Lupe – Page 263 – The (Mostly) True Adventures of Lupe

Black Hills, SD Expedition No. 192 – Maverick Mountain, Battle Mountain & Friendshuh Mountain (2-20-17)

Nope! No way! I’m not budging from this spot. Take it off! Take it off, now!

Tugging on the leash only made Lupe dig in and resist. She wasn’t going anywhere.

OK, Loop, but you gotta stay close to me. Let me lead the way.

The American Dingo had won. SPHP couldn’t drag her all the way up the mountain by the neck. The leash came off. Would Lupe follow? Reluctantly she did. Her adventure had hardly begun, and she was already terrified. SPHP had spoken the dreaded word: cactus. Ever since her adventure in the Wildcat Hills of Nebraska with mountaineer, Jobe Wymore, cactus has been a greatly feared nemesis.

Lupe followed right at SPHP’s heels. A very faint remnant of a road led W up the mountain. Lupe wasn’t about to go running around off the road, or take the lead. She did plod steadily along, however, which was all it would take to ultimately be successful. Onward and upward!

SPHP had been afraid of this. Lupe was on her way up Maverick Mountain (3,750 ft.) on the SE edge of the Black Hills. The southern part of the Black Hills region is the driest and lowest. Cactus line (sort of like tree line) tends to be in the 4,500 to 5,000 ft. range. Maverick Mountain is well below that, so cactus wasn’t unexpected.

Lupe had arrived early at the Romney GPA (Game Production Area) parking lot (7:39 AM, 45°F), which serves as the Maverick Mountain trailhead. On recent expeditions, she has been working on climbing peaks in the southern Black Hills that prolific climber Brian Kalet visited and added to the Peakbagger.com data base in May of 2016. Maverick Mountain was yet another Brian Kalet peak.

Counterintuitively, being lower meant that climbing Maverick Mountain was a more daunting task for Lupe than the higher Brian Kalet peaks she had been to farther N – all because of the cactus. If Lupe was going to climb Maverick Mountain at all, though, this was the time of year to do it. Once the weather warmed up consistently, another even greater danger might be present. SPHP wouldn’t even consider bringing her here then to risk a prairie rattlesnake bite.

Lupe’s Maverick Mountain adventure had begun only a few minutes ago, when she passed under a short wooden section in an otherwise barbed wire fence near the N end of the Romney GPA parking lot. She’d paused by a fallen steel tower, and then headed straight past it to start up the base of a forested ridge. She’d barely reached the trees when SPHP realized the situation, and spoken the dreaded word that brought Lupe to a screeching halt.

One of the signs posted along the barbed wire fence at the edge of the Romney GPA.

Plaque at the Romney GPA parking lot off Scenic Road. While hunting is the most common use of the Romney GPA, public access is allowed for other uses, too. The summit of Maverick Mountain is in the Romney GPA about a mile W of the parking lot. Photo looks NE.

Lupe at the start of her route up Maverick Mountain. She went under the section of wood fence seen here. (It’s near the N end of the parking area.) Beyond it, part of a fallen steel tower is laying on the ground. Lupe started up toward the bare spot on the ridge going to the R of the two big trees. She encountered both cactus, and the faint road leading to the top of Maverick Mountain before reaching the ridgeline. Photo looks WNW.

Lupe near the fallen steel tower. An old road leads up Maverick Mountain from the E. It was essentially non-existent at the start and end of Lupe’s route. However, at one time it apparently went to the L of the 2 big trees seen on the L. Lupe went to the R of the trees, but luckily still found a remnant of the road appearing as an almost indiscernible trail a little farther up the hillside. The old road got better as it went W (toward the L) up Maverick Mountain. Photo looks WNW.

Lupe resumed her trek with trepidation, as SPHP watched carefully for cacti on the way up the first hillside. The Loopster wasn’t at all eager to move quickly, which was good, since there was plenty of cactus SPHP needed to guide her around.

Lupe had initially started up toward a bare spot on the ridgeline ahead. Before she even got that far, she came across a trail angling to the W (L) that was so faint, at first, that SPHP wasn’t even certain it wasn’t imaginary. However, it quickly improved and soon proved to be the old dirt road leading to the summit.

The road became easy to follow. Fortunately, there wasn’t any cactus on it. Lupe’s confidence began to return. Although she now trotted ahead on the old road, she was careful not to leave it. She understood perfectly well that the horrible cactus was waiting for her off the road.

Things were going well, again. Lupe gained elevation steadily. The road passed through a mixed forest of Ponderosa pines and junipers. Spiny Yucca plants grew in sunny spots between the trees. Occasional open views of the prairie to the E improved rapidly. The highlight was the Cheyenne River sparkling in the morning sunlight.

Maverick Mountain is on the SE edge of the Black Hills. As Lupe climbed W, she had long distance views of the western SD prairies back to the E. The highlight of the view was the Cheyenne River sparkling in the morning sun. 4-lane Hwy 79 is seen down by the river, and crosses it on the R. Photo looks SE with help from the telephoto lens.

Once Lupe found the old road going W up Maverick Mountain, it was typically easy to follow. Where it wasn’t, straight ahead was always a good assumption. The road kept progressing steadily W, with few twists or turns.

Fairly high up on the mountain, Angostura Reservoir came into view to the S. Only on the edge of the Black Hills, and not actually in them, Angostura Reservoir is the largest lake in the entire Black Hills region. Popular for fishing and boating, the lake was created by a dam on the Cheyenne River.

Fairly high up on Maverick Mountain, Lupe had this view of still frozen Angostura Reservoir. Located on the far SE edge of the Black Hills, it is the largest lake in the region. Photo looks S.

The old road faded away as it leveled out neared the top of Maverick Mountain. Ahead of Lupe was an open field. A dried up stock pond was in the middle of the field toward the S. Trees rimmed the N and W edges of the field. A small hill straight ahead was clearly the location of the true summit.

Almost there! The road faded out here with the summit of Maverick Mountain in view at the top of the small hill toward the R. Photo looks WSW.

Lupe was worried about cactus when the road disappeared. She had good reason. Even though the cactus had been worse lower down, there was still some scattered around. Lupe followed SPHP closely across the field. She made it to the summit of Maverick Mountain (3,750 ft.) without incident.

A cluster of several big Ponderosa pines grew right at the true summit of Maverick Mountain. Photo looks NNW.

Success! Despite it’s cacti defenses, Loopster arrives at the summit of Maverick Mountain! Photo looks NNW.

*Comin’ for you Brian Kalet!* Maverick Mountain was another southern Black Hills peak **Brian Kalet** had entered into the Peakbagger.com data base in the spring of 2016. Lupe has been climbing as many of them as she can lately.

Ordinarily, Lupe would have lingered on top of the mountain for a little while, exploring the summit area and seeing what there was to see. With cactus on the mountain, though, she wasn’t about to get too rambunctious, or hang around for very long. The views toward higher hills to the N and W were almost completely blocked by trees, anyway.

Lupe did roam around enough, though, to see the highlights of what views Maverick Mountain had to offer off to the S and E.

Looking E toward the prairies of western SD beyond the Black Hills. You’d be happy too, if you managed to get all the way to the top of Maverick Mountain without getting stabbed in the paw by a cactus spine!

The Cheyenne River from Maverick Mountain. An old windmill that had fallen over on the mountain S of the dried up stock pond is sort of in view beyond and to the L of Lupe. Photo looks SE.

The fallen over windmill is now on the R. The dried up stock pond is behind the closest pine tree L of Center. The way back down the mountain is off to the far L side of this photo. Photo looks ESE.

After a 15 or 20 minute stay up on the Maverick Mountain summit, Lupe headed E back across the N side of the field where the dried up stock pond was to start her trip back down the mountain. The Carolina Dog was eager to get off this pin cushion!

Besides, Lupe had other higher peaks to climb not too far away near Hot Springs, SD.

On her way back down Maverick Mountain, Lupe was facing the great views of the Cheyenne River far below. Photo looks SE using the telephoto lens.

The old road is rather faint here, but Lupe is almost right on it. Maverick Junction where Hwys 79, 18 & 385 meet 5 miles E of Hot Springs, SD is seen far below on the L. Photo looks ENE.

When Lupe reached the last hillside at the bottom of the mountain, SPHP made her stop and stay put. Due her fear of cactus, she didn’t dare disobey.

SPHP started searching around. Earlier, SPHP had noticed Lupe wasn’t wearing her pink collar. She’d had it on when she started out. Where had it gone? After some thought, SPHP had decided it must have come off in this area during all the commotion with the cactus and the leash right near the start of Lupe’s excursion.

The search was a failure. Lupe’s pink collar was nowhere to be seen. Lupe stood motionless wondering what was going on? An idea! SPHP took the leash out of a pocket. Hah! There it was! Lupe’s pink collar had gotten tangled up with the leash, and been in SPHP’s pocket all along. Doh!

Sorry, about the wait Looper. Guess I’m losin’ it. Come on, let’s go! Lupe was more than ready. She returned to the G6, leaving Pin Cushion Mountain behind forever! Even Brian Kalet couldn’t get her to come back a second time. (9:25 AM, 48°F)

Maverick Mountain had only been a warm-up. Lupe had other higher peaks to climb not too far away near Hot Springs, SD. Soon SPHP was parking the G6 on Sheridan Street in the N part of Hot Springs. (9:40 AM, 50°F) A stroll S to the end of the block brought Lupe to the start of Battle Mountain Road.

Lupe turned E on Battle Mountain Road. The road climbed relentlessly all the way up to almost the top of, you guessed it, Battle Mountain (4,434 ft.)! A short ascent up a jeep trail and rotting wood-framed steps brought Lupe to the rocks at the S end of the summit near the old fire lookout tower. Looper got up on the rocks for a look around.

Lupe up on rocks near the very top of Battle Mountain. Photo looks NW.

Looper checks out the views from Battle Mountain. The high ridge on the L is part of the Seven Sisters Range. Photo looks SSW.

Lupe had been up on top of Battle Mountain once before, nearly two years ago on Black Hills, SD Expedition No. 126. Back then a tribe of Neanderthals, still hanging around Hot Springs long after the woolly mammoths Hot Springs, SD is famous for (see Mammoth Site of Hot Springs) were gone, had left a lot of trash including broken glass strewn around the summit. Due to all the sharp broken glass, SPHP had had to carry Lupe all around the summit area.

The summit of Battle Mountain was in considerably better condition today. Almost no trash around. Although there was still some broken glass, it looked weathered and old, lacking sharp, stabby points and edges. SPHP was still cautious about letting Lupe get near the worst of it, but for the most part she could roam the top of Battle Mountain at will.

The big tower seen here was visible from down on Sheridan Street in Hot Springs where the G6 was parked. It isn’t quite at the top of the mountain, however. Photo looks WNW.

Loopster on the old Battle Mountain fire lookout tower. Photo looks SW.

Battle Mountain has a collection of towers on it. They partially obstruct the view of Angostura Reservoir from the summit. Photo looks S.

The reason for Lupe’s return to Battle Mountain didn’t seem to be in view from the summit. Pine trees blocked the views to the NE. Less than 2 miles that way was where Lupe’s next peakbagging goal was. Friendshuh Mountain (4,450 ft.) was barely higher than Battle Mountain. Lupe would have to go considerably farther than 2 miles to get there. Dudley Canyon was in the way.

Friendshuh Mountain wasn’t actually another Brian Kalet peak. Gustav Sexaur added it to the Peakbagger.com data base. However, Gustav had never been there. So far, Brian Kalet was the only Peakbagger.com account holder to have ever actually climbed Friendshuh Mountain. Either way, it was another red circle on Lupe’s Black Hills map that needed to turn green!

Lupe left the Battle Mountain summit heading N into the forest. She was barely below the summit’s limestone cap when a glimpse of Friendshuh Mountain appeared between the pines.

Friendshuh Mountain from just below the limestone cap at the N end of the Battle Mountain summit. Photo looks NE.

Friendshuh Mountain isn’t in the Black Hills National Forest. Neither is Battle Mountain. Both are in the Battle Mountain GPA (Game Production Area), however, so there is public access.

Coming down the N slope of Battle Mountain, SPHP was looking for the Battle Mountain GPA access road, which leads to the N end of Dudley Canyon close to Friendshuh Mountain. Lupe found a way down off the limestone escarpments she ran into along the way, and very quickly came to a road. Was this it? The road headed E through a cut in the mountain. SPHP was pretty certain this wasn’t the right road.

As Lupe had come up Battle Mountain Road, fairly close to the top of the mountain there had been 3 roads she could have taken. None of them had any signs. The first (lowest) turned N and went by a small building with a tower or big antenna next to it. The second road also angled N, and came only 100 or 150 feet before Battle Mountain Road turned sharply S on its final short leg to the summit.

Where Battle Mountain Road had turned S, a third road had continued E uphill and then turned N. Lupe was on this third, highest road.

Despite the lack of a sign, SPHP was pretty sure that the second road was actually the Battle Mountain GPA access road Lupe needed to be on. Instead of going E through the cut, Lupe followed the high road S and then W back down to the intersection with Battle Mountain Road. When she reached the second road, she turned and started following it N.

Lupe at the start of the 2nd road leading N from Battle Mountain Road near the top of Battle Mountain. This turned out to be the correct choice. This is the Battle Mountain GPA access road leading to the N end of Dudley Canyon.

For about 0.25 mile, the road was quite level. It headed N on the W side of Battle Mountain. When the road started curving NE making its way around the NW slope of Battle Mountain, Lupe was surprised and happy to find snow and ice. From here on, she came to frequent stretches of snow, ice and mud wherever the road was shaded.

Lupe was surprised and happy to find snow and ice on the road where it curved NE around the NW slope of Battle Mountain. She came to many snowy, icy, muddy stretches from here on wherever the road was heavily shaded. Photo looks NE.

On the N side of Battle Mountain, the road began to lose elevation, going all the way down to about 4,080 ft. There it crossed a saddle heading ENE toward Dudley Canyon. This was the first drop.

By now SPHP was certain Lupe was on the correct road. It began winding around to the N and sometimes NW, slowly regaining nearly all of the elevation Lupe had just lost. The road stayed on the upper W slopes of Dudley Canyon. Due to the forest, most of the time the canyon wasn’t even in view. Lupe had fun. She found a few squirrels to bark at.

The Battle Mountain GPA access road eventually turned E. When it did, Lupe started losing elevation again. She had barely started down when Friendshuh Mountain came into view to the SE.

Shortly after the road turned E, and before it had lost much elevation again, Friendshuh Mountain came into view to the SE.

Loop on the Battle Mountain GPA road as it starts its second significant elevation loss. From here, the road soon turned NE (L) and dropped down into the N end of Dudley Canyon. Friendshuh Mountain is in view ahead. Photo looks SE.

The road turned briefly toward Friendshuh Mountain before turning back to the NE and making its second and final significant drop down into the N end of Dudley Canyon.

At around 4,135 ft. elevation, Lupe reached the bottom of Dudley Canyon. Next to the road, a map was posted of the Battle Mountain Game Production Area. Apparently not enough game was being produced. The map itself had been a frequent target. It was riddled with bullet holes.

The N end of Dudley Canyon was mostly open ground with scattered stands of pines. Lupe reached the bottom of the canyon down by the pines on the R. She would eventually continue on up the other side of the canyon in the draw seen beyond them. Photo looks ENE.

This bullet hole riddled map of the Battle Mountain GPA is posted down at the bottom of the N end of Dudley Canyon. The Friendshuh Mountain GPA adjacent to the N is shown, too. A parking area was just S of this map. A dirt road nearby continued N through an open gate.

A parking area was S of the map, and a dirt road headed N through an open gate. Lupe followed the road 100 yards to a double gate which was padlocked shut. Another dirt road headed ESE up the draw behind it.

100 yards N of the map was this double gate, which was padlocked shut. A dirt road beyond it went up the draw seen on the right. Lupe went through the gate and up the draw. Photo looks ESE.

Lupe and SPHP went under and over the double gate respectively. Lupe followed the dirt road up the draw. Part of the road shaded by pines was snowy and muddy, but it wasn’t long before Lupe was up on a sunny hillside. The road now went E along the N side of a barbed wire fence.

Lupe came to another set of double gates, both of which were standing wide open. Friendshuh Mountain was in view beyond them directly to the S only 0.33 mile away. Lupe was almost there!

The Carolina Dog didn’t head directly for Friendshuh Mountain, however. The top of the barren ridge the road had been climbing was only a little farther uphill. An interestingly shaped flat rock up there looked like it might offer a great unobstructed view of whatever was over on the E side of the ridge. SPHP wanted to go see the views.

Lupe was a little reluctant to leave the road. Her concern was justified. On the way to the odd flat rock, SPHP saw her nemesis again. Cacti were scattered on the dry, sunny ridge. Not as many as at Maverick Mountain, but enough to be a concern. Still, it was a good thing Lupe had come this way. Upon reaching the odd flat rock, she made a discovery even more interesting than the sweeping views to the N and E.

Long, long ago, something else had come this way. Something gigantic and dangerous! Pressed deep into the rock next to the odd flat rock was a dinosaur track! Other similar depressions were nearby, but none were so clear as this one.

Lupe on top of the odd flat rock on the ridge. She had come to see the big sweeping views to the N and E, but discovered something even more interesting – the huge dinosaur track pressed into the rock below. (The depression on the L.) Photo looks E.

Dingoes may rule the earth now, but that wasn’t always true! Another look at the dinosaur track. Photo looks SE.

The huge dinosaur track was pretty cool, and the wide open views on the barren ridge were great, too. The summit of Friendshuh Mountain was covered with pines, so the views might be limited up there. Why not take a break here? Lupe was happy with that idea. She curled up inside the dinosaur track while SPHP ate an apple.

Daring Dingo dallies in dino depression! Lupe actually curled up and rested for 10 minutes in the dinosaur track.

Loop back on top of the odd flat rock next to the dino track (out of sight just to the R). The open gates in the fence line Lupe would go through to finish her trek to Friendshuh Mountain are in view. Photo looks WSW.

After her brief rest stop in the dinosaur track next to the odd flat rock, Lupe returned to the road and went S through the open gates. The dirt road went up a gradual slope heading almost straight for Friendshuh Mountain.

Lupe soon arrived at a large water tank, which had plenty of water in it. Here the dirt road angled SE going over a gentle pass on its way around the E side of Friendshuh Mountain. To the SW, a faint single track trail went up toward the trees N of the summit. Information SPHP had previously found online indicated that the two routes made a loop around Friendshuh Mountain, but didn’t go to the summit.

Lupe arrives at the water tank. She’s very close to the summit of Friendshuh Mountain now! Photo looks SSW.

Lupe didn’t like the area near the water tank. Scattered cacti grew in the grassland around here. She didn’t get into the cactus, but she did get a few painful, sharp thorns from some other kind of plant stuck in her right front paw. SPHP had to pull the thorns out.

The area near the water tank was Lupe’s least favorite part of the journey to Friendshuh Mountain. Cacti grew in scattered clumps in the grassland. Some other plant with thorns was around, too. Lupe had a couple of painful thorns in her right front paw by the time she reached the water tank. SPHP pulled them out, but Lupe wasn’t happy. She demanded to be carried from here.

Fortunately, the summit of Friendshuh Mountain was very close by now. SPHP carried Lupe up the faint trail to the SW. From the top of a little ridge N of the mountain, Lupe could see that the trail soon became a dirt road a little farther to the SSW. The views to the W and SW were quite nice here. SPHP put Lupe down for a couple photos. She seemed a little more confident again.

Lupe just N of the top of Friendshuh Mountain. Battle Mountain and the towers on it (L) are in view. SPHP wonders if the small hill in the far distance on the R isn’t **Matias Peak (4780 ft.)**? Photo looks WSW.

Looking WNW. SPHP would have liked to explore the rocky ridge in the foreground, but with cactus around, it just wasn’t worth the worry and potential pain for Lupe. The ridge remains unexplored by American Dingoes.

Lupe made the final climb from the trail up to the summit of Friendshuh Mountain (4,450 ft.) on her own. She felt safer and more confident among the trees than out on the open grasslands. She came to no cactus up on the summit area, but she did find a limestone summit cairn next to a big melting snow bank. The cold snow felt good on sore paws.

Success! Lupe reaches the summit cairn of Friendshuh Mountain. The cold snow felt good on sore paws. Photo looks S.

Friendshuh Mountain was defended not only by cacti, but dinosaurs, too! Even so, a wily Carolina Dog managed to reach this summit cairn.

Friendshuh Mountain had a roomy, flat summit area about 250 or 300 feet long N/S. It sloped gradually down toward the E. The top was open forest, but around the edges, the forest was thicker and effectively blocked the views in most directions.

After a short exploration, Lupe spent most of her time on Friendshuh Mountain at the S end of the summit area where there were fewer trees, and the best views were on display. Lupe and SPHP rested here, enjoying the scene and simply being together in the warm sunshine.

Frozen Angostura Reservoir was partially in view to the S.

The big ridge on the horizon is part of the Seven Sisters Range (Center). Photo looks SW.

A glimpse between the trees off toward the ESE.

After a pleasant half hour on Friendshuh Mountain, the time came to think about beginning the return trip to the G6. Before leaving the mountain, Lupe returned briefly to the area near the summit cairn.

Before leaving Friendshuh Mountain, Lupe returned briefly to the area near the summit cairn. Here she is at the W edge of the summit. Photo looks NNE.

Loop enjoyed the feel of the cold snow on her paws near the summit cairn one more time. The cairn is in the shadows on the R. Photo looks SW.

Lupe was fine going down the forested N slope of Friendshuh Mountain on her own. However, when SPHP wanted to cut directly across the open land back to the road leading to the gates near the dinosaur track, it was a different story.

Carolina Dogs have no fear of dinosaurs, but cacti are another matter. SPHP had to carry Lupe all the way down to the road. Even then, she wasn’t thrilled about being put down again.

While Lupe was being carted across the open ground on the way down to the road, she had this sweeping view off to the NNW. **Black Elk Peak (7,231 ft.)** (R) is on the horizon. Photo looks NNW.

*Couldn’t you at least carry me back to the forest?* The open gates N of Friendshuh Mountain are seen ahead. After going through the gates, the odd flat rock and dinosaur track are off to the R (E). The way back to Dudley Canyon is to the L (W).

Since it was a little later in the day, SPHP wanted to return to the odd flat rock and the dinosaur track. The sun would be lighting up more of the dino track now. Loopster was dubious about wisdom of leaving the road, even for such a short distance. When she managed to trot over to the dino track without incident, she cheered up.

Now that it was later in the day, the dinosaur track was better lit up by the sun. From the orientation of the claw marks, the dinosaur had been on its way from **Wind Cave National Park** to the **Badlands National Park**. Probably a tourist, or in search of one.

Looper seemed to enjoy being in the dinosaur track. She returned to her old resting place again, but this time she just sat there watching instead of curling up. Perhaps she was hoping to get a glimpse of the next dinosaur to come this way.

Come on, SPHP! Sing along with me! *Oh, give me a home, where the dinosaurs roam, and the deer and the antelope play! Where never is seen, a cactus that’s green, and your paws won’t get stabbed all day!*

From the odd flat rock and the dinosaur track, it was about 4.0 miles back to the G6 in Hot Springs. Lupe got to follow the road back the entire way, retracing her earlier route to Friendshuh Mountain.

When Lupe got to the forest on the W side of Dudley Canyon again, she forgot all about cactus when she saw a squirrel. She dashed off into the forest without a moment’s hesitation. From then on, she left the road to roam through the forest whenever she felt like it. Although there were still a few cacti scattered around, she didn’t step on any and had a great time.

Since the side trip up to the top of Battle Mountain (4,434 ft.) was so short, Lupe returned to the summit again when she got back to Battle Mountain Road.

On her way back to the G6, Lupe made the short side trip up to the top of Battle Mountain again. Photo looks SW.

*I’ll have a Dingo on the rocks, please!* A great way to end any long day. Photo looks NW.

Wow, it was 62°F out when Lupe reached the G6 (4:08 PM)! What a fabulous, warm, bright day it had been for February! Despite repeated cactus concerns, overall Expedition No. 192 had been a fun time with several more peakbagging successes for the Looper.

On the way home, Lupe got a ride in the G6 through beautiful Wind Cave National Park. She did see a few buffalo roaming, but not a single dinosaur. Dinosaurs just aren’t that common any more, even way out here in the remote Black Hills of western South Dakota.

Lupe on Battle Mountain near the end of Expedition No. 192. Photo looks SSW.

Trailhead Directions:

Maverick Mountain – The parking lot for the Romney GPA serves as the trailhead. From Maverick Junction (intersection of Hwys 18, 79 & 385 about 5 miles E of Hot Springs, SD), go 0.7 mile W on Hwy 18/385. Turn S (L) on Scenic Road immediately after crossing Fall River. Follow Scenic Road 1 mile S to the Romney GPA parking lot on the R (W).

Battle & Friendshuh Mountains – A few blocks E of Evans Plunge in Hot Springs, SD, Hwy 385 turns N on its way to Wind Cave National Park. Take Thompson Avenue E (R) just N of the turn. A couple of blocks to the E, Thompson Avenue feeds straight into Battle Mountain Road (also known as Skyline Road), which goes 1.2 miles to the summit of Battle Mountain. Another 2.5 miles on the unsigned Battle Mountain GPA access road leads to the parking area at the bullet hole riddled map about 0.5 mile NW (as the crow flies) of Friendshuh Mountain.

Links:

Next Black Hills Expedition Prior Black Hills Expedition

Maverick Mountain on SummitPost.org

Friendshuh Mountain on SummitPost.org

Want more Lupe adventures? Choose from Lupe’s Black Hills Expeditions Adventure Index, Dingo Vacations Adventure Index or Master Adventure Index. Or subscribe free to new Lupe Adventures.

Gunsight Mountain, Talkeetna Range, Alaska (8-23-16)

Day 25 of Lupe’s Summer of 2016 Dingo Vacation to the Canadian Rockies, Yukon & Alaska

Lupe wanted out twice during the night. Both times it was nice out, a hopeful sign. Dawn arrived a few hours later to dash those hopes. Steady rain beneath a drearily overcast low-ceiling sky. The forecasts were going to be right, weren’t they? Three more full days of rain before things might improve.

A little after 10:00 AM, Lupe and SPHP left Palmer on the Glen Highway (Alaska Route 1) heading E. Sad, very sad, but SPHP was resigned to it. There was no beating this endless rain on the Alaska S coast. Lupe wasn’t going to get to do any of the fun adventures around Anchorage or on the Kenai Peninsula.

The plan was to go as far as it took to get out of the rain, even if that meant going back to Canada. Lupe still had a couple of peakbagging objectives on her list not too far E of Palmer, if the rain would let up. There didn’t seem to be much hope of that. SPHP was prepared for a long drive. Lupe stared out the rain-streaked window of the G6 at the beautiful Matanuska River valley she was leaving behind.

Lupe stared out the window of the G6 at the beautiful Matanuska River valley she was leaving behind. Photo looks SE.

The rain didn’t extend nearly as far as SPHP feared. Surprisingly, by the time Lupe was nearing the Matanuska Glacier, the sky had stopped its seemingly endless dripping. The glacier was visible from the highway, so Lupe stopped for a look.

The Matanuska Glacier was visible from the Glen Highway. Photo looks SE.

Lupe along the Glen Highway with the Matanuska Glacier in the background. Photo looks SE.

Toe of the Matanuska Glacier with a little help from the telephoto lens. Photo looks SE.

Conditions improved rapidly as Lupe and SPHP continued E on the Glen Highway. That was great news! Two of Lupe’s peakbagging objectives were coming up soon.

The first was Lion Head (3,185 ft.). Lupe found the road that serves as a trailhead near milepost 106. Beyond a parking area, a closed gate was across the road. A “No Trespassing” sign said AT&T owned the property. No one allowed in without permission from AT&T. Most disappointing.

Surprising, too! SPHP had read online accounts touting the climb up Lion Head for the spectacular views of the Matanuska Glacier. None of them had mentioned an access problem. Several vehicles were parked along the road near the closed gate. Others must be making the hike. SPHP hesitated. Gunsight Mountain was another 10 or 12 miles E. Maybe Lupe should check out Gunsight instead?

Near milepost 117, Lupe and SPHP stopped at a large empty pullout on the SE side of the Glen Highway. A sign said this was the Camp Creek trailhead. Absolutely no other information was available. Not a soul was around. Gunsight Mountain loomed to the NW right across the highway.

Despite involving 3,400 feet of elevation gain, the climb up Gunsight was supposed to be easy and straightforward. Was this the trailhead for Gunsight? Except for those tall bushes low down on the mountain, the climb looked easy enough whether there was a trail or not. SPHP grabbed the backpack, crossed the highway, and Lupe was on her way! (1:29 PM, 54°F)

Five minutes after Lupe started her assault on Gunsight, SPHP was beating a retreat. Those tall bushes were an impassable jungle! There certainly didn’t seem to be any trail. Lupe had no choice, but to follow SPHP back to the G6. So far, Lupe’s day had been nothing but frustration. Another mile E, near milepost 118, her luck changed.

A green street sign read “Trailhead Access Road”. A short road on the NW side of the highway led to a large paved parking lot. A posted map showed several trails in this area, including one leading to Gunsight Mountain (6,441 ft.). Twenty minutes after launching her first attack on Gunsight, Lupe set out again.

An old road led to an ATV trail that climbed rather steeply at the start. Things leveled out after 200 feet of elevation gain. The ATV trail had turned N. Lupe reached an intersection where a small pond was a short distance ahead.

The ATV trail led Lupe to an intersection where this small pond was in view. The long ridge in the background is part of **Syncline Mountain (5,471 ft.)**. Photo looks N.

Lupe didn’t need to go N. She turned W on another ATV trail leading toward Gunsight Mountain. A huge, colorful hillside, was ahead. The top of Gunsight Mountain appeared above it in the distance.

Lupe turns W on the ATV trail leading toward Gunsight Mountain. A huge, colorful hillside was ahead.

The ATV trail was full of big, muddy potholes, and soon gave out. A single track trail led into the bushes which dominated the landscape. It too, disintegrated before long. A bewildering maze of little trails went in all directions, appearing and disappearing in no discernible pattern. Lupe thought this was great! She could prowl around unseen until she was almost upon SPHP.

The bushes down where Lupe had made her first brief assault on Gunsight had towered over SPHP. They had strong, thick branches. Fortunately, the bushes here were only chest high on SPHP. It was possible to push through these smaller bushes along the myriad of little trails, though it was preferable to follow the occasional strips of open ground between them whenever possible.

Getting to the top of this first big hillside took a while. The climb gradually steepened along the way. On the bright side, the open ground between bushes started to dominate as Lupe gained elevation. If there was any organized trail up this long hill, Lupe never found it. During short rest stops, SPHP consumed wild blueberries, which grew in great profusion on the hillside.

By the time Lupe reached the top of the big, colorful hillside, the bushes had disappeared entirely. Only the low, delicate plants of the tundra remained. Lupe already had some fabulous views from here.

Lupe already had fabulous views from the top of the first, long, colorful hillside. Photo looks SE.

Looking SW down the Matanuska River valley.

Looking back down the long, colorful hillside toward the Gunsight Mountain trailhead near the Glenn Highway. Photo looks E.

The best route to the top from here was obvious. Lupe headed W across a broad area of fairly level tundra toward the NE ridge of the mountain. She even lost a little elevation along the way, before the climb resumed.

Lupe on her way W from the top of the long, colorful hillside toward Gunsight’s NE ridge seen on the R. She would stay on the near side of the ridge, especially as she neared the summit. Photo looks WSW.

Lupe was still on her way up toward Gunsight’s NE ridge, when suddenly there was a voice coming from above. A young woman was cheerily hailing Lupe and SPHP as she hiked down the mountain. SPHP hadn’t even seen her. Her name was Laura. She was here in Alaska visiting friends who had to work today, so she had just trotted on up to the top of Gunsight Mountain for something to do.

Laura was from Montana, which made her practically a neighbor to Lupe. She was very friendly. Was the guy following Lupe and SPHP part of the group? SPHP turned around. There was someone coming! He was still over toward the top of the long, colorful hillside, but heading this way fast. No, Lupe and SPHP had never seen him before.

Lupe with Laura from Montana. Laura had already been to the top of Gunsight Mountain. She was on her way down when she spotted Lupe and SPHP coming up.

Laura and SPHP chatted pleasantly for a few minutes, before she went onward. A few minutes later, she could be seen talking to the guy who was hot on Lupe’s trail coming up. Meanwhile, Lupe reached the NE ridge. Staying on the less steep SE side of the ridge, Lupe and SPHP continued toward the summit.

Lupe reaches the NE ridge. Photo looks SW.

Within a few hundred feet of the summit, the tundra finally gave way to a long, scree slope. During the fairly steep ascent up the scree, the guy who had been following Lupe overtook SPHP. He promised to save Lupe and SPHP good seats with a view at the top.

Lupe on the long scree slope leading to the summit. Photo looks W.

Coming up the easy, broad E slopes of Gunsight Mountain, SPHP had come under the impression that the summit might well be a large plateau, with plenty of room for Lupe to run around. However, when Lupe reached the top of the scree slope, the mountain simply ended. On the other side of the little summit ridge was a gaping chasm.

Standing out at the very end of a small, narrow prominence, surrounded on 3 sides by nothing but air, was the guy who had promised to save Lupe and SPHP good seats with a view. He stood on the brink of destruction at the chasm’s edge surveying the spectacular views, as calmly as any mountain goat might to whom it was all old hat, part of a daily humdrum routine.

His precarious position made SPHP nervous for him, but he calmly walked over to greet Lupe and introduce himself to SPHP. His name was Luke Hall. He was originally from Sidney, Australia. Luke had left Sidney 3 years ago. Since then, he’d worked for a while in Banff, Canada and London, England, and a few other places around the globe. At the moment, Luke was in the middle of an already months long trip exploring and climbing peaks in Alaska.

Lupe meets Australian globe-trotter Luke Hall at the summit of Gunsight Mountain. Photo looks SW.

Lupe at the summit. SPHP had expected some kind of broad plateau up here where Lupe could run around. Instead, Lupe arrived to find huge cliffs, chasms, and jagged knife-edge ridges. Photo looks NW.

Wow! Sounded like Luke was adventure personified! Lupe, Luke and SPHP spend 30 minutes together on Gunsight. A lot of chatting, comparing notes, and taking photos went on. Luke had been to Berg Lake in Mount Robson Provincial Park in Canada. Lupe had been there on her Summer of 2013 Dingo Vacation, too. Luke and Lupe had both been to several other places, among them Sukakpak Mountain (4,459 ft.), N of the Arctic Circle.

Luke was surprised to learn that Lupe had made it to the top of Sukakpak. He had been there a couple of weeks ago. He’d made it very high up on the mountain, but hadn’t found the route to the summit. Lupe and SPHP shared how Lupe managed to get there.

Of course, as long as Luke had already been exploring Alaska, he’d seen a lot of places Lupe hadn’t. There was so much to talk about! Fun times, but it was getting to be evening, and this was, after all, the top of a mountain in Alaska. Luke was wearing shorts. Not too surprisingly, he started getting cold standing around. He needed to get moving again, so good-byes were said, and Luke started down the mountain.

Peaks over-looking the Matanuska Glacier, portions of which are in view in the valley below. Photo looks SW using the telephoto lens.

Looking WSW. Part of the Matanuska Glacier in view on the lower L.

Luke Hall starts down the mountain after a fun half hour with Lupe at the top. Note the actual patches of blue sky and sunshine! Photo looks ENE.

After Luke departed, Lupe and SPHP spent another 20 minutes at the summit. The views were tremendous in every direction. The day had started discouragingly, but was ending on a literal high note here with Lupe at the top of splendid Gunsight Mountain!

Looking SW along the length of **Sheep Mountain (6,223 ft.)**(R). Part of the Matanuska Glacier(L) is in view in the distance.

Sheep Mountain using the telephoto lens. Photo looks SW.

Looking SSW. The weather was still stormy looking toward the SW.

South Fork of the Matanuska River. Photo looks SSE using the telephoto lens.

Big patches of blue sky were appearing off to the E, the first blue sky Lupe had seen in days. Trail Lake is the largest lake in view on the lower R. The Gunsight Mountain trailhead(Center) is barely above the bottom edge. Photo looks ENE.

So many mountains were in view from Gunsight! The mountains to the S were high enough to block a view of what lay beyond them. Off to the N, however, range after range could be seen receding to the horizon. This photo looks NNW using the telephoto lens.

Looking over Gunsight Mountain’s summit ridge at the gaping chasm to the SW. Sheep Mountain is on the R. The Matanuska River is on the L flowing toward the more distant Matanuska Glacier. Photo looks SW.

Wondering if Lupe found the Gun survey benchmark? Here ya go!

After nearly an hour at the top, Lupe started back down the NE ridge. The evening and surroundings were incredibly beautiful. Most encouragingly, the patches of blue sky and sunshine which had started appearing on Lupe’s way up seemed to be spreading.

Lupe comes back up along the NE ridge to see what’s keeping that slowpoke SPHP. Photo looks NE.

Luke had said he was planning on going to Anchorage and the Kenai peninsula. Maybe Lupe should, too! Maybe the weather was going to improve, and Lupe wouldn’t have to miss out on all the fun that had been planned there. She was only an hour’s drive E of Palmer. Lupe could climb Lion Head tomorrow, and then return to Palmer! It was too soon to leave Alaska, if Lupe didn’t have to.

Although the plan seemed to change with each passing cloud, these happy thoughts accompanied Lupe and SPHP as they took their time on the descent. The long, colorful hill was easier descending than ascending. It was possible to see the pattern of the open areas between the bushes from above, which made it easy to avoid the worst of the bushes. Of course, Lupe thought the bushes were fun, but she didn’t mind being able to run in the open, too.

A tired, but happy American Dingo arrived back at the G6 (9:29 PM). This had turned out to be a great day after all. Maybe things were looking up. Tomorrow, Lion Head!

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