Peakbagging – Page 34 – The (Mostly) True Adventures of Lupe

On & Off the Hudson Meng Bison Trail – Toadstool Geologic Park to Roundtop Peak & Beyond, Nebraska (3-14-18)

Stupid printer!

Have a look. What’cha think Loop?

Not much of an artist are you, SPHP? Can’t even draw a decent stick Dingo!

True, that! But it’s not a stick, Dingo. It’s a topographic map. With all of two contours on it. It’s going to have to do.

We’re going to rely on that?

Yeppers. Can’t waste any more time trying to print out a decent map. No telling where we might wind up with this wonderful homemade navigation tool, but we’ve got to get going.

Why can’t you print out a map? Is the printer broken?

No, I don’t think so. The computer and the printer are just having a spat. They’re refusing to talk to each other. Probably angry and upset by something one of these automatic Windows 10 updates said. I see that the printer got all huffy and “migrated” on 3-9-18. I never told it to do that, and it never asked for permission. It just took off on its own free artificial intelligence.

Migrated? Are you blind, SPHP? The printer is right there, still on your desk. It never goes anywhere.

Oh, you would be surprised, Looper. It migrates digitally. In this case, off to Noprintyland again, where it loves to wander off to every chance it gets.

So even though the printer is still right here, you’re saying it’s off having adventures of its own in Noprintyland?

Sounds strange, but yeah, that’s about the size of it.

Doesn’t make a lick of sense to me! Are you feeling, OK?

Yes, I’m fine. Anyway, come on! Time to hit the road!

Due to colder than normal wintry weather, Lupe hadn’t really been much of anywhere for a whole month. The snow had been melting the last couple of days, though, and today was supposed to be really nice. Loopster was ready for action – had been for weeks, but SPHP just kept driving. The American Dingo had a fun time barking at cows, but was still glad when SPHP finally parked the G6.

Lupe hopped out. She was at a familiar place, Cascade Falls along Hwy 71 at the S end of the Black Hills. Although Cascade Falls is a popular swimming and wading spot in the summer, no one was here now.

Let’s go take a look at the falls, Looper.

Lupe was happy to see **Cascade Falls** again. Photo looks WNW.

Loop by **Cascade Creek** with **Devil’s Slide Mountain (3,965 ft.)** in the background. Photo looks NE.

Lupe would have been perfectly happy staying at Cascade Falls, but that wasn’t her destination today. She was just here to stretch her legs for a few minutes, then it was back in the G. The drive S continued.

Nebraska! That sign said Nebraska! Are we going to cousin Dusty’s house in Colorado, SPHP? You sure packed light this time.

No, we aren’t going all the way to Colorado, Looper. We’re going back to Toadstool Geologic Park to explore part of the Hudson Meng Bison Trail. Remember when you took the Fossil Loop Trail a couple of years ago? That was in Toadstool Geologic Park.

Oh, yeah! That was awesome exploring the Nebraska badlands! Had to watch out for cactus, though. So we’re going back to take the Bison Trail now? Will we get to see the Hudson Meng Bison Kill? Oh, I hope so! Just think of it, SPHP, the bones of 600 bison, just laying there waiting to be gnawed on! Why, I will be the richest Dingo on earth with a treasure like that!

No, we’re not going all the way to Hudson Meng. Sorry. I don’t think it’s open this time of year. They wouldn’t let you chew on their bison bones, anyway. You wouldn’t like it if they did. Those bones are 10,000 year old fossils now. You’re a bit late getting to them.

Oh, too bad. So what are we gonna do then?

We’re going to take the Hudson Meng Bison Trail up the Big Cottonwood Creek drainage. When we’re out of the badlands, we’ll leave the trail and head S for Roundtop Peak. I’m hoping we’ll get to Pine Butte and Wright Peak, too. You will get to do a lot of exploring.

Oh, some peakbagging! Sounds like fun. Not as much fun as 600 bison bones, though.

Almost immediately after crossing the Nebraska state line, SPHP turned R on Toadstool Road. Toadstool Road was gravel. For a few miles there were spots where the road was mighty wet. The G6 went through huge mud puddles sending a slushy, muddy spray everywhere, but fortunately did not become stuck. The road then improved somewhat, up on higher, drier ground.

12 miles from the N end of Toadstool Road, Lupe saw another sign for Toadstool Geologic Park. SPHP turned R (SW) onto a side road that went up over railroad tracks. Toadstool Geologic Park was only 1.5 miles from here, but SPHP stopped a little before Lupe got there. Her peakbagging objectives for the day were in view.

Lupe arrives in NW Nebraska for some peakbagging fun. **Roundtop Peak** (far L), **Pine Butte** (L) and **Wright Peak** (far R) are all in view. Photo looks SW.

**Roundtop Peak (4,540 ft.)** (L) and **Pine Butte (4,500 ft.)** (R) with a little help from the telephoto lens.

The road dead ended at a campground. Toadstool Geologic Park was totally deserted when Lupe arrived. SPHP took a quick look at some of the displays, while Lupe sniffed around the campground.

Lupe arrives at **Toadstool Geologic Park** in remote NW Nebraska.

The **Toadstool Geologic Park** campground is on flat ground on the E edge of fossil bearing badlands. Photo looks SW.

One of half a dozen informational displays. Fossils in the park are from the Eocene and Oligocene epochs during the “Golden Age of Mammals”.

A display about the geological history of the area.

This display is about exploring Toadstool Geologic Park. A 1 mile long **Fossil Loop Trail** goes through the badlands of Toadstool Geologic Park. Lupe had done the whole loop back in April, 2016. Easy and worthwhile!

After brief preparations, Lupe and SPHP left the campground heading W on the Fossil Loop Trail. (10:29 AM, 53°F) Lupe was soon among the toadstool rock formations Toadstool Geologic Park is named for.

Lupe among the toadstool formations along the Fossil Loop Trail. Photo looks NW.

The Fossil Loop Trail wound among fascinating badlands scenery. Lupe quickly reached a junction with the Hudson Meng Bison Trail.

After an interesting short trek along the Fossil Loop Trail, the junction with the Hudson Meng Bison Trail comes into view beyond **Big Cottonwood Creek**. Photo looks SW.

The Fossil Loop Trail goes L, while the Hudson Meng Bison Trail goes R.

Loopster ready to head out on the Hudson Meng Bison Trail. Photo looks W.

The Hudson Meng Bison Trail follows Big Cottonwood Creek S for more than a mile. Big Cottonwood Creek didn’t have any cottonwoods along it, so there wasn’t much shade. Most of the year, the creek would have been dry, but there was a shallow stream of snow melt today.

The trail crossed the creek many times. If conditions had been much wetter, this would have meant numerous slogs through deep mud. Clearly this was no place to be when it was wet. Fortunately, it was just dry enough today so SPHP could avoid getting too terribly muddy. Lupe simply forged ahead oblivious to the creek crossings.

Loop hadn’t gone far when she came to a sign saying she was about to leave Toadstool Geologic Park.

The Hudson Meng Bison Trail promptly faded away. Apparently it sees little use. There was seldom any track to follow, but brown posts topped with beige marked the general route.

As Lupe followed Big Cottonwood Creek upstream, it became little more than a trickle. It wasn’t always possible to tell at a glance which way the Hudson Meng Bison Trail went. Other little creeks trickled out of large side canyons and ravines.

The marker posts weren’t numerous, but if Lupe went more than 5 or 10 minutes without seeing one, she had usually taken a wrong turn into a side canyon and had to backtrack. The correct route was almost always toward the W (R) in the canyon with the most vegetation.

Some of the side canyons proved to be interesting detours. Even if they were the wrong way, Lupe had fun on her brief excursions into them.

Loopster checks out the view from the top of a rock wall overlooking **Big Cottonwood Creek**. Photo looks WNW.

Oh, SPHP, I just had a thought. Do you think we will come to any live bison along the Hudson Meng Bison Trail? Maybe I can get a fresh bison bone yet! Don’t see any bison from up here, but keep an eye out, would ya?

Lupe in a scenic side canyon that proved to be the wrong way. Photo looks SE.

Back on the trail. A brown marker post topped with beige is seen beyond Loop. Staying toward the W (R) in the canyon with the most grass was usually the correct way to go. Photo looks SSW.

Only a few days ago, it had still been cold out. With some snow still melting, SPHP wasn’t too worried Lupe would run into rattlesnakes.

However, there was a fair amount of her other prairie nemesis around. Cactus wasn’t super abundant, but it wasn’t uncommon either. SPHP had to watch out for it for Looper. In a few places, SPHP carried Lupe beyond larger cactus patches. Every now and then she stepped on a cactus, and didn’t care for that at all. SPHP then had to pull a few small, but painful spines out of her paws.

For the most part, though, the Carolina Dog was doing fine. She was having a good time sniffing and exploring. The badlands scenery following Big Cottonwood Creek was so beautiful and western looking! It was fun to think about all the strange ancient mammals that used to roam this area millions of years ago. Some of their bones are still hidden as fossils back in these wild looking ravines.

Another little stream trickles out of a wild badlands side canyon. Photo looks ESE.

*That’s kind of an interesting rock up ahead, don’t you think, SPHP? …. Oh, yeah! Pretty cool, Looper, looks like its the right direction, too! Not a bad landmark.* Photo looks S.

After crossing muddy Big Cottonwood Creek a zillion times, and dodging cactus patches which were becoming more frequent and extensive, Lupe arrived at a fence. The fence had a big open gap in it where what little remained of Big Cottonwood Creek flowed through. Beyond this gap a trail marker could be seen. For the first time, the trail left the creek’s main channel here and entered a narrow side canyon.

At this fence line, Lupe reaches the end of her trek along Big Cottonwood Creek. A trail marker seen beyond the fence directed Loop into a narrow side canyon on the R.

The side canyon was V-shaped with steep, crumbly sides. The upper rim of this ravine wasn’t all that much higher than where Lupe was at the bottom. Clearly, the American Dingo would soon be reaching the end of the canyon.

Looper going up the narrow side canyon. The sides were steep and crumbly, but she would soon reach the end of this ravine. Photo looks S.

The end of the ravine was steep, but a short climb brought Lupe up onto a vast prairie. A faint, grassy road headed SSE. This was USFS Road No. 918, which would eventually go over a saddle between Roundtop Peak (4,540 ft.) and Pine Butte (4,500 ft.), both now back in view to the S.

Lupe emerged from the Big Cottonwood Creek drainage system up on a vast prairie. **Roundtop Peak** (L) and **Pine Butte** (R) were both back in view again. Photo looks S.

A line of Hudson Meng Bison Trail markers led across the prairie heading SW toward another big ravine. This ravine is part of the Whitehead Creek drainage. Following USFS Road No. 918 would have been a little shorter, but Lupe stuck with the Hudson Meng Bison Trail until she got close to the Whitehead Creek ravine instead.

Lupe nears the Whitehead Creek drainage. She left the Hudson Meng Bison Trail here. The trail continues down into the ravine and up the other side on its way to the Hudson Meng Bison Kill. **Wright Peak (4,654 ft.)** is in view at Center. Photo looks SW.

Instead of following the Bison Trail down into the Whitehead Creek drainage, Lupe left the trail heading SE. She stayed on the high ground overlooking the scenic ravine. The rim of the ravine had only a little grass and virtually no cactus. Lupe gained elevation steadily.

0.75 mile from where she’d left the trail, Lupe neared the top of a small hill. Here she had a good view off to the SW from a different angle than before. A higher ridge could now be seen beyond a sharp hill that SPHP had assumed was Wright Peak. Maybe that higher ridge was actually Wright Peak (4,654 ft.)? SPHP wasn’t certain. It seemed like that might make sense.

Consulting the hand-sketched topo map didn’t help. Knowing that Lupe would ultimately be approaching Wright Peak from the E, SPHP hadn’t extended the map any farther W than Wright Peak. Whether or not there was any higher ground beyond it wasn’t shown.

Nothing could be done to extend the map now. Lupe continued up to the top of the small hill. Roundtop Peak was less than 0.5 mile S.

Lupe on her way up the E edge of the Whitehead Creek drainage. This was a more scenic route than simply following USFS Road No. 918 would have been. **Roundtop Peak** is at Center. Photo looks SSE.

Nearing the top of a grassy hill, Lupe has a good view to the WSW. Up until this point, SPHP had assumed that the sharp hill on the R was **Wright Peak**. However, Lupe could now see a higher ridge beyond it on the L.

Looper reaches the top of the grassy hill. Her first peakbagging destination, **Roundtop Peak** is only 0.5 mile away. Photo looks S.

Lupe ended up following USFS Road No. 918 part of the way to the base of Roundtop Peak. She left the road to climb the hill’s surprisingly steep N slope.

A forest fire had occurred in this region in 2012. Most of the pine trees on Roundtop were dead. Quite a few had fallen over. The deadfall made getting to the summit of Roundtop Peak harder than it should have been, but it still didn’t take Loop long to reach the top of the hill.

First things first! Lupe was ready for a break. Water and Taste of the Wild. SPHP ate an apple. For a little while, Loop and SPHP rested with a grand view of the western Nebraska prairie off to the SE. Then it was time to tour Roundtop’s summit.

Loopster takes a break up on **Roundtop Peak**. Photo looks WNW.

Lupe enjoyed a grand view of western Nebraska prairies and ridges from **Roundtop Peak**. She could see Sand Creek Road, which is on the way to the Hudson Meng Buffalo Kill by vehicle. Photo looks SE.

Loop at the true summit of **Roundtop Peak**, which was very close to the E edge of the hill. Photo looks E.

A dead pine tree was at the true summit. A forest fire ravaged this region in 2012. Sadly, most of the trees on **Roundtop** were dead. Photo looks ENE.

*So which one is it, SPHP?* Lupe along the S edge of Roundtop Peak’s summit. **Wright Peak** had to be one of the two high points seen in the distance. The ridge on the L was clearly higher than the sharper peak on the R. Photo looks WSW.

The W half of Roundtop Peak’s summit area is in view here. The S side of the mountain hadn’t been hit as hard by the forest fire. Some of the pines at the W end were also still alive. Photo looks WNW.

Sand Creek Road and a long piney ridge are in sight looking SW from **Roundtop**.

From the W end of Roundtop Peak’s summit, Lupe had an excellent view of her remaining peakbagging objectives.

The high ridge on the L is **Peak 4760**. By now SPHP was mistakenly convinced it was **Wright Peak**, which is actually at Center. **Pine Butte** (R) was Lupe’s next stop. Photo looks W.

**Peak 4760** (L) and **Wright Peak** (R) with help from the telephoto lens. Photo looks WSW.

The summit of Pine Butte (4,500 ft.) is 0.75 mile WNW of Roundtop. It didn’t take Lupe long to get there. Pine Butte had really been hit hard by the 2012 forest fire. Deadfall littered the summit ridge. Not a single pine tree survived. Worse yet, no small trees had germinated since the fire. Pine Butte will not be worthy of its name again for a long, long time.

Looking back at **Roundtop** from **Pine Butte**. Photo looks ESE.

Pine Butte’s summit ridge had been devastated by the 2012 forest fire. Lupe didn’t find a single living tree, even a small one. Photo looks W.

Another look back at **Roundtop Peak**. Photo looks ESE.

The true summit of **Pine Butte** is near the W end of the hill. Lupe has a grand view of the vast prairie to the NW from here.

**Peak 4760** (L) and **Wright Peak** (R) from **Pine Butte**. Photo looks WSW.

From Pine Butte, Lupe could see the Hudson Meng Bison Kill site buildings. The whole place looked deserted.

Lupe could see buildings of the Hudson Meng Bison Kill site from Pine Butte. Photo looks NW with help from the telephoto lens.

Wright Peak was Lupe’s next objective. The Carolina Dog left Pine Butte going partway down a S ridge before turning WSW. She crossed two gravel roads and a fairly high ridge between them before reaching hills which should lead her to Wright Peak. Once she was high up in these hills, she skirted along the S side of them continuing SW.

Looking back at hills Lupe passed on her way to Wright Peak. Photo looks ENE.

Lupe was now very close to Wright Peak, but SPHP mistakenly believed the American Dingo needed to get all the way to the higher ridge to the SW. This error would never have occurred if the printer had operated correctly this morning. With only SPHP’s crude hand sketched topo map to go on, Lupe and SPHP went right on by the true summit.

All Lupe needed to do to reach **Wright Peak** was climb the steep slope on the R. However, SPHP now mistakenly believed that the higher ridge on the L was Wright Peak. Photo looks SW.

It was an interesting trek nonetheless. Lupe arrived up on the higher ridge to find several high points along a series of small rock formations spread out over a relatively large area. All of these high points were nearly equal in elevation, but the one farthest S seemed perhaps a little higher than the others. Lupe and SPHP repeatedly searched around all these high points looking for the Wright survey benchmark, but found nothing. Lupe was actually on Peak 4760.

Lupe reaches the first high point that SPHP thought might be the summit of Wright Peak. However, Lupe was actually on **Peak 4760** here. Photo looks SW.

Lupe at the SSW end of **Peak 4760**. Photo looks SSW.

Lupe helped SPHP search for the Wright survey benchmark, but found nothing. Photo looks S.

*Well, it’s quite a wonderful view whether this is Wright Peak or not, don’t you think, SPHP? The only bad thing is, I still don’t see any bison.* Photo looks SW.

Looper and SPHP stayed up on Peak 4760 a little while. Not too long, though. The sun was getting low, and it was a long way back to the G6. There was a need for some speed on the return trip, so Lupe wouldn’t get lost down in the Big Cottonwood Creek canyon after dark on the way back to Toadstool Geologic Park.

Since she was in a hurry, Lupe didn’t go back through the hills the way she had come. Instead, she took a grassy road (USFS Road No. 944) that led down a draw. The draw ultimately fed into the larger Sand Creek drainage. This was a faster route, but didn’t bring Lupe close to the real Wright Peak again. So the Carolina Dog never got to climb it, even though SPHP now suspected the truth.

Lupe on her way down off **Peak 4760**. Photo looks W.

**Pine Butte** (L) and **Roundtop Peak** (R) from the E slopes of **Peak 4760**. Photo looks ENE.

The NE end of Peak 4760’s summit area. Photo looks NW.

When Lupe reached Sand Creek Road, she headed ESE. She soon saw an intersection with USFS Road No. 918 ahead. Loop cut over to No. 918 and followed it over the little pass between Pine Butte and Roundtop.

Lupe by a couple of rusty looking water tanks NW of Roundtop Peak. USFS Road No. 918 goes right by these tanks. Photo looks NE.

Once N of Roundtop Peak, the rest of the journey back simply retraced Lupe’s earlier route to Roundtop. It was a beautiful evening. Both Loop and SPHP had a wonderful time. Enough light remained to navigate the muddy Big Cottonwood Creek crossings and avoid the cacti when Lupe reached the badlands again.

The sun was down by the time Loop was back at Toadstool Geologic Park. As twilight faded, Lupe completed the rest of the Fossil Loop Trail, which brought her back to the campground. (7:23 PM, 47°F) It was a long drive home from here, but the fun wasn’t entirely over yet. Until she reached Hwy 71 again, Lupe stood on SPHP’s lap, her head out the window, barking happily at unseen black cows sniffed on the night air.

Lupe N of Roundtop Peak on the way back to Toadstool Geological Park, Nebraska 3-14-18

Roundtop Peak on summitpost.org

Hudson-Meng Education & Research Center

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Tunnel Mountain, Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada (8-1-17)

Days 1 & 2 of Lupe’s 2017 Dingo Vacation to the Yukon & Alaska!

Even though the air was hazy and clouds hung over the Bighorns, approaching Buffalo, Wyoming SPHP stopped at a pullout along I-90 so Lupe could get out and stretch her legs. With the haze, the view wasn’t nearly so good as it might have been, but Lupe was in great spirits! It was the last day of July, and the first day of what was going to be her most stupendous Dingo Vacation of the entire summer of 2017.

Lupe was in great spirits even though the air was hazy as she passed by Wyoming’s Bighorn Mountains. This last day of July was the very 1st day of her most stupendous Dingo Vacation of 2017! More than 6 weeks of non-stop fun and adventures was just beginning! Photo looks W.

Lupe’s day had started early, before 6:00 AM. She’d had to take a bath, not her favorite thing. Then she’d had to wait hours while SPHP packed the G6 and scurried around taking care of a seemingly endless list of last minute details.

Events started improving rapidly after that. Getting Beggin’ Strips and breakfast on the deck overlooking the canyon at Grandma’s house had been fun. A last minute check on things at home and Lupe was on her way! (10:29 AM, 84°F)

Nearly this whole day would be spent on the road, but Loop didn’t mind that in the least. Perched up even with the dash on her traditional pile of pillows and blankets, she was having a riot barking at cows, horses and anything else that struck her fancy as the G6 sped on by.

After a short stroll and as good a look at the Bighorn Range as conditions allowed, Lupe and SPHP were ready to hit the road again. Before Lupe reached Billings, Montana, the temperature hit a high of 102°F. Beastly! Of course, Loopster rode in air-conditioned comfort, so it hardly mattered, except when SPHP stopped in Billings. SPHP had to race into Albertson’s to buy fried chicken for dinner, then dash back out before the G6 became a Dingo oven.

NW of Billings, SPHP turned W on Hwy 12. The long drive up the Musselshell River valley heading for the Little Belt Mountains was relaxing and delightful. Near Harlowton, Lupe could see Crazy Peak (11,209 ft.), and it’s long SE ridge which she had been on with her mountaineering friend Jobe Wymore only 9 days ago at the tail end of her last Dingo Vacation. The mountain was barely visible in a smoky haze, but SPHP was certain that was it.

Lupe reached King’s Hill Pass (7,393 ft.) on Hwy 89 in the Little Belt Mountains shortly before sunset (8:17 PM). No time to lose! Lupe and SPHP set out immediately, following the gravel road W up to the fire lookout tower and Showdown ski area on Porphyry Peak (8,192 ft.).

The sun had already sunk into a bank of clouds on the W horizon by the time Lupe and SPHP reached the summit. It was pretty clear the sun wasn’t going to make a reappearance, and light was fading fast. Conditions weren’t all that great for seeing anything anyway. A smoky haze hung in the air here, too. At least climbing the mountain had been good exercise after a long day in the G6.

While twilight lingered, Lupe and SPHP strolled around Porphyry Peak’s summit.

The sun had already sunk behind a bank of clouds on the W horizon by the time Lupe made it up to the **Porphyry Peak** fire lookout tower. Photo looks E.

An information plaque at the base of the lookout tower.

Lupe near the Showdown ski area facilities on **Porphyry Peak**. Photo looks NE.

**Big Baldy Mountain (9,177 ft.)** (R) is the highest point in the **Little Belt Range** in W central Montana. **Porphyry Peak** was the first mountain Lupe climbed on this Dingo Vacation. **Big Baldy Mountain** would eventually prove to be the last. Photo looks NE.

Before the light was completely gone, SPHP wanted to go at least partway up the fire lookout tower. The tower wasn’t staffed at present. In fact, not another soul was around anywhere on the mountain. The access door to the observation deck was locked shut.

That was fine with the American Dingo. While Loopster doesn’t mind clambering around on high mountains, she doesn’t care much for lookout towers. From her perspective, there’s too much air between those big steps. It’s not natural and just plain scary! Lupe refused to go any farther up than the first flight of stairs.

Light of day fades away in the **Little Belt Mountains**. Photo looks WNW from partway up the **Porphyry Peak** fire lookout tower.

*Nope, not coming any farther up than this, SPHP!*

The last light of day faded away. A half moon hung in the evening sky as Lupe and SPHP made the trek back down to King’s Hill Pass.

The next morning, Lupe was underway again as the sun peeped above the horizon. This was another travel day, and at 11:00 AM the Carolina Dog crossed uneventfully into Canada at Sweet Grass. Southern Canada looked drier than Lupe had ever seen it before. The smoke of forest fires farther W filled the air even here.

By 3:00 PM Looper was in the huge metropolis of Calgary. It was sunny when she arrived, though the sky was clouding up. An hour later, as Lupe headed W on Trans-Canada Hwy 1 toward the Canadian Rockies, dark clouds dropped light rain showers.

Loop in Calgary, Canada enjoying the drive so far.

Lupe reached Banff at 5:00 PM. It was August 1st, 3 years to the day since she’d last been in beloved Banff. SPHP drove slowly down Banff Avenue, crossed the bridge over the beautiful Bow River, and parked near the tennis courts and picnic ground.

After spending most of the day in the G6, Looper was more than ready to get out. Loop and SPHP went for a stroll down by the Bow River.

Lupe at the beautiful Bow River in Banff, Canada. It was 3 years to the day since Lupe had left Banff toward the end of her 2014 Dingo Vacation to the Canadian Rockies & Beartooths. The S end of **Tunnel Mountain** is on the L. **Mount Rundle** on the R. Photo looks ESE.

Being back in Banff was great! Montana’s blistering summer heat and smoky air were a thing of the past. Low clouds and cool mist hung over the mountains. Lupe and SPHP strolled E along the S side of the Bow River. When Loop got to the pedestrian footbridge over the river, she took it.

Crossing the Bow River. Photo looks WNW.

On the N side of the river, Lupe came to a posted map of Banff. The map showed a trail leading up Tunnel Mountain E of town. That was a great idea! There was time enough to do that right now! Lupe and SPHP kept going. Soon the Carolina Dog was on the Tunnel Mountain trail.

This map of Banff posted on the N side of the Bow River shows the trail leading up to Tunnel Mountain E of town. That was a great idea! The trail wasn’t far away, and Loop still had plenty of time to climb the mountain this evening.

On the popular Tunnel Mountain trail in Banff. Even though it was cloudy and cool out, Lupe met plenty of people and dogs along the way.

The Tunnel Mountain trail is an easy climb and hugely popular. Even though it was cloudy and cool out, Lupe met plenty of people and dogs. Since it was getting to be dinnertime, most were on their way back down to Banff.

The views weren’t nearly as spectacular as they would have been on a clearer day, but Lupe did see the famous Banff Springs Hotel at the base of Sulphur Mountain (8,005 ft.), and the Banff Springs golf course at the base of Mount Rundle (9,675 ft.).

The famous **Banff Springs Hotel** from the Tunnel Mountain trail. Photo looks SSW with lots of help from the telephoto lens.

**Mount Rundle** (R) towers above the golf course and **Bow River**. Photo looks SE.

The absolute summit of Tunnel Mountain (5,551 ft.) was a rock formation surrounded by thick forest. However, not far away was a sloping rock ledge with a great view of the town of Banff. Lupe visited the summit first. A large crowd of people, who turned out to be in town for an ergonomics convention, were occupying the ledge with the view.

Lupe reaches the summit of **Tunnel Mountain**. This was about it for views at the very top, even on a clear day.

While waiting for the ergonomics people to finish their sight-seeing, Lupe proved to be quite popular with them. Many wanted to pet her, and SPHP heard quite a few tales of how much others were missing their dogs. Lupe didn’t even know what ergonomics was, but she was getting a good impression of it. She willingly submitted to being adored for however long the ergonomics people wanted to keep it up.

When the ergonomics people finally moved on, Loop was a little sad to see them go. However, she could now get a good look at the beautiful town of Banff from Tunnel Mountain. It was sort of a shame that it was so cloudy out. The view would have been totally gorgeous on a sunny day.

Looking down on Banff with help from the telephoto lens.

**Sulphur Mountain (8,005 ft.)** is the ridge across the valley. Both a trail and a **gondola** go to the top of Sulphur Mountain, but Lupe has never been there. The Banff Springs Hotel is seen below near the center of this photo. Photo looks SSW.

August 1st, yet it was almost chilly up on Tunnel Mountain when the breeze came up! Temperatures were only in the upper 50’s °F. Lupe started back down the trail. She was back in Banff before 8:00 PM.

Loop ready to set off back down to Banff on the well-worn Tunnel Mountain trail.

On the bank of the beautiful **Bow River** again after climbing **Tunnel Mountain** (Center). Photo looks E.

Lupe and SPHP enjoyed a late dinner. It was dark out by the time SPHP asked Lupe if she wanted to go on the Pretty Puppy Parade. The Pretty Puppy Parade? Loop hadn’t done that in 3 years now. Oh, yes, she did want to go on the Pretty Puppy Parade! She had forgotten all about it until SPHP mentioned it.

Back on her 2013 & 2014 Dingo Vacations to the Canadian Rockies, Lupe had gone on the Pretty Puppy Parade virtually every night she’d been in Banff. All it really amounted to was an evening walk among the throngs of tourists all up and down Banff Avenue, the main drag through town. People had often commented on Lupe’s good demeanor and wanted to pet her. She got to sniff with lots of other dogs on their own Pretty Puppy Parades, too.

Even though it was the heart of tourist season, the crowds on the streets of Banff had thinned out quite a bit. The evening was cool and breezy, and Lupe had gotten a late start. Some people did notice her, though, and she did get to sniff with a few other dogs. Lupe went up and down both sides of Banff Avenue.

What Lupe really wanted to do was go shopping. The restaurants and stores had their doors open, and Loopster wanted desperately to go in and have a look around. It was all so intriguing and smelled so good! Of course, she couldn’t. The poor American Dingo had to settle for getting her photo taken with some of the big animals guarding shop entrances.

Lupe was pretty nervous about this scary Musk Ox guarding the entrance to one of the shops in Banff. SPHP had a hard time persuading her to stay put for a photo. She was worried she was about to be attacked from behind by that strange shaggy beast.

*Bear, shmear!* This bear wasn’t nearly so scary as that darn Musk Ox!

While SPHP sympathized with Lupe’s frustration at not being able to go exploring the shops in Banff, it wasn’t really necessary to feel too terribly sorry for her. After all, she was at the very beginning of a long Dingo Vacation to lots of fabulous places, and was going to get to do loads of fun stuff other Dingoes only dream of.

*I wish you had put a sign like that on me, SPHP! Let me know if that shaggy monster moves!*

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Banff, Alberta, Canada (7-20-13)

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