Days 15 & 16 of Lupe’s 2017 Dingo Vacation to the Yukon & Alaska!
Day 15, 8-14-17 – Windy! Waves were crashing into the shore of Kluane Lake when Lupe wanted out in the wee hours of the night. She was soon back, and apparently famished. Another generous helping of Alpo, and the Carolina Dog was ready to curl up under her blankie again, still worn out from her big climb up Sheep Mountain (6,400 ft) yesterday.
Hours later, Lupe had chocolate sugar wafer cookies for breakfast as SPHP drove N on the Alaska Highway. The cookies were a big hit! In the rear view mirrors, Mount Decoeli (7,650 ft.) could be seen in clear skies far to the S. Up ahead, though, the sky was cloudy and dark.
The plan for the day was to climb a mountain Lupe had seen near the Donjek River last year. The mountain ought to have a fabulous view of a long stretch of the braided river, and snowy mountains of the St. Elias Range to the SW as well. Of course, it all depended on the weather, and SPHP was soon driving through rain showers.
The rain eventually ended. The sky cleared somewhat. A mountain came into view that looked like it might be the one Lupe hoped to climb. Although most of the sky was still cloudy, the mountain was bathed in sunshine. The upper slopes sported an unexpected dusting of new snow.
The brightly lit mountain turned out not to be the one Lupe intended to climb. The Donjek River was still farther away than SPHP thought. By the time Loop was getting close to the river, she was beyond the sunny mountain and seeing wonderful white peaks off to the SW. One of these peaks, situated on the distant horizon, was a monstrous white spire that dominated everything else.
After crossing the bridge over the Donjek River, SPHP found a place to park the G6. Lupe got out for a look around. An easy stroll brought her to a bank overlooking the river. Beyond the meandering stream, Looper could see the closest of the white mountains. They gleamed white and gray beneath a mix of soft clouds and pale blue sky.
Even higher peaks were seen more to the S, some completely covered with snow. They made a gorgeous backdrop for the Donjek River.
Unfortunately, all the blue sky was way over by the white and gray mountains to the SW. Apparently, only that one big hole existed in the general layer of cloud cover seen over the rest of the sky. SPHP still thought the mountain next to the Alaska Highway that Lupe had come to climb looked possible, but the summit was hidden by fog. Hmm.
On a clear day, the views of the Donjek River and St. Elias Range from up there would be amazing! No telling what the Carolina Dog might see! SPHP pondered whether it was worth making an attempt. Conditions were marginal, if Loop really expected to see much. No point in taking on trackless wilderness and more than 3,400 feet of elevation gain, if she wouldn’t. In the end, it seemed like the wrong move. The mountain near the Donjek River really ought to be saved for a day with brilliant sunshine.
Loop and SPHP continued N. The American Dingo’s next stop came after crossing the White River. The White is even bigger than the Donjek. In fact, the Donjek River becomes a tributary of the White River somewhat farther downstream.
N of the White River was Horsecamp Hill (4,600 ft.), another mountain on Lupe’s list of possible peakbagging objectives. However, the shortest approaches from the SW off the Alaska Highway looked very steep, and the whole mountain appeared heavily forested. Even if Lupe made it to the top, she might not get any bird’s eye views of the White River, the whole point of even considering an ascent. The weather was no better here than it had been at the Donjek River, either. With so many strikes against it, Horsecamp Hill was out. Oh, well! Onward!
Gray skies and occasional light rain showers extended mile after mile. No blue sky anywhere. Lupe alternately snoozed atop her pile of pillows and blankets, or stared out the window searching in vain for wildlife. She left Canada entering Alaska again. The bridge over the Tanana River came 12 miles before Tok. It wasn’t raining here, and there was a rest area. Time to get out and sniff the air for a few minutes.
Though she traveled hundreds of miles, Lupe failed to find even a speck of blue sky the rest of the day. NW of Tok, the sky was heavily overcast. Loopster may not have gotten a workout, but the windshield wipers did. It rained frequently. It wasn’t raining when the Carolina Dog pulled into Fairbanks at 5:45 PM, but looked like it could again at any moment.
Loop would spend the night in Fairbanks. Hopefully morning would bring better news.
Day 16, 8-15-17 – The only thing that was clear, was that not much had changed overnight. No rain at the moment, but the pavement was wet. Dark clouds still ruled the sky.
SPHP bought supplies and fuel for the G6. Eventually there was good news. Patches of blue sky had appeared, and were growing in the W. It was enough. Lupe and SPHP left Fairbanks.
On the drive to Livengood, the Elliot Highway was wet the entire way. Every time the road turned E or N, the weather deteriorated. Every time it turned W, conditions improved. SPHP sometimes drove into fog high on forested ridges, but always drove out of it again in the valleys below. A little past Livengood, Lupe reached the start of the Dalton Highway.
The first 40 miles or so on the Dalton Highway were all dirt and gravel. Today the road was a complete sloppy, muddy mess. SPHP drove slowly. The G6 became filthy, but kept going. Current weather conditions were gradually improving. Sunshine peeked through gaps in the clouds. Bits and pieces of blue sky managed to reach the highway.
A 12 mile stretch of pavement led to a few more miles of dirt and gravel before Loopster reached the bridge over the Yukon River at milepost 56. After crossing the bridge, she stopped for a look at the mighty Yukon.
In addition to visiting the Yukon River, Lupe went to see the Alaska oil pipeline. Although sometimes miles from the Dalton Highway, the oil pipeline roughly parallels the highway all the way to the Arctic Ocean, and is often in view.
N of the Yukon River, the Dalton Highway was dirt and gravel, which meant mud. SPHP was concerned about the first few miles. In 2016, when the weather had been sunny and much drier, there had been a mile or two of very soft highway in this area. The G6 had threatened to bog down even then. The road might easily be impassable now.
Not to worry. The road was much improved over the past year. Despite the mud, the G6 sailed through much more confidently than a year ago. Loop wasn’t going to be forced to retreat S. Finger Mountain (2,202 ft.), today’s destination, was only 42 miles N of the Yukon River. Loopster was going to get there!
On the way to Finger Mountain, the weather deteriorated again. SPHP drove through intermittent rain showers. Only tiny patches of blue sky remained. A couple miles before reaching Finger Mountain, the Dalton Highway turned from mud to good pavement. That was a relief!
A rain shower was in progress when Lupe made it to Finger Mountain sometime after 3:00 PM. A strong wind blew out of the W. Low, ragged clouds raced by at a tremendous pace. Off to the NW, the summit of Caribou Mountain (3,179 ft.) was hidden from view. The S side of the Brooks Range, which ought to have been in sight, wasn’t.
Finger Mountain is only a big, rounded, gentle hill. The Dalton Highway goes right over it around milepost 98. A few stunted trees exist, but most of the mountain is covered with low bushes and small plants typical of alpine tundra. E of the highway, a granite rock outcropping juts some 20 or 30 feet above the surrounding terrain. This rock outcropping is the true summit of Finger Mountain.
Lupe had climbed Finger Mountain only a little over a year ago. For the American Dingo, it was a quick, easy peakbagging success. On a clear day, the views had been wonderful, too. Loopster had every intention of repeating this exploit. When the rain quit and wind slackened around 4:30 PM, both Lupe and SPHP left the G6 heading directly for the summit.
A short stroll, a tiny scramble, a boost from SPHP, and Lupe was there. For the second time in her life, Lupe stood at the tippy top of Finger Mountain (2,202 ft.)!
With clouds obscuring some of the best views, Lupe was ready to get down out of the annoying breeze as soon as SPHP said she could. She leapt down all on her own.
A short nature trail circles the hillside immediately NE of Finger Mountain’s summit. For fun, Loop and SPHP took a leisurely stroll around the loop. Lupe wound up right back at the base of the summit rocks. This time she didn’t bother going to the top.
With all the clouds around, the views from Finger Mountain weren’t nearly what they might have been. Lupe was going to spend the night here. Maybe they’d be better in the morning?
After having spent most of today and yesterday cooped up, Lupe wasn’t ready yet to retreat to the G6 again. Fortunately, there were a couple more things to do on Finger Mountain.
Another granite formation, not as large or high as the one at the summit, was right across the Dalton Highway on the W side of the road. With plenty of time left in the day, and not a whole lot to do with it, Lupe was all for sniffing around and exploring that rock formation, too.
Finger Mountain is named after a famous tor, Finger Rock, located roughly 0.25 to 0.50 mile SSE of the true summit where Lupe had just been. Finger Rock is said to point in the general direction of Fairbanks. Bush pilots have been rumored to use it as a navigation aide. Lupe may as well go see Finger Rock while she was here.
From the edge of a large parking area off the E side Dalton Highway, a trail led SSE into the tundra. Lupe followed it down a long gradual slope. She had a good time sniffing around exploring the tundra. The trail ultimately became hard to follow, sunken beneath standing water in many places. SPHP rock hopped part of the way to Finger Rock, which was always in view ahead.
Finger Rock wasn’t anything Lupe could get to the top of, but she did climb partway up its base.
After visiting Finger Rock, Lupe returned to the nature trail near the summit of Finger Mountain. Dark clouds and showers were once again approaching from the W. Lupe and SPHP fled to the protection of the G6! (5:45 PM)
Rain showers came and went. A rainbow did, too, but by then SPHP was chatting with a guy from Indiana and his two sons-in-law. Finger Mountain was a brief stop on their way N to hunt caribou near Galbraith Lake on the N side of the Brooks Range. They eventually drove on, but by then the rainbow had departed as well.
From the safety of the G6, Lupe and SPHP spent the evening watching one rain shower after another blow over Finger Mountain. Traffic on the Dalton Highway faded away long before the late arctic twilight did. If the weather would cooperate, tomorrow would be a long day. Time to rest.
Alone on Finger Mountain, less than 18 miles from the Arctic Circle, Lupe and SPHP slept.
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