Tag: Crows Nest Peak

Snow!  In May!  So much of it the G6 would never get through.  Carefully, SPHP backed the G6 up to a place where it could be turned around.  Half a mile SE of the junction of County Road No. 303 and USFS Roads No. 110 & 117 in Manganese Draw, SPHP parked the G6 at a wide spot along No. 303 near a cattle guard where private property began.  Lupe would have to start for Crow’s Nest Peak from here.  (10:52 AM, 52°F).

So much snow on the road this late in the spring was unexpected, but Lupe was already at 6,500 ft. elevation, which is pretty high territory for the Black Hills of South Dakota.  Her destination, Crow’s Nest Peak (7,048 ft.), is one of only a handful of mountains in the Black Hills topping out at over 7,000 ft.

Despite it’s lofty elevation, Crow’s Nest Peak doesn’t have the appearance of even a notable small hill, much less a peak.  All of the nearby ground is gently rolling territory that’s nearly as high.  Lupe and SPHP certainly weren’t expecting any dramatic views today.

In fact, the big question wasn’t whether Lupe could climb the mountain, but whether she would be able to find it?  Lupe’s 2 prior attempts to reach Crow’s Nest Peak from the S and SE on Black Hills, SD Expeditions No. 72 and No. 84 respectively had both ended in failure.  Snow on the ground had played a role both of those times, too.  Although Lupe must have gotten close on Expedition No. 72, Crow’s Nest Peak had been so difficult to recognize SPHP hadn’t been certain if she had even seen the mountain.

This was a new day, though.  This time, Lupe was starting for Crow’s Nest Peak from a closer point and a new direction.  As the crow flies to it’s nest, the summit was only 2.5 miles to the SSW.  Lupe began her latest attempt on Crow’s Nest Peak by finding a place to leap over to the S side of Castle Creek.  She then turned NW up Manganese Draw.

Blue skies, pleasant temperatures – it was going to be a glorious spring day for a romp in the hills!  Lupe had an easy time trotting along sniffing through the meadows near the clear running stream.

Lupe had to cross the creek several more times as it meandered through the valley, but there was always a way across.  Before long, Lupe was approaching the intersection of County Road No. 303 with USFS Roads No. 110 & No. 117.  Even if the G6 had been able to get this far, this would have been the end.  Lupe saw that No. 117 heading S from the intersection in the general direction of Crow’s Nest Peak was completely covered by a huge snowbank.

The plan was to follow No. 117 a couple miles S to get close to Crow’s Nest Peak.  From the intersection, Lupe avoided the big snow bank by returning to the meadow close to Castle Creek.  She crossed the creek one more time, and didn’t go back to the road until she was beyond the snow bank.  No. 117 climbed steadily as it wound around toward the SW.

Between the brilliant sunshine and fast warming temperatures, the steady upward trek along the road soon started feeling rather warm.  After going 0.5 mile SW on No. 117, an unmarked dirt side road headed SE up an even steeper slope toward the forest.  This was probably USFS Road No. 117.5D.  Getting out of the hot sun and up into the shady forest sounded good to both Lupe and SPHP.  Lupe would have a better time exploring the forest than following the main road anyway.

A short steep climb along No. 117.5D brought Lupe to the edge of the forest.  Much more snow was hidden here, still melting in the shade of the trees.  The snow wasn’t everywhere, but Lupe frequently encountered drifts 2 feet deep.  No. 117.5D continued climbing for a while, but eventually leveled out.  The road disappeared completely not long after reaching the high ground.

Crow’s Nest Peak was still 1.5 to 2.0 miles S.  According to SPHP’s old USFS map, Lupe should reach USFS Road No. 377 before she went half that far.  Dodging snow drifts as much as possible while staying on the highest ground, Lupe and SPHP wandered S through the forest.

Picking a way through the snowy forest was slow going.  Lupe went on and on, but came to no roads.  After what seemed like quite a while, Lupe came to a high spot in the forest.  SPHP wondered if this might even be Crow’s Nest Peak, but soon decided it couldn’t be.  (Note: Lupe was likely at the end of the ridge extending SE from High Point 7036 on the Peakbagger topo map.  Expedition No. 86 occurred shortly before Lupe discovered Peakbagger.com.  SPHP did not have a topo map along on this or any of Lupe’s earlier Black Hills expeditions.)

Little could be seen from the high spot.  The only distant view was toward the S or SE, but it wasn’t much of a view and there weren’t any apparent landmarks.  However, Lupe did have a glimpse between the tees of slightly higher ground off to the SW.

The next small ridge to the SW wasn’t that far away, but progress toward it was slow due the snow drifts.  Lupe finally arrived up on this ridge, but it didn’t appear to be Crow’s Nest Peak, either.  Lupe could see even less from here (likely High Point 7034), but it looked like there might possibly be higher ground to the SE.

Lupe tried following the ridgeline SE, but didn’t seem to be losing or gaining any significant elevation.  However, she eventually came to a rocky ledge from which she had somewhat more of a view.  From here there appeared to be slightly higher ground off to the WSW.  Noticeably higher ground was off to the SSW, but farther away than SPHP thought Crow’s Nest Peak ought to be.  Still, nothing else around here could be any higher.

Lupe continued SE on the ridge, but soon had to give up on finding any better viewpoint.  She now left the ridge going toward the closer high ground to the WSW.  Another slow trek through the snow drifts brought Lupe to this new high ground.  She wasn’t really any higher than before back on the last ridge.  Not a thing could be seen except the forest.  The terrain in all directions was virtually flat.  Lupe turned S.

Only a few minutes after turning S, Lupe came to a road.  No. 377 at last!  Lupe followed the road WSW, and quickly arrived at a small clearing in the forest where she found a water trough surrounded by a pole fence.  Nearby was an unexpected intersection.  The new road was unmarked, but the road Lupe had been following was clearly marked as USFS Road No. 377.1C.

Time to stop and check the USFS map again.  SPHP figured this new road must be USFS Road No. 377.  The map had surprising news.  The map confirmed the new road was No. 377, but Lupe was nearly 2 miles E of where she was supposed to be, a little N of Knutsen Spring!

It hardly seemed possible Lupe had gone this far E, but that was what the map showed.  How had SPHP gotten so badly turned around with the sun out in a cloudless sky?  Lupe was still far from Crow’s Nest Peak.  The map showed she had two options from here.  After a short jog S to Knutsen Spring on No. 377, the road would turn W, then NW for 2 miles.  At another junction, she would then have to turn SE following a different road for nearly another mile just to reach USFS Road No. 266.1A at a point 0.5 mile E of the mountain.

A shorter, more direct route was possible, too.  After reaching Knutsen Spring, if Lupe simply left No. 377 continuing S through the forest, she should find No. 266.1A less than 0.25 mile away.  No. 266.1A would then take Lupe 2 miles WSW straight to Crow’s Nest Peak.  That seemed like the thing to do.  Yet it was shocking to think that Lupe was still nearly as far away from Crow’s Nest Peak as when she’d left the G6.  Was Crow’s Nest Peak going to elude Lupe for a 3rd time?!

Lupe and SPHP left the junction with No. 377.1C heading W on No. 377.  This also seemed odd, since No. 377 was supposed to be going S to Knutsen Spring from here.  The only other choice, though, was to head E on what SPHP assumed was No. 377.1D, and for certain Lupe didn’t need to be going any farther E.  SPHP figured No. 377 would turn S soon, but it didn’t.  It kept going W.

With Lupe so far E of where she should have been, going W was probably OK, even though the road wasn’t going where it was supposed to according to the USFS map.  The next new development, however, was more disturbing.  Lupe started losing elevation, and losing it fast.  The road was going downhill!  Snow was plentiful, both on the road and in the surrounding forest.  Downhill or not, Lupe had best stick to the road and continue W.

Down, down, Lupe and SPHP went.  Before long, the forest ended.  The road entered a snowy meadow.  Another surprise!  A much better gravel road was in view ahead.  The gravel road was unmarked where Lupe reached it, but a marker confirmed Lupe had been traveling No. 377.  Nothing made any sense.  Why was this good gravel road even here?  It hadn’t been that long since Lupe had left No. 377.1C.  Lupe turned S on the gravel road, while SPHP pondered these mysteries.

Gradually, it began to dawn on SPHP that this good gravel road had to be No. 117 again.  Lupe was now somewhere farther S than where she’d originally left it.  Back at the marker for No. 377.1C, Lupe hadn’t actually been anywhere near Knutsen Spring, but much farther W, about where SPHP had originally thought she was before seeing the marker and consulting the map.  Within another 0.5 mile, Lupe should come to another road that would take her SE to Crow’s Nest Peak.

Before she’d gone another whole 0.5 mile, Lupe did come to another road.  This new road went ESE up a small draw, and was marked as No. 377.1A.  This seemed like it might be the right road.  At least it was going the right direction.  Lupe took it.

No. 377.1A steadily regained Lupe’s lost elevation, which was a good thing.  The road gradually turned SE, which seemed good, too.  The road was so soft and muddy from melting snow, Lupe and SPHP traveled much of the time off in snowy meadows nearby.

SPHP was watching for an expected junction with No. 377 again 0.5 mile from No. 117, but it never materialized.  Strange.  The map showed it, but no junction appeared.  Lupe continued on.  About 1.0 mile from No. 117, Lupe was approaching the top of a rise.  Off to the W in a meadow sat a large white plastic tank, presumably for water.  It was enclosed by another pole fence.  There wasn’t much snow up here.  Was Lupe coming to the top of Crow’s Nest Peak?

A short distance beyond the white water tank at the top of the rise, Lupe found an unexpected road intersection.  If she stayed on No. 377.1A continuing SE, Lupe would start losing elevation at a good clip.  Turning SSW, she would lose less elevation following No. 377.1B.  Both roads were clearly marked.  Which way?  SPHP had no clue.

Lupe pricked up her ears listening to a wild turkey gobbling somewhere in the forest as SPHP sat on a log studying the USFS map.  It didn’t even show a road No. 377.1B.  Crow’s Nest Peak couldn’t be that far away, but where was it?  Lupe and SPHP went over to the white plastic water tank.  It bore no markings that shed any light on the situation.  Back to the log.  The question remained, which way to go?

SPHP remembered another map in the pack.  It was an old Black Hills National Forest “Travel Information Map”.  Maybe it would provide a clue?  SPHP took it out of the pack for a look.  The BHNF travel information map showed the USFS Roads in much greater detail than the old USFS map, although it contained absolutely no other details except section lines and numbers.

No wonder everything had been so confusing!  The BHNF travel information map was an enormous help!  It showed road patterns that matched up with what Lupe had been seeing on the ground.  The road numbers agreed with the markers Lupe had seen, too.  SPHP’s old USFS map, normally reasonably accurate, was riddled with inaccuracies.  It was a work of fiction in the area Lupe had been traveling through.

The BHNF travel information map showed the intersection of USFS Roads No. 377.1A and No. 377.1B where Lupe was right now.  She clearly needed to take No. 377.1B.  Although the BHNF travel information map didn’t show Crow’s Nest Peak, by comparing section lines on the two maps it was easy to see Lupe was only 0.5 mile NE of the summit.  Lupe and SPHP took off heading SSW on No. 337.1B.

As the roads went, Lupe would have more than 0.5 mile to go to reach Crows Nest Peak.  In fact, the BHNF travel information map led SPHP to believe she would have to go 0.5 mile just to reach the next intersection with USFS Road No. 266.  Well before Lupe had gone 0.5 mile, however, she came to a small clearing.  A road buried in snow disappeared going S into a dense forest.  There was no marker for it, but it was probably No. 266.

A less snowy road made a sharp turn to the W into another dense forest.  A marker showed this was still part of No. 377.1B.  Lupe did need to go W to get to Crow’s Nest Peak, so she left the small clearing staying on No. 377.1B.

Lupe didn’t go much farther before she reached a larger clearing.  This clearing wasn’t completely treeless.  Spruce trees were scattered around.  On the N side of the road was a good-sized pond.  Three ducks were paddling around on this pond, but they flew off as Lupe approached.

Although the pond contained rather murky, brown water, it still seemed like a relatively nice place to take a short break.  Lupe had Taste of the Wild, while SPHP munched an apple.

After finishing her Taste of the Wild, Lupe went down to the edge of the pond.  She saw a salamander trying to avoid detection by burying itself in the mud at the bottom of the pond.  Salamanders are a fairly unusual sight in the Black Hills.  Lupe wondered what that strange thing was?  Fortunately, as far as SPHP was concerned, she didn’t want to find out badly enough to enter the cold, dirty-looking water.

The time came to press on from Salamander Pond, but SPHP had a hard time discerning where No. 377.1B went from here.  A foray to the S revealed nothing.  As it turned out, No. 377.1B continued W hidden under snow.  It seemed like Lupe was gaining a little elevation as she followed the road W.  Soon she was definitely gaining elevation.  The faint road climbed a small hill from the SE.

Lupe arrived on top of the little hill to find a small, flat, opening in the forest.  Part of the opening was buried beneath a large snow bank.  A big pool of snow melt water covered a portion of the road ahead to the W.  The whole area was so level, most of the ground was soggy.  Water trickled NE into a marshy area among the trees.

Was this Crow’s Nest Peak?  Lupe seemed to be at the top of the small hill, but saw no signs or markers anywhere.  To the E, lots of snow could be seen between the trees.  A spur of the road headed in that direction.  However, before going E, Lupe went W to check out the big pool of water.  Beyond it, SPHP thought it looked like there might be a view.

Going over to the big pool, the ground was sopping wet.  Beyond the pool, however, the ground was drier and Lupe did have a bit of a view off to the W.  The forest had been thinned enough in this direction so that she could see a few high hills that had to be well into Wyoming.  Closer by were blue ridges nearly as high as where Lupe was now.  SPHP thought Lupe must be on Crow’s Nest Peak, but found no proof.

Lupe traipsed back E past the snow melt water pool, crossing the soggy ground again to reach the trees at the E side of the clearing.  She explored the spur of the road that went E into the forest.  Only a few trees into the forest, Lupe found herself at the edge of another even smaller clearing.  This tiny clearing was full of snow.  The snow made it hard to tell, but it looked like the spur road ended already at a small turnaround circle in the clearing.

Out in the middle of the tiny clearing, a red and yellow metal post stuck up out of the snow.  Lupe and SPHP ran over to the post.  It said “Survey Marker”!  This had to be it!

Excitedly, Lupe and SPHP started digging in the snow around the post.  At first Lupe didn’t find anything.  SPHP found a few rocks close to the W side of the post.  Almost immediately, Lupe uncovered something metal about half a foot N of the post.  The survey marker!  SPHP brushed the rest of the snow away.  The marker said “1912”.  At the center of a circle rimmed with the usual propaganda a single joyful word was stamped: “Crow”.

After failing on two prior expeditions, Lupe had arrived!   She was now undeniably on Crow’s Nest Peak (7,048 ft.).  She had found the survey marker someone had set here 102 years ago!  SPHP took a picture of it, not realizing until later on how blurry it had turned out.  Oh, well.

There were no views from the tiny snow-filled clearing.  The clearing bore no resemblance to what one thinks of as a mountain top.  Lupe hadn’t had much in the way of a distant view anywhere along the way here, either.  Yet finding the survey marker felt like finding a treasure.  Lupe was actually at one of the highest points in the Black Hills.  Looking for the marker in this remote part of the western Black Hills had been fun!

Lupe and SPHP left the summit feeling inexplicably happy.  Nothing wrong with being happy is there?  The American Dingo seemed to take it for granted.  SPHP decided happiness needs no weighty justification.  Take it when you can get it, and be glad!  If being too happy is a problem, it’s among the best problems you can have.  Enduring it is easy.  Lupe and SPHP were willing to tough it out!

The Carolina Dog’s peakbagging goal for the day had been achieved.  SPHP knew there was beautiful open land flanked by forests not too far off to the W.  Lupe could wander over that way, find USFS Road No. 117 again, and have fun exploring on her way back to the G6.  Lupe passed by the pool of snow melt water on the W side of Crow’s Nest Peak one more time.

After enjoying the view W of the pool for a few minutes, Lupe followed the road down the SW slope of the little hill.  The road was in poor condition here.  It led to an intersection where Lupe turned WNW.  After passing through a level clearing, Lupe resumed losing elevation as the road went downhill through a forest.  Emerging at the far end, Lupe could see the good gravel road, USFS Road No. 117, again.

When Lupe reached No. 117 again, SPHP was surprised there was no sign at all for Crow’s Nest Peak at the turn onto the minor road she had been following.  A short distance off to the W was a junction with another good gravel road.  Lupe went over to check out that junction.  She found a sign saying this other good gravel road heading N was No. 117.5K.

A stream with a strong current was flowing S on the W side of No. 117 from this junction.  Ordinarily, no stream exists here.  It was all snow melt.  Maybe Lupe could have some fun following the temporary stream S along the road?  SPHP kind of wanted to see if there were any more roads heading toward Crow’s Nest Peak from No. 117, and if any signs for Crow’s Nest Peak existed anywhere along the way.

Lupe had a good romp exploring the meadows near the snow melt stream as she followed No. 117.  The road wound around to the SW.  Lupe paralleled it for at least 0.5 mile before coming to a bend where two big truck tires had been turned into water troughs.  One was full to the brim, while the other was nearly empty.

SPHP checked the maps again.  Lupe hadn’t come to any more roads.  It wasn’t likely any roads would leave No. 117 for Crow’s Nest Peak from any farther S than where Lupe was here.  SPHP’s curiosity was satisfied.  May as well head back N.

The two truck tire watering troughs were as far SW as Lupe went along USFS Road No. 117.  The snow melt creek was pretty impressive down here.  Lupe started following it back upstream.

Lupe went all the way back to the junction with No. 117.5K.  The meadows W of No. 117.5K looked so beautiful and inviting, Lupe and SPHP left No. 117 to continue N in those meadows.  Lupe came to a pond along the snow melt stream that was mostly full of snow.  A small waterfall tumbled into the little pond.

No. 117.5K went almost straight N gaining elevation gradually.  Eventually the road went over a little pass.  Beyond the pass was another long beautiful valley off to the NNE.  SPHP continued marching along soggy, wet side roads in the fields W of No. 117.5K, while Lupe roamed to her heart’s content.  SPHP stayed toward the W side of the valley near the forest, since Lupe enjoys having a mix of open ground and forest to run around on and explore.

No. 117.5K ended as a good gravel road a little N of the pass.  Near a barbed wire fence, it veered off to the NW as a muddy minor road.  Lupe was hungry again by the time she reached this point.  She took another Taste of the Wild break near the fence where the good part of No. 117.5K ended.

From the fence at the N end of the good part of No. 117.5K, Lupe left the road to continue NNE down the long gentle valley ahead.  She roamed the W side of the valley, crossing many little snow melt streams.  SPHP found another dirt road, and followed it where it wasn’t too muddy.  The easy, gradual, downhill trek was beautiful.  The air grew chilly as the sun began to sink.  It was still early spring up at this elevation.

Eventually, SPHP saw No. 117 reappear on the E side of the valley.  Soon No. 117.5D came into view, too, on the far side of No. 117.  This was the road where Lupe had originally left No. 117 to escape the heat and explore the forest on her way to Crow’s Nest Peak.  Lupe could have gone over to No. 117 again, but instead she stayed on the W side of the long valley.

SPHP led her along the dirt road even after it re-entered the forest, turned NW, and started gaining elevation.  This proved to be a mistake.  Soon Lupe and SPHP had to leave the road to plunge down the N side of a densely forested steep slope.  The snow was feet deep here.  Suddenly, Lupe was leaping and bounding through snow up to her neck.

After what seemed like a long struggle, Lupe escaped the snow when she reached the floor of a valley.  She came to another road, No. 117.5I.  The intrepid Carolina Dog was now a little farther W in upper Manganese Draw than she had been early in the day.  Her adventure to Crow’s Nest Peak and back was almost over.  Before long she was E of No. 117 again, following Castle Creek downstream.  At 6:38 PM, (44°F) Lupe reached the G6.

Lupe had enjoyed sunshine all day near Crow’s Nest Peak.  Surprisingly, on the way home it turned out the rest of the Black Hills only a few miles to the E was under dense cloud cover.  Lupe was tired.  She curled up on the G6’s passenger side front seat.  SPHP thought she might go to sleep as the light faded.

The Carolina Dog couldn’t relax, though.  She was too worried she was missing out!  She wound up standing and watching for cows, horses and deer to bark at all along the long road home.  For Lupe, the adventure never ends!

Links:

Next Black Hills Expedition              Prior Black Hills Expedition

Want more Lupe adventures?  Choose from Lupe’s Black Hills Expeditions Adventure Index or Master Adventure Index.  Or subscribe free to new Lupe Adventures.

Start: 8:35 AM, 42°F, at the first pullout SE of USFS Road No. 157 along West Deerfield Road near Castle Creek

A week shot by.  The American Dingo was back!  The G6 was parked no more than a mile NW of where it had been at the start of Expedition No. 212 only 7 days ago.  Back then Lupe had gone N visiting 4 peaks along the E edge of the limestone plateau.  Today she would be going mostly W farther into the high country.

A short walk NW along West Deerfield Road brought Loop to the start of USFS Road No. 157.  Close to the intersection, a bridge went over Castle Creek.  Lupe had started off Expedition No. 212 by checking out Castle Creek.  May as well make it a tradition!  Before crossing the bridge, Lupe went down near the stream.  As always, Castle Creek was looking good!

Returning to No. 157, Lupe crossed the bridge.  The road went past a house over to the SW side of the Castle Creek valley, before turning SE for 0.5 mile.  Lupe could still see the G6.  Beyond it was a forested ridge featuring an impressive limestone cap.  This late October morning was cool and bright.  Everything was bathed in sunlight.  What a beautiful day!

The first part of the plan for the day was to take No. 157 from the Castle Creek valley up into the limestone plateau country.  Lupe didn’t start gaining elevation until she was getting close to a big bend where No. 157 makes a nearly 180° turn going around the SE end of a forested ridge.  After making the turn, the road climbed steadily heading WNW high on the SW side of the ridge.  Private property down in the Silver Creek valley could be seen below.

About 0.33 mile from the big bend, Lupe reached an intersection with USFS Road No. 157.1A.  Loop had followed No. 157 up the Silver Creek valley at least a couple of times on previous Black Hills expeditions, but she’d never been on No. 157.1A before.  The topo map showed that No. 157.1A stayed higher up near the spine of the ridge, and would eventually feed back into No. 157 again in a couple of miles.

Why not?  Exploring a new route is usually fun.  Lupe took No. 157.1A.

No. 157.1A went NW for a while.  Low juniper bushes provided scattered ground cover beneath a pine forest.  The terrain sloped moderately up to the NE.  The road stayed within a few hundred feet of the top of the ridge.

Lupe gained a fair amount of elevation.  However, the day’s early sunshine seemed to have vanished.  It actually seemed colder now than when Lupe had started out.  The mood of the day had really changed.  Gone was the bright cheerfulness.  Suddenly the forest felt quiet, remote, sullen – like late fall of a dying year, with more than a hint of winter.

Lupe might get a decent look at the Castle Creek valley from the top of the ridge, if a place could be found where trees didn’t block the view.  As she went on, a few rocks appeared near the ridgeline.  Close to one of these rocks a narrow, gray opening could be seen between the pines.  Might as well take a look!  Lupe sniffed her way through the forest to the top of the ridge.

No wonder the mood had turned grim and chill!  Lupe could see Castle Creek valley alright, but the sky was completely overcast.  Not a speck of blue anywhere.  Mountaintops across the valley were shrouded in fog.

Lupe went NW through the forest a little way, then returned to the road.  She reached it near a “Y” intersection.  USFS Road No. 157.1C branched off to the N here, going over a small saddle.  The maps showed it would eventually dead end.

The American Dingo stuck with No. 157.1A, which headed more W than before.  The road climbed more steeply for a little way before leveling out.  Lupe had left the edge of Castle Creek valley behind now.

As Loop traveled onward, it appeared as though there were high points off to the SW which might provide a view of Silver Creek valley.  She didn’t bother going over there, though.  Probably not worth the effort with low clouds and fog around.  The Carolina Dog stayed on the road, which wound around still heading W.

Suddenly, Lupe noticed a pickup truck ahead parked on the road.  Two men dressed in camouflage were standing near it.  Hunters!  Lupe and SPHP had to go right by them.  Neither looked or acted friendly.  The younger one asked SPHP only where Lupe was going, and seemed suspicious of the answer – Crows Nest Peak.  Meanwhile, the older man fiddled with a bow and ammunition.

No doubt Crows Nest Peak (7,048 ft.) was an unlikely response.  Crows Nest Peak was still miles away.  Furthermore, though one of the highest points in the Black Hills, Crows Nest Peak wasn’t much of a peak at all, just a spot in the woods nominally higher than the surrounding terrain.  Why would anyone be going there?  Wandering alone way out here on a gloomy day like this was probably suspicious enough itself.  Crows Nest Peak must have seemed a doubly suspicious and evasive answer.

Lupe went right on by the hunters.  SPHP had no intention of stopping to explain.  If the hunters were surprised to see Lupe, seeing them had been a surprise, too.  Best to avoid any possibility of getting into a quarrel with armed strangers with unfriendly dispositions, especially in such a remote place.  These guys were weird – in an unbalanced, slightly threatening way.

That was it, though.  Nothing happened.  Lupe reached the end of USFS Road No. 157.1A where it met up with No. 157 again.  This was familiar territory, although it had been 2 years since Looper had last been here.  For more than a mile, she continued WNW on No. 157.  She reached a junction with No. 157.1F, which headed N to Fulton Draw.

Lupe didn’t need to go to Fulton Draw.  It only led back down to Castle Creek.  She stayed on No. 157, which gradually began curving SW.  The terrain was flat along in here.  Lupe had already gained most of the elevation she would need to on the way to Crows Nest Peak.

More than 0.67 mile beyond No. 157.1F, Lupe reached another junction.  An unmarked road branched off to the R.  Just beyond this intersection, a barbed wire fence crossed No. 157.  Lupe made a short foray along the unmarked road.  She came to a place where ice rested in large, muddy ruts at a curve in the road.

Hmm.  If Lupe managed to make it to Crows Nest Peak today, it would be her 4th successful ascent.  However, she had only reached it once before coming from this general  direction.  On that occasion, traveling through the forest, Lupe had come to a small pond with cattails.

Was the cattail pond where this road was heading?  It seemed likely.  SPHP remembered a road near the pond, but Lupe hadn’t taken it.  Instead, from the cattail pond she’d followed a barbed wire fence a long way N or NW through the woods.  Although Lupe had ultimately made it to Crows Nest Peak, she’d gone a long way through a trackless stretch of forest with no real landmarks.  Trying that again in this weather seemed unwise.

Lupe returned to No. 157 and continued past the barbed wire fence.  SPHP expected her to reach a road going to Procunter Spring pretty soon, but she didn’t.  Odd.  After more than 0.5 mile, Lupe reached a “Y”.  Only the branch to the R could possibly be the way to Procunter Spring, but even it didn’t seem quite right.

The Carolina Dog had been here before.  Loop wasn’t far from Coulsen Hughes Draw.  SPHP was certain of that.  Yet it had been years since she had been at this exact spot.  Being here now in the fog felt like a dream where things look familiar, yet are all jumbled up.  Which way?

SPHP checked the map.  Somewhere around here, Loop was supposed to leave No. 157 and travel NW staying on high ground.  The actual terrain didn’t seem to match up very well with what the map showed, though.  Slightly higher ground was back the way Lupe had come to reach this intersection.  Maybe it made sense to retrace her route a little before plunging into the forest?

So that’s what Lupe did.  She went back to a place where there was a bit of a hill off to the L.  Despite misgivings, SPHP then followed her into the trees.  In the fog, the forest seemed mysterious, abandoning the road faintly dangerous.  The only real landmark Lupe would come to was a huge field 1.5 to 2 miles off to the NW.  It might be terribly easy to get turned around and lost before ever getting there.

Lupe hadn’t gone far before there was reason for concern.  She’d climbed the small forested hill, but the high ground she was supposed to follow NW from here didn’t seem to exist.  Instead, the forest sloped gradually down in every direction.  Not far ahead, a meadow could be glimpsed through the trees, which didn’t seem right either.  May as well check it out, though.

Lupe reached the edge of the meadow.  What she saw was surprising, almost shocking.  The meadow was wide and very long, so long the end couldn’t be seen in either direction.  It made no sense.  How could Lupe have missed this huge meadow on her prior attempts to reach Crows Nest Peak from this direction?  It seemed impossible, yet here it was.

Which way?  Lupe looked expectantly at SPHP.  What was the holdup?  SPHP stood staring at the meadow, pondering the view first in one direction, then the other.  Not a clue.  Everything looked wrong.  Nothing made sense.  There had to be an explanation, though.  What was it?

Confusion vanished.  Certainty came flooding back.  Oh, yeah, it all made sense now!  This long meadow was the NW branch of Coulsen Hughes Draw.  Had to be!  SPHP had become disoriented in the fog, apparently even before Lupe had left the road.  This meadow didn’t run E/W like SPHP initially believed.  Lupe had been traveling W, not N, going over the hill.  This meadow went N/S.

Lupe turned N, gradually gaining elevation.  As expected, the American Dingo soon came to an old wooden sign where the road to Procunter Spring crossed Coulsen Hughes Draw.  Whew!  Back on track.  Simply amazing how easy it had been to get turned around in the fog!

Puppy, ho!  Lupe still had a long way to go to get to Crows Nest Peak.  At least she knew which way to go now.  From the sign, Loop followed No. 157 going NE.  When the road curved E, she took a side road heading N through a gap in a fence.

The side road had a lot of deadfall timber on it.  Lupe soon left it heading WNW across the upper end of Coulsen Hughes Draw.  Moderately higher ground was ahead.  Lupe reached the top of a broad forested ridge.  This was part of the high ground she had been supposed to take NW, though she was farther W on it than SPHP had intended.  No matter, Lupe could get to Crows Nest Peak this way.  Onward!

For 0.75 mile, Lupe traveled N or NW on top of the broad ridge.  It was still overcast, but not as foggy up here as it had been back at Coulsen Hughes Draw.  Lupe ran and sniffed.  There was no road or trail to follow.  Lupe loved exploring, and things seemed to be going well.

At the N end of the ridge, the terrain began sloping down.  Lupe came to another road, which seemed vaguely familiar.  Lupe had been here on one of her previous expeditions, hadn’t she?  The American Dingo followed the road downhill to the W a short distance, before leaving it to continue N.

Lupe went over a small forested hill, and quickly arrived at the edge of a big field.  Yes!  Reaching this field meant Loop was less than a mile from Crows Nest Peak.

At the far side of the field, Lupe could see a road heading N into the forest.  This might well be USFS Road No. 266.  Lupe crossed the field.  The road wasn’t marked, but it was going the right way.  Loop and SPHP took the road.

After passing through a stretch of forest, what looked like the level top of an earthen dam for a stock pond could be seen off in the woods.  Lupe went over to check it out.  Sure enough, a small iced-over shallow pond was on the other side.  Not 15 feet away, down next to the pond, was the carcass of a deer.

Something alive was feeding on the carcass!  An instant after Lupe arrived on the scene, a head turned and fixed a beady yellow eye on her.  Unhappy at being disturbed, a huge feathery eagle launched into the sky and flew off.  It wasn’t a bald eagle, but the giant bird was still a sight to see.  You would have had to been there, though.  SPHP was way too slow to get a photo.

From Eagle Pond, the road Lupe was following turned W or WNW.  Loopster hadn’t gone too far on it when another road came in from the ENE.  A marker showed this was USFS Road No. 377.1B.

Finding No. 377.1B confirmed that Lupe had been following USFS Road No. 266 since crossing the big field.  Lupe took the road leading W from the junction.  Crows Nest Peak was no more than 0.25 mile away now.  In fact, Loop could soon see a hill N of the road.  The summit had to be up there.

Even though it was a slightly longer route, the Carolina Dog stuck with the road.  When she reached a familiar meadow SW of the summit, she turned N on a spur road that would take her there.  The spur is so seldom traveled that it didn’t even seem much like a road anymore.  It was more like a single track trail.

The spur road went N climbing a hill before leveling out.  A little farther on it curved E.  Lupe immediately arrived at the frozen remnant of a tiny pond.  She climbed up on a mound of red dirt at the W end.  She’d made it to Crows Nest Peak!  This wasn’t the official summit, which was still a football field E, but had to be about as high, and was the landmark Lupe always went by.

Lupe had come a long way.  Time to claim her peakbagging success!  The Carolina Dog left the frozen pond heading E.  She crossed a small grassy area.  There used to be a road here, but no trace of it remained.  At a small opening in the forest maybe 60 or 70 feet back into the trees, Lupe came to a survey stake and benchmark.

This was it!  This flat place in the forest entirely lacking views in any direction, a total and complete mockery of its name, was one of the highest spots in the whole Black Hills.  Lupe was at the official summit of Crows Nest Peak (7,048 ft.).

It had been a long, and occasionally confusing trek.  Lupe and SPHP took a half hour break near the survey marker.  Taste of the Wild, water, and an apple.  Tiny snowflakes drifted down on a light swirling breeze.  The temperature must have been at or below freezing, but the tiny flakes all melted as they hit.

Cold, humid, quiet.  SPHP sat on the ground petting Lupe’s soft fur.  She liked that.  Snowflakes filled the air.  It felt again like winter was coming.  Hidden in the remote high country, despite the absence of views, Crows Nest Peak was still a magical place.

This foggy, overcast day had been the perfect day to come here.  It didn’t matter that there weren’t any views.  Lupe wouldn’t have been able to see them anyway, even if there had been some.  Her journey here had felt more mysterious and adventurous beneath the close gray sky.

It seemed like Lupe still had plenty of time; she’d gotten off to a fairly early start this morning.  Hard to tell for certain, though, without being able to see the sun.  It was one thing to wander around in the fog, entirely another to get caught in darkness away from any road on a cold, snowy night.  Lupe at least better get back to No. 157 before it got dark.

On the way back, Lupe had many more adventures.  Although she was following the same basic route, she varied it enough to explore a fair amount of previously unseen territory along the way.  The temperature slowly dropped.  It didn’t snow all the time, but it did more and more often.  Never too hard, and the snowflakes were never too big.

This seemed to be a big day for discovering frozen ponds.  A little E of the ridge Lupe had followed N from Coulsen Hughes Draw earlier, Loop found yet another one in a shallow valley.

A faint road leading S from this pond ultimately proved to be the same one where she’d left USFS Road No. 157 hours ago.  This proved that the pond was situated at the far, far N end of Coulsen Hughes Draw.

Upon reaching No. 157 again, Lupe followed it E.  She hadn’t gone too far, when she came to a barbed wire fence.  Beyond it was the old cattail pond!

The cattail pond was the last pond of the day.  No. 157 turned S here, and quickly led Lupe past the muddy ruts with ice in them she had seen before.  Another mystery solved!

The Carolina Dog’s explorations were nearly over now.  Lupe stuck to No. 157 going E.  She passed by No. 157.1F again.  She returned to No. 157.1A.  The weird hunters were gone.  Good!

It snowed harder.  In a few places, a little began to stick.  A 15 minute off-road foray to a potential viewpoint revealed only snow and fog.  OK, that was it.  The rest of the way back was all business.  Lupe watched, but didn’t even bark at a herd of cows grazing near the junction of USFS Roads No. 157.1A and No. 157.

Lupe hopped into the G6 without hesitation (5:57 PM, 29°F).  Moments later, a frigid wind came out of the NW blowing snow much harder than before down Castle Creek valley.

During October, 2017, Lupe had visited many of the highest peaks in the Black Hills along the E edge of the limestone plateau.  In most cases she hadn’t been to these peaks in more than 2 years.  Expedition No. 213 had been a fun day out, but suddenly it was looking like Crows Nest Peak would be the last the Carolina Dog would see of the high country this year.

Links:

Next Black Hills Expedition                    Prior Black Hills Expedition

Want more Lupe adventures?  Check out her Black Hills, SD & WY Expeditions Adventure Index, Master Adventure Index, or subscribe free to new Lupe adventures!