Part 2 of Day 43 of Lupe’s 2nd Summer of 2023 Dingo Vacation to Canada & Alaska!
9:48 AM, 54ºF, Alaska Highway, 7.5 km S of Muncho Lake –
Alrighty! Think we’re about ready, Loopster. Onward! Puppy, ho!
Which side of the gash do you want to go up, SPHP?
Let’s try the N side, Looper.
Trotting NW across the Alaska Highway, Lupe came to a primitive road that started up Mount Peterson’s E slope. Spotting an unusual cairn on a bank just N of this road, the Carolina Dog went over to investigate. The cairn had a human shape, complete with a wooden walking stick.
Looks just like you, SPHP!
Yes, I see the resemblance, Looper. We ought to make a Dingo cairn.
A noble thought, but onward, SPHP! Mount Peterson (7,021 ft.) is way too big for us to be dilly-dallying.
A rather rocky slope led up toward the forest, which wasn’t far off. How dense this forest was would make an enormous difference on what the American Dingo’s chances of success were on this ascent. Happily, initial results were encouraging. The forest was fairly open.
The slope soon steepened, and the trees became more tightly packed. Thick moss and spongy tundra carpeted the forest floor. Progress was still fairly decent, although SPHP had to wander in search of the best routes higher. The trees weren’t all that big, and there were countless small branches to push through.
As the day warmed up, gnats began to appear. Or at least, they initially looked like gnats. On closer examination, they were more like tiny flies with huge bulging eyes. Before long, clouds of these annoying bugs were swarming all around both Lupe and SPHP. Unlike gnats, these tiny flies seemed to bite, too.
These gnats are terrible, SPHP!
Yeah, I hate them. Hang on a minute, Loopster. Let me check the pack. Dang! Been so long since we’ve had a bug problem, that I didn’t bring any Deet. Guess we’re just going to have to put up with them.
Increasingly plagued by the odious bugs, Lupe gained nearly 400 feet climbing quite a steep slope. Moving helped some, but there was no breeze, and between the forest and steepness of the slope, it was hard to move quickly. Had to keep going, though! Any pause simply ensured an even worse situation.
The gnats were attacking Lupe’s eyes, and SPHP’s ears and neck. Half a dozen died with each swat, without achieving the slightest effect on their endless numbers.
What can we do, SPHP? They’re eating us alive!
Keep going, Looper! Our only hope is getting above treeline. Might find relief there.
Lupe reached a little ridge with a 20 foot dip beyond it. The top of this ridge was level and fairly open.
Let’s start angling S here, Loopster. Can’t be too far to the gash. Let’s try to get to it. Maybe we can see what things look like from there?
Crossing the dip before turning S, Lupe soon made it to the N rim of the gash, which was actually a deep, steep-sided, V-shaped ravine. The view was limited where Lupe first reached it at about 4,300 feet, but she made a useful discovery. A path ran along the edge.
No telling how much lower this apparently seldom-used path started, but it helped SPHP pick up the pace. Happily, the slope was no longer quite as steep, which didn’t hurt either, and even better, the ghastly gnats weren’t as bad near the edge. Climbing faster now, Lupe made it to a spot where Mount Peterson’s summit was in view.
Ugh! It’s a long way to treeline, SPHP!
Yeah, I know, Looper. Expected that. Our situation is even worse than I thought, though. Don’t know what possessed me to tell you to come up N of the gash like this. We’re on the wrong side! We need to get to that ridge over on the S side. That’s our intended route to the summit.
Simply fabulous! How are we supposed to do that, SPHP?
Keep a-going, Loop! Believe we can cross over higher up.
The old game trail, or whatever it was, continued so close to the edge of the gash that portions of the trail had collapsed into the ravine, forcing brief, unpleasant forays into the totally gnat-infested forest. In places, the path actually ran slightly below the edge, inside the gash. Lupe was quite daring, sticking with the trail across slopes so steep that SPHP feared for her safety, and didn’t dare follow.
After gaining several hundred feet of elevation along the path, it veered deeper into the gash traversing a very steep, crumbly slope. SPHP was forced into stunted pines so thick that progress nearly ground to a halt. Returning to the edge of the gash whenever possible, Lupe sometimes came to open territory, but all the forested stretches were an absolute gnatmare, as merciless swarms engulfed both Lupe and SPHP.
Improvement didn’t come until Lupe finally reached treeline at about 4,900 feet. Continuing another 200 feet higher, she made it to a jumble of white boulders at the base of Mount Peterson’s giant N ridge. She’d now gained nearly 2,000 feet of elevation. Thankfully, far fewer gnats were here, permitting a much needed rest break.
As SPHP anticipated, there was more good news! The American Dingo was now above the deeply eroded gash. All she needed to do was cross a much more gently sloping drainage to reach a broad, rounded region of low tundra leading to the ridge she needed to climb.
Crossing a scree slope on the way to this enticing alpine area, Lupe came to a small stream. She enjoyed a drink before plunking herself down in the cold water for a few minutes.
Starting up the next slope beyond the stream, SPHP’s right ear and side of the neck were burning and swollen with gnat bites. Stopping to take a Benadryl, SPHP saw blood on Lupe’s abdomen. Initially thinking she’d been injured somehow, SPHP was horrified to find the American Dingo’s entire abdomen a bright red patchwork of hundreds of gnat bites.
Oh, Loopster! You poor thing! You must feel terrible! Nothing I can do to ease your pain, either. I’m so sorry that I didn’t bring any insect repellent!
Mount Peterson hasn’t been much fun so far, SPHP. At least, the icy water in the little stream felt good.
Despite her misery, the Carolina Dog was a real trooper. Continuing to climb, the tundra on the broad slope she was on became more and more beautiful. Back to the N, Muncho Lake was now in sight.
The ghastly gnats soon vanished completely on this firm, open terrain. Suddenly, Mount Peterson wasn’t such an ordeal. Gorgeous panoramas of silver-topped mountains steadily improved, and so did the mood. The rounded region narrowed as Lupe approached the ridge leading to the summit. A massive chunk of limestone sat alone on the tundra. Beyond it, Lupe started coming to bands of rock, small escarpments of crumbling limestone easily scrambled, or avoided.
It was a long trudge. Higher ground kept appearing ahead, but the big ridge never got very narrow. Exploring the limestone escarpments was easy and fun. Loopster was having a blast!
Despite SPHP’s frequent pauses to gasp for air, Lupe was making great progress, clearly gaining on Mount Peterson’s summit. The rate of climb diminished by the time a cairn appeared ahead.
2:12 PM – The 4 foot high cairn sat at a minor high point where the ridge Lupe had been following S turned W toward Mount Peterson’s summit. A long stick jutted another 4 feet skyward. Even if the American Dingo didn’t go any farther, this was quite an amazing viewpoint itself.
This is a glorious spot. How about taking a short break here, Looper?
All for it, SPHP!
A roomy patch of tundra SSW of the cairn provided a comfy spot to sit. Lupe had a tremendous view of a deep valley to the S from here, where a small tarn glittered at the upper end of a forested region.
That pond looks lovely, but I’m glad we’re not down there, SPHP! Bet there are a zillion gnats. How high are we here, anyway? Did you remember to start a GPS track when we left the RAV4?
I did! Says we’re at 6,171 feet. According to that, we’ve gained a little over 3,000 feet so far, Loopster. Less than 1,000 to go!
SPHP tried to sound optimistic, but gazing W along the ridge leading to Mount Peterson’s summit, whether Lupe would ever get there, or not, seemed questionable. Most of the ridge was cake, but the upper end looked dangerously steep.
A little worrisome, isn’t it, SPHP?
Yeah. I’m not eager for another Table Mountain experience, Loop. You only get so many of those before something really bad happens. That long, steep slope coming up from this valley we’re seeing to the S actually looks like a better route than where we’re at, but I don’t know if we can intersect it from here.
Let’s find out, SPHP! C’mon!
Heading W from HP6171, the ridge dipped a bit. A faint path went this way, which was an encouraging sign. Lupe soon came to another minor high point with a better view of the region she would have to traverse to get over to that other slope.
I think we can get over there, Looper. Let’s try it!
You’re nuts, SPHP!
Abandoning the ridgeline, SPHP started the traverse over to the other slope. Lupe did not follow, remaining up on the ridge.
A few minutes of tedious rock-hopping on the steep slope was enough. The Carolina Dog was right! This traverse was going to take a month of Sundays, and it wasn’t even completely certain that it wouldn’t get too difficult to manage at some point. Abandoning the whole notion, SPHP rejoined Lupe on the ridge.
Welcome back, SPHP!
Thank you, Looper. Guess you’re right. Either this works, or we’re never going to get there.
Continuing W, Lupe was soon past the last of the easy stretch. The rate of climb now steadily steepened. Nothing but rock the rest of the way!
The first part of the steeper climb really wasn’t bad at all. Lupe gained a ton of elevation without any trouble at all, and the higher she got, the less daunting the rock bands ahead looked.
The crux of the matter came at around 6,750 feet. Staying along the S side of the ridge, the steep scramble on loose scree below outcroppings of bedrock got a little tricky. Rocks went clattering down the mountain, but not to an alarming extent. As always, the American Dingo had an easier time of it than SPHP did, but even SPHP managed to get past the worst of it.
Still 200+ feet to go, but it was now clear that Lupe was going to make it to the top of the ridge. What she might find there, and how hard it might be to get to the true summit, remained uncertain.
Lupe reached the upper end of the ridge at a wide gap in a spine of rock running N/S. Peering NW through the gap, the news was fantastic! The true summit was only 150 feet away, easily attainable. Heading N along the W side of the spine, the Carolina Dog reached an 8 foot wide ramp of scree that got her to a cairn at the top.
4:02 PM, 62ºF – Success! Lupe stood next to the cairn at the true summit of Mount Peterson (7,021 ft.). It was an airy perch. Not a lot of room up here! Beyond the American Dingo, a relatively flat, narrow summit ridge extended another 70 feet NNW. Beyond that, the ridge sank away to a lower level where it snaked a long way off to the N.
Congratulations, Looper! Magnificent job, despite the hideous gnatmare! May I shake your paw?
You may, SPHP! And I believe you brought 2 chocolate coconut bars?
I most certainly did, and we’ve earned both!
SPHP sat just below the cairn facing SE. With no comfy spots available for Lupe on the mountain, she curled up on SPHP’s lap, instead. Both chocolate coconut bars were quickly and eagerly dispatched.
The views were stupendous! Directly ahead was the gap Lupe had come through to get here. Beyond it, the Alaska Highway was visible nearly 4,000 feet lower in a heavily forested valley. Silvery peaks extended to the horizon in all directions. Most topped out at elevations a little lower than Mount Peterson, although higher peaks were in sight, too.
Of course, the most eye-catching view was of Muncho Lake and Mount Peterson’s long N ridge.
I like how the N ridge kind of snakes along like it does, SPHP. Makes the whole scene a little more dramatic.
Yup. Totally agree, Loop. Good thing we didn’t try to come here that way, though. Way too long and skinny. Would never have made it.
Ragged and narrow, Mount Peterson’s SW ridge wouldn’t have been a feasible route up either, not that SPHP had ever even considered it.
With so little room to move around, most of the time Lupe was perfectly happy enjoying the views from SPHP’s lap. Only a few of the countless peaks in sight were significantly higher than Mount Peterson. Of these, Nonda Peak (7,822 ft.), a pyramid shaped spire to the NE, was closest. Peak 7562 earned an honorable mention.
Peak 7316 was perhaps the most interesting. Within reasonable striking distance of the Alaska Highway, its S slope looked like a relatively easy scramble. Perhaps a candidate for a future Lupe adventure?
The big peak that stood out the most was a massive mountain far to the SSE beyond Mount Scott (8,000 ft.). This may have been Peak 8800. Several even more distant peaks to the SE looked impressive, too. A snowfield on Yedhe Mountain (8,914 ft.) helped to identify it.
Peak 7100 was a mere 3 km due W, but since Mount Peterson’s SW ridge was so gnarly, Lupe couldn’t get there, which didn’t really matter since she wouldn’t have had time for it, anyway.
5:02 PM – An hour of glory high in the Muskwa Ranges had flown.
Hate to say it, but time’s up, Loopster! You ready?
I’m awfully comfortable right here, and Mount Peterson is an amazing perch, SPHP. It’s a perfect day, too!
I know it, but it’s a perfect day that’s almost shot. Going to be plenty late as it is before we get back to the RAV4.
Before departing, in accordance with longstanding tradition, Lupe stood proudly once more on Mount Peterson’s true summit.
The descent began with Lupe leading the way down to the gap in the spine of the S ridge.
She was almost there when SPHP called a halt.
Hang on, Loop! I’ve been trying to remember to take a few summit shots with the new iPhone, and I forgot to do it.
We have to go back up, SPHP?
Yes, pretty please! This will only take a few minutes, Loopster. We’ll never get another chance, you know.
At least you remembered before we got halfway down the mountain, SPHP.
As usual, SPHP was a super slow poke on the steep, rocky descent E of the gap, but did manage to get through it without incident. Took nearly an hour to get to the flat part of the ridge leading back to the big cairn with the pole at HP6171.
After that, even SPHP made great time. Already in shadow, the race was on to get as far as possible while it was still light out.
This time, Lupe stayed on the S side of the gash. For quite a long way as dusk deepened, she was able to follow game trails very close to, or right along, the rim. After entering the forest, SPHP eventually led her a little way from the edge. Even with the flashlight, it was too dark to be on the brink of disaster.
Thankfully, all the gnasty gnats had gone to bed. The bushwhack was long and confusing enough as it was. The dense, black forest went on forever, and this route implausibly seemed considerably steeper than the N side of the gap had been. SPHP often resorted to clinging to trees, or sliding down treacherous slopes, while Lupe roamed in darkness.
Weary, every now and then, a short break was required. Kind of strange being here, yet a familiar feeling, too. Near exhaustion, alone together in a little circle of light, on an incredibly dark and remote mountainside.
At last, the ordeal was over. Lupe came to an enormous opening, an old moonlit gravel pit. Wandering easily across it, a road was found that soon led back to the Alaska Highway. Only a short, silent walk N on the empty road remained. What a fabulous, triumphant day! (11:48 PM)
Links:
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Northern Rockies Lodge at Muncho Lake
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