Black Hills, SD Expedition No. 119 – Meade County High Point & Custer Peak (2-13-15)

After a couple of weeks of very warm weather (including two straight record setting days), colder weather was on its way to the Black Hills.  So Friday, February 13, 2015 was Lupe’s last chance for a while to get out for an expedition on an unseasonably warm day.

SPHP decided on the Meade County, SD High Point (5,460 ft.) as the main objective for Lupe on Expedition No. 119.  Although the roads remained quite muddy, much of the snow had melted so that only scattered large patches were still around.  SPHP parked the G6 at the intersection of USFS Roads No. 151 (Old Ridge Road) and No. 151.2G .  This point is at least a couple miles SW of the Meade County HP.  (There are much closer and better access points, but SPHP often parks miles from the intended destination so Lupe can enjoy the fun of exploring the region.)  It was 48 degrees when Lupe set out from the G6 at 10:34 AM under mostly clear skies.

Lupe followed No. 151 heading N for about 1.5 miles.  Here she left the road and went ENE through a still snowy forest (northern exposure) down towards the saddle at the W end of Virkula Gulch, which was snow-free.

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Lupe near the saddle at the W (upper) end of Virkula Gulch.

After crossing the saddle, Lupe started the climb up the hill shown in the above photo.  Close to the first high point, she came to some rocks where there was a view back to the WNW towards Terry Peak (7,064 ft.).

The snow on the ski runs at Terry Peak to the WNW can be seen beyond Lupe in the distance.

Near the rocks, a jeep trail headed E.  It made a short climb up to a big nearly level area above 5,400 feet which was heavily forested.

SPHP hadn’t checked the maps and initially thought the Meade County HP was somewhere around here, not realizing Lupe was still in Lawrence County.  Consequently Lupe explored the thick forest looking for the highest point.  Towards the E side of this area Lupe found a rocky jeep trail.  She followed it N to where there was a cliff with a very nice unobstructed view of the big valley Elk Creek runs through.

Still in Lawrence County, Lupe stands near the edge of the N cliff. Elk Creek flows through the valley below.
Still in Lawrence County, Lupe stands near the edge of the N cliff. Elk Creek flows through the valley below.

A NW wind made it quite breezy here, although back in the forest the breeze had been barely noticeable.  Even though the view was better here, SPHP led Lupe back S to a point along the S edge of the high ground with a sunny and less windy view of Virkula Gulch.  While SPHP chomped an apple and surveyed the view of Virkula Gulch, Lupe took a little Taste of the Wild break.

Finally consulting the maps, SPHP suddenly realized the Meade County HP was still close to 0.75 mile farther E.  So once the break was over, Lupe headed E back to the rocky jeep trail.  She followed it SE down off the high ground.  Before Lupe had lost much elevation, the big limestone rock outcropping at High Point 5401 came into view.  Lupe left the jeep trail and made the easy climb up HP 5401 from the W.  The views from HP 5401 are the best available in the general vicinity of the Meade County HP.

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The rock at the left is the summit of High Point 5401. The W end of Virkula Gulch is beyond Lupe. Custer Peak (6,804 ft.) is the sharp peak on the far horizon near the center of the photo.

From HP 5401 it was also easy to see the heavily forested hill close at hand to the E which is the site of the Meade County HP.  (Due to thick forest, this hill had NOT been visible from the hill W of HP 5401.)  Lupe left HP 5401 and headed E to climb this hill.  Although the hilltop seemed fairly level, it had been easy to see from HP 5401 that the highest point on this hill was towards the N.  This also agreed with the topo map SPHP had printed out from Peakbagger.com showing the Meade County HP near the NNW end of the hill.

Towards the far N end of the hill was a small area noticeably 2 or 3 feet higher than the rest of the ground around it.  On this high ground stood two large pine trees about 10 or 12 feet apart.  The bases of their trunks seemed to be on the very highest ground.  Just a few feet NW from the easternmost tree was a very small whitish limestone cairn.  Lupe posed for a photo next to the cairn, which as near as SPHP could tell, appeared to mark the Meade County HP.  (This is the photo featured at the start of this trip report.)  Before leaving, SPHP lifted up and then carefully replaced several of the larger rocks forming the cairn hoping to find a survey marker, but there was nothing.

There were no views from the cairn in any direction other than the thick forest. Lupe did scout around a short distance to the N, but it was soon clear there wasn’t any higher ground on this hill anywhere farther N.  Before heading S to see what could be seen from the S end of the hill, Lupe returned briefly once more to the Meade County HP cairn so SPHP could retrieve the backpack.  Soon Lupe was at the S end of the hill, which presented a pretty view of the E end of Virkula Gulch.

Lupe above the E end of Virkula Gulch at the S (opposite) end of the hill the Meade County HP is located on.
Lupe above the E end of Virkula Gulch at the S (opposite) end of the hill the Meade County HP is located on.

Having achieved her main objective by reaching the Meade County High Point, it was time for the return trip to the G6.  Lupe returned by nearly the exact same route.  She didn’t climb HP 5401 again, but did go to the N end of the hill to the W where the cliffs with the view of Elk Creek valley were for one more look.

It was 50 degrees and only 3:36 PM when Lupe arrived back at the G6.  There were still a couple of hours of daylight left.  Black Hills, SD Expedition No. 119 was not over!  SPHP thought it might be interesting to explore USFS Road No. 151.2G to the W, but just before setting out on it, Lupe heard a gunshot from that direction.  Lupe hates gunfire and immediately hopped into the G6.

SPHP knew Lupe wasn’t about to hop back out of the G6 again here with gunfire around.  So the idea of heading NW towards the Strawberry Hill area on Hwy 385 came to mind.  From there Lupe might find a way to Anchor Hill (5,800 ft.) which she has never climbed before.  Lupe got to have a nice long ride in the G6 while hanging her head out the window, which is great good fun!

Upon reaching Strawberry Hill, SPHP turned onto Gilt Edge Road.  It was only a couple of miles to Anchor Hill, but the area was full of homes and private property.  Gilt Edge Road ended down in a deep valley at what appeared to be an EPA superfund site connected with the old Gilt Edge gold mine.  It was clear Lupe wasn’t going to find easy access to Anchor Hill from anywhere along Gilt Edge Road.  SPHP turned the G6 around, drove back to Hwy 385, and headed S.

SPHP had one more idea for Expedition No. 119.  Lupe could climb Custer Peak (6,804 ft.) which she had seen from HP 5401 earlier in the day.  At 4:42 PM, SPHP parked the G6 at the sharp turn in USFS Road No. 216 about 0.5 mile SE of Custer Peak.  No. 216 to the NW was closed to vehicles from here for the season by a gate across the road.  It was 44 degrees out when Lupe hopped out of the G6.  The sun was still shining up on Custer Peak.

Lupe headed NW on No. 216 up the E side of a scenic valley that is one of SPHP’s favorites.  About a mile from the G6, she left No. 216 and crossed over a saddle beyond which she turned E.  A spur road heads toward Custer Peak and eventually winds clock-wise around the mountain on up to the summit.  However, the spur was covered with so much snow it made the hike difficult for SPHP.  It was actually easier going directly up the W slope of Custer Peak, even though it meant working through a considerable amount of deadfall timber.  (Pine bark beetles killed the trees a few years back.)

Lupe actually got up into the sunlight while on the upper slopes of Custer Peak, but by the time she reached the old abandoned lookout tower at the summit, the sun had set.  A steady breeze was blowing out of the NW.  SPHP had hoped for a dramatic sunset, but the sky was almost totally clear.   Everything just faded unspectacularly into twilight.  Lupe posed for a few photos to document her ascent, but they didn’t turn out that great in the low light conditions.

Lupe on the rock wall around the old lookout tower on Custer Peak shortly after sunset.
Lupe on the rock wall around the old lookout tower on Custer Peak shortly after sunset.

On the way back, SPHP didn’t want to have to try to scramble down through the deadfall timber in the dark, so Lupe took the spiral road from the summit back down the mountain.  There were feet of snow on much of the road and it was slow going for SPHP, although Lupe could mostly trot along on top of the snow without breaking through.

The stars were out and the Milky Way was on brilliant display by the time Lupe reached the G6 again at 6:55 PM.  It was 39 degrees and calm.  Lupe stood sniffing the air for a few extra minutes and then hopped into the G6 for the ride home.

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Black Hills, SD Expedition No. 120 – Pillar Peak (2-20-15)

Lupe’s first peakbagging objective for Expedition No. 120 (2-20-15) was to climb Pillar Peak (5,469 ft.) located in the NE Black Hills between Sturgis and Deadwood, SD.  Despite the fact that Pillar Peak was only 1.5 miles S from where SPHP parked the G6, it took a long time to get there.  Several inches of pristine new snow on the N slopes made the hillsides slick and in places there was a substantial tangle of undergrowth for SPHP to force a way through.

Lupe and objective Pillar Peak on 2-20-15

The main problem though, was that upon reaching the valley Two Bit Creek flows through, SPHP led Lupe on a futile exploration upstream without finding any place to cross the stream.  Retracing the route all the way back to head downstream, Lupe soon found an easy place to cross, but by then 1.5 hours had already been lost on the upstream trek.

Lupe just before reaching the easy ford over Two Bit Creek.
Lupe just before reaching the easy ford over Two Bit Creek.

Once across Two Bit Creek, the rest of the way up Pillar Peak from the N was just a steady climb.  The day was mostly overcast, but the weather was unsettled.  Sometimes the sun came out, and at other times squall lines passed which dumped snow showers.  Near the summit, there was a large rock outcropping.  Years ago a fire had burned the forest away on the upper slopes of Pillar Peak.  This was also the steepest part of the climb.  Lupe didn’t much enjoy being completely exposed to the W wind while waiting for SPHP to struggle the rest of the way up the hill.

However, fortune soon smiled on Lupe again.  By the time SPHP joined her at the summit, the wind had died down and the sun came out for a little while.  Without any trees in the summit area, the views were great in all directions.

Success! Lupe sits next to the highest rock on Pillar Peak.
Success! Lupe sits next to the highest rock on Pillar Peak.
Lupe sniffing around on Pillar Peak. Bear Den Mountain is visible beyond her.
Lupe sniffing around on Pillar Peak. Bear Den Mountain (5642 ft.) on the other side of Lost Gulch is visible to the SSE beyond her.
Bear Butte near Sturgis, SD is visible out on the plains NE of Pillar Peak.
Bear Butte (4,422 ft.) near Sturgis, SD is visible out on the plains NE of Pillar Peak.

 

Lupe surveys the situation. Terry Peak to the WSW is lost in the clouds.
Lupe surveys the situation. Terry Peak to the WSW is lost in the clouds bringing the next snow shower.

The original plan for Expedition No. 120 was to continue on to the SW to reach Dome Mountain (5512 ft.).  There was plenty of daylight left to have reached it, but SPHP had cost Lupe so much time wandering upstream on the wrong side of Two Bit Creek earlier, night would have fallen before Lupe would have been able to get anywhere close to being back to the G6.  With no trails or roads to follow over most of the route, that made the decision to skip Dome Mountain this day a foregone conclusion.  Lupe barked enthusiastically when SPHP proposed heading back to the G6.  She had lots of fun barking at a squirrel on the way back down Pillar Peak and before reaching the G6 endured the longest and strongest snow shower of the day.

View to the N from Pillar Peak. SPHP liked the yellow green lichens on the rocks in the foreground.
View to the N from Pillar Peak. SPHP liked the yellow green lichens on the rocks in the foreground.

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Black Hills, SD Expedition No. 262 – Peak 5400 & Pillar Peak (1-13-21)

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