again for the first time since 2015.
Crossing the little bridge over the side channel. The open meadows of Beaver Park are already partially in view beyond the trees. Photo looks SW.Beaver Park. Parts of Squaretop Mountain are visible beyond the near ridge. Granite Lake is hidden up on the ridge. Granite Peak is on the R. Photo looks WNW.
It was 5:30 PM when Lupe reached Beaver Park. The Highline Trail had been busy all afternoon. Yet no one was at Beaver Park. A single tent was set up near a small grove of big pines near the S end, but nobody was there at the moment.
W of Beaver Park was the same 1200 foot high forested ridge Lupe had seen in 2015. Towering portions of Squaretop Mountain loomed above and beyond it. The original plan for the day had been to camp up on that 1200 foot high ridge by Granite Lake, which couldn’t be seen from here. Camping up at the lake would save hours and all that elevation gain tomorrow when Lupe hoped to climb Squaretop Mountain.
However, it had been a long march from Lower Green River Lake carrying the pack, something on the order of 11 or 12 miles. SPHP was tired. Lupe was ready to call it a day, too. Would have been better to get here earlier. Too much time had been allowed to slip away while relaxing by the Green River rapids. SPHP didn’t know of any trail up the ridge. A bushwhack might easily consume hours.
It turned out that much of Beaver Park was lumpy, boggy ground. The lone tent already set up at the cluster of pines occupied about the only really dry, level place. A reasonably acceptable spot was found about 80 feet N. SPHP set up Lupe’s new Marmot tiny house.
Lupe by her new Marmot tiny house in Beaver Park. Photo looks NE.
The sun was barely down behind the mountains when Lupe and SPHP crawled into the tiny house to hit the hay. Smart to get as much rest as possible, but making Beaver Park base camp instead of Granite Lake was a major mistake.
It wouldn’t be the last.
In a contemplative mood the evening before what was likely to be Lupe’s final chance to climb Squaretop Mountain 7-20-18
