Lupe – Page 242 – The (Mostly) True Adventures of Lupe

Black Hills, SD Expedition No. 101 – Zimmer Ridge & Peak 6600 (10-23-14)

Ever since SPHP ran across the site Peakbagger.com early in May, 2014, Lupe had been working on climbing all of the peaks she was able to on Peakbagger’s list of Black Hills 6500-foot Peaks. By now, she had been on top of almost all of them. Of course, the list contains a number of peaks Lupe will never be able to climb, because they are legally off limits or require climbing gear.

American Dingoes are purists. If a mountain requires climbing gear, they don’t even try it. They only bother to climb mountains they can summit completely unaided under their own power. They never rely on ropes, or crampons, or snowshoes, or ice axes, etc. At least that’s what American Dingoes claim. In practice, Lupe has fudged at a few peaks by allowing SPHP to lift her up onto the highest rocks.

On this beautiful October day, Lupe was intent on reaching a couple of the few remaining climbable peaks on the Black Hills 6500-foot Peaks list that she hadn’t been to yet, Zimmer Ridge (6,600 ft.) and Peak 6600. Both peaks are in the same general area 5-7 miles SW of Hill City. Lupe would begin her quest on USFS Road No. 387.1, about 0.5 mile from Hwy 385 (10:37 AM, 54°F).

Lupe and SPHP started the day following No. 387.1 as it wound its way NW through a narrow canyon. There was a creek near the road, which Lupe was glad to see, since it meant she could help herself to cold, clear water anytime she wished. The maps show different names for this creek. SPHP’s old USFS map show it as Whitehouse Creek. The Peakbagger.com topo maps show it as White Horse Creek.

The canyon widened out into a bigger valley, as Lupe continued NW. The road was wide and appeared to be built to county specs, which made it uninteresting. After Lupe had gone a mile or more, the confusion about the creek’s name cleared up. A little way ahead, Lupe saw a white horse standing with a few friends at the edge of the forest. Lupe assured SPHP that this was the actual White Horse of White Horse Creek, which seemed logical enough.

Toward the S end of the valley between Zimmer Ridge and Peak 6600, the USFS map shows 160 acres of private property in the shape of an upside down and reversed “L”. The horses Lupe was approaching were probably on that private land. To stay on USFS land, Lupe left No. 387.1 angling NE up Zimmer Ridge.

Lupe’s route grew progressively steeper as Lupe climbed through a dense forest of young trees. It had been sunny and warm down in the valley, but when Lupe and SPHP arrived up on the ridgeline, it was breezy and cool. Lupe was close to the S end of the high ground on the summit ridge. After a short break, Lupe went N looking for the summit.

Along the way, Lupe reached two false summits. The second false summit provided the first real views in any direction. Lupe could see to the SSE toward Sylvan Hill (7,000 ft.). She could also see the true summit of Zimmer Ridge. It was still farther N along the ridge.

Lupe on the 2nd false summit she came to on Zimmer Ridge. The dead tree points just to the R of Sylvan Hill (Center). Photo looks SSE.

The ridgeline going over to the true summit was broad and fairly level. It should have been an easy trek. However, there was a lot of deadfall timber. Several rocky spots and dense stands of thistles slowed SPHP down, too. It took SPHP a while to get over to the true summit. Lupe had plenty of time to sniff and explore.

Zimmer Ridge culminates in a couple clusters of boulders jutting up right next to each other at the true summit. The highest rocks were all very nearly the same elevation. Despite the purist intentions of the American Dingo, it was fudging time. SPHP had to lift Lupe the last few feet to get her up on top. She didn’t look all that comfortable perched high on Zimmer Ridge, but she did her best to act as if everything was just lovely.

Lupe acts as if its just grand up on the true summit of Zimmer Ridge, even though it looked like she had an uncomfortable perch. Photo looks W.

High rocks of the other cluster of boulders at the summit of Zimmer Ridge. Photo looks E.

SPHP was surprised to see that there was yet another high point on Zimmer Ridge about 0.33 mile to the NNE. It looked almost the same elevation as the true summit. SPHP had to consults the maps to make certain it wasn’t actually higher. The maps showed that it was only 6,583 ft., or 17 feet lower.

Even though Lupe had already reached the summit, it seemed like a shame not to go on and finish her explorations of Zimmer Ridge all the way to the N high point. The first part of the trek over there wasn’t bad, but as Lupe got closer, there were big rock formations to maneuver around. The deadfall timber and thistles were bad, too.

The N high point was a better place to relax than the true summit. Some flat ground provided a high perch with a great view to the N. Lupe and SPHP took a break there. After the break, Lupe finished her climb up a big rock pile to the top of the N high point.

Lupe on the high point at the N end of Zimmer Ridge. It is only 17 feet lower than the true summit. Photo looks SSW at the true summit.

With her explorations of Zimmer Ridge complete, it was time to start for Peak 6600, located 1.75 miles due W. Lupe and SPHP left the N high point heading WNW down the mountain. Lupe lost hundreds of feet of elevation, and arrived at USFS Road No. 387.1B a short distance NE of a saddle over to the next ridge. Lupe and SPHP followed the road up to the saddle.

SPHP had intended to just cross the road, and follow the ridgeline NW until it swept around to the W to a point where Lupe could turn S to Peak 6600. However, while Lupe might not be tired of the deadfall timber yet, SPHP was. Even though Lupe would lose more elevation that would have to be regained, it seemed easier to just stay on No. 387.1B.

So, Lupe remained on No. 387.1B continuing SW from the saddle. The road reached its low point where it turned NW to start gaining elevation again. A small pond was shining in the sunlight near the bend. Lupe was happy to see it. She ran to the pond, plunked herself down in it and had a big drink.

The pond near the low point of USFS Road No. 387.1B. Lupe cooled off here and enjoyed a big drink, before continuing on her way to Peak 6600. Photo looks SW into the glare of the sun.

Fully refreshed from her pond break, Lupe shook herself off and was ready to go again. Lupe and SPHP followed No. 387.1B into the upper end of White Horse gulch. The road went NW 0.75 mile, turned W and soon came to a turnaround loop. Lupe was now at almost the same elevation as the ridge to the N. From the turnaround loop, it was only a short trek off the road to get on the ridgeline for a look at the country on the other side.

SPHP went to take a look at the view, but Lupe never made it that far. As Lupe approached, a gray and white rabbit suddenly dashed off and disappeared in the forest. Lupe lost all interest in the view. She preferred to sniff around excitedly trying to figure out where the bunny had gone. As it turned out, the rabbit must have had prior experience working with a magician. It had completely disappeared.

The road continued W beyond the turnaround loop, and climbed more steeply for a short distance up onto an even higher ridge. Peak 6600 was now just 0.75 mile to the S. Lupe and SPHP left the road to follow the ridgeline. Lupe came to several places where there was a view back to the E toward Zimmer Ridge.

On the way to Peak 6600. Zimmer Ridge is seen in the distance. Photo looks ESE.

It was late afternoon by the time Lupe reached the top of Peak 6600. The summit area features two high points enclosed by the 6600 foot contour on the topo map. Lupe arrived at the E summit first. Unfortunately, forest blocked the views. Lupe got up on the highest rock at the E summit, and struck a rather dramatic Carolina Dog pose.

Lupe left the E summit to check out the W one. It wasn’t very far away, but there was a huge amount of deadfall timber navigate through. The effort was worth it. A rocky ledge at the W summit provided good views off toward the high country in that direction. Lupe and SPHP stopped here to take a break. Lupe finished almost all of her Taste of the Wild. SPHP ate the last apple.

Lupe on the rocky W summit of Peak 6600. Photo looks N.

The forest made it hard to tell for certain, but in SPHP’s opinion the E high point was the true summit of Peak 6600. However, the views were better from the W one. Lupe and SPHP lingered on the W summit of Peak 6600, watching the sun sink toward the horizon.

A hoped for colorful sunset didn’t pan out. Lupe and SPHP left Peak 6600 heading S along the ridgeline. SPHP wanted Lupe to stay up on the ridge as long as possible before turning E to head back down into White Horse Creek valley. Lupe didn’t make it far, though. There was too much deadfall timber up on the ridge.

At the low point of the first big saddle S of Peak 6600, Lupe and SPHP left the ridge and started down. Lupe had to lose a lot of elevation before the deadfall diminished and the terrain started leveling out. As twilight was fading, Lupe strayed onto private property somewhere along the way.

Although this was White Horse Creek valley, a very friendly black horse noticed Lupe and SPHP passing through the forest. The most likely explanation in the horse’s view was that the Carolina Dog was bringing him a nice supply of fresh carrots to munch on. It whinnied a greeting, and trotted jauntily toward Lupe looking forward to carrots and company. Maybe Lupe was even bringing oats?

Lupe loves to bark furiously at cows and horses from the safety of the G6. This was different. Up close, the gigantic black horse approaching rapidly in the dark forest was quite unnerving for the American Dingo. Lupe mistook the black horse’s cheerful whinnying as a threat. The evil apparition was out to get her! Lupe dashed off, without so much as a single bow-wow.

At 7:05 PM (38°F), Lupe and SPHP arrived back at the G6. Lupe headed for home, content with her peakbagging successes. Meanwhile, a disappointed black horse heaved a sigh and resigned itself to its dull diet of dry grass. Some days it’s tough being a black horse in White Horse Creek valley.

On Peak 6600, Black Hills of South Dakota Expedition No. 101, 10-23-14

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Mt. St. Helens, Dismal Nitch, & the Dead Fish Dingo, Washington (8-24-12)

Day 17 of Lupe’s 2012 Dingo Vacation to the West Coast.

Once again, Lupe and SPHP were up before Lanis. Lupe soon found the Loop Trail, which runs entirely around the Iron Creek campground, NE of Mt. St. Helens National Volcanic Monument. Iron Creek campground is located in an amazing mossy forest of huge Douglas firs. Before it was time to head to Mt. St. Helens, Lupe and SPHP wanted to explore the Loop Trail, and see it all.

Iron Creek campground, Washington state.

The trail was in good condition. Lupe, as always, was an enthusiastic explorer. She sniffed ferns, and jumped up on giant mossy logs laying on forest floor, using the logs as her own private green-cushioned Dingo trails. If there were any squirrels, Lupe wasn’t finding them. They may have been up in the stratosphere of the towering tree tops.

The N and NE sides of the Loop Trail went along a lovely blue river, the Cispus. The water of the Cispus sparkled in the morning light. Not far from the Cispus, on the W side of the Loop Trail, were signs next to two huge Douglas firs. The little tree was 280 feet high, had an 8 foot diameter trunk, and was 600 years old. The biggest one was 285 feet high, had an 8 foot 2 inch diameter trunk, and was also 600 years old.

These trees were already 80 years old when Columbus set sail for America! It was hard to imagine they had been standing here all that time. Both trees were still alive, and looked to be in good condition. The forest was full of Douglas firs that looked almost as huge and ancient as these two. Iron Creek campground was a pretty amazing place!

Lupe and SPHP completed their journey around the entire Loop Trail. Lanis was up, when Lupe arrived back at her tiny house. It was time to leave for Mt. St. Helens (8,333 ft.)! A long, winding paved road took Lupe up through a dense forest to the E entrance of Mt. St. Helens National Volcanic Monument. Lanis parked the Element at the first overlook in the monument with a view toward Mt. St. Helens.

Lupe, sporting big soft Dingo ears, with Lanis at the first overlook in Mt. St. Helens National Volcanic Monument.

Mt. St. Helens is poking up in the distance. Yeah, thinking maybe Lanis would look better sporting big soft Dingo ears, too! They'd probably be useful for his music, too. — Mt. St. Helens is poking up in the distance. Yeah, thinking maybe Lanis would look better sporting big soft Dingo ears, too! They’d probably be useful for his music, too.

From the first viewpoint using a telephoto lens.

Lanis and SPHP started reading some plaques at the overlook showing pictures of the eruption of Mt. St. Helens on May 18, 1980. Amazingly, the man who took those very photos, Gary Rosenquist, showed up while Lupe was at the overlook!

Gary Rosenquist, Lanis and Lupe. Gary had taken the photos of Mt. St. Helens' cataclysmic eruption on May 18, 1980 featured on the plaques Lanis and SPHP had been reading! — Gary Rosenquist, Lanis and Lupe. Gary had taken the photos of Mt. St. Helens’ cataclysmic eruption on May 18, 1980 featured on the plaques Lanis and SPHP had been reading!

Lupe got to meet Mr. Rosenquist. Lanis and SPHP got to chat with him for a while about his experience photographing the Mt. St. Helens eruption, and then fleeing for his life from the falling ash. Mr. Rosenquist said he still likes to visit Mt. St. Helens fairly frequently.

Lupe, Lanis and SPHP continued on the road toward viewpoints closer to Mt. St. Helens. From one of them, there were some great views of Spirit Lake. The 1980 eruption of Mt. St. Helens was so powerful, it created a wave of water from Spirit Lake that went as high as 850 feet up the mountains on the N side of the lake. Debris blocked the outlet to the lake, and the water level rose about 200 feet above its prior elevation. The surface area of Spirit Lake is now about 2,200 acres compared to only 1,300 acres before.

Spirit Lake is N of Mt. St. Helens. The outlet from the lake was blocked by debris from the collapsed mountainside. The water level was stabilized by engineers at a level 200 feet higher than before the May, 1980 eruption.

The eruption of Mt. St. Helens stripped away 230 square miles of forest. Many thousands of trees were flung into Spirit Lake. More than 32 years later, thousands of tree trunks were still floating in giant mats on the lake.

The road ended at a final viewpoint, still quite a distance from the volcano. From here it was possible to get a very good view of the huge debris flow extending down to Spirit Lake formed by the collapse of the former N slopes of Mt. St. Helens as the volcano erupted.

Shown here is the debris flow that blocked Spirit Lake at the part of the lake closest to the mountain.

Mt. St. Helens as seen from the last viewpoint at the end of the road coming in from the E side of the national monument. The May 18, 1980 volcanic eruption reduced the elevation of Mt. St. Helen's summit from 9,677 feet to 8,363 feet when the N side of the mountain collapsed. — Mt. St. Helens as seen from the last viewpoint at the end of the road coming in from the E side of the national monument. The May 18, 1980 volcanic eruption reduced the elevation of Mt. St. Helen’s summit from 9,677 feet to 8,363 feet when the N side of the mountain collapsed.

At the last viewpoint, there was a set of stairs climbing up a steep hill above the parking area. Lupe, Lanis and SPHP went up to the top of the hill for a better view.

From the hill, it was possible to get a better look not only at Mt. St. Helens, but also see Mt. Adams (12,276 ft.) and Mt. Hood (11,239 ft.) in the distance. Lupe even got to see Mt. Rainier (14,411 ft.), after all, despite having missed seeing it due to cloud cover the day before. The summit of Mt. Rainier was peaking up over the ridge beyond Spirit Lake.

Mt. Adams, seen here, is 34 miles E of Mt. St. Helens. Mt. Hood is 60 miles SSE. Lupe could see Mt. Hood, but it was too far away to show up well in a photograph under the prevailing light conditions while Lupe was near Mt. St. Helens. — Mt. Adams, seen here, is 34 miles E of Mt. St. Helens. Mt. Hood is 60 miles SSE. Lupe could see Mt. Hood, but it was too far away to show up well in a photograph.

Lupe did get to see the summit of Mt. Rainier after all! Here it is poking above the mountain ridges beyond Spirit Lake. — Lupe did get to see the summit of Mt. Rainier, after all! Here it is poking above the mountain ridges beyond Spirit Lake.

At the top of the hill above the final viewpoint, there was a trail leading one mile back to the best viewpoint over Spirit Lake. The trail was high up on the side of the mountain facing Spirit Lake, so it was bound to be a very scenic path. Lanis didn’t feel like taking the trail, but Lupe and SPHP did.

The one mile trail was very scenic, and did have great views of Spirit Lake, but at one point there was a stretch of trail a few hundred feet long that was a bit scary. The trail was very narrow with cliffs directly above, and a very steep slope leading to more cliffs below. Lupe and SPHP made it through easily enough, but it sure wouldn’t be a place to take little kids.

Lanis was waiting with the Element at the best Spirit Lake viewpoint along the road at the other end of the trail. Lanis said there had been signs saying the trail was for experts or advanced hikers only. SPHP had not noticed them.

Going back down the paved road heading back out of St. Helens National Volcanic Monument was interesting, too. There were some pretty big drops off the side of the road, and no guardrails.

More concerning was that the road itself was cracking, and in many places had already slumped creating troughs in the road several feet deep. The pavement was still smooth, these weren’t abrupt cracks, but after seeing a whole mountain that had collapsed, it was easy to envision a 50 or 100 foot section of the road failing, and plunging down the cliff!

Looking back at Mt. St. Helens as Lupe leaves the area.

Of course, nothing actually happened; the road did not fail. (Some day it will!) Lupe, Lanis and SPHP left Mt. St. Helens behind.

Lupe was heading back to the West Coast! She traveled through the little towns of Cougar, Yale and Ariel on the way back to I-5. She turned N on I-5, and then W on Hwy 4, which followed the N bank of the Columbia River. Along Hwy 401, Lupe, Lanis and SPHP stopped at Dismal Nitch, a cove along the Columbia River.

It was beautiful at Dismal Nitch! The Columbia River is almost to the Pacific Ocean by the time it reaches Dismal Nitch. The river was so wide, it was hard to tell if it was still even a river, or a bay of the ocean. Seagulls were swirling around over the river. The long bridge over to Astoria, on the Oregon side of the Columbia, could be seen just a few miles ahead.

Lupe & Lanis at Dismal Nitch on the N bank of the huge Columbia River, at this point almost as much ocean as river.

Lupe had just missed seeing Lewis & Clark! Well, not quite “just” missed. Lewis & Clark first reached Dismal Nitch on November 10, 1805, so Lupe was 206 years, 9 months and 14 days late. It was a good thing, really. Lewis & Clark had taken shelter here from a severe winter storm. The storm forced them off the river for 6 days, causing them to miss their supply boat. It was Captain William Clark who had named the place, calling it in his journals “that dismal little nitch”.

It was getting late enough in the day to start thinking about finding a place to camp. Lupe, Lanis and SPHP left Dismal Nitch, and continued W on Hwys 401 & 101 all the way to the Pacific Ocean at Cape Disappointment.

Cape Disappointment is located at the very SW tip of Washington state on the N bank of the Columbia River. It was named by a British fur trader, John Meares, who had been sailing S in search of trade and the Columbia. On April 12, 1788, he sighted Cape Disappointment, but had to turn his ship around due to a storm, thereby failing to discover the mouth of the Columbia. Lupe, Lanis and SPHP were also disappointed – the campground at the Lewis & Clark State Park was full.

Lupe saw the Pacific Ocean here, just N of Cape Disappointment in Lewis & Clark State Park, WA. Lupe was disappointed, too. The campground was full.

Lupe, Lanis and SPHP drove all around the general area, stopping at all the campgrounds. Every one was full. People were flocking to the area for some kind of big kite flying contest. SPHP’s road atlas did show a “World Kite Museum & Hall of Fame” on the coast a little way N of Cape Disappointment State Park. Well, no problem. Lupe would just take the Astoria bridge over the Columbia River to Oregon, and find a place to stay over there.

When Lupe crossed the bridge, Oregon became the 6th Lupe state to join her Dingo Nation! Unfortunately, the story was both different and the same in Oregon. Just like in Washington, all the campgrounds were full. So were all the motel rooms, except for a few luxury suites priced well beyond budget. The reason was different, though. People were flocking here for a big Mt. Hood to Seaside relay running event that was in progress.

Lupe, Lanis, and SPHP gave up finding a place to stay in Astoria. Lanis drove S on Hwy 101 towards Seaside. Suddenly, Lanis spotted a black lab on the very busy 4 lane highway. The black lab was clearly lost. He was running back and forth right on the highway looking at each car as it whizzed by, hoping to find his owner. The poor black lab was doomed to cause an accident, and die within minutes doing this!

Lanis stopped the Element. Lanis and SPHP intended to rescue the black lab, but time was of the essence. Fortunately, someone else in a pickup truck also saw the dog’s plight, and stopped closer to where the dog had run to. In just seconds, he had the dog safely in his truck. The black lab was saved!

At Seaside, unsurprisingly, it soon became clear there were no campground vacancies here, either. However, there was a little park right along the highway, and a large pullout parking lot for it. The park had a big open field, with scattered stands of trees. Beyond the field was a view of a bay of the ocean. No tents allowed. It wasn’t dark yet, but it soon would be. Looked like car camping in the Element again.

As twilight was fading, SPHP and Lupe went for a walk through the park down to a little river flowing into the bay. Very high, thick, coarse grass grew next to the river. Lupe sniffed around in the grass forest, while SPHP gazed out over the river down to the ocean bay. SPHP didn’t notice anything was wrong until getting into the Element for the night.

Within a few seconds, the Element just reeked. The source of the stench was quickly identified as Lupe. She must have found some dead fish along the shore of the river, and rolled in them. Dogs, even Dingoes, sometimes love to roll in the nastiest, most awful things. An instinctive way of hiding their scent from prey? Well, it was true no sensible prey animal would likely suspect it was being added to the menu by an extraordinarily obnoxious dead fish.

Lupe was very happy curled up in the Element wearing her Eau-du-Dead Fish perfume, and wondered what all the fuss was about? Lanis and SPHP were far less thrilled. The smell was horrid and overwhelming. Lanis refused to stay. He took a sleeping bag outside, and tried to sleep on the ground next to the Element. The air was much better, but the traffic roaring by on the highway did not bring sweet dreams.

After Lanis had suffered outside, and SPHP had suffered inside, for about an hour, neither could take it anymore. Take your pick – traffic noise, or the stench of a Dead Fish Dingo – it was impossible to sleep. Lupe, Lanis and SPHP went for a long walk in the darkness, just wandering around Seaside.

The walk helped. By the time Lupe, Lanis and SPHP returned to the Element, it had aired out somewhat. Somehow, Lupe had, too. She was still no rose garden, but the worst was clearly over. For Lanis and SPHP, sleeping in the Element still wasn’t going to be a treat. With the back loaded with gear, the front seats didn’t recline. Sleeping in the Element always meant sleeping sitting up.

High up on her pile of blankets and pillows, Lupe curled up and drifted peacefully off to sleep, soothed by the aromatherapy of the hint of Eau-du-Dead Fish she was still wearing.

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