American Dingo – Page 274 – The (Mostly) True Adventures of Lupe

The Worthington Glacier, Alaska (8-11-16)

Days 12 & 13 of Lupe’s Summer of 2016 Dingo Vacation to the Canadian Rockies, Yukon & Alaska.

Lupe’s adventures in the Yukon were done for now. Only yesterday, she’d enjoyed an epic day climbing Mount Decoeli (7,650 ft.) in Kluane National Park. From afar, she had seen Canada’s highest mountain, Mount Logan (19,541 ft.). Today was going to be a well-deserved day of rest for the Carolina Dog. Lupe would spend much of it snoozing in the G6, while SPHP drove N.

Lupe was on her way to Alaska!

Lupe's morning on 8-10-16 started near Kluane Lake in Kluane National Park in the Yukon. Mount Decoeli, which Lupe had climbed the day before, is seen here on the far (L) across Kluane Lake. Photo looks SE. — Lupe’s morning on 8-10-16 started near Kluane Lake in Kluane National Park in the Yukon. Mount Decoeli, which Lupe had climbed the day before, is seen here on the far (L) across Kluane Lake. Photo looks SE.

Lupe at Kluane Lake in the Yukon. Photo looks SSE.

Lupe and SPHP made frequent stops along the way. Sometimes Lupe stopped at scenic highlights. More often, SPHP was forced to stop due to road construction. The Alaska Highway had buckled and heaved in many places. Lupe & SPHP spent a good deal of time following pilot cars across dusty, torn-up, sections of road. All the way, fascinating Yukon scenery was right outside the window of the G6.

Mountains of the Saint Elias range. Not a bad bit of scenery to enjoy while waiting for the pilot car to appear! Photo looks SW.

When Lupe crossed the mighty Donjek River, SPHP was stuck following a pilot car and couldn’t stop. Farther N, she did get to stop and see the White River.

The vast floodplain of the White River. Photo looks downstream toward the NE.

The frost-heaved road, and all the construction made driving slow, but there was no real hurry. By early afternoon, Lupe reached the border crossing from Canada into Alaska. SPHP was disappointed when there was no colorful “Welcome to Alaska!” sign Lupe could pose by, only a dull, wordy, official sign at U.S. customs. Oh well, at least there were no problems crossing the border.

Just being in Alaska was exciting! Lupe had technically already been to a tiny piece of Alaska at Hyder on her way to see the Salmon Glacier, but now she was about to travel hundreds of miles across America’s largest, wildest, and most remote state. The feeling was almost spine-tingling. Who knew what adventures awaited Lupe in the Last Frontier State?

At Tok, Lupe left the Alaska Highway when SPHP turned S on the Tok Cut-off. Near the SW end of the Tok Cut-off, Lupe got to see the Copper River from a high bluff. If there hadn’t been so many clouds, Lupe might also have seen some of the giant snow and ice-capped peaks in Wrangell – St. Elias National Park & Preserve.

Lupe at the Copper River in Alaska. Photo looks W or SW in the downstream direction.

The Copper River from a pullout along the Tok Cut-off. Clouds prevented Lupe from seeing giant snow-capped peaks to the S in Wrangell - St. Elias National Park & Preserve. Photo looks upstream. — The Copper River from a pullout along the Tok Cut-off. Clouds prevented Lupe from seeing giant snow-capped peaks to the S in Wrangell – St. Elias National Park & Preserve. Photo looks upstream.

Near Gulkana, Lupe reached the Richardson Highway (No. 4). SPHP took it going S toward Valdez. By late evening, Lupe was approaching the Worthington Glacier. It was an impressive sight, even from the highway!

Upper reaches of the Worthington Glacier as seen from the Richardson Highway. Photo looks WSW.

Worthington Glacier. Photo looks WSW using the telephoto lens.

Lupe’s long day of rest traveling through the Yukon into Alaska was almost over. Tomorrow she would have several options, among them the Worthington Glacier Ridge Trail. Where she would go would be decided tomorrow morning. Until then, Lupe and SPHP settled in for the night.

The next morning did not bring good news. The sky was socked in with low clouds. A light mist was falling. Conditions did not seem conducive to a hike near the Worthington Glacier. SPHP drove over Thompson Pass toward Valdez. In Keystone Canyon, many amazing, beautiful waterfalls tumbled down the mountainsides. Lupe stopped briefly for a closer look at Bridal Veil Falls and Horsetail Falls.

Lupe at the base of Horsetail Falls. Both Bridal Veil Falls and Horsetail Falls can be viewed from pullouts along the Richardson Highway in Keystone Canyon on the way to Valdez. They are no more than 0.5 mile apart, but on opposite sides of the highway.

By the time Lupe reached Valdez, it was raining harder. The rain wasn’t heavy, but it was steady. With the rain falling, there wasn’t any urgency to do anything outdoors. SPHP dropped by the local Safeway store, and bought a roasted chicken to share with Lupe. Oddly, she wasn’t hungry. She refused any chicken. That seemed strange, but OK. Lupe and SPHP watched the rain fall, while SPHP consumed part of the chicken.

It was soon apparent why Lupe didn’t want any chicken. Without warning, she threw up. Poor, Loopster wasn’t feeling well! SPHP cleaned up her soiled blanket, then took Lupe out for a short walk in the rain to let her get anything else bad out of her system. She seemed to feel better.

There were a couple of awesome adventures near Valdez that SPHP was hoping Lupe might be able to do. One was to take the trail to Shoup Bay to see the Shoup Glacier and Kittiwake rookery. To do the whole trail was a long day hike, but maybe Lupe could do it tomorrow, if the weather cleared up.

The other adventure had been suggested by Richard Baker, whom Lupe had met on Mount Decoeli in the Yukon. Richard had highly recommended taking a cruise on Prince William Sound aboard the Lu-Lu Belle to see the Columbia Glacier, the second largest tidewater glacier in North America. Whales, eagles and other wildlife are sometimes seen from the Lu-Lu Belle, too.

Lupe had to wait in the G6, while SPHP went into the Lu-Lu Belle office to inquire about the Columbia Glacier tour. The receptionist was very courteous and friendly. She said the Lu-Lu Belle goes to the Columbia Glacier every day in season, pretty much regardless of the weather. The cost was $125 per person for an approximately 7 hour long tour aboard the luxury yacht.

It all sounded wonderful! Time for the big question. What about Lupe? Bad news. Lupe couldn’t go. They had dog-sitting services available, but the tour was a no-go for poor Looper.

No doubt it would have been a fantastic excursion, but if Lupe wasn’t going on the Lu-Lu Belle, neither was SPHP. This isn’t The (Mostly) True Adventures of SPHP, you know! So that was that, but before leaving the Lu-Lu Belle office, SPHP asked about the weather forecast.

The receptionist looked up the Valdez forecast on her computer. 100% chance of rain today and each of the next four days, then dropping to only 80%, 70%, and 40% for the three following days. She then said it had already been raining in Valdez for 3 straight weeks.

Yikes! That changed everything. Lupe and SPHP were willing to wait out a day or two of poor weather, but sitting around for more than a whole week of rain made no sense. SPHP returned to Lupe with the glum news. No Lu-Lu Belle, no Shoup Glacier, no Worthington Glacier. What to do?

If the Alaskan coast was going to be socked in with rain for another week or more, the only thing SPHP could think of doing was to head back inland. It meant Lupe wouldn’t get to do any of the cool stuff near Valdez on this trip, but Alaska is a huge place. There were other adventures in store for Lupe elsewhere.

Unfortunately, there was no point in hanging around Valdez. Amid rain and mist, Lupe and SPHP left town to start the long drive inland again on the Richardson Highway. Once again, Lupe traveled along the Lowe River, up Keystone Canyon, past Horsetail, Bridal Veil, and lots of other gorgeous waterfalls. She crossed Thompson Pass, and took a last glance at the Worthington Glacier as SPHP drove on by.

Wait a minute! The sky was still completely overcast, but only the tops of the mountains were in the clouds. The Worthington Glacier was in view. It was barely misting here. SPHP turned the G6 around. Lupe was going to get to see the Worthington Glacier after all! If the rain would hold off for only a few hours, a little mist wouldn’t stop an American Dingo!

SPHP drove back to the Worthington Glacier State Recreation Site. A dozen other vehicles were in the parking lot. People were coming and going. Nearly all of them were taking the short nature trail down to a viewpoint where the toe of the glacier could be seen. Nice, but not what Lupe had come for.

Lupe was here to take the much longer Worthington Glacier Ridge Trail, which goes W for a mile and a half, or more, on a ridge S of the glacier. Lupe and SPHP could see a couple hikers coming down the ridge trail. When they got to the start of the trail at the parking lot, SPHP talked to them. How were conditions up on the ridge? How far had they gone? Was anyone else up there right now?

Conditions were cloudy, a bit damp and rainy at times. They had made it all the way to what they considered the end of the trail. The glacier views were spectacular. Not another soul was up on the trail now. They were the last ones down.

Wonderful, that settled it! Lupe and SPHP started up the ridge.

Lupe starts up the Worthington Glacier Ridge Trail. Photo looks W.

The Worthington Glacier Ridge Trail began climbing along the top of a very narrow ridge with steep sides. To the S (L) was a very green valley of mixed alder and tundra. To the N (R) was the valley the Worthington Glacier flows down. The trail followed the ridgeline W. As Lupe gained elevation, the views of the Worthington Glacier up ahead became progressively more impressive.

The very green mixed alder and tundra valley on the S (L) side of the trail is shown well here. Part of the trail leaves the ridge near unstable cliffs to travel safely through this valley a little way before returning to the ridge. Lupe loved the green valley, but there were mosquitoes down there. They weren't too bad. Up on the ridge, a breeze blew them away. Photo looks W. — The very green mixed alder and tundra valley on the S (L) side of the trail is shown well here. Part of the trail leaves the ridge near unstable cliffs to travel safely through this valley a little way before returning to the ridge. Lupe loved the green valley, but there were mosquitoes down there. They weren’t too bad. Up on the ridge, a breeze blew them away. Photo looks W.

As Lupe climbed, the views of the Worthington Glacier steadily improved. The big rounded hump seen ahead on the L looked like it might be the end of the trail. Photo looks WNW.

The Worthington Glacier has two arms, separated by the ridge of rock seen on the upper R. Near the lower end of the glacier, both arms drop steeply as seen here. A little farther up, the glacier is one big river of ice. Photo looks NW.

Gotta love that beautiful blue glacier ice!

The ridge trail left the ridge temporarily to bypass dangerous cliffs. It entered the green valley of mixed alders and tundra. There were a few mosquitoes down here to deal with, but they weren’t too bad. They were pretty much limited to the valley on this day. A breeze kept them from being much of a bother up on the ridge.

Lupe loved the green valley! SPHP thought it was great, too. The valley was full of wildflowers. The tiny, delicate plants growing on the tundra were fascinating. They were so incredibly varied and colorful!

Bright wildflowers in the lush green valley S of the ridge.

For Lupe, the beautiful green valley was one of her favorite parts of the whole Worthington Glacier Ridge Trail. The glacier isn't in view here, but it can be seen from virtually everywhere else on the ridge trail. Lupe was completely convinced the wildflowers and tundra were worth seeing, too! Photo looks E. — For Lupe, the beautiful green valley was one of her favorite parts of the whole Worthington Glacier Ridge Trail. The glacier isn’t in view here, but it can be seen from virtually everywhere else on the ridge trail. Lupe was completely convinced the wildflowers and tundra were worth seeing, too! Photo looks E.

Delicate, vibrant little plants of the tundra. They were only an inch or two high.

Before long, the trail left Lupe’s lush, green valley and returned to the ridge. The Worthington Glacier was always in view from here on. The trail headed up toward a high, barren, rounded mound of dark colored soil and rock. It looked like that hill might be the end of the trail. The climb up to the top was steep!

Back on the ridge again, the Worthington Glacier was always in view.

Lovely blue crevasses as seen with a little help from the telephoto lens.

As Lupe climbed the last high, barren, rounded hill, she had this view of the Worthington Glacier as a single river of ice above where the glacier split in two. Photo looks WNW.

Near the top of the last high, barren, rounded hill. From below, this hill looked like it might be the end of the trail. Maybe it is the end of the formal trail, but Lupe found out it was possible to go quite a long way farther. Cairns showed the way. Photo looks W.

Lupe reached the top of the high, barren, rounded hill. The trail leveled out and went right on over it. At first, SPHP wasn’t certain if the trail continued or not. Lupe and SPHP left the ridgeline to explore farther W along the N side of a mountain. Others had been this way, too. The terrain was rocky and uneven. There was no longer a distinct, continuous trail, but now and then Lupe came to cairns along the way.

Part of the time, Lupe was traveling over relatively level, wide, rock shelves. Other times, she had to climb steep slopes. Lupe passed by occasional bright patches of wildflowers. Some places bright green moss clung to dark rocks next to trickling waterfalls. To the S was the mountain. To the N, Lupe looked down upon the Worthington Glacier. And to the W, Lupe’s route rose toward a white, gray and black world of clouds, snow, ice, and dark earth.

As Lupe explored farther W above the Worthington Glacier, she sometimes came to colorful patches of wildflowers in an otherwise bleak world. Photo looks WNW.

Wildflowers bring a splash of color to the Worthington Glacier.

A mighty American Dingo explores the harsh environment of the Worthington Glacier! Actually, the worst Lupe had to face was some light rain and heavy mist that came and went. The temperature wasn't that bad, either - maybe in the upper 40's °F. Photo looks WNW. — A mighty American Dingo explores the harsh environment of the Worthington Glacier! Actually, the worst Lupe had to face was some light rain and heavy mist that came and went. The temperature wasn’t that bad, either – maybe in the upper 40’s °F. Photo looks WNW.

A glacial tsunami surges over the lip of a vast bowl of snow and ice above. Lupe had seen what was higher up from the Richardson Highway yesterday evening, but the upper part of the glacier wasn't visible now. Photo looks WNW. — A glacial tsunami surges over the lip of a vast bowl of snow and ice above. Lupe had seen what was higher up from the Richardson Highway yesterday evening, but the upper part of the glacier wasn’t visible now. Photo looks WNW.

A really big cairn beckons, showing the way ahead. Photo looks W.

Lupe reaches the really big cairn. She kept going for a considerable distance from here. Smaller cairns continued to confirm her route. Photo looks NW.

After traveling a considerable distance along the mountainside, Lupe reached a really big cairn at a high point. SPHP thought maybe the big cairn meant Lupe was getting close to the end of how far she was going to be able to go W.

This wasn’t the end yet, though. Onward! The slope of the terrain lessened. Lupe still had to climb some, but gained elevation more slowly than before. The bold, damp Carolina Dog went on and on. Small cairns marked the route. The farther Lupe went, the more streams of rain and meltwater she encountered pouring over the rocks.

At last, it could be seen that Lupe was nearing a point where she would be surrounded by snow and ice on 3 sides.

Through light rain and mist, Lupe presses on toward the end. Soon she would be surrounded by snow and ice on 3 sides. Photo looks W.

Lupe reached the end of how far she could go W. The view was stupendous, even on a cloudy, drizzly day. Beneath the misty clouds, the sense of grandeur, solitude, and isolation was supreme. Snow, ice, mist, and dark rocks comprised the whole visible world.

To the SW, a big patch of pink snow was close at hand. SPHP was chilly enough, but the hot-blooded Carolina Dog thought a frolic on the snow would be fun!

A hot-blooded Carolina Dog frolics on a patch of pink snow at the end of the line. The glacier, no doubt, melted a little more from this abuse.

Looking back down the Worthington Glacier from close to the W end of Lupe's advance. The Richardson Highway is seen far below. Photo looks ENE. — Looking back down the Worthington Glacier from close to the W end of Lupe’s advance. The Richardson Highway is seen far below. Photo looks ENE.

Lupe at the end of the line. The Worthington Glacier flows down from higher still, but this was as far as Lupe could go. Photo looks NW.

After the Carolina Dog had cooled down sufficiently, Lupe and SPHP stood at the final high point Lupe reached, contemplating the Worthington Glacier and enjoying this rare, exquisite moment.

As SPHP looked around, it looked like Lupe might be able to go back to the SE, and climb 200 feet higher on the mountainside above. Any higher up than that, the mountain was buried beneath deep, pristine snow. Lupe might have seen more from up on the mountainside, but SPHP decided against it.

On a clear, bright day, the additional climb would have been worth it, but everything was wet and slippery now. A cold, light rain was falling. Even if Lupe had climbed higher, clouds and fog might easily have negated any benefit. In truth, Lupe was lucky the weather had cooperated enough to let her get this far. She’d had an unexpectedly wonderful day.

Lupe and SPHP stayed for a while at the far W end of Lupe's advance contemplating this slow-moving river of ancient ice and snow known as the Worthington Glacier. Photo looks NW. — Lupe and SPHP stayed for a while at the far W end of Lupe’s advance contemplating this slow-moving river of ancient ice and snow known as the Worthington Glacier. Photo looks NW.

Lupe thinking deep thoughts at the end of the line – *There hasn’t been a squirrel here in 25,000 years!*

Lupe stands near the small cairn at the end of her Worthington Glacier exploration. Photo looks NE.

There was only one way back, which was to retrace Lupe’s entire route up here. Of course, going in the reverse direction provided a different perspective. One thing didn’t change. Lupe continued sniffing and exploring. Even SPHP stopped to examine a few details along the way.

Bright green moss grew near trickling waterfalls.

The really big cairn is seen ahead, this time to the E.

Lupe explores near a patch of wildflowers. At least there was something worth sniffing! Photo looks E.

Don't jump, Loop! You forgot your SUPER DINGO cape! — *Don’t jump, Loop! You forgot your SUPER DINGO cape!*

Looking NE. The weather wasn't really improving on the return trip. — Looking NE. The weather wasn’t really improving on the return trip.

Lupe back on the Worthington Glacier Ridge Trail on top of the high, barren hill. Photo looks ENE.

Uh, Lupe did mention that the route up the high, barren, rounded hill was sort of steep, didn't she? Photo looks E. — Uh, Lupe did mention that the route up the high, barren, rounded hill was sort of steep, didn’t she? Photo looks E.

What makes that glacial blue so appealing, anyway?

Four or five hours after she’d left, Lupe was back at the G6. Her adventure on the Worthington Glacier Ridge Trail had been a very worthwhile success! SPHP was so glad she’d done it!

The long trek had cured any remaining queasiness from earlier in the day. Lupe was famished! She made up for having missed breakfast by doing more than her fair share helping SPHP devour every last bit of the leftover roasted chicken. Once full of chicken, Lupe felt a tad sleepy.

Full of roasted chicken, Lupe passed out in the G6.

Digesting all that chicken took awhile. Lupe had a nice long Dingo nap. By the time she woke up, it was evening. There was still time, though, to take the short nature trail to the viewpoint looking up at the S toe of the Worthington Glacier from below.

The trail to the viewpoint took only a few minutes. There were, however, unofficial trails that people had made going closer to the glacier. Naturally, Lupe and SPHP thought it a good idea to go find out what could be seen along them.

The unofficial trails were wet, muddy and slick. They climbed an incredible jumble of rocks. The terrain looked like an explosion had taken place. Of course, there hadn’t been any explosion. The rocks were just as they had been unceremoniously dumped at the not-too-long-ago terminal moraine of the Worthington Glacier.

Among the rocky debris left by the retreat of the Worthington Glacier. Photo looks W.

Lupe got close enough to see the toe of the glacier. Photo looks W.

S toe of the Worthington Glacier in Alaska.

After scrambling over the jumble of rock close enough to get a good look at the S toe of the glacier, there was one more thing to go see. Earlier, on the way back to the G6, while Lupe was still way up high on the ridge trail, SPHP had noticed a very long stream of water cascading down the lower N side of the Worthington Glacier valley.

From above, the stream of water had presented a rather bizarre optical illusion. It looked like the water cascaded up and over a ridge of solid rock! Simply impossible, but that was how it had looked to SPHP. Lupe wasn’t far now from the bottom of that stream. Time to go take a closer look!

Lupe at the bottom of the anti-gravity waterfall. Everything was normal, the water fell down, not up. Photo looks N.

When Lupe got to the base of the falls, everything was normal. The water fell down, not up. Which is how it should be, and always will be. The mystery wasn’t completely solved for SPHP, because the part of the long stream that had seemed to cascade uphill was out of sight much higher up. Illusion that it no doubt was, this stream had earned the nickname “Anti-gravity Creek” as far as SPHP was concerned.

It had been quite a day at the Worthington Glacier for Loopster, but it was getting dark. The rain was starting up again. Almost back at the G6, SPHP thought of one more thing Lupe might want to check out. When SPHP turned and headed toward the glacier once more, Lupe let out a single, no-nonsense woof!

She’d had enough! Time to dry off and get some shut-eye! Meekly, SPHP obeyed. Back to the G6. Sometimes Dingoes know best!

*SPHP, you might want to have your eyes checked! Water falls down, got that? Down!*

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Black Hills, SD Expedition No. 183 – Iron Mountain & Woodpecker Ridge (11-20-16)

Time for a change of focus. Lupe had spent most of her Black Hills Expeditions of the last couple of months peakbagging in the NW Black Hills, often going as far as the Bear Lodge Mountains in NE Wyoming. Only one named peak remained in that general direction that was a current peakbagging priority for her, Sweetwater Mountain (6,440 ft.), but she didn’t have permission from the land owner to climb it until hunting season was over in December.

So, what to do? Looking over the topo maps on Peakbagger.com, SPHP noticed a couple of peaks a few miles SSW of Iron Mountain that Lupe had never been to. They weren’t far away, which was kind of important on a short November day, since Lupe was getting off to a late start. Woodpecker Ridge and Peak 5688 should be fun! Lupe could start from Lakota Lake.

To get to Lakota Lake, Lupe and SPHP took Iron Mountain Road (Hwy 16A) going S from Mount Rushmore National Memorial near Keystone. Iron Mountain Road is a fun drive. It ultimately winds all the way up to the top of Iron Mountain (5,446 ft.). Along the way, Iron Mountain Road spirals up several pigtail bridges, features a couple stretches of “divided highway” consisting of one-way single lanes, and passes through short tunnels deliberately constructed to frame Mount Rushmore.

Naturally, Lupe and SPHP stopped to enjoy a few of the sights along the way up Iron Mountain.

Lupe by one of the pigtail bridges along Iron Mountain Road.

Lupe at the start of the longest tunnel on Iron Mountain Road. Three tunnels were purposely constructed to frame Mount Rushmore. The camera couldn't handle the light contrast well enough for Mt. Rushmore to show up in this shot. Photo looks NW. — Lupe at the start of the longest tunnel on Iron Mountain Road. Three tunnels were purposely constructed to frame Mount Rushmore. The camera couldn’t handle the light contrast well enough for Mt. Rushmore to show up in this shot. Photo looks NW.

Lupe now at the other end of the tunnel closer to Mt. Rushmore. Photo looks NW.

Here's how it looks driving through the tunnel on the way to Mount Rushmore National Memorial. Photo taken with help from the telephoto lens. — Here’s how it looks driving through the tunnel on the way to Mount Rushmore National Memorial. Photo taken with help from the telephoto lens.

Mount Rushmore, Black Hills, South Dakota, Photo looks NW.

At the top of Iron Mountain is a paved parking lot, and a short walking path to a viewpoint. Right next to the viewpoint is a ridge of rock roughly 20 feet high, where the absolute summit of the mountain is located. Lupe and SPHP stopped briefly to make the tiny climb to the absolute summit for a look around.

Since the true summit is on the W edge of the large summit area, the best views were toward Harney Peak (7,242 ft.) to the W, and Mount Rushmore (5,725 ft.) to the NW. From Iron Mountain, Lupe had a great view of some of the most rugged terrain in the Black Hills!

Lupe on Iron Mountain. Harney Peak, the highest mountain in South Dakota, is in the background. Photo looks W.

Harney Peak, the highest mountain in South Dakota, from Iron Mountain. Photo looks W using the telephoto lens.

Mount Rushmore from Iron Mountain. Photo looks NW with help from the telephoto lens.

After all the sight-seeing stops coming up and over Iron Mountain, it was 10:01 AM (46°F) by the time Lupe arrived at Lakota Lake. SPHP left the G6 parked at the empty picnic ground.

Lupe arrives at the Lakota Lake picnic ground. Photo looks E toward the dam.

Lupe near Lakota Lake. Lakota Lake is E of Iron Mountain Road about 3 miles ESE of Iron Mountain. A short gravel road leads to the picnic ground on the W shore near the N end of the lake. Photo looks NE.

Lupe’s first peakbagging goal was Woodpecker Ridge (5,680 ft.). Woodpecker Ridge is about 2 miles long, running SW/NE. The ridge is W of Iron Mountain Road, and S of Iron Creek. The topo map showed that the summit was near the far SW end of the ridge, about 3 miles from where Lupe was starting at Lakota Lake. Lupe and SPHP followed the gravel road SW from the Lakota Lake picnic ground back to Iron Mountain Road.

Iron Creek Trail No. 15, starts on the W side of Iron Mountain Road, right across from the road to Lakota Lake. The plan was for Lupe to follow Iron Creek Trail No. 15 up the valley for a mile, or so, to where the topo map showed the easiest approach to the Woodpecker Ridge summit from the NNE. After a relatively gentle mile-long climb, Lupe would reach the ridgeline about 0.25 mile E of the summit.

At first, everything went according to plan. Lupe enjoyed trotting along the single track Iron Creek trail looking for squirrels. Less than an inch of new snow on the ground made things look fresh and bright. The trail crossed Iron Creek several times, but there were plank bridges or good stepping stones to help SPHP get across.

Lupe on the plank bridge at the first Iron Creek crossing on Iron Creek Trail No. 15.

On Iron Creek Trail No. 15. Less than an inch of new snow made the trail look clean and bright.

At the fourth creek crossing, there was no bridge. SPHP didn’t see any convenient stepping stones around either. No way was SPHP going to wade across chilly Iron Creek this time of year! Lupe and SPHP went a little back downstream looking for a way to cross the creek.

Lupe hadn’t gone far, when a rather questionable way across the creek presented itself. SPHP had to reach out over the creek to lean against a boulder on the other side. SPHP was barely able to grip the top of the boulder and shinny up, but it did work. Lupe, of course, had no problem simply leaping over the creek. Carolina Dogs don’t let little things like minor creek crossings interfere with their plans!

Lupe and SPHP were now on the S side of Iron Creek, but not yet anywhere near where SPHP had planned for Lupe to start up Woodpecker Ridge. Lupe was only a little past the NE end of the ridge. Cliffs could be seen high above. It wasn’t at all clear if there would be a way up that would avoid the cliffs and allow Lupe to reach the ridgeline from here, but SPHP decided to try it anyway.

The start of the climb didn’t go very well. Lupe and SPHP climbed onto a small ridge to the E, before turning S. Right away, Lupe had to climb up onto a big rock outcropping. Ten paces later, a drop-off forced her right back down to the W. However, once around the rock formation, she was able to climb steadily through the forest, heading SSW.

There were plenty of rocks scattered around the whole way. Lupe eventually came to an area of fairly large boulders. The boulders slowed SPHP down quite a bit, although Lupe had fun exploring them.

Lupe among the boulders on the way up Woodpecker Ridge. Photo looks SSW.

As Lupe got closer to the cliffs above, the boulders got larger. At the base of the cliffs were boulder fields that would have taken a long time to traverse. Lupe and SPHP worked around to the W of them.

Lupe below the base of the cliffs. She is on the N side of Woodpecker Ridge, not too far from its NE end. Photo looks SE.

Fortunately, the line of cliffs was not continuous. Lupe bypassed them to the W, too. She was able to keep climbing steadily SSW through the forest. On the way up, Lupe even saw a woodpecker, but it wasn’t close enough for SPHP to get a decent photo.

As it turned out, Lupe wound up climbing well above the first cliffs. Lupe and SPHP reached the ridgeline near High Point 5537. Lakota Lake, and the top of the cliffs Lupe had bypassed, could be seen far below.

Part of Lakota Lake, where Lupe had started her journey to Woodpecker Ridge, is seen far below. The tops of the cliffs Lupe bypassed on the way to High Point 5537 are in view in the foreground. Photo looks NE.

Mount Rushmore from High Point 5537, near the NE end of Woodpecker Ridge. Photo looks NW using the telephoto lens.

Harney Peak from High Point 5537. Photo looks NW.

Lupe on High Point 5537 near the NE end of Woodpecker Ridge. Photo looks NE.

SPHP was glad Lupe had reached the ridgeline at High Point 5537. It meant Lupe would get to explore most of the length of Woodpecker Ridge. She now faced only about 150 feet of net elevation gain on the way to the summit. SPHP expected a relatively easy hike SW along the ridge.

Exploring Woodpecker Ridge was fun, but soon proved to be a lot of work, too. The ridgeline was rough, not level. Lupe had to climb over or around many rock formations. The rocks weren’t the worst of it, either. The farther SW Lupe went, the more deadfall timber she encountered. The rocks and deadfall weren’t terrible, but SPHP’s progress became very slow.

Another problem began to worry SPHP. Since there was so little net elevation change along the way, it might be hard to tell where the true summit of Woodpecker Ridge was. SPHP started taking photos of Lupe at notable high points, just on the chance that she was already at the summit.

Lupe at one of the notable high points along Woodpecker Ridge. This turned out not to be the true summit, or even close to it. Photo looks N.

Lupe finally reached a place where there were significant elevation changes ahead. Two distinct hills weren’t too far away. SPHP hoped the closest one was the summit of Woodpecker Ridge, and the more distant one was Peak 5688, Lupe’s other peakbagging goal for the day. A brief halt to check the topo maps was in order.

Lupe finally arrived at this high point from which two distinct hills could be seen ahead. SPHP initially hoped that the one on the L was the summit of Woodpecker Ridge, and the one on the R was Peak 5688. In truth, both hills were summits of Woodpecker Ridge enclosed by the 5680 foot contour, with the one on the R likely being the true summit. Photo looks SW.

The topo maps said differently. What they showed was disappointing. Lupe hadn’t made nearly as much progress along Woodpecker Ridge as SPHP had believed. Both of the hills in view were high points of Woodpecker Ridge, the summits of which were both enclosed by the 5680 foot contour.

On Peakbagger.com, the more distant hill farther to the W with a much larger area enclosed by the 5680 foot contour was shown as the location of the true summit. Still, there was a chance that the closer hill was actually the true summit. Lupe would have to visit both to make certain she reached the top of Woodpecker Ridge.

One more thing was evident, too. At the pace Lupe and SPHP were going, there was absolutely no chance Lupe was going to reach Peak 5688 today. By the time Lupe reached the W summit of Woodpecker Ridge, the sun was going to be too low in the sky to do anything but start looking for an easier way back to the G6. Oh, well. That’s often how things go in the mountains.

Lupe still near the point where SPHP realized the two hills ahead were both summits of Woodpecker Ridge enclosed by the 5680 foot contour. Harney Peak is seen in the distance. Photo looks NW.

Harney Peak from Woodpecker Ridge about halfway between High Point 5537 and the E summit enclosed by the 5680 foot contour. Photo looks NW using the telephoto lens.

Most of the time, trees blocked the views from Woodpecker Ridge. However, Lupe did come to points with views in various directions. This photo looks E or SE out onto the prairies beyond the Black Hills.

Lupe and SPHP pressed on toward the two hills. If anything, the rock formations Lupe had to find a way around were bigger than before, and the deadfall still worse. There was more elevation loss and gain to deal with, too. It took more than half an hour just to reach the E summit, even though it hadn’t been very far away.

Lupe reaches the E summit of Woodpecker Ridge. Although the W summit is probably the true summit, the views were more open and better from this E summit. Harney Peak is seen in the distance. Photo looks NW.

Mount Rushmore from the E summit of Woodpecker Ridge. Photo looks NNW using the telephoto lens.

Lupe and SPHP took a break up on the E summit of Woodpecker Ridge, but only stayed 15 or 20 minutes. It was nice up there, but it was too late in the day to lounge about given the continual difficulties Lupe faced negotiating all the obstacles nature placed in her path along Woodpecker Ridge.

The time arrived to begin the final push to the likely true summit of Woodpecker Ridge. Lupe headed W down into a broad saddle. The more level terrain should have made the going much easier, but the deadfall timber here was the worst Lupe had faced all day.

The W summit can be seen ahead, but it was hard to make any decent time getting there through this mess! Photo looks W.

Although Lupe is generally very good at making her way through deadfall, SPHP encourages her to take her time. At least a couple of times in the past, Lupe has been impaled on broken branches, resulting in a lot of pain and hundreds of dollars worth of vet bills. Photo looks W.

It took close to another 45 minutes to make it over to the W summit of Woodpecker Ridge. Sadly, the W summit was ugly. There was a lot of deadfall. Even so, enough trees were still standing to block the views. Although Lupe could now claim a successful ascent of Woodpecker Ridge, the achievement seemed anti-climactic.

Lupe reaches the W summit of Woodpecker Ridge. She could finally claim a successful ascent. Photo looks NE.

Lupe questions SPHP's judgment in selecting this ugly spot for her peakbagging objective of the day. — Lupe questions SPHP’s judgment in selecting this ugly spot for her peakbagging objective of the day.

Lupe and SPHP took another break. Lupe relaxed. SPHP took a look at the topo maps again. The sun was low enough so Lupe really needed to start making tracks toward a decent route out of here.

Lupe relaxes on Woodpecker Ridge while SPHP checks the topo maps.

The topo maps showed some kind of a trail off to the W that would lead N before curving NE down a ravine into the Iron Creek valley again. There was a road down there that would take Lupe back to Iron Creek Trail No. 15 again. Somehow, SPHP would just have to deal with the creek crossings, even if it meant fording the stream.

SPHP polished off the last apple. Time to pack up and go. The sun would be down in minutes. Lupe was ready. Puppy, ho! Onward!

Lupe's last moment on top of Woodpecker Ridge, just before heading down. Photo looks S. — Lupe’s last moment on top of Woodpecker Ridge, just before heading down. Photo looks S.

Lupe and SPHP left the summit heading N. Before long, Lupe reached a cliff edge. The terrain forced her down to the W. She saw two more woodpeckers as she progressed down the slope. As soon as it was possible, Lupe turned N again. Lupe and SPHP wandered through a forest with less deadfall than before, but it was still slow going. The area was full of thistles. Time passed. The light was fading. Lupe still hadn’t found a trail or road.

SPHP decided to check the topo maps again. The maps could not be found. It became clear they had somehow been left up on Woodpecker Ridge. Not good. Still, they probably wouldn’t be needed. The distance Lupe needed to cover to reach Iron Creek wasn’t that far. One way or another, she would make it.

It’s hard to say exactly where Lupe and SPHP went, but probably somewhere in the area where the topo maps on Peakbagger.com show a point marked 5190 feet of elevation, 0.5 mile NNW of the Woodpecker Ridge summit. As Lupe and SPHP wandered N, Lupe finally came to a faint remnant of a road. It did curve NE down into a ravine. Lower down, the ravine had huge solid rock walls.

Lupe reached the road leading to the W end of Iron Creek Trail No. 15 before it was dark. Old cabins were strung out along the road, but there was no sign of activity anywhere. By the time Lupe reached the start of the trail, stars were coming out. At the trailhead, a sign said Iron Creek Trail No. 15 had 11 water crossings. Oh, boy!

It wasn’t a problem, though. Lupe and SPHP made great time along the single track trail. Luckily, there was a decent way across Iron Creek at every crossing – a bridge, stepping stones, a fallen log – always something. The stars became bright against a black sky. The flashlight came out. Lupe and SPHP enjoyed a last hour of quiet travel in the darkness.

Somehow, even in the dark, a way across Iron Creek appeared near crossing No. 4 (No. 8 counting in reverse). Funny that it could be found in the night, when SPHP hadn’t seen it during daylight, but there it was. Yay! No fording of the freezing stream was required! And that, was that. No suspense remained over the outcome of Expedition No. 183.

Lupe and SPHP made it back to the G6 (5:57 PM, 33°F). All the way back over Iron Mountain, the Carolina Dog rode with her head out the window, hoping to see a deer in the headlights, but she saw none. By the time she reached Keystone, Lupe had given up. It was kind of an anti-climactic end, like reaching the summit of Woodpecker Ridge had been.

Yet for Lupe and SPHP, it had been another great day adventuring together in the Black Hills. It’s often the journey, and not the final goal, that make the day and the memories.

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