After a couple of weeks of very warm weather (including two straight record setting days), colder weather was on its way to the Black Hills. So Friday, February 13, 2015 was Lupe’s last chance for a while to get out for an expedition on an unseasonably warm day.
SPHP decided on the Meade County, SD High Point (5,460 ft.) as the main objective for Lupe on Expedition No. 119. Although the roads remained quite muddy, much of the snow had melted so that only scattered large patches were still around. SPHP parked the G6 at the intersection of USFS Roads No. 151 (Old Ridge Road) and No. 151.2G . This point is at least a couple miles SW of the Meade County HP. (There are much closer and better access points, but SPHP often parks miles from the intended destination so Lupe can enjoy the fun of exploring the region.) It was 48 degrees when Lupe set out from the G6 at 10:34 AM under mostly clear skies.
Lupe followed No. 151 heading N for about 1.5 miles. Here she left the road and went ENE through a still snowy forest (northern exposure) down towards the saddle at the W end of Virkula Gulch, which was snow-free.
After crossing the saddle, Lupe started the climb up the hill shown in the above photo. Close to the first high point, she came to some rocks where there was a view back to the WNW towards Terry Peak (7,064 ft.).
Near the rocks, a jeep trail headed E. It made a short climb up to a big nearly level area above 5,400 feet which was heavily forested.
SPHP hadn’t checked the maps and initially thought the Meade County HP was somewhere around here, not realizing Lupe was still in Lawrence County. Consequently Lupe explored the thick forest looking for the highest point. Towards the E side of this area Lupe found a rocky jeep trail. She followed it N to where there was a cliff with a very nice unobstructed view of the big valley Elk Creek runs through.
A NW wind made it quite breezy here, although back in the forest the breeze had been barely noticeable. Even though the view was better here, SPHP led Lupe back S to a point along the S edge of the high ground with a sunny and less windy view of Virkula Gulch. While SPHP chomped an apple and surveyed the view of Virkula Gulch, Lupe took a little Taste of the Wild break.
Finally consulting the maps, SPHP suddenly realized the Meade County HP was still close to 0.75 mile farther E. So once the break was over, Lupe headed E back to the rocky jeep trail. She followed it SE down off the high ground. Before Lupe had lost much elevation, the big limestone rock outcropping at High Point 5401 came into view. Lupe left the jeep trail and made the easy climb up HP 5401 from the W. The views from HP 5401 are the best available in the general vicinity of the Meade County HP.
From HP 5401 it was also easy to see the heavily forested hill close at hand to the E which is the site of the Meade County HP. (Due to thick forest, this hill had NOT been visible from the hill W of HP 5401.) Lupe left HP 5401 and headed E to climb this hill. Although the hilltop seemed fairly level, it had been easy to see from HP 5401 that the highest point on this hill was towards the N. This also agreed with the topo map SPHP had printed out from Peakbagger.com showing the Meade County HP near the NNW end of the hill.
Towards the far N end of the hill was a small area noticeably 2 or 3 feet higher than the rest of the ground around it. On this high ground stood two large pine trees about 10 or 12 feet apart. The bases of their trunks seemed to be on the very highest ground. Just a few feet NW from the easternmost tree was a very small whitish limestone cairn. Lupe posed for a photo next to the cairn, which as near as SPHP could tell, appeared to mark the Meade County HP. (This is the photo featured at the start of this trip report.) Before leaving, SPHP lifted up and then carefully replaced several of the larger rocks forming the cairn hoping to find a survey marker, but there was nothing.
There were no views from the cairn in any direction other than the thick forest. Lupe did scout around a short distance to the N, but it was soon clear there wasn’t any higher ground on this hill anywhere farther N. Before heading S to see what could be seen from the S end of the hill, Lupe returned briefly once more to the Meade County HP cairn so SPHP could retrieve the backpack. Soon Lupe was at the S end of the hill, which presented a pretty view of the E end of Virkula Gulch.
Having achieved her main objective by reaching the Meade County High Point, it was time for the return trip to the G6. Lupe returned by nearly the exact same route. She didn’t climb HP 5401 again, but did go to the N end of the hill to the W where the cliffs with the view of Elk Creek valley were for one more look.
It was 50 degrees and only 3:36 PM when Lupe arrived back at the G6. There were still a couple of hours of daylight left. Black Hills, SD Expedition No. 119 was not over! SPHP thought it might be interesting to explore USFS Road No. 151.2G to the W, but just before setting out on it, Lupe heard a gunshot from that direction. Lupe hates gunfire and immediately hopped into the G6.
SPHP knew Lupe wasn’t about to hop back out of the G6 again here with gunfire around. So the idea of heading NW towards the Strawberry Hill area on Hwy 385 came to mind. From there Lupe might find a way to Anchor Hill (5,800 ft.) which she has never climbed before. Lupe got to have a nice long ride in the G6 while hanging her head out the window, which is great good fun!
Upon reaching Strawberry Hill, SPHP turned onto Gilt Edge Road. It was only a couple of miles to Anchor Hill, but the area was full of homes and private property. Gilt Edge Road ended down in a deep valley at what appeared to be an EPA superfund site connected with the old Gilt Edge gold mine. It was clear Lupe wasn’t going to find easy access to Anchor Hill from anywhere along Gilt Edge Road. SPHP turned the G6 around, drove back to Hwy 385, and headed S.
SPHP had one more idea for Expedition No. 119. Lupe could climb Custer Peak (6,804 ft.) which she had seen from HP 5401 earlier in the day. At 4:42 PM, SPHP parked the G6 at the sharp turn in USFS Road No. 216 about 0.5 mile SE of Custer Peak. No. 216 to the NW was closed to vehicles from here for the season by a gate across the road. It was 44 degrees out when Lupe hopped out of the G6. The sun was still shining up on Custer Peak.
Lupe headed NW on No. 216 up the E side of a scenic valley that is one of SPHP’s favorites. About a mile from the G6, she left No. 216 and crossed over a saddle beyond which she turned E. A spur road heads toward Custer Peak and eventually winds clock-wise around the mountain on up to the summit. However, the spur was covered with so much snow it made the hike difficult for SPHP. It was actually easier going directly up the W slope of Custer Peak, even though it meant working through a considerable amount of deadfall timber. (Pine bark beetles killed the trees a few years back.)
Lupe actually got up into the sunlight while on the upper slopes of Custer Peak, but by the time she reached the old abandoned lookout tower at the summit, the sun had set. A steady breeze was blowing out of the NW. SPHP had hoped for a dramatic sunset, but the sky was almost totally clear. Everything just faded unspectacularly into twilight. Lupe posed for a few photos to document her ascent, but they didn’t turn out that great in the low light conditions.
On the way back, SPHP didn’t want to have to try to scramble down through the deadfall timber in the dark, so Lupe took the spiral road from the summit back down the mountain. There were feet of snow on much of the road and it was slow going for SPHP, although Lupe could mostly trot along on top of the snow without breaking through.
The stars were out and the Milky Way was on brilliant display by the time Lupe reached the G6 again at 6:55 PM. It was 39 degrees and calm. Lupe stood sniffing the air for a few extra minutes and then hopped into the G6 for the ride home.
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