Start – 8:59 AM, 31°F, 0.5 mile S of Silver City along USFS Road No. 251
The more SPHP thought about it, the more it seemed like driving a little farther S would have been better. November now, and the first day back on Standard Time. Even though the clock said Lupe had gotten off to a reasonably early start, she actually had one less hour of daylight to look forward to than she would have had only yesterday at this hour.
Consequently, maybe Loop wasn’t going to be able to get to all of her planned peakbagging objectives? Yeah, driving farther would have been more efficient. Besides, the road hike on USFS Road No. 251 was a bit dull. Luckily the valley widened out. Lupe was perfectly happy roaming some off-road flat ground next to a dry creekbed.
Before long the American Dingo reached a junction with a side road marked No. 251.1K. This far up Nugget Gulch the creek had a little water in it. Lupe crossed No. 251.1K and continued upstream.
More than 0.5 mile from the G6 was a more important intersection. USFS Road No. 251 continued S up East Nugget Gulch. Lupe made a R turn onto USFS Road No. 249 instead. As a more primitive road, No. 249 had a pleasant remote feel.
No. 249 winds its way W, then SW up the main part of Nugget Gulch. Lupe had hardly gotten started when she came to a ford. By the side of the road, right next to the creek, Lupe discovered a terribly interesting something or other.
Looks like deer guts to me, Looper! Just leave ’em alone!
On the way up Nugget Gulch, No. 249 crossed the stream bed half a dozen times. The first two fords had enough water to persuade SPHP to utilize a few stepping stones. The rest of the crossings were bone dry.
Nugget Gulch became narrower and deeper. The road hugged a hillside above the stream course. SPHP stuck with the road, since it was easier than trying to stay down close to the intermittent stream. For the most part, Loop did, too.
At one point the creek’s maximum flow was revealed where it went over exposed bedrock. Lupe left the road briefly for a closer look.
After nearly a mile on USFS Road No. 249, Lupe came to an intersection with No. 249.3B. Silver Peak (5,810 ft.) was now 0.67 mile due N. The Carolina Dog left the main road, slipped around a closed metal barrier, and began following No. 249.3B up a valley.
The road appeared to be permanently closed to vehicle traffic. Looper trotted along through tall, dry grass. No. 249.3B was the quickest, easiest way up Silver Peak. The road wound around a bit at first, but eventually straightened as it headed NNW. As Lupe got higher, small trees grew on the old roadbed.
Near the upper end of the valley Lupe reached an area where the forest had sustained tremendous damage. Years ago, pine bark beetles had killed hundreds, perhaps thousands of trees. Deadfall timber littered the whole region. Many dead trees had fallen across No. 249.3B. The pace of advance slowed as negotiating the deadfall became an issue.
The road faded, then disappeared. Lupe climbed N up a steep slope. SPHP followed, simply choosing whatever route avoided the deadfall as much as possible. So many trees had fallen that the remaining forest was comparatively open. The general layout of the terrain was easy to see. Silver Peak’s W ridge was only a little higher.
Loop made it up onto the W ridge. She turned E toward Silver Peak. The going wasn’t any easier up here. The narrow ridgeline was clogged with deadfall, too. Fortunately, the summit wasn’t much farther.
Oh, yeah? The top of the mountain wasn’t as close as SPHP thought. The first high point Lupe came to was a false summit. The true summit was now in sight, but so was another stretch of deadfall infested ridge. No matter. Puppy ho!
Took longer than it should have, but the Carolina Dog made it to the top of Silver Peak (5,810 ft.). The difficulties she had encountered really hadn’t been a surprise – this was Loop’s 3rd ascent. Deadfall had been an issue each time. The passing years hadn’t improved the situation.
After getting up on the summit cairn to claim another successful ascent of Silver Peak, Lupe laid down next to it. The cairn appeared little changed since the last time she had been here nearly 3 years ago.
In a way, it didn’t seem fair. With all the damage sustained by the forest, Loopster ought to have enjoyed some nice clear views from Silver Peak. However, the summit area hadn’t been hit quite as hard by the pine bark beetles as some of the rest of the territory she had come through. Plenty of partial views and glimpses, but in every direction at least one or two trees still stood to mar the scenes.
To the extent that there was one, the best view was toward Silver City and Peak 5707.
It had been sunny earlier, but the sky had turned gray. The temperature was still in the low 40’s °F. A 10 mph SW breeze made it seem cooler than that. Lupe still had two peaks to go. 15 minutes spent relaxing on Silver Peak was about the extent of it. Lupe and SPHP left to start picking a way back down the W ridge.
The views were actually better from the W ridge. Before leaving it, Loop paused at a rocky high point. Far to the NNW Custer Peak (6,804 ft.) sported a dusting of new snow. Black Elk Peak (7,231 ft.) was on the horizon to the S. Lupe’s next peakbagging objective was much closer in the same direction. She could see a long ridge that would take her to Nugget Gulch Peak (6,000 ft.).
Lupe retraced her whole route back down USFS Road No. 249.3B. Upon reaching No. 249 again, she took it S, but only for 200 yards. Off to the L was a side road that led to a small clearing where a sign indicated this was USFS Road No. 675.1. At the far side of the clearing several stones blocked the road.
Stones couldn’t stop Lupe. She went right on by, following No. 675.1 as it climbed a short distance E up onto a level spot where the road divided. Neither branch was marked, but going straight would have taken Looper into Middle Nugget Gulch. Instead, she took the fork to the R (S) that curved higher. After another short climb, this road leveled out and faded away in a forest that looked groomed.
Ahead small pines grew where the road used to be. Lupe took this route SW until she got close to the next hill. A longer and considerably steeper climb up this hill ended as Loop emerged from the forest at the N end of a level field. From here the Carolina Dog had a good view back N toward Silver Peak.
Stones had been arranged to form a fire ring here. SPHP picked Lupe treasures out of a long extinguished campfire. The field continued 100 yards S past a few young pines to another unidentified road.
By now it was clear that Lupe had succeeded in getting up onto the N end of the ridge leading S to Nugget Gulch Peak. However, the summit was still out of sight more than a mile away. Since the unidentified road was going in roughly the right direction, Lupe followed it SW. The road gained elevation slowly staying 50 to 75 feet below the ridgeline.
After 0.2 mile, Loop arrived at a junction. A marker indicated she had been following ATV Trail No. 6803. She had just reached No. 6800.
Lupe could go E or W on ATV Trail No. 6800. Without a clue as to which choice was better, SPHP led her E. No. 6800 climbed up to a minor pass, then turned S. The road now began to lose elevation. Lupe followed it a little farther. Up ahead she could see a line on a hillside indicating the presence of a higher road.
Losing elevation was the wrong thing to do. Lupe left No. 6800. She climbed toward a saddle she could see ahead on the R. Upon arrival, Lupe found the saddle was mostly grassland. Another road was right over the crest on the other (W) side.
An 80 foot high hill sat immediately NW of the saddle. This hill was in the wrong direction, but from below it looked like the top might be open enough to be able to get some views. Since it wouldn’t take long to check out, Lupe and SPHP climbed the hill. There were views, but none that were particularly helpful.
The American Dingo returned to the saddle. She went down to the road W of the crest, and followed it 150 feet to a junction with the road she had detected the presence of earlier.
The road W of the crest went downhill from here. So Lupe tried the side road going E. The side road soon curved S. Looked like it wasn’t going to gain any elevation either. Hmm.
No choice. Lupe abandoned all roads and started climbing. She worked her way S up a steep hillside. The hill was rocky near the top. Once she was up, Loop found herself on a fairly narrow ridge. This ridge would inevitably bring her to Nugget Gulch Peak, if followed far enough S. Still no sign of the summit yet, though.
Lupe and SPHP struck out along the ridge. Most of it was forested. Some parts were a slow-going jumble of rock and deadfall. Loop pressed on climbing from one slightly higher point to the next. Rinse and repeat.
Time was slipping away. Occasionally Looper caught glimpses of what was ahead. After a while, SPHP became convinced the next high point she was coming to was either the summit of Nugget Gulch Peak, or High Point 5953, if she hadn’t gone over it already.
When Lupe got there, she discovered a patch of open ground offering views to the S and SW. A higher point was to the S. Surely that must be Nugget Gulch Peak? SPHP would have bet money that Lupe was now at High Point 5953. Woulda won, too!
15 minute break. SPHP wanted to check the map. Lupe didn’t mind, she was ready for water and Taste of the Wild.
Still 0.25 mile to Nugget Gulch Peak. The sky had been cloudy for hours. Colder now. Looked like rain or snow showers to the SW, but a long way off. Looper and SPHP sat huddled together watching. Seemed like the showers were coming this way.
A shot rang out, spooking the American Dingo. A hunter! Not far away either. After waiting a few minutes to see if anyone would appear, Loop and SPHP stole away from High Point 5953.
Looking back from halfway to Nugget Gulch Peak, someone in a bright orange cap was standing on High Point 5953. SPHP waved. Whoever it was waved back. Lupe pressed on. Hunters and their guns scare her.
Lupe reached Nugget Gulch Peak (6,000 ft.) as tiny snowflakes began sailing by. They never amounted to much, but along with the brooding sky and cold breeze contributed to a sense of isolation. It felt late in the day, late in the season. Winter was coming. Not quite yet, but soon.
The absolute summit was treeless, featuring a few medium-sized rocks among thorny bushes. Lupe had been here once before, years ago, but SPHP couldn’t remember exactly when. Although trees grew N of the summit, the S slope was grass and stones.
From the summit rocks, Lupe could see a long way in most directions.
Lupe had one more peakbagging objective. Peak 6043 was in view 1.5+ miles to the SSE.
It really wasn’t all that late in the day, but with this weather it would get dark mighty early. On a clear, bright day the Carolina Dog might have continued on. SPHP thought about it, but decided Silver Peak had chewed up too much time. Best to head back to the G6.
15 or 20 minutes on Nugget Gulch Peak, then it was time to call it a day. Lupe lingered another couple of minutes at the summit before joining SPHP heading down the S slope. At the first minor high point, Loopster paused briefly for a final look around before ducking under a fence and heading W down a long grassy slope.
Lupe reached USFS Road No. 249 again near Pass 5606. She was 2 miles farther S than where she had left it hours ago. It was several degrees warmer down here than Nugget Gulch Peak had been. A light rain fell.
Close to 4 miles back to the G6 from here. The plan was to follow No. 249 all the way back to No. 251, but when Lupe came to a side road on the R and saw that it was ATV Trail No. 6800 again, she took it instead.
No. 6800 stayed higher than USFS Road No. 249. In fact, Lupe was gaining elevation. As SPHP suspected, she eventually arrived at the grassy saddle SE of the 80 foot hill. So that mystery was solved. Clearly the road was going to loop all the way around the W side of the 80 foot hill back to the junction with ATV Trail No. 6803.
Taking No. 6803 became the new plan, but shortly before Loop got that far another ATV trail split off heading N. Hmm. Lupe took this side road, but it dead-ended. In fading light Loop and SPHP descended a steep, mostly open slope to the W. At the bottom was No. 249 again.
No more adventures! Still 3 miles to go. Stick with the known road!
The light rain never quit. A black night fell. Cold and soaking wet, Lupe trudged at SPHP’s heels. Every step homeward bound. (6:09 PM, 37°F)
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