The (Mostly) True Adventures of Lupe

9:02 AM, 33ºF, Camp 5 Road (USFS Road No. 172) trailhead off Hwy 14A – Record high temperatures for the date yesterday, but you sure wouldn’t have known it from conditions at the Camp 5 trailhead this morning.  SPHP parked the RAV4 in more than a foot of snow.

It’s still winter here, SPHP!

Going to be winter for a while yet, Loopster.  Still January, about as wintry as it gets.  Supposed to warm up some again today, though, although not as much as it did yesterday.  You still want to go, don’t you?

Oh, of course I do, SPHP.  Where are we off to?

Peak 5452, Looper!

Peak 5452?  Sounds like another Lists of John 300+ foot prominence peak.  In fact, I sort of vaguely remember that we were driving around looking for access to a Peak 5452 last fall.  Am I right, SPHP?

Indeed, you are, Loop!  We drove up Peedee Gulch one day thinking Peak 5452 would be a short easy romp from the W.  However, turned out it was all private property over that way, a big housing subdivision.  So this time we’re going to come at it from the NE, a much longer route, but hopefully we won’t have to be traipsing through anyone’s front yard.

Crossing Camp 5 Road, Lupe set out taking a shortcut down into the Boulder Creek drainage, which was full of snow, but otherwise dry.  A 40 foot climb up the opposite bank, and the Carolina Dog popped out on USFS Road No. 172.1G, which was also quite snowy.

Wow, a lot more snow around than I expected, Loopster!  We might be in for quite a time today.

I like the snow as long as it doesn’t get too deep, SPHP.  Which way now?

We go W from here all the way to the end of No. 172.1G, Loop.  0.5 mile should get us to Two Bit Creek.

Following tire tracks where the snow had been compressed, Lupe trotted W with relative ease as the road wound through the woods paralleling the course of the Boulder Creek drainage.  This was a beautiful trek, but not nearly as peaceful as it looked.  Traffic roared along Hwy 14A on the opposite N side of the valley.

The last tire tracks ended 0.25 mile in.  Traveling through the foot deep snow now required greater effort.  No. 172.1G eventually curved SW and ended at a sign.

“Area restriction, unauthorized route, no motor vehicle use yearlong”.  We’re golden, Looper.  You aren’t motorized are you?

I’m 1 Dingo power, SPHP.

Don’t think that counts.  Onward!  Puppy, ho!

Beyond the sign, what was left of USFS Road No. 172.1G dipped into the Two Bit Creek drainage.  No surface water, but even more snow here.

OK, Looper, now we just follow Two Bit Creek upstream.  2 miles at most, depending on how much winding around there is.  That should get us to a mile long climb up Peak 5452’s NE ridge, and we’ll be there!

As the American Dingo explored the Two Bit Creek valley, the snow was often deep enough down along the dry streambed to make travel much slower and more difficult than expected.  Two feet deep in some places, three in a few spots!

Attempting to avoid some of the deepest snow, while cutting off some distance as the stream looped around, at times Lupe roamed regions above one bank or the other.  The snow usually wasn’t as deep when that was possible, but it often wasn’t.  In some places, Two Bit Creek ran along the base of scenic limestone cliffs.

Near the end of USFS Road No. 172.1G, there’d been signs about mining claims in this area.  They warned against anyone else, presumably even Carolina Dogs, attempting to extract any minerals.  More mining claim notices appeared as Lupe’s journey continued.  She ignored them all.

Don’t know why, but I’ve never really been inclined to start mining, SPHP.

Nothing to worry about, Loop.  I’d be surprised if you were.

In truth, there was little evidence the mining claim owners really had much interest in mining, either.  Not entirely true, though.  Looper did pass one upturned plastic cart next to a small exploration dig.

Two Bit Creek went on for what seemed like a long way.  Now far from the highway, Lupe explored a quiet, wonderfully secluded region.

Eventually, a snow-free spot was found well above the streambed.  This was the first opportunity to sit down and take a break.  Looper wasn’t hungry yet, but was happy to curl up on SPHP’s lap.

How much farther to Peak 5452, SPHP?

According to the Peakbagger app on our new iPhone, we’re still only about halfway to the start of the NE ridge, Loop.

Beyond the break spot, the Two Bit Creek trek continued in a similar manner for quite a way.  Eventually, the valley began to broaden out.  Climbing the S bank of the streambed, Lupe reached a large flat region that wasn’t as thickly forested.  Somewhat surprisingly, vehicle tracks were visible in the snow only a little farther S.

Going over to the tracks, they wound E or W through the forest.

Wonder where this goes, SPHP?

Not sure, Looper.  Certainly easier than following Two Bit Creek, though.  Head W.  That will get us closer to the start of Peak 5452’s NE ridge.

The Carolina Dog made excellent time along the snowy tracks.  Soon an intersection appeared.  Partially hidden by trees, a house was now in view ahead.

Uh-oh!  We’re either on, or coming to, private property, Loop.  That house is right where we want to go, too.  We need to get around it somehow.

Which way then, SPHP?  The tracks go either N or SW from here.

Peak 5452 is SW, Loop.  Go that way.  N won’t do us any good.

The terrain rose gradually as Lupe followed the tracks SW.  A snow-free stretch soon revealed that this really was some kind of a primitive road.

It wasn’t far to another junction along the edge of a ravine.  Another house was now in sight on the hillside W of the ravine.

Well, shoot!  We’re cut off from where we need to go, Loop.  Apparently this whole valley is part of a subdivision.

So what now, SPHP?  Is our goose cooked on Peak 5452?

Kind of looking that way, Loopster.

A road or track of some sort went SE up a steep slope from here.

Let’s go that way, Loop.  There are still a couple of these big ravines W of us that we need to get past.  Their sides are so steep that we aren’t going to be able to get over the ridges between them with so much snow around, but maybe this route will wind through it all somehow?

As Lupe climbed SE up the steep track, it seemed to be the only realistic hope of ever getting to Peak 5452 today.  After gaining a fair amount of elevation, the track leveled out and turned SW again, an encouraging sign.  Maybe this was actually going to work?

However, the track soon curved S again.  A small sign was ahead.

No trespassing!  We actually did stray onto private property, Looper.

Are we going to get into trouble, SPHP?

Doubt it.  No harm done, and we’re off it now.  Never meant to intrude, and we won’t be back, so this should be the end of it.

The news still wasn’t good.  Although the track continued on from here, it went S staying on the E side of the ravine.  Any attempt to cross the ravine, and go W up and over the heavily forested steep slope beyond it looked like an unrewarding task.

We’ve struck out on Peak 5452 today, haven’t we, SPHP?

Yeah, I think this is it for Peak 5452.  Not a decent route in January.  It will get dark on us during the return if we try to force our way over these hills and ravines to get there.  Won’t be much fun without a trail to follow.

So now what?  How do we get back to the trailhead, SPHP?  Can’t go back the way we came without trespassing again.

Oh, don’t worry about that.  We aren’t going back that way.  Want to climb Pillar Peak (5,469 ft.), Loop?  It’s only about a mile S.  No access issues, and we already know a good route back to the trailhead from there.

Pillar Peak?  I’m all for it, SPHP!  At least we’d get to climb something.

According to the topo map, the best route to Pillar Peak from here was to climb SE entirely out of the ravine, then turn S along a broad ridge that would ultimately lead first to the mountain’s somewhat lower E summit.  Although no road or trail went that way, this route began as a pretty easy climb.  Not all that steep, and not much snow around, either.

Sniffing her way through the forest, Lupe hadn’t gone much farther when a Black Hills National Forest boundary sign appeared.

Gosh, were we still on private property, SPHP?

Guess so, hard to tell without any fences, Loop.  There’s a survey marker here, so we ought to be officially back in the national forest now.

Continuing SE, the terrain nearly leveled out.  Time to turn S!  Lupe led the way, roaming easily through an area thick with dog hair pines that slowed SPHP’s progress considerably.

Beyond the dog hairs, SPHP was able to make much better progress.   A gradual climb resumed, which led to a big clearing full of snow.  Parts of the upper regions of Pillar Peak were now in sight ahead.  From here, Pillar Peak looked like just a couple of forested hills.

Avoiding the snow as much as possible, Lupe continued S along the edge of the clearing heading toward Pillar Peak’s E summit.  The rate of climb began increasing again.  After gaining a few hundred feet of elevation, the Carolina Dog reached a drop-off along the E side of the mountain.  From a big snowbank, she now had a much better view of the E summit than the one she’d had from the clearing.

The E summit wasn’t much farther or higher now.  Swinging around to the SW to avoid most of the snow along the edge of the mountain, there was quite a bit of deadfall to contend with.  The discovery of a deer skull was of interest to the American Dingo.  SPHP preferred the view of Peak 5400 across the deep valley to the SE.

A final short, steep climb got Lupe up to the E summit region.  Where she first reached it, she enjoyed a nice, distant view of Bear Butte (4,422 ft.) off to the NE.

The actual E summit was only a short uphill stroll from this viewpoint.  Only took a minute or two to get there.

1:24 PM, Pillar Peak E summit – Although Lupe had been to Pillar Peak on 3 prior occasions, this was the first time she had ever visited the E summit, which had remained a mystery.  Now the Carolina Dog stood on the highest boulder among a collection of others along the edge beneath a sullen sky.  Hidden by pines, Pillar Peak’s true summit wasn’t in view from here, but Loop enjoyed an open panorama from the S all the way around to Bear Butte to the NE.

Wow!  This is sweet, SPHP.  What a great view of Peak 5400 across the valley!

Glad we came here, Loopster!  Pillar Peak’s E summit really is pretty cool.  Always wondered what it was like.  See that road down in the valley?  We’ll be taking it on our way back to the trailhead later on.

This is already better than a lot of hills we climb in the Black Hills, SPHP.  We ought to celebrate!

Uh-huh!  By which you mean, we ought to share chocolate coconut bar, I presume, conniving Dingo!

The thought did cross my mind, SPHP.  You wouldn’t happen to have one in the pack, would you?

SPHP did.  Sitting down together on a bed of pine needles next to the boulders, the Carolina Dog’s wish came true.  SPHP stroked her soft ears.

I like this spot, Loop.  Let’s just hang out here for 10 minutes, take a break.

It was a nice, relaxing time together, but 10 minutes shot by like nothing at all.  Eh, maybe 15?

OK, time to finish this.  To the true summit, Loop!  Onward!  Puppy, ho!

The true summit wasn’t far away at all, no more than 0.2 mile.  Lupe lost maybe 60 feet of elevation going down to the broad saddle leading to it, then began an easy climb.

Having been here before, the American Dingo knew what to expect.  Long ago, fire must have swept over Pillar Peak’s true summit region.  Surprisingly little remained of any dead trees.  This made Pillar Peak a more striking summit and an excellent viewpoint.

1:54 PM, 43ºF, Pillar Peak (5,469 ft.) –  Pillar Peak’s true summit was an interesting place, and a bit unusual for the Black Hills.  A maze of rock formations a few feet high were separated by lanes of grass resembling intentionally designed walkways.  Lupe easily leapt up onto the highest rock, completing her 4th ascent.

The premier view was of Terry Peak (7,064 ft.) with its ski runs off to the SW.  With snow on the hills, it stood out particularly well today.

A lot to see in other directions, too, but all that could wait.  Loopster had her whole traditional summit hour to spend up here.  First it was time for a longer rest break.  And lunch!  Sitting down on the dry grass near the true summit, SPHP brought out another much anticipated chocolate coconut bar, Taste of the Wild, water, and an apple.

The second chocolate coconut bar of the day had already bit the dust, and the Taste of the Wild was still in the process of being gobbled up, when a sudden breeze arose from out of the SW.  Hadn’t been any wind at all when Lupe first got here only 5 or 10 minutes ago.

We better finish eating pretty quick, Looper.  Custer Peak (6,804 ft.) was in sight only moments ago.  Now I don’t see it at all.  Weather’s coming in!

Probably just a snow shower that wouldn’t amount to much of anything.  Hadn’t been much precipitation expected in the forecast, but SPHP kept an eye on it while munching on that apple.  Meanwhile, Lupe finished her Taste of the Wild.

Soon the breeze felt colder.  Deer Mountain (6,652 ft.) was gone now, too, and it looked like snow was starting to envelop Terry Peak, as well.

If you want any pictures, SPHP, maybe we better start getting them now?

We think alike, Looper!  Come on!  Time for your Pillar Peak summit tour!

Since the snow shower was coming from out of the SW, concentrating on Terry Peak, Bald Mountain (6,617 ft.), Dome Mountain (5,512 ft.), and Bear Den Mountain (5,642 ft.) all to the S or W first made sense.

Other directions wouldn’t be affected by the snow shower for a while yet.  Flat-topped Mount Theodore Roosevelt (5,680 ft.) was visible to the NW, with both Spearfish Peak (5,800 ft.) and Crow Peak (5,787 ft.) barely in sight a little to the R of it.

More directly N, Whitewood Peak (5,120 ft.) stood out among lower hills.  A little more to the E, Crook Mountain (4930 ft.) looked like just a large, low, forested dome.  Way out on the prairie far beyond it, two little blips were on the horizon.  Probably Castle Rock Butte (3,768 ft.), but might have been Deers Ears Butte (3,438 ft.).

And of course, Bear Butte (4,422 ft.) was easily recognizable to the NE.

The W end of the summit region was 20 feet lower, and featured a big grassy area.  Loop and SPHP took turns going down there.

The wind blew harder, the temperature dropped.  Wouldn’t be long now before the snow shower arrived.

When it hit, it was a nothingburger.  Middle of January, and it wasn’t even snow!  Rain fell for a few minutes, and that was it.  Incredible!  The “storm” passed, and Terry Peak came back into view.  Lupe watched it all happen from the highest rock formation on Pillar Peak.

2:54 PM, 39ºF, Pillar Peak – An hour had gone by already!  Time to say good-bye to Pillar Peak once again.  SPHP started down first.  Loop was supposed to wait up top for the signal, but when SPHP looked back, the American Dingo was already on her way!

Couldn’t wait for a final summit shot, aye, Looper?

You’ve got plenty already, SPHP!  I’m ready for more exploring!

The Carolina Dog was more cooperative at a few more scenic spots as she left the summit region.

Then it was down the steep, rocky S slope to a saddle where Lupe turned SE on a very snowy romp down to USFS Road No. 172.1H.  The road was flat as it went a short distance E to another saddle SE of Pillar Peak.

Lupe had been here before.  Up a little rise to get over the pass, and with only relatively minor exceptions, it was downhill all the rest of the way.

4:50 PM, 37ºF, Camp 5 Road trailhead – Just as Lupe reached the RAV4, it started to rain again.  The Carolina Dog hopped in before she even got damp.

Pillar Peak was awesome, as always SPHP, but we never did get to Peak 5452.  Wonder if we ever will?

Oh, I suspect we will, Looper, but don’t think we’ll try it again until the snow melts.  Maybe in 2 or 3 months?  At least we saw it today.

We did?  When?  You never pointed it out!

It was there, Loop.  You saw it from Pillar Peak.  Big forested hill only 1.25 miles due W, but it didn’t really stand out.  Don’t think we’ll see much more than trees even if we do get there eventually.

We’re still going to pick it off, SPHP!  I’m going to get all these Black Hills Lists of John 300+ foot prominence peaks done, or at least all the ones we can actually climb.

That’s the spirit, Loopster!  We’ll try a different Lists of John peak next time out.  Maybe we’ll have better luck then?

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