Day 33 of Lupe’s Summer of 2016 Dingo Vacation to the Canadian Rockies, Yukon & Alaska
Yowser! Over 4,500 feet of elevation gain! Most definitely a long day ahead. Yet it would be a glorious one, if Lupe and SPHP could make it to the top of Pepper Peak. Soup, Swiss Miss and sardines for breakfast. SPHP was sick of sardines, but Lupe devoured the rest of the tin with gusto. Thank heavens!
SPHP paid the $5.00 daily trailhead parking fee, then Lupe went down for a look at gorgeous Eklunta Lake. Totally clear skies and nearly calm. Conditions were going to be perfect! After a few minutes along the lakeshore, Lupe and SPHP went looking for the trail to Twin Peaks. (9:19 AM, 39°F)
On the way to the trail, Lupe got a glimpse of what was in store for her – the long, long SW ridge of Pepper Peak (5,381 ft.). The view was a bit daunting. It didn’t look scary, or like something Lupe couldn’t do, just exhaustingly long. As they say, though, every journey starts with that first step. Lupe’s paws were already trotting right along. She would get up Pepper Peak, if SPHP could.
Lupe crossed a bridge over Thachkatnu Creek. The Twin Peaks trail headed off to the L (NNW). Lupe’s long climb began.
Such a beautiful day! The Twin Peaks trail started in a forest. There wasn’t much to be seen except the trees. The trail zigged NE. Right away, Lupe gained 300 or 400 feet of elevation on a relentless, fairly steep climb. The trail then zagged NW for a longer stretch on the way to the Thachkatnu Creek valley between Twin Peaks and Pepper Peak.
The trail wasn’t as steep along in here. Autumn was already on its way to Alaska. Leaves were beginning to turn yellow. Lupe sniffed and explored along the newly carpeted Yellow Leaf trail.
As the Twin Peaks trail reached the Thachkatnu Creek valley, it turned NE again, staying high up on the Pepper Peak side. Near the gradual turn, the trail had become steeper, gaining elevation even faster than before. Lupe gained another 300 or 400 feet before the slope slackened as the trail zigged back to the SE.
Lupe had gained enough elevation by now so that she was getting close to tree line. The forest was starting to thin out a bit. Along another steep climb to the NE, Lupe reached an opening with a gorgeous view of Eklunta Lake.
Two benches are positioned along the Twin Peaks trail. Lupe was almost to the first one. Another steep little climb and she was there.
SPHP had been looking for the benches for a while. Lupe had already come so far, SPHP thought it was possible she had somehow missed the first bench, but this was actually it. As SPHP learned a little later on, only the first bench has a view of Eklunta Lake.
From the first bench, the trail turned back to the NW again leaving Eklunta Lake behind. Lupe was still mostly in forest, but tall bushes were becoming more prominent. From here on, the trail kept climbing steadily. Lupe came to no more relatively level sections. It was all sort of steep.
Soon Lupe was back over toward the Thachkatnu Creek valley again. Once more, the trail turned NE going up the valley, remaining high up on the Pepper Peak side. The forest gave way to the tall bushes as Lupe went up. Lupe could see Twin Peaks towering over the opposite side of the valley.
Lupe must have been almost a mile from the first bench, when she reached the second one. This bench was located on the Thachkatnu Creek side of Pepper Peak’s SW ridge. Twin Peaks were in view, but not Eklunta Lake. There were still lots of tall bushes near the second bench, but Lupe wasn’t far from reaching bush line where the views would really open up.
At the second bench, Lupe faced a choice. She could continue following a trail, presumably part of the Twin Peaks trail, up the Thachkatnu Creek valley toward the saddle between the Twin Peaks and Pepper Peak. The other choice was to take a side trail going SE up to the SW ridgeline coming down from Pepper Peak.
According to information SPHP had found online, Lupe could eventually reach the top of Pepper Peak either way. However, the trail going up the Thachkatnu Creek valley would have limited views for a long way. On Pepper Peak’s SW ridge, Lupe would be able to see Eklunta Lake the entire time, plus lots of magnificent mountains beyond.
With no more to go on than that, the choice was easy. Lupe left the second bench following the trail toward the SW ridge.
The ridgeline was farther from the second bench than SPHP expected, but it didn’t take Lupe too long to get there. Beautiful Eklunta Lake was in sight again.
Lupe had already come a long way, but the real climb, the long one up Pepper Peak’s SW ridge was just about to begin. Lupe was no longer on any formal, maintained trail, but there was still a path leading higher. Even without the path, the route was plain to see. Just keep heading up the ridge.
Lupe climbed and climbed. The views kept improving with every step higher.
For a long way, Pepper Peak’s SW ridge was broad and rounded. Other than the steepness, there were no other issues at all to deal with. Up and up was all there was to it, as fast as heart, lungs, legs and desire allowed. SPHP was getting close to a high point near the end of this relatively easy part of the climb, when suddenly Lupe let out a tremendous WOOF!
SPHP looked around. Nothing. What on earth was she woofing at here? Lupe WOOFED again. Oh, there! SPHP looked up, straight up. Two parasailors were floating high above!
Wow! That looked both scary and amazingly fun. Time for a parasailor break! Lupe and SPHP went just a little higher to the top of the nearby high point, then stopped to watch the parasailors for a while.
The parasailors were moving quite fast. They lost elevation relatively quickly, but seemed to have no problem finding thermals to take them soaring again. It was incredible how far and fast they flew. The one with the pink chute soon flew miles away to the SE far beyond Shaker Peak, and ultimately completely out of sight.
The parasailor with the green, white and blue chute hung around for a while. He made a couple of passes not terribly far above Lupe, which excited her tremendously. She had never seen such a huge bird in all her life! Why it must be a Roc, or a Pterodactyl!
The second parasailor drifted away out of sight. Wow! SPHP wondered where they had started from, and how they would ever get back. Who knew?
Time to press on again. The way forward was becoming steeper and rockier. The toughest part of the climb was about to begin.
The ridge became rockier and rockier as Lupe progressed. There was still a trail, but it was less well-defined and harder to follow. The slope became steeper. Exposure increased. Lupe encountered more and more loose rock. She tried to stay up near the ridge line, but wound up a little below and to the SE of it.
Although the ragged part of the ridge wasn’t terribly long, it took a while to navigate it. Lupe finally got past it, though. The ridge was now leveling out. The going was getting a lot easier. It couldn’t be much farther to the top of Pepper Peak!
Ahead was one more big knob of rock. Lupe and SPHP had seen it from far, far below. SPHP believed it was the summit. Lupe seemed to be way up in the sky. Who knew what kind of precipice might be on the other side?
The trail was in much better condition again here. It wound up the SE side of the knob. Lupe headed up. SPHP followed close behind.
Lupe reached the top of the craggy knob. SPHP was glad to see Lupe had not arrived at a pinnacle surrounded by dangerous cliffs. The top of the craggy knob wasn’t terribly large, but had a nice, flat area where Lupe could relax with a fantastic view of Eklunta Lake.
As Lupe had approached the craggy knob, SPHP caught a glimpse of a rounded hill some distance beyond it. The truth became clear even before Lupe reached the top of the knob. This last knob of rock was not the summit of Pepper Peak. The true summit was over at the top of the rounded hill.
This wasn’t bad news. In fact, it was good news! The remaining distance to the true summit was an easy trek. The trail followed an almost level final stretch of ridgeline straight toward it. Piece of cake! When Lupe arrived, she was going to find a nice, big, roomy summit. She could be there in minutes!
The views were so amazing, Lupe and SPHP stayed on the last craggy knob of rock for a few minutes before continuing on.
The final journey to the true summit was joyous. Lupe was going to make it to the top of Pepper Peak! She arrived to find a large cairn at the high point at the N end of a spacious summit. This was it. More than 4,500 feet above where she’d started, Lupe stood at the very top of Pepper Peak (5,381 ft.)!
The summit of Pepper Peak was an amazing place! Lupe had sweeping 360° panoramic views. Nearby, she could see many peaks of similar elevation. Long, barren ridges, many knife-edged, connected one peak to another to another. In between the ridges were deep U-shaped valleys carved by long departed giant glaciers of the ice age. Eklunta Lake was a beautiful highlight, with big snow and ice-covered peaks in sight miles away beyond its S end.
However, Pepper Peak had a lot more to offer than just the glories relatively close at hand. Pepper Peak is a place for binoculars. Despite not being the highest peak around, Lupe could see tremendous distances in most directions. On the far horizons gleamed many white wonders of Alaska. SPHP knew the names of a few, but most were unknown places of mystery, glimpsed for the first time from afar here on Pepper Peak.
To the SW, barely visible beyond shimmering Cook Inlet, Lupe could make out Redoubt Volcano (10,197 ft.) and nearby white mountains of the Aleutian Range. Redoubt was so far away, it hardly even showed up in a photo. To the NW, still far off, but somewhat closer, were the colossal peaks of the Alaska Range. Mount Foraker (17,400 ft.) and Denali (20,310 ft.) at least showed up using the camera’s telephoto lens.
To the ESE, Lupe saw a huge, long snowy ridge. SPHP had no idea what the names of any of those mountains along the ridge were, but the sight was spectacular, and not quite so far away. In fact, the views toward the E and S were the most amazing of any Lupe saw from Pepper Peak. The amount of snow and ice visible, even from a distance, was incredible!
Of course, Eklunta Lake to the SSE and the snowy peaks beyond it were highlights of the views from Pepper Peak, too!
Before arriving at the summit of Pepper Peak, SPHP had given some thought to having Lupe go on to Shaker Peak (5,089 ft.), about a mile away to the SE. However, the views were so splendid from Pepper Peak, and it had been such a long climb to get here, that the Shaker Peak idea got dropped.
Lupe was fine with the decision. It meant she got a nice long rest on Pepper Peak, while SPHP continued to stare off into the distance in fascination.
Looper and SPHP stayed up on Pepper Peak for more than 2 hours. Only one other person came up to the summit during all that time, despite the perfect weather. An Alaskan named Craig appeared from the Twin Peaks route.
SPHP raved about the views from Pepper Peak. To Craig, though, Pepper Peak was just another pleasant summit among many in Alaska. Craig stayed all of 10 minutes on top, then headed for the SW ridge Lupe had come up. Another day, another amazing mountain in Alaska, ho-hum.
SPHP’s enthusiasm wasn’t diminished in the least. Lupe seemed happy here, too!
Lupe was just chillin’ up on Pepper Peak, while SPHP took more photos of photographed photos. Although time was moving on, SPHP found it difficult to tear away from the tremendous views. Mountain mania continued a little longer.
After more than 2 hours on Pepper Peak, it really was time to go. Even so, it was hard to tear away from the incomparable views. This climb had been so worthwhile! SPHP was very glad Lupe had made the trip. At last, though, Lupe had to begin the trek back to the G6.
On the way down, Lupe was going to take the Twin Peaks route, even though it meant not being able to see as much along the way. The Twin Peaks route did have one advantage. Lupe would avoid the rocky scramble along the upper part of Pepper Peak’s SW ridge.
Exactly how to get to the Twin Peaks route wasn’t entirely clear. One thing was for certain. Lupe needed to get down to the saddle between Pepper Peak and Twin Peaks. Craig had reached the summit cairn coming up from the N, which was the shortest route and probably made the most sense.
Lupe, however, started off going S back down toward the last rocky knob she’d reached on the SW ridge on the way up. Before she quite got to it, she turned sharply back toward the N, following sheep trails below and to the W of the summit of Pepper Peak toward the saddle to Twin Peaks.
The trail Lupe was following along the saddle seemed determined to stay up on the ridgeline. Perhaps SPHP gave up on the trail too soon? Lupe and SPHP left it to start heading down into the Thachkatnu Creek valley, expecting to find another trail down there before too long. That didn’t happen.
As is often the case, Lupe had most of her fun on the Pepper Peak excursion on the way back to the G6. She loved roaming the tundra in the Thachkatnu Creek valley! She ran far and wide, sniffing and exploring. At times she was just a distant speck of a Dingo. Once she reappeared from a completely unexpected direction after being out of sight for a few minutes.
The route back down via the saddle and Thachkatnu Creek valley had absolutely no scrambling, exposure, or areas of loose rock. So it’s perfectly possible to reach the top of Pepper Peak completely avoiding that kind of thing. Somewhere, there’s probably a decent trail much of the way, but it must have been closer to Twin Peaks than Lupe and SPHP went.
For a long, long way, Lupe and SPHP lost elevation without coming to a trail. The vegetation became denser and taller as Lupe went lower. However, she didn’t get quite all the way down to where the tall bushes and forest started in earnest. Lupe finally found a trail when she was about at the elevation of the second (higher) bench on the Twin Peaks trail. By then, she wasn’t that far away from it.
Lupe and SPHP lost even more elevation crossing Thachkatnu Creek, but immediately had to regain it, climbing steeply on the other side. Not too surprisingly, Lupe arrived at the Twin Peaks trail right at the second bench. All that remained was a long, pleasant downhill stroll on the Twin Peaks trail.
Near the first bench, Lupe saw Eklunta Lake in the evening sunlight one more time from above.
And one more time, Lupe followed the Yellow Leaf trail, this time all the way to the end of her magnificent Pepper Peak adventure. (8:38 PM, 58°F)
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