Iron Mountain – Page 2 – The (Mostly) True Adventures of Lupe

Black Hills, SD Expedition No. 184 – Iron Mountain & Peak 5688 (11-28-16)

Windy. Not all that cold out, but not terribly warm, either. SPHP dithered. Lupe was due for another of her Black Hills expeditions, but what were conditions going to be like up in the hills? Lupe was anxious to go. SPHP checked the forecast again. Not much of a change expected all day long. It would probably be OK. Lupe won out, Expedition No. 184 was a go!

After a bit of a late start, SPHP parked the G6 at the parking lot on top of Iron Mountain (10:38 AM, 34°F). Lupe’s first peakbagging success of the day was going to be a super easy, trivial one. A short paved path curved NW toward an official viewpoint at the NW edge of the large, forested summit area.

Expedition No. 184 started with Lupe already almost at the top of Iron Mountain. The rocky ridge seen between the trees is the true summit at the W end of the mountain. Photo looks W.

The big view from Iron Mountain (5,446 ft.) is off to the W toward Harney Peak (7,242 ft.), the highest mountain in South Dakota. The main attraction for most people, however, is closer by to the NW. Mount Rushmore (5,725 ft.) can be seen only 3 miles away.

Lupe didn’t go to the official, safely-fenced, tourist viewpoint. She made the 20 foot climb up onto the short, scenic rock ridge where the true summit is to claim her pathetically easy Iron Mountain peakbagging success. Once on top at the edge of the mountain, she had no interest in sticking around for the views. Every blast of the N wind, gusting 30-35 mph, was hitting her full force. Not Lupe’s idea of a good time!

Lupe, partially protected from the roaring N wind, at the base of the solid rock summit ridge on Iron Mountain. Photo looks SW.

Harney Peak from the summit of Iron Mountain. Photo looks W.

Of course, Iron Mountain wasn’t Lupe’s real peakbagging goal for Black Hills, SD Expedition No. 184. Simply driving practically to the top of the mountain would have been a poor excuse for an expedition.

Eight days ago, on Expedition No. 183, Lupe had made it from Lakota Lake to nearby Woodpecker Ridge (5,680 ft.). Her route traveling SW along the length of the ridge had been so difficult and taken so long, Lupe had run out of time to go on to Peak 5688. Lupe was back to find and climb Peak 5688 on Expedition No. 184.

Lupe stayed on the windy summit of Iron Mountain for only a moment or two. She wanted down out of that gale! Lupe and SPHP left the Iron Mountain summit area heading first S, then W down to the Iron Mountain Picnic Ground along Iron Mountain Road (Hwy 16A). From the picnic ground, Lupe took Centennial Bypass Trail No. 89B going SW into the Black Elk Wilderness. The wind wasn’t much of a problem down here.

Before long, Lupe came to a sign along the trail. SPHP intended for Lupe to take Iron Mountain Trail No. 16 going S to Iron Creek, but the sign didn’t mention that trail. The sign was actually at the intersection, but deadfall timber hid Trail No. 16 from view. SPHP failed to look carefully enough to find it, and missed the turn.

Lupe was a lot farther along Centennial Bypass Trail No. 89B before SPHP stopped to check the maps and realized the mistake. No matter, Trail No. 89B was one of the few trails Lupe had never been on before in the Black Elk Wilderness. She was having fun exploring it. Soon Lupe would reach the junction with the main Centennial Trail No. 89. She could turn S there.

Lupe near the junction of Centennial Bypass Trail No. 89B and Centennial Trail No. 89. Photo looks E back along the bypass trail she had just traveled.

Back in 2012, when Lupe first started her Black Hills, SD Expeditions, she explored virtually the entire length of the 111 mile long Centennial Trail No. 89 over the course of the year, one section at a time. It seemed like a long time ago. When Lupe turned S on Centennial Trail No. 89, at first SPHP didn’t recognize anything.

On Centennial Trail No. 89. Lupe had explored virtually the entire length of this 111 mile trail back in 2012, one section at a time. Even so, SPHP didn’t recognize this part of the trail. Photo looks S.

As Lupe headed S on Centennial Trail No. 89, she started seeing huge granite rock formations a little E of the trail. Before long, Lupe arrived at an intersection that did look familiar. SPHP remembered being confused back in 2012 as to which way to go from here. The correct choice had been to turn E, so Lupe did so again.

On Centennial Trail No. 89 just after turning E at the intersection where SPHP had been confused back in 2012. Photo looks E.

Very shortly after turning E, the trail started curving S again, arriving almost immediately at yet another intersection. Centennial Trail No. 89 went S staying to the W of the huge rock formations. If Lupe went that way, she would arrive at the Iron Mountain Horse Camp near Iron Creek.

There was a faster way to get to Iron Creek, though. Lupe left Centennial Trail No. 89 taking Grizzly Bear Creek Trail No. 7 (unmarked at the junction) instead. Trail No. 7 went SE between towering walls of solid granite. Lupe followed Grizzly Bear Creek Trail No. 7 all the way down to a trailhead at USFS Road No. 345 near Iron Creek.

In the Black Elk Wilderness on the way to Iron Creek via Grizzly Bear Creek Trail No. 7. Photo looks NNE.

From the trailhead along USFS Road No. 345, Peak 5688 was about 2 miles to the SSE as the crow flies. It had taken Lupe quite a while to reach Iron Creek on the route she had taken, but there was still plenty of time to search for Peak 5688. No road or trail led to it from here. Lupe would have to make her way to Peak 5688 by exploring the forest, but she loves doing that!

The first task was to cross Iron Creek, which was S of the road. Lupe crossed USFS Road No. 345, went to the creek, and quickly found a way over it.

Newly formed ice crystals on Iron Creek. 8 days ago, on Expedition No. 183, there had been an inch of snow down along Iron Creek. The snow had melted, but apparently it had been cold again recently.

About to cross Iron Creek. Photo looks upstream (W).

Beyond the creek, Lupe continued S, climbing up onto a small ridge. She could see massive granite formations typical of this part of the Black Hills back to the N.

Looking N from the small ridge at massive granite rock outcroppings typical of this part of the Black Hills.

Lupe and SPHP wandered through the forest, trying to travel S in the general direction of Peak 5688. For a while, it was hard to keep one’s bearings. The rumpled terrain kept forcing Lupe in different directions. There were no clear landmarks in view. Lupe had never been here before.

Lupe wanders looking for Peak 5688. Photo looks S?

After wandering around for a while, Lupe finally saw a high hill ahead. The high hill was part of Woodpecker Ridge, where Lupe had been 8 days ago on Expedition No. 183.

Still looking for Peak 5688, Lupe discovers the high hill in the background. SPHP correctly surmised it was part of Woodpecker Ridge, not too far from the summit where Lupe had been 8 days ago on Expedition No. 183. Photo looks SE?

Lupe continued her explorations, eventually entering an area of deadfall timber and thistles that looked vaguely familiar from Expedition No. 183. She came across a primitive road that led up to some high ground. Studying the topo map, SPHP became convinced this road was part of a route shown on the map a little W of Woodpecker Ridge.

Lupe saw a long forested ridge off to the SSW. That ridge almost certainly had to be Peak 5688. Lupe was closest to it’s NNE end. She headed S toward it, crossing High Point 5428 on the topo map along the way.

In the forest N of High Point 5428. Photo looks S.

Loop reaches the top of High Point 5428. Photo looks NE.

Lupe crossed a dirt road in the saddle between High Point 5428 and the NNE end of Peak 5688. Instead of heading for the very end of the ridge, Lupe climbed up its NW slope to gain the ridgeline a little farther S. This part of the ridge was narrow, forested, and strewn with boulders.

Lupe makes it up onto the Peak 5688 ridgeline a little S of its NNE end. This part of the ridge was relatively narrow, strewn with many boulders and some deadfall timber. Photo looks NNE.

Lupe was still about 0.5 mile from the summit of Peak 5688, which is near the SSW end of the ridgeline. Lupe followed the ridge toward the summit, gaining elevation gradually along the way. She started coming to places with big views again, especially toward the N and W.

Wherever there were openings in the forest, Lupe had views again from the Peak 5688 ridgeline. Photo looks NW toward the Cathedral Spires(L) and Harney Peak(R).

Although the wind hadn’t been a problem since leaving the summit of Iron Mountain, it was still blowing just as hard now as it had been earlier. Up on the Peak 5688 ridgeline, Lupe was increasingly exposed to the wind again as she progressed toward the summit. She often stayed a little E of the ridgeline to avoid the worst of it.

The strong wind was a problem again up on Peak 5688. It was very windy where Lupe is seen here up on the little wall of rocks, or anywhere to the R (NW). It was much less windy just a few feet to the L (SE). Photo looks SW.

The biggest rock outcropping on the horizon at center is Mt. Rushmore. The tall, thin dead tree to Lupe’s L is pointing almost straight up at George Washington’s head. The wind made it hard to hold the camera steady enough for a clear shot. Photo looks N.

Lupe came to a higher, broader, more open part of the ridge. At first, SPHP thought this might be the summit. There were great views from this area, but with only a few trees to slow it down here, the wind was exceptionally strong.

Looking NW from the open area. Harney Peak in view R of Center.

From the high open ground, a more heavily forested area was partially in view to the SSW. Uncertain whether Lupe had already reached the top of Peak 5688 or not, Lupe and SPHP continued on to check it out. In a few minutes, Lupe came across a small cairn on larger rocks.

Stuffed in a crack in the rocks right below the cairn was a small, torn, zip-lock plastic bag. It contained a few crumpled pieces of aluminum foil, some damp rotten paper, and a plastic toy of two dogs water skiing. There was also a piece of paper with the names William Wade & Charles Wade Johnson on it. It was dated 8-13-12, and signed CWJ.

Another Carolina Dog peakbagging success! Lupe stands on the highest rocks of Peak 5688. Photo looks S.

Lupe discovered this plastic toy in a little plastic bag tucked into a crack in the rocks beneath the summit cairn. SPHP left the toy in the plastic bag along with a paper signed 8-13-12 by CWJ where Lupe had found it, but packed out the small amount of trash the bag contained.

Lupe takes a break at the summit of Peak 5688. Photo looks S.

After a short break near the cairn, Lupe and SPHP toured the general area to make absolutely certain Lupe had reached the true summit of Peak 5688. She had! Although the summit was mostly hidden by trees, there were nice views available close by.

Harney Peak from within a few feet of Peak 5688’s true summit. Photo looks NW.

Looking N toward the true summit during a brief exploration Lupe made to the S.

Cathedral Spires using the telephoto lens. Photo looks NW.

The days are short near the end of November. Even though it wasn’t all that late, the sun was low. It would be down within the hour. Lupe still had a long way to go to get back to the G6. She at least needed to reach USFS Road No. 345 near Iron Creek before it got dark. It was time to leave Peak 5688. Lupe was tired of the wind, anyway.

Lupe in a nice little flat area next to the summit rocks. (The small cairn is visible on the L.) She would stay here on Peak 5688 only a few more minutes before leaving to head back to the G6. Photo looks N.

Lupe started back to the G6 going NNE along the Peak 5688 ridgeline. She didn’t follow the ridge nearly as far back as she had originally come up along it. As soon as she could, she headed NW down off the ridge. Within 20 minutes of leaving the summit, Lupe was out of the wind in a beautiful grassy valley.

Lupe on her way down. Here she’s still in the high open area NNE of the summit. Woodpecker Ridge(R) can be seen in the distance between the trees. Photo looks NNE.

Lupe reaches the beautiful grassy valley NW of Peak 5688. Photo looks SW.

The sun sank down behind the hills. Lupe found a fairly good dirt road on the other side of the beautiful valley which led N. She followed it for a little way. When it turned toward the W, she left the road. Lupe and SPHP wandered N in the forest. Well before twilight faded, Lupe reached Iron Creek again at a small frozen pond.

Lupe nears a frozen pond along Iron Creek. USFS Road No. 345 is in view beyond the pond. Photo looks NW.

Beyond Iron Creek and the frozen pond, Lupe returned to USFS Road No. 345. She followed the road NE two miles to the Iron Mountain Trail No. 16 trailhead. Along the way, she passed Camp Remington and the Grizzly Bear Creek Trail No. 7 trailhead. She went by old cabins scattered along the road. Everything was quiet and deserted. Not a soul was around.

Lupe at Camp Remington. No one was around at any of the cabins here, or anywhere else along her route.

Twilight was almost gone by the time Lupe started up Iron Mountain Trail No. 16. The flashlight had to be put to use. Wind still blew in the trees. Faint stars appeared in the sky. It was that last quiet hour of darkness Lupe often experiences at the end of her Black Hills expeditions while traveling back to the G6.

Uncharacteristically, SPHP decided to try a few night time shots using the camera’s flash. What would they show?

The first shot SPHP took in the dark using the flash was the best. It revealed a scary wide-eyed American Dingo on Iron Mountain Trail No. 16.

Lupe finally arrived at the intersection with Centennial Bypass Trail No. 89B. No wonder SPHP had missed the intersection earlier in the day! A huge amount of deadfall timber was strewn all over Iron Mountain Trail No. 16 in this area.

Lupe took Trail No. 89B back to the Iron Mountain Picnic Ground. She crossed Iron Mountain Road. Lupe returned to the summit of Iron Mountain.

The wind had died down only a little. Tiny snowflakes whipped by in the gusty breeze. SPHP fumbled around trying to get a photo of Lupe on top of Iron Mountain in the dark. Success was limited.

Oh, well. Lupe’s Black Hills, SD Expedition No. 184 to Iron Mountain & Peak 5688 was over. At least, Lupe had been successful! Time to go home. (5:52 PM, 31°F)

An American Dingo loses patience, leaving the Iron Mountain summit a moment before the flash.

Carolina Dog on Iron Mountain – perhaps a little underexposed?

Overexposed rocks at the summit of Iron Mountain. The American Dingo is either cloaked, or has already grown disgusted and left.

Blurry Carolina Dog at the summit of Iron Mountain after dark. OK, we’re calling this one good as good as it gets! Let’s go home Loopster, its cold and windy here!

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Black Hills, SD Expedition No. 183 – Iron Mountain & Woodpecker Ridge (11-20-16)

Time for a change of focus. Lupe had spent most of her Black Hills Expeditions of the last couple of months peakbagging in the NW Black Hills, often going as far as the Bear Lodge Mountains in NE Wyoming. Only one named peak remained in that general direction that was a current peakbagging priority for her, Sweetwater Mountain (6,440 ft.), but she didn’t have permission from the land owner to climb it until hunting season was over in December.

So, what to do? Looking over the topo maps on Peakbagger.com, SPHP noticed a couple of peaks a few miles SSW of Iron Mountain that Lupe had never been to. They weren’t far away, which was kind of important on a short November day, since Lupe was getting off to a late start. Woodpecker Ridge and Peak 5688 should be fun! Lupe could start from Lakota Lake.

To get to Lakota Lake, Lupe and SPHP took Iron Mountain Road (Hwy 16A) going S from Mount Rushmore National Memorial near Keystone. Iron Mountain Road is a fun drive. It ultimately winds all the way up to the top of Iron Mountain (5,446 ft.). Along the way, Iron Mountain Road spirals up several pigtail bridges, features a couple stretches of “divided highway” consisting of one-way single lanes, and passes through short tunnels deliberately constructed to frame Mount Rushmore.

Naturally, Lupe and SPHP stopped to enjoy a few of the sights along the way up Iron Mountain.

Lupe by one of the pigtail bridges along Iron Mountain Road.

Lupe at the start of the longest tunnel on Iron Mountain Road. Three tunnels were purposely constructed to frame Mount Rushmore. The camera couldn't handle the light contrast well enough for Mt. Rushmore to show up in this shot. Photo looks NW. — Lupe at the start of the longest tunnel on Iron Mountain Road. Three tunnels were purposely constructed to frame Mount Rushmore. The camera couldn’t handle the light contrast well enough for Mt. Rushmore to show up in this shot. Photo looks NW.

Lupe now at the other end of the tunnel closer to Mt. Rushmore. Photo looks NW.

Here's how it looks driving through the tunnel on the way to Mount Rushmore National Memorial. Photo taken with help from the telephoto lens. — Here’s how it looks driving through the tunnel on the way to Mount Rushmore National Memorial. Photo taken with help from the telephoto lens.

Mount Rushmore, Black Hills, South Dakota, Photo looks NW.

At the top of Iron Mountain is a paved parking lot, and a short walking path to a viewpoint. Right next to the viewpoint is a ridge of rock roughly 20 feet high, where the absolute summit of the mountain is located. Lupe and SPHP stopped briefly to make the tiny climb to the absolute summit for a look around.

Since the true summit is on the W edge of the large summit area, the best views were toward Harney Peak (7,242 ft.) to the W, and Mount Rushmore (5,725 ft.) to the NW. From Iron Mountain, Lupe had a great view of some of the most rugged terrain in the Black Hills!

Lupe on Iron Mountain. Harney Peak, the highest mountain in South Dakota, is in the background. Photo looks W.

Harney Peak, the highest mountain in South Dakota, from Iron Mountain. Photo looks W using the telephoto lens.

Mount Rushmore from Iron Mountain. Photo looks NW with help from the telephoto lens.

After all the sight-seeing stops coming up and over Iron Mountain, it was 10:01 AM (46°F) by the time Lupe arrived at Lakota Lake. SPHP left the G6 parked at the empty picnic ground.

Lupe arrives at the Lakota Lake picnic ground. Photo looks E toward the dam.

Lupe near Lakota Lake. Lakota Lake is E of Iron Mountain Road about 3 miles ESE of Iron Mountain. A short gravel road leads to the picnic ground on the W shore near the N end of the lake. Photo looks NE.

Lupe’s first peakbagging goal was Woodpecker Ridge (5,680 ft.). Woodpecker Ridge is about 2 miles long, running SW/NE. The ridge is W of Iron Mountain Road, and S of Iron Creek. The topo map showed that the summit was near the far SW end of the ridge, about 3 miles from where Lupe was starting at Lakota Lake. Lupe and SPHP followed the gravel road SW from the Lakota Lake picnic ground back to Iron Mountain Road.

Iron Creek Trail No. 15, starts on the W side of Iron Mountain Road, right across from the road to Lakota Lake. The plan was for Lupe to follow Iron Creek Trail No. 15 up the valley for a mile, or so, to where the topo map showed the easiest approach to the Woodpecker Ridge summit from the NNE. After a relatively gentle mile-long climb, Lupe would reach the ridgeline about 0.25 mile E of the summit.

At first, everything went according to plan. Lupe enjoyed trotting along the single track Iron Creek trail looking for squirrels. Less than an inch of new snow on the ground made things look fresh and bright. The trail crossed Iron Creek several times, but there were plank bridges or good stepping stones to help SPHP get across.

Lupe on the plank bridge at the first Iron Creek crossing on Iron Creek Trail No. 15.

On Iron Creek Trail No. 15. Less than an inch of new snow made the trail look clean and bright.

At the fourth creek crossing, there was no bridge. SPHP didn’t see any convenient stepping stones around either. No way was SPHP going to wade across chilly Iron Creek this time of year! Lupe and SPHP went a little back downstream looking for a way to cross the creek.

Lupe hadn’t gone far, when a rather questionable way across the creek presented itself. SPHP had to reach out over the creek to lean against a boulder on the other side. SPHP was barely able to grip the top of the boulder and shinny up, but it did work. Lupe, of course, had no problem simply leaping over the creek. Carolina Dogs don’t let little things like minor creek crossings interfere with their plans!

Lupe and SPHP were now on the S side of Iron Creek, but not yet anywhere near where SPHP had planned for Lupe to start up Woodpecker Ridge. Lupe was only a little past the NE end of the ridge. Cliffs could be seen high above. It wasn’t at all clear if there would be a way up that would avoid the cliffs and allow Lupe to reach the ridgeline from here, but SPHP decided to try it anyway.

The start of the climb didn’t go very well. Lupe and SPHP climbed onto a small ridge to the E, before turning S. Right away, Lupe had to climb up onto a big rock outcropping. Ten paces later, a drop-off forced her right back down to the W. However, once around the rock formation, she was able to climb steadily through the forest, heading SSW.

There were plenty of rocks scattered around the whole way. Lupe eventually came to an area of fairly large boulders. The boulders slowed SPHP down quite a bit, although Lupe had fun exploring them.

Lupe among the boulders on the way up Woodpecker Ridge. Photo looks SSW.

As Lupe got closer to the cliffs above, the boulders got larger. At the base of the cliffs were boulder fields that would have taken a long time to traverse. Lupe and SPHP worked around to the W of them.

Lupe below the base of the cliffs. She is on the N side of Woodpecker Ridge, not too far from its NE end. Photo looks SE.

Fortunately, the line of cliffs was not continuous. Lupe bypassed them to the W, too. She was able to keep climbing steadily SSW through the forest. On the way up, Lupe even saw a woodpecker, but it wasn’t close enough for SPHP to get a decent photo.

As it turned out, Lupe wound up climbing well above the first cliffs. Lupe and SPHP reached the ridgeline near High Point 5537. Lakota Lake, and the top of the cliffs Lupe had bypassed, could be seen far below.

Part of Lakota Lake, where Lupe had started her journey to Woodpecker Ridge, is seen far below. The tops of the cliffs Lupe bypassed on the way to High Point 5537 are in view in the foreground. Photo looks NE.

Mount Rushmore from High Point 5537, near the NE end of Woodpecker Ridge. Photo looks NW using the telephoto lens.

Harney Peak from High Point 5537. Photo looks NW.

Lupe on High Point 5537 near the NE end of Woodpecker Ridge. Photo looks NE.

SPHP was glad Lupe had reached the ridgeline at High Point 5537. It meant Lupe would get to explore most of the length of Woodpecker Ridge. She now faced only about 150 feet of net elevation gain on the way to the summit. SPHP expected a relatively easy hike SW along the ridge.

Exploring Woodpecker Ridge was fun, but soon proved to be a lot of work, too. The ridgeline was rough, not level. Lupe had to climb over or around many rock formations. The rocks weren’t the worst of it, either. The farther SW Lupe went, the more deadfall timber she encountered. The rocks and deadfall weren’t terrible, but SPHP’s progress became very slow.

Another problem began to worry SPHP. Since there was so little net elevation change along the way, it might be hard to tell where the true summit of Woodpecker Ridge was. SPHP started taking photos of Lupe at notable high points, just on the chance that she was already at the summit.

Lupe at one of the notable high points along Woodpecker Ridge. This turned out not to be the true summit, or even close to it. Photo looks N.

Lupe finally reached a place where there were significant elevation changes ahead. Two distinct hills weren’t too far away. SPHP hoped the closest one was the summit of Woodpecker Ridge, and the more distant one was Peak 5688, Lupe’s other peakbagging goal for the day. A brief halt to check the topo maps was in order.

Lupe finally arrived at this high point from which two distinct hills could be seen ahead. SPHP initially hoped that the one on the L was the summit of Woodpecker Ridge, and the one on the R was Peak 5688. In truth, both hills were summits of Woodpecker Ridge enclosed by the 5680 foot contour, with the one on the R likely being the true summit. Photo looks SW.

The topo maps said differently. What they showed was disappointing. Lupe hadn’t made nearly as much progress along Woodpecker Ridge as SPHP had believed. Both of the hills in view were high points of Woodpecker Ridge, the summits of which were both enclosed by the 5680 foot contour.

On Peakbagger.com, the more distant hill farther to the W with a much larger area enclosed by the 5680 foot contour was shown as the location of the true summit. Still, there was a chance that the closer hill was actually the true summit. Lupe would have to visit both to make certain she reached the top of Woodpecker Ridge.

One more thing was evident, too. At the pace Lupe and SPHP were going, there was absolutely no chance Lupe was going to reach Peak 5688 today. By the time Lupe reached the W summit of Woodpecker Ridge, the sun was going to be too low in the sky to do anything but start looking for an easier way back to the G6. Oh, well. That’s often how things go in the mountains.

Lupe still near the point where SPHP realized the two hills ahead were both summits of Woodpecker Ridge enclosed by the 5680 foot contour. Harney Peak is seen in the distance. Photo looks NW.

Harney Peak from Woodpecker Ridge about halfway between High Point 5537 and the E summit enclosed by the 5680 foot contour. Photo looks NW using the telephoto lens.

Most of the time, trees blocked the views from Woodpecker Ridge. However, Lupe did come to points with views in various directions. This photo looks E or SE out onto the prairies beyond the Black Hills.

Lupe and SPHP pressed on toward the two hills. If anything, the rock formations Lupe had to find a way around were bigger than before, and the deadfall still worse. There was more elevation loss and gain to deal with, too. It took more than half an hour just to reach the E summit, even though it hadn’t been very far away.

Lupe reaches the E summit of Woodpecker Ridge. Although the W summit is probably the true summit, the views were more open and better from this E summit. Harney Peak is seen in the distance. Photo looks NW.

Mount Rushmore from the E summit of Woodpecker Ridge. Photo looks NNW using the telephoto lens.

Lupe and SPHP took a break up on the E summit of Woodpecker Ridge, but only stayed 15 or 20 minutes. It was nice up there, but it was too late in the day to lounge about given the continual difficulties Lupe faced negotiating all the obstacles nature placed in her path along Woodpecker Ridge.

The time arrived to begin the final push to the likely true summit of Woodpecker Ridge. Lupe headed W down into a broad saddle. The more level terrain should have made the going much easier, but the deadfall timber here was the worst Lupe had faced all day.

The W summit can be seen ahead, but it was hard to make any decent time getting there through this mess! Photo looks W.

Although Lupe is generally very good at making her way through deadfall, SPHP encourages her to take her time. At least a couple of times in the past, Lupe has been impaled on broken branches, resulting in a lot of pain and hundreds of dollars worth of vet bills. Photo looks W.

It took close to another 45 minutes to make it over to the W summit of Woodpecker Ridge. Sadly, the W summit was ugly. There was a lot of deadfall. Even so, enough trees were still standing to block the views. Although Lupe could now claim a successful ascent of Woodpecker Ridge, the achievement seemed anti-climactic.

Lupe reaches the W summit of Woodpecker Ridge. She could finally claim a successful ascent. Photo looks NE.

Lupe questions SPHP's judgment in selecting this ugly spot for her peakbagging objective of the day. — Lupe questions SPHP’s judgment in selecting this ugly spot for her peakbagging objective of the day.

Lupe and SPHP took another break. Lupe relaxed. SPHP took a look at the topo maps again. The sun was low enough so Lupe really needed to start making tracks toward a decent route out of here.

Lupe relaxes on Woodpecker Ridge while SPHP checks the topo maps.

The topo maps showed some kind of a trail off to the W that would lead N before curving NE down a ravine into the Iron Creek valley again. There was a road down there that would take Lupe back to Iron Creek Trail No. 15 again. Somehow, SPHP would just have to deal with the creek crossings, even if it meant fording the stream.

SPHP polished off the last apple. Time to pack up and go. The sun would be down in minutes. Lupe was ready. Puppy, ho! Onward!

Lupe's last moment on top of Woodpecker Ridge, just before heading down. Photo looks S. — Lupe’s last moment on top of Woodpecker Ridge, just before heading down. Photo looks S.

Lupe and SPHP left the summit heading N. Before long, Lupe reached a cliff edge. The terrain forced her down to the W. She saw two more woodpeckers as she progressed down the slope. As soon as it was possible, Lupe turned N again. Lupe and SPHP wandered through a forest with less deadfall than before, but it was still slow going. The area was full of thistles. Time passed. The light was fading. Lupe still hadn’t found a trail or road.

SPHP decided to check the topo maps again. The maps could not be found. It became clear they had somehow been left up on Woodpecker Ridge. Not good. Still, they probably wouldn’t be needed. The distance Lupe needed to cover to reach Iron Creek wasn’t that far. One way or another, she would make it.

It’s hard to say exactly where Lupe and SPHP went, but probably somewhere in the area where the topo maps on Peakbagger.com show a point marked 5190 feet of elevation, 0.5 mile NNW of the Woodpecker Ridge summit. As Lupe and SPHP wandered N, Lupe finally came to a faint remnant of a road. It did curve NE down into a ravine. Lower down, the ravine had huge solid rock walls.

Lupe reached the road leading to the W end of Iron Creek Trail No. 15 before it was dark. Old cabins were strung out along the road, but there was no sign of activity anywhere. By the time Lupe reached the start of the trail, stars were coming out. At the trailhead, a sign said Iron Creek Trail No. 15 had 11 water crossings. Oh, boy!

It wasn’t a problem, though. Lupe and SPHP made great time along the single track trail. Luckily, there was a decent way across Iron Creek at every crossing – a bridge, stepping stones, a fallen log – always something. The stars became bright against a black sky. The flashlight came out. Lupe and SPHP enjoyed a last hour of quiet travel in the darkness.

Somehow, even in the dark, a way across Iron Creek appeared near crossing No. 4 (No. 8 counting in reverse). Funny that it could be found in the night, when SPHP hadn’t seen it during daylight, but there it was. Yay! No fording of the freezing stream was required! And that, was that. No suspense remained over the outcome of Expedition No. 183.

Lupe and SPHP made it back to the G6 (5:57 PM, 33°F). All the way back over Iron Mountain, the Carolina Dog rode with her head out the window, hoping to see a deer in the headlights, but she saw none. By the time she reached Keystone, Lupe had given up. It was kind of an anti-climactic end, like reaching the summit of Woodpecker Ridge had been.

Yet for Lupe and SPHP, it had been another great day adventuring together in the Black Hills. It’s often the journey, and not the final goal, that make the day and the memories.

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