Lupe – Page 258 – The (Mostly) True Adventures of Lupe

Black Hills, SD Expedition No. 197 – Parker Peak & Horse Trap Mountain (3-27-17)

Start (10:49 AM, 54°F)

Crocuses! Lupe discovered pale, lavender crocuses along the trail, not many, but a few here and there. No denying it now, spring had arrived in the Black Hills! As far as Lupe was concerned, crocuses were infinitely better than the cacti she had been reluctantly dealing with on her recent Black Hills expeditions. SPHP couldn’t have agreed more.

Crocuses herald the arrival of spring in the Black Hills.

The trail had led Lupe right up to the top of the broad ridge. The ridge ran for miles E/W, and had a number of large extensions to the S. Most of the ground up here was rolling grasslands, rimmed by Ponderosa pines along the edges, with more pines scattered in various places across the open ground.

Lupe arrives up on the broad ridge that ran for miles E/W. The survey benchmark, at the top of the pipe seen sticking up out of the ground beneath her, provided SPHP with a good indication of her precise location. Photo looks SW.

The question was, which way to go from here? The plan was to follow 4WD roads up on this huge ridge to Lupe’s two peakbagging objectives of the day – Parker Peak (4,848 ft.) and Horse Trap Mountain (4,682 ft.), but neither mountain was in sight, nor was any road visible. Maybe the old roads shown both on the Peakbagger.com topo map and SPHP’s old Black Hills USFS map didn’t even exist anymore? Entirely possible.

What was for certain was that Parker Peak, the high point of Fall River county, was miles away at the far W end of this ridge. Horse Trap Mountain, however, was somewhere closer by to the S. Maybe it was still E of here?

Lupe explored E along a fence line, going up to the crest of a gentle rise where a few large pines were clustered. Looking E and SE from here revealed nothing. All the terrain was nearly as high, and a lot of it was forested. No sign of Horse Trap Mountain.

The only thing Lupe discovered by going E was that crocuses weren’t present up on top of this ridge. Instead, her feared cactus nemesis was. Not a lot of cactus, but enough so SPHP carried her over one small patch. The cactus wasn’t a surprise, SPHP had expected it. Even up on this high ridge, Lupe was still below cactus line.

Going farther E didn’t look promising. Lupe retraced her steps, returning to where the trail had first brought her up to the top of the ridge. At the fence corner, Lupe came to a pipe sticking up out of the ground. SPHP hadn’t noticed it before. A survey benchmark at the top of the pipe provided a clue, such a good clue that after consulting the maps, SPHP knew exactly where Lupe was. Horse Trap Mountain was more than 2 miles SSW of here.

SPHP started leading Lupe WSW down toward an earthen dam for a dried up stock pond. However, Loop was now wary. The foray to the E had shown her that cactus was present. She followed SPHP reluctantly.

Crossing the earthen dam, Lupe didn’t notice the one cluster of cactus growing on it. Her confidence started returning. SPHP enticed her SW up to the top of the next rise without much of a problem. By staying where there were trees, the chance of encountering more cactus was reduced.

Unfortunately, the ridge didn’t have enough trees to provide continuous shade. Lupe soon realized cactus was up here, too. She insisted upon returning to her now familiar method for dealing with cacti. The Carolina Dog stood or sat motionless while SPHP scouted ahead. She would only come when SPHP sat on the ground to signal that the route was safe.

In some places it wasn’t safe. SPHP had to carry the American Dingo a few times over the thicker cactus patches. It would sure help to find a road, any kind of a road. Lupe would be willing to trot along a road confident that cactus wouldn’t be on it.

Lupe was in luck! A little down over the other side of the rise, she did find a road. The road was faint and seldom used, even grassy, but it was a road. Upon reaching it, Lupe was immediately relieved of the worst of her cactus worries. She was willing to travel the road without her time consuming cacti technique being employed.

The grassy road went S. Within minutes, Lupe passed by the ruins of an old cabin. A little farther on, the road came to a major intersection in a clearing. Dirt roads radiated out in 4 or 5 directions. Ahead, across a tree filled canyon, Lupe saw an interesting butte in the distance. SPHP didn’t realize it at first, but this was Lupe’s first view of Horse Trap Mountain.

Lupe near the major dirt road intersection. The butte in the distance is Horse Trap Mountain. Photo looks SSW.

A canyon was between Lupe and the interesting butte. Consulting the topo maps, SPHP realized the interesting butte was very likely Horse Trap Mountain. To get there, Lupe would have to take the road leading W. If it was the road shown on the topo map, it would soon make a big detour to the NW to get Lupe around the end of Falls Canyon.

The road did exactly as the topo map showed. Not only was Lupe ever more confident about the cactus situation, but SPHP was increasingly confident of the existence of the road system shown on the topo map. Things were going well!

After rounding the NW end of Falls Canyon, the road turned S. Lupe hadn’t gone as far S as the map showed she would need to in order to reach a turn to the W, when another road angling that direction appeared. After another quick map consultation, SPHP concluded this road was most likely a short cut to Parker Peak. Did Lupe want to go there first or to Horse Trap Mountain?

Lupe went W for Parker Peak. The short cut worked. The new road eventually intersected the main route shown on the topo map. Everything went fine. The roads, which were only a mix of dirt and grass the entire way, served as a Dingo superhighway. Lupe was making great progress! It was an easy trek. The route was level or close to it most of the time. What elevation changes Lupe came to were all gradual.

She often had beautiful views along the way.

Lupe enjoyed beautiful views on her way to Parker Peak. The high ridge in the distance is more than a mile SE of Parker Peak. Photo looks SW across Hell Canyon.

The high point straight up from Lupe is the top of Parker Peak protruding barely above an intervening lower ridge. Photo looks W.

View to the NW. The dark high point on the far horizon a little R of Center is **Wildcat Peak (5,500 ft.)**. The ridge on the far R is **Elk Benchmark (5,669 ft.)**. The closer forested hill on the L is an unnamed peak a couple miles N of **Matias Peak**.

As Lupe got closer to Parker Peak, the views gradually changed.

The same unnamed ridge SE of Parker Peak, but now looking SSW at it across Hell Canyon.

Another view to the NW, this time looking a little more N with less help from the telephoto lens.

Looking down Hell Canyon toward Horse Trap Mountain (R of Center). Photo looks SE.

The road passed to the N of a skinny lower ridge 0.5 mile E of Parker Peak. Lupe left the road to climb up on the skinny ridge for a good view of her objective, now in clear view.

Parker Peak from the skinny ridge 0.5 mile to the E. The skinny ridge was topped with colorful rocks. Photo looks W.

Lupe returned to the road after leaving the skinny ridge. She was closing in on Parker Peak rapidly now! In hardly any time at all, she was on her way up.

After leaving the skinny ridge, Lupe rapidly closed in on Parker Peak. Photo looks W.

The road Lupe was on reached the roomy summit area near the S end. The true summit was along the W side almost at the N end. On her way there, Lupe saw 4 concrete foundation corners, and discovered 2 survey benchmarks. The foundation corners were all that were left of a former fire lookout tower.

Lupe stands on one of the old concrete foundation corners. All four of them are in view. They were all that remained of the old fire lookout tower. Photo looks SW.

The first survey benchmark Lupe came to on Parker Peak as she headed N along the W side of the summit area.

Lupe on top of Parker Peak. Part of the town of Edgemont, SD can be seen in the distance on the far R. Photo looks SW.

The second survey benchmark Lupe came to. This one was also near the W side of the summit area. By the time Lupe reached it, she was within a few tens of feet of the N end of the mountain.

Lupe stands next to the northernmost survey benchmark. Part of an old retaining wall is behind her on the L. Edgemont, SD is now seen in the distance at Center. Photo looks SW.

Lupe arrived at the highest rocks on Parker Peak (4,848 ft.) at the N end of the summit area to claim her peakbagging success of Fall River county’s highest point. The views were splendid!

**Matias Peak (4,780 ft.)** is the forested hill on the R. Photo looks WNW.

Lupe starts settling in at the Parker Peak summit for a little rest break. Far below her lofty perch, the intersection of Hwys 89 & 18 is seen on the far L. The **Mickelson Trail** slants from the L to the Center before turning due N. Photo looks N.

Horse Trap Mountain (L) from Parker Peak. Photo looks SE.

At the summit, Lupe was ready to relax. She was thirsty and hungry, lapping up a couple bowlfuls of water, and crunching up most of the Taste of the Wild supply. Then she rested while SPHP petted her. She encouraged SPHP to continue whenever it looked like there might be a break in the Dingo lovefest.

*What? You aren’t done giving me love already are you? Please continue!*

The sun was still fairly high in the sky. Lupe had plenty of time to get to Horse Trap Mountain. Lupe and SPHP loitered at the summit for a long time. Parker Peak was the highest point around. Lupe could see long distances in nearly every direction.

The time came to move on. Lupe had a last look at the fantastic view to the N.

Then Lupe began working her way toward the S end of the summit area. She posed for a few photos along the way.

Near the edge of the W face. Photo looks SW.

Matias Peak (R) from Parker Peak. Photo looks WNW.

At the S end of the summit area. The curved road on the far R is the old highway to Edgemont. Photo looks SSW.

Looking from the S end of the summit area back toward the true summit. Photo looks NNE.

After going all the way to the S end of Parker Peak’s summit area, Lupe started her journey to Horse Trap Mountain. She took the road she had come up back down off Parker Peak, and headed E retracing her route.

All the roads shown on the topo map really did exist! In fact, even more roads existed than shown. None of these roads amounted to much. They were all simple grass and dirt pasture trails, but they allowed Lupe to occasionally take minor shortcuts. Surprisingly little cactus was around, but the Carolina Dog was happiest staying right on the roads where she didn’t even have to think about her sharp, spiny enemy.

Lupe went 2 miles E before turning S for Horse Trap Mountain. It was still 1.5 miles away. The trek S was easy and relaxing. Lupe stopped briefly at a few of the better viewpoints along the way.

The trek to Horse Trap Mountain was relaxing and beautiful. Photo looks SW towards highlands on the far side of Hell Canyon.

As she drew near Horse Trap Mountain, Lupe came to a place where she had an impressive view of Falls Canyon.

Nearing Horse Trap Mountain, Lupe had this impressive view of Falls Canyon. Photo looks SSE.

Horse Trap Mountain from the W edge of Falls Canyon. Photo looks S.

At last, Horse Trap Mountain was dead ahead. However, a large ravine was between Lupe and the mountain.

Lupe reached this open ground where Horse Trap Mountain was dead ahead. However, a large ravine was between Lupe and the mountain. Photo looks S.

The road brought Lupe down to a narrow saddle leading to the NNE ridge going up Horse Trap Mountain. To the W was the large ravine. To the E was Falls Canyon. The road turned sharply and began to descend into Falls Canyon.

No road went up Horse Trap Mountain, but the NNE ridge was an easy climb for Lupe. She soon arrived up at the NE end of the football fields long summit area. First she took a look at the grand views to the E and SE from here. She could see Flagpole Mountain (4,320 ft.) and several other peaks she had visited on recent expeditions.

It was fun to see them all again from this new vantage point.

Lupe on the rocks at the E edge of the Horse Trap Mountain summit area. **Flagpole Mountain (4,320 ft.)**, which she had visited recently on **Expedition No. 195**, is seen in the distance at Center. Impressive Falls Canyon is in the foreground. Photo looks SE.

**Flagpole Mountain** (R of Center) from **Horse Trap Mountain**. Photo looks SE with help from the telephoto lens.

A couple of peaks Lupe had visited in the Seven Sisters Range exactly a month ago on **Expedition No. 193** are in view on the far horizon. **Peak 4371** is near the L edge of the photo, and **Peak 4310** is a little to the R of it. The closer barren hill only 2 miles away at Center is **Roundtop Hill**. Lupe has never been there. Photo looks ESE.

The top of Horse Trap Mountain was mostly open grasslands dotted with Ponderosa pines. The summit area was shaped like an elongated circle, longest NE/SW, and sloped gradually to the S. The summit’s edges were rimmed all around with cliffs of modest height.

The true summit of Horse Trap Mountain (4,682 ft.) was evidently somewhere along the N or NW rim. After admiring the views of spacious Falls Canyon and the distant peaks to the E and SE, Lupe went to find it.

The summit of Horse Trap Mountain was open grassland dotted with Ponderosa Pines. Photo looks W from the NE end of the mountain where Lupe came up. From here, Lupe went to find the true summit, heading beyond the trees seen on the R.

A short, easy stroll brought Lupe to the highest rocks and true summit of Horse Trap Mountain along the N rim. She could see the top of Parker Peak (4,848 ft.), where she had been only a couple hours ago from here.

Lupe at the true summit of Horse Trap Mountain. The top of Parker Peak, where she had been only a couple hours earlier, is on the horizon at Center beyond a branch of Hell Canyon. Photo looks NW.

Looking N from the true summit at the territory Lupe traveled across to reach Horse Trap Mountain.

Looking SW from the true summit. Lupe’s a little hard to see, but she’s right in the center of this photo.

Lupe and SPHP took a 15 minute break to enjoy the views from the true summit. Lupe polished off the rest of her Taste of the Wild supply, and tanked up on water again.

When break time was over, the American Dingo took a counter-clockwise tour of the edge of Horse Trap Mountain’s summit. Beautiful views were in every direction. Some of them were quite different from the usual Black Hills terrain, and reminded SPHP vaguely of sights seen in much higher mountain ranges.

Looking WNW. Parker Peak is in view again on the R.

Lupe along the NW rim. The rough, rocky terrain seen here was fairly typical along the edges of Horse Trap Mountain’s summit. Photo looks NE.

SPHP was impressed with this view of the lower part of Hell Canyon, which seemed to be on a rather grand scale for the Black Hills. Photo looks SW.

Another look at Parker Peak. Photo looks NW.

Lupe liked this big view of Hell Canyon, too. Photo looks WSW.

Looking S. The high plains of western South Dakota are seen beyond the end of the Black Hills.

Lupe at the S end of the summit area. The cliffs along the escarpment here weren’t as high as elsewhere around the mountain, but the views were still great. Photo looks W along the S escarpment.

Falls Canyon and Flagpole Mountain (R) from the S end of Horse Trap Mountain. Photo looks SE.

After going clear around the W end of the mountain all the way to the S end, Lupe traveled N across the grassy center of the summit area to return to the true summit of Horse Trap Mountain for a final time. She took a second 15 minute break here. It was a glorious place to be!

The sun was starting to sink in the W. Lupe still had a couple of hours left before sunset, but it was miles back to the G6. The vast majority of her journey would be a pleasant trek along the same dirt and grass roads up on the big ridge, but near the end Lupe would have to navigate that field with cactus and then find the trail down.

It was time to leave Horse Trap Mountain.

Looking NE along the way to start back down off Horse Trap Mountain.

The return journey in the evening light was wonderful! Spring was in the air, and by now Lupe realized there really wasn’t much cactus around. She romped through the fields and forests. To complete her joy, the Carolina Dog even found a squirrel to bark at. No cactus bothered her. Lupe found the trail leading down off the big ridge.

The sun was long down. Not much twilight remained by the time Lupe reached the G6 again (7:36 PM, 50°F).

On the long drive home, Lupe barked at cows and horses until it was so dark SPHP concluded she could only smell them, not see them. Expedition No. 197 wasn’t officially over until the American Dingo finally decided there was nothing left out there worthy of being barked at.

Maybe a dry barker would like something cold and wet to soothe it? The Sonic Drive-Inn was still having its half price drink sale after 8 PM, and it was already after 9 PM. Would Looper like to go get a milkshake? Yes, indeed! SPHP didn’t have to ask twice.

A great day of adventure finished with Lupe relaxing on the bed slurping up chocolate milkshake from a bowl, while SPHP worked on the strawberry one. And then it was lights out.

A Carolina Dog twitched now and then during the night, but whether she was dreaming of Parker Peak, Horse Trap Mountain, adventures past, or adventures yet to come, was impossible to tell.

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On the Skyline Trail to the Mystery Hills, Kenai Peninsula, Alaska (8-27-16)

Day 29, Part 2, of Lupe’s Summer of 2016 Dingo Vacation to the Canadian Rockies, Yukon & Alaska

Plans for a return visit to the beach at Ninilchik on Cook Inlet were quickly dashed when Lupe and SPHP stopped to help a woman hitchhiker along the Sterling Highway (Alaska Route 1). Turned out she needed a ride to her landscaping job, well beyond Ninilchik, clear over in Soldotna. She was already late and needed to get there quickly. Her car (nowhere in sight) had broken down, and no one else had stopped to give her a lift.

Jane was a friendly, plucky gal. She introduced herself to Lupe and SPHP, and immediately launched into her life’s story. Some of it made not a lick of sense, but it was an entertaining tale nevertheless. Lupe and SPHP listened in silence as the miles flew by, and Jane related her only-in-Alaska monologue.

Jane had moved to Homer, Alaska from California years ago. Naturally, she loved Alaska. She had made some money back in California in real estate. Jane used part of the money she’d saved to make a great purchase of 40 acres near the edge of a development somewhere around here, the particular parcel having been carefully selected by closing her eyes and putting her finger to a map.

The land wasn’t even for sale at the time, but when Jane approached the owners, they thought she was so wonderful, they promptly agreed to sell it to her for a song. She lives off-grid in a cabin on this beautiful property, where she and her dog manage to avoid being eaten by grizzlies by sticking close to either the cabin, or her ATV, on which they zoom away to safety at a moment’s notice.

When you live off grid, you have to create your own entertainment. Jane kept chickens to produce eggs. A pure white rooster served as head of the flock. For fun, Jane used a water pistol to paint the rooster with bright colors so he was more of a fancy rainbow rooster instead of a boring pure white one. The rooster didn’t object in the least. Instead, his reaction was to put on a Mick Jagger style strutting performance to impress his harem, which Jane found endlessly amusing.

Sadly, tragedy struck. All but two of her chickens and the beloved rainbow rooster passed away very recently when her pet wolf broke its new chain after only 2 days, and did what wolves like to do to chickens.

With the wonderful, balmy climate Alaska now has due to global warming, it’s getting harder and harder to keep the riff raff out. The Kenai peninsula is filling up with people. Living off the grid here is no longer the hardy pioneering existence it once was a few years back. Fortunately, Jane’s 24 year old son took pictures of a mind-bogglingly beautiful little town, with a name that SPHP has since forgotten, but it started with a “U”.

U-ville is located on Spruce Island, near much larger Kodiak Island, and can only be accessed by boat or the air. The few pictures Jane’s son took were enough to convince Jane that U-ville is the place to be, so she is in the process of getting ready to sell her 40 acres and move. People in U-ville, who have never met Jane, but have advanced word of her interest in living on Spruce Island, are falling over themselves offering her good jobs, and encouraging her to join their community ASAP.

Jane related all this, and a good deal more which now escapes SPHP, in the time it took to reach Soldotna, where she promptly exited the G6, cheerfully bidding Lupe and SPHP a fond farewell. Clearly there had been much more to come, time permitting, so it was with a mixed sense of reluctance and relief that Lupe resumed her own adventures, though they may pale in comparison to Jane’s.

Lupe’s next adventure started E of Soldotna near milepost 61 of the Sterling Highway at the trailhead for the Skyline Trail to the Mystery Hills (12:03 PM, 68°F). The trailhead parking lot was on the SW side of the highway, but the actual trail started over on the NE side, a bit farther to the NW.

Looking up at the Mystery Hills from the Skyline Trail parking lot near milepost 61 of the Sterling Highway. Photo looks NE.

A sign near the start of the Skyline Trail provided general information. Lupe could expect a steep 1,800 feet of elevation gain over 1.25 miles.

The Skyline Trail is somewhat oddly named, since it officially ends at a saddle between mountains, before ever getting up to any of the peaks of the Mystery Hills, or even following any portion of the ridgeline. Skyline Access Trail would have been a better name for it.

The sign did show a trail continuing on up from the saddle. On the topo map SPHP had along, a pack trail goes on for miles all the way from the saddle up to and over a series of peaks in the Mystery Hills.

Sign near the start of the Skyline Trail.

Just as the sign had promised, the Skyline Trail was steep. There were no significant switchbacks. Up and up. SPHP was soon pausing frequently to let heart, lungs and legs catch up with the demands of the trail. Lupe, of course, wasn’t fazed in the least.

For a long way, the trail was in forest. Little could be seen. After quite a climb, the forest finally started gradually giving way to tall bushes. Lupe started to get glimpses of the progress she was making.

Once the forest thinned out, Lupe could see the progress she was making. Part of her first peakbagging goal, Mystery Hills North is seen on the R. Photo looks E.

The trail’s rate of climb didn’t diminish until Lupe was getting fairly close to the saddle. Then things started to level out rapidly. Where Lupe first reached the saddle, she came upon a final big stand of gnarled old pine trees. The day was warm and bright. The shade provided by this last clump of odd old pines was welcome. Lupe and SPHP took a break.

As near as SPHP could tell, Lupe had reached the official end of the Skyline Trail.

Lupe takes a break beneath an isolated stand of gnarled old pines she came upon as she reached the saddle. She was at, or very near, the official end of the Skyline Trail.

The Skyline Trail may have officially ended, but the sign and maps were right. A good trail continued on across the saddle toward the mountain to the E. (Note: As far as Lupe was concerned, this continuation of the trail going on up to the Mystery Hills was all part of the same Skyline Trail, and will be referred to as such for the remainder of this post.) When Lupe’s break under the gnarled pines was over, Lupe and SPHP pressed onward.

Not far from the pines, Lupe passed by another trail branching off to the N on its way through the saddle. The American Dingo ignored the side trail and started climbing the mountain to the E.

A good trail continued beyond the gnarled pines across the S end of the saddle area. Lupe ignored a side trail that branched off to the N (L), and continued up the hill seen directly ahead. This extension of the Skyline Trail eventually climbed around to the S (R) side of the hill. Photo looks E.

Lupe still had nearly 1,000 feet of elevation gain to go in order to reach her first peakbagging goal, North Mystery Hills (3,284 ft.). She encountered a short stretch of rock climbing near the base of the mountain, but was soon easily past it. Lupe came to no further complications along the trail, which now worked around to the S side of the slope, as it continued E. Another higher saddle could be seen ahead.

Lupe on her way up to a higher saddle(Center). Lupe was heading for North Mystery Hills, seen on the R. Photo looks SE.

On the way to the next saddle, Lupe already had some splendid unobstructed views.

Lupe already had splendid views on her way up the Skyline Trail to the next saddle. Jean Lake is in the foreground. A portion of much larger Skilak Lake is in the distance. Photo looks S.

Far away across Cook Inlet, Lupe could see impressive snow-capped peaks. Photo looks NW using the telephoto lens.

The path up to the higher saddle was a long, steady grind, but the pace of elevation gain wasn’t bad, certainly nothing like Lupe had faced on the way to the first saddle. Upon reaching the higher saddle, the trail turned S, climbing more aggressively up the mountain.

When the Skyline Trail finally started leveling out, a rock outcropping larger and higher than any other nearby point was a short distance ahead. Lupe went over to it. She had reached the N end of the North Mystery Hills summit ridge. The views were fabulous!

Here, at the end of the climb up from the 2nd saddle, Lupe reached the N end of the North Mystery Hills summit ridge. A metal box containing a register was tucked among the rocks on the E (R) side of this high point. (Close to the backpack.) The unnamed peak in the background is nearly as high as North Mystery Hills and is located on the other (N) side of the 2nd saddle Lupe had just come from. Photo looks N.

Looking down on **Peak 2851** (L) from North Mystery Hills. Peak 2851 is on the NW side of the first big saddle Lupe reached where she took a break among the gnarled old pines. Flatlands of northern Kenai Peninsula are seen in the distance. Photo looks NW.

**Hideout Hill (2,869 ft.)** from North Mystery Hills. Part of Skilak Lake is seen in the distance. Photo looks SW.

Right away, Lupe discovered a metal box tucked among the rocks on the E side of the rock outcropping. The box contained a register. SPHP entered Lupe’s name on it to secure the Carolina Dog’s place in North Mystery Hills history.

Although it had been a warm, calm, sunny day lower down, a fairly strong, cool E wind was blowing up here. While SPHP was entering her name in the register, Lupe found a big rock to hide behind. She curled up on the W side of it to escape the wind.

While SPHP entered her name in the register, Lupe curled up behind a big rock to escape the E wind. Lupe hadn’t quite reached the true summit of North Mystery Hills yet. The true summit is the high point beyond Lupe on the L. The similarly colored more distant hill is her next peakbagging goal, Mystery Hills Central. Photo looks SE.

Lupe had seen a number of people along the Skyline Trail, but hadn’t come across anyone since leaving the first saddle. However, while she was still curled up out of the wind, and SPHP was busy gazing off into the distance, a young man showed up. His name was Patrick Metzger.

Patrick was quite friendly to Lupe and SPHP. Soon, Patrick and SPHP were engaged in conversation. Patrick wasn’t an Alaskan native. He moved to Soldotna a few years ago, where he works for Univar, a global chemical distribution business. Like Lupe, he enjoys the outdoors and climbing mountains in his spare time, so there was a lot to talk about.

Patrick shared his love of Alaska with Lupe and SPHP. He recommended several places Lupe might want to consider visiting while she was here. By the time Patrick needed to move on, nearly an hour had gone by. The visit with Patrick had been fun, but Lupe needed to get going, too.

Technically, Lupe still hadn’t reached the true summit of North Mystery Hills, but it wasn’t far away. A short, windy stroll to the SE brought Lupe to the NW end of a small hill on the broader ridgeline. The small hill proved to have two high points on it, one at each end of a little ridgeline, sort of a minor summit ridge up on the greater summit area. Lupe visited both high points. It was a close contest, but the true summit seemed to be at the SE end where Lupe found a small cairn.

Lupe stands in the wind at the NW high point of the minor summit ridge. This might possibly have been the true summit of North Mystery Hills, but the high point in view to the SE (Center) appeared to be marginally higher. Photo looks SE.

The trail didn’t even go to the likely true summit at the SE end of the minor summit ridge. Instead, the trail skirted below it to the SW. Lupe left the trail to make the short side trip to the true summit. A pitifully small cairn was the only indication Lupe had finally reached her North Mystery Hills (3,284 ft.) peakbagging goal.

Success! Lupe sits in the E breeze at the true summit of North Mystery Hills. Her next peakbagging goal, Mystery Hills Central, is in view along the ridgeline. Photo looks SSE.

Looking back to the NW from the North Mystery Hills true summit. The other candidate for true summit at the NW end of the minor summit ridge Lupe is on is seen straight up from her rump. The high point where she first reached the broader summit ridge is at the far end straight up from her head. That’s over where Lupe found the metal box containing the register.

**Mystery Hills East (3,478 ft.)**(Center) from North Mystery Hills. Mystery Hills East is the highest of the Mystery Hills. The trail Lupe was following (an extension of the Skyline Trail) goes all the way to Mystery Hills East, but Lupe didn’t make it that far. Peeking over the R shoulder of Mystery Hills East is **Round Mountain (3,901 ft.)**. Photo looks ESE.

Having finally reached the summit of North Mystery Hills, Lupe’s next objective was Mystery Hills Central (3,291 ft.), still 1.25 miles away to the SSE. Getting there was simply a matter of following the Skyline Trail on a beautiful, fun ridge hike. Lupe had splendid sweeping views along the entire route. She passed over a series of rocky highpoints, as well as lower, gentler terrain, on the way.

Looking back at the summit of North Mystery Hills on the way to Mystery Hills Central. Photo looks NNW.

Lupe takes a break on a rocky high point on her way to Mystery Hills Central. Her ears point up toward Mystery Hills East. Photo looks E.

Approaching Mystery Hills Central. Photo looks SSE.

When Lupe arrived at the top of Mystery Hills Central, she found a roomy, nearly flat, summit area. It also had two candidates for true summit, separated by only a short distance. Lupe found a survey benchmark at the E high point, and a modest cairn at the W one.

Despite the still rather annoyingly strong E wind, Lupe and SPHP paused on Mystery Hills Central for a while to appreciate the grand 360° views.

The survey benchmark on Mystery Hills Central.

Kenai River valley from Mystery Hills Central summit. Photo looks SE.

Lupe enduring the stiff E wind up on Mystery Hills Central. What a tremendous view of Skilak Lake to the SW!

Looking S toward distant glories of the Kenai Peninsula.

The topo map showed the Skyline Trail continuing on from Mystery Hills Central, looping around for miles, still following the ridgeline. Eventually the trail goes all the way to Mystery Hills East (3,478 ft.). Lupe could see part of the trail from above.

One look was enough to convince SPHP that Lupe didn’t have the time, and SPHP didn’t have the energy, to press on to Mystery Hills East. That part of the trail had some serious elevation gains and losses along the way, in addition to being nearly another 3 miles long.

The trail to Mystery Hills East can be seen below on the hill on the R. It follows the ridgeline, eventually going over the next hill toward the L. Round Mountain is in view in the distance on the L. Photo looks ESE.

So this was it, Lupe had come as far along the Skyline Trail as she was going to. Mystery Hills Central was the end of the line. The sun said Lupe would soon have to start back. Lupe and SPHP lingered a little while longer together on Mystery Hills Central.

Lupe at the Mystery Hills Central cairn. The ridge route back to North Mystery Hills (Center) is beyond her. Photo looks NW.

The Kenai River on its way to Skilak Lake. Photo looks SW.

The time came to say good-bye to Mystery Hills Central. Lupe started back the way she had come.

Starting back toward North Mystery Hills (Center). Photo looks NNW.

The Mystery Dingo of the Mystery Hills up on the ridgeline. Photo looks E.

As the sun sank lower toward the horizon, the E wind finally began to relent, losing some of its strength. Lupe had a wonderful time exploring the ridge along the Skyline Trail. It was a relaxing evening trek, surrounded by beauty on all sides, high in the Mystery Hills.

Lupe returned to the true summit of North Mystery Hills. From there, she went on to the NW end of the broad summit ridge, back to the high rocky point where she had first discovered the metal box containing the register, and met Patrick Metzger only 4 hours ago.

Lupe returns to the true summit of North Mystery Hills. Photo looks NW.

Back at the far NW end of the North Mystery Hills summit area. Lupe is at the high point where she found the metal box containing the register, and met Patrick Metzger a few hours ago. Photo looks NNW.

Looper in the evening sunlight, prior to starting back down the Skyline Trail from North Mystery Hills. Photo looks N.

Lower Peak 2851 is partially hidden by the slope on the R. The Skyline Trail can be seen leading back down this slope on its way from the high saddle to the first saddle where the stand of old gnarled pines was. The Sterling Highway is on the L. Photo looks NW.

Although Lupe hadn’t seen anyone on the Skyline Trail after Patrick left, once Lupe began her descent from the Mystery Hills, she met a few hikers on their way up. They were hoping to catch the sunset from North Mystery Hills. To SPHP, it looked like the sun was going to sink into a cloud bank. The sunset was likely to be more silver and gray than colorful.

Looking WSW on the way down to the first saddle. Skilak Lake can be seen beyond Hideout Hill on the L. A silvery Cook Inlet shimmers on the far horizon.

Jean Lake and more distant Skilak Lake. Photo looks SW.

What those hikers actually saw at sunset, Lupe never knew. By then she was far down steep Skyline Trail in the encroaching gloom of the dark forest at the base of the Mystery Hills. (8:49 PM)

On the Skyline Trail to the Mystery Hills.

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