Beartooth Mountains – Page 4 – The (Mostly) True Adventures of Lupe

Lupe’s 2013 Dingo Vacation was off to a great start! On her first day (7-10-13) she had been to the Elysian Fields of Puppy Happiness and spent the night on Bald Mountain in the Bighorn Mountains of Wyoming.

It had been quite a memorable evening for Lupe sleeping under the stars on Bald Mountain. “Sleeping” is used loosely here. At first there was some sleeping going on, but a few hours into the night, SPHP woke up suddenly to the sound of Lupe sprinting away to the W in the darkness. She was after something, but what it might have been SPHP had no clue. Before long she came back without being called.

Lupe just E of Bald Mountain, Bighorn Mountains, WY — Lupe just E of **Bald Mountain** **(10,042 ft.)**, Bighorn Mountains, WY on 7-10-11. The summit is kind of faded out on the left.

SPHP managed to get Lupe in her blankie and sleeping bag again, but from then on Lupe and SPHP slept fitfully. SPHP awoke many times to hear Lupe wandering off into the night sniffing around. Sometimes she was gone for 5 minutes or a bit more, but she always came back. Still, SPHP spent long stretches awake, peering and listening into the darkness for the tinkling sound of the tag on Lupe’s collar.

The Milky Way above was magnificent. Three shooting stars streaked across the night sky. A breeze started up and blew all night. Initially it seemed to be from the E, but as the night wore on, it blew harder and more from the S.

But I'm not sleepy!!!! — But I’m not sleepy!!!!

Sometimes Lupe came around to just sit next to SPHP out of her sleeping bag. She wanted to be petted while she stared into the blackness listening and watching. SPHP always did pet her. Often SPHP managed to persuade Lupe to get back into her sleeping bag and under her blankie again. That would last for a little while and then she would be off running and sniffing again. It was the first time Lupe and SPHP ever slept together without a tent under the stars in the wild. Lupe was just too stimulated and excited to sleep much.

Lupe and SPHP got up when the sun was just getting up. It was gorgeous out except for the strong S breeze. SPHP added Lupe’s name to the place of names. Then Lupe and SPHP went back to the summit of Bald Mountain again before heading down to the G6. Lupe had a great time racing around through the yellow, purple, and white flowers and what SPHP called “pom pom” plants waving in the breeze.By 8:30 AM SPHP had everything packed up. Lupe and SPHP headed W down spectacular Hwy 14A out of the Bighorns. Lupe barked frantically at cows and horses across western Wyoming. Lupe’s route went through Lovell, Powell and Cody, WY. She rode in air-conditioned comfort since it was hot outside – almost 90°F.

From Cody, SPHP took Hwy 120 N to the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway, Hwy 296. When Lupe reached the Beartooth Hwy No. 212, SPHP made a beeline for Lupe and SPHP’s favorite camping site on the Clark’s Fork of the Yellowstone River. Lupe and SPHP had discovered this prime spot on Lupe’s 2012 Dingo Vacation with Lanis.

View from the big pullout on the W side of the pass on the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway in NW Wyoming.

Lupe and SPHP were in luck! Arriving at 1 PM, the favorite camping site was open. SPHP had the tent set up within 30 minutes. As it later turned out, not a moment too soon. After setting up the tent, SPHP was ready to take Lupe for an afternoon outing. Nothing really long, just for a few hours. SPHP chose a nearby trail up Pilot Creek.

As Lupe and SPHP got out of the G6 at the Pilot Creek trailhead, some people in a big white pickup truck pulling a trailer loaded with ATV’s drove up. They asked if Lupe and SPHP were tenting across the road. SPHP said yes, and they said they were from Cody, WY. Lupe and SPHP were in their favorite spot to camp. (You know you are in a good spot when the locals think it is the best one, too!) They asked if it would bother Lupe and SPHP, if they camped nearby. Lupe and SPHP had no problem with that. It’s still a free country. They didn’t need Lupe and SPHP’s permission, although it was considerate of them to ask.

Lupe claims her favorite camping site on the Clark's Fork of the Yellowstone. — Lupe claims her favorite camping site on the Clark’s Fork of the Yellowstone.

Set up on the Clark's Fork of the Yellowstone, July 2013 — Set up on the Clark’s Fork of the Yellowstone, July 11, 2013

Lupe and SPHP started up the Pilot Creek trail. At first Pilot Creek was visible below, but the trail climbed steadily so fast Lupe was soon far above the creek. Before long there were views of the snow-capped Beartooth Mountains to the N. The trail went uphill so long SPHP decided they should have named it Pilot Peak trail, as the trail seemed destined to climb it. (That SPHP, what a whiner and exaggerator! No wonder Lupe has to call her blog The (MOSTLY) True Adventures of Lupe!)

Just about the time SPHP was considering giving up and turning around, the trail leveled out and started a more gentle up and down, so Lupe stuck with it. Lupe and SPHP were in a big valley up on the W side hundreds of feet above the creek. There was a big mountain a few miles away with a large snow bank on it, and the trail headed for that.

Lupe and SPHP had covered about 1/2 the distance to the big mountain and arrived at a small open hill on the left side of the trail. Except for one big dead old tree, it was open ground. Lupe and SPHP climbed the little hill to gain, for the first time, an unobstructed view of the mountain with the big snow bank. Pilot Creek was now closer than before, not as far below Lupe and SPHP as it had been. A side creek with good flow was cascading very steeply into Pilot Creek from the E. It originated from a high rocky ridge with some snow still present way up near the top.

Unfortunately SPHP had forgotten the camera. Lupe and SPHP had gone a few miles along Pilot Creek trail. The sky was clouding up like it was going to rain. With no camera and rain coming, it was time to turn around. The trip back to the trailhead was pleasant and very easy, since it was nearly all level or downhill. Lupe had a good time barking at chipmunks. SPHP enjoyed the view of the Beartooths, which were now directly ahead instead of behind. It was a great welcome back to the Beartooths. Lupe and SPHP met absolutely no one on the trail the entire time.

Back at the Clark’s Fork of the Yellowstone River, there was no sign of the people from Cody. They must decided they weren’t going to be happy camped next to Lupe and SPHP. SPHP arranged all of the padding, blankets, and sleeping bags in the tent, then started making beef stew on the propane stove. Before the beef stew was even ready, it started raining lightly. Lupe and SPHP devoured the beef stew as soon as it was done. It was starting to rain harder.

Lupe on the Clark's Fork of the Yellowstone. Tent is set up just to the right of this photo. (Not pictured.) — Lupe on the Clark’s Fork of the Yellowstone. Tent is set up just to the right of this photo. (Not pictured.)

Since the tent leaks (everything does in SPHP’s experience!), SPHP took all of the gear out of the tent and rearranged it back in the G6. Rain meant a night in the G6. Lupe was very tired from running around half the previous night on Bald Mountain. SPHP was pretty weary too. Soon both were passed out. At least Lupe and SPHP had claimed their favorite spot on the Clark’s Fork of the Yellowstone River for the duration of Lupe’s stay in the Beartooths!

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The highest peak Lupe has ever climbed to date is Lonesome Mountain (11,399 ft.) in the Absaroka-Beartooth Mountains. Lupe and SPHP first saw Lonesome Mountain on a day hike with Lanis on Lupe’s first ever big Dingo Vacation in the summer of 2012. Lupe and SPHP returned to the area for two more treks, one to Two Bits Lake and another to Sky Pilot Lake during Lupe’s 2013 summer Dingo Vacation. There are other higher ridges and peaks around, but Lonesome Mountain stands separate and alone in all its glory. SPHP always thought it looked potentially climbable from the S by an adventurous little Carolina Dog.

This long day hike starts at the Island Lake Trailhead near the Island Lake campground on the N side of the Beartooth Highway No. 212 in NW Wyoming. The Island Lake campground is approximately 2 miles E of the Top of the World Store & Motel or roughly 15 miles E of Hwy 212’s junction with the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway, Hwy 296. The hike starts at Island Lake (elevation 9,518 ft.) and gains less than 500 ft. all the way to Albino Lake (elevation 10,000 ft.) at the foot of Lonesome Mountain. Then the real work begins.

Lupe and SPHP left the Little Belt mountains of Montana on the morning of August 2, 2014, after climbing King’s Hill. The plan was to head for the Beartooth Mountains in NW Wyoming and southern Montana. Lupe took Hwy 89 down to White Sulphur Springs and eventually all the way S to I-90. This was a very pretty scenic drive through big rounded mountains of the Little Belt range, soon followed by high rolling prairie and wide river valleys. It all looked very Old West and mostly still unspoiled.

SPHP stopped at a city park along the N bank of the Yellowstone River after getting food and gas in Columbus, MT. Lupe drank out of the Yellowstone River and cooled off in it. She also managed to find something very stinky to roll in to hide her scent. SPHP objected to her proudly worn new scent. Lupe had to get back in the river again to wash it off. From Columbus, Lupe took Hwy 78 to Red Lodge, MT and then Hwy 212 up and over fabulous Beartooth Pass (elevation 10,947′).

Lupe and SPHP arrived at their favorite camping spot on the Clark’s Fork of the Yellowstone River by mid-afternoon, but the site SPHP wanted wasn’t available. Lupe and SPHP hung around enjoying the beauty of the location while waiting to see if the site would open up. After a few hours, it did! SPHP ran for the G6, turned the key – and nothing happened. The battery was dead! It started to rain. The windows were open and couldn’t be closed. An error message on the G6 said “Service Traction”. This helpful message went unmentioned in the owner’s manual.

Eventually two people appeared and were kind enough to give the G6 a jump. Lupe and SPHP headed for Cody, WY over the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway in rain, lightning, thunder and hail. A double rainbow cheerily appeared on the E side of the pass. It was late on Saturday evening when Lupe reached Cody. SPHP found a Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart was a great place to be since it had almost anything Lupe or SPHP might desire, was open all night, and a new battery for the G6 could be had there in the morning. After getting a sandwich at the Subway in Wal-Mart (plus 3 free cookies they were about to throw away because it was closing time), SPHP tried the G6. It fired right up! Maybe the battery wasn’t really bad.

The night was spent in the G6 in the Wal-Mart parking lot. SPHP dreamed wild and vivid dreams, but Lupe slept soundly. Or maybe she always has wild and vivid dreams. Sometimes she twitches. It was already very late, after 8 AM, by the time SPHP regained consciousness on Sunday morning. The G6 started right up again! Nevertheless, SPHP talked to a gentleman in the Wal-Mart automotive center. They couldn’t diagnose or fix complicated problems, but they could install a new battery. The gentleman suggested waiting until Monday to take the G6 to a repair shop.

SPHP had a better idea. Why not drive all the way back to the Beartooths and make the most of the day? The secret was to park the G6 so it would be easy to get another jump if the battery pooped out again. Lupe was going to climb Lonesome Mountain! It was 10:13 AM, clear, calm and a perfect 61°F when Lupe and SPHP left the quirky G6 at the Island Lake trailhead in the Beartooths. The mosquitoes were bad and SPHP was slathered with unhealthy DEET.

Lots of people were around on the trail, which headed N on the W side of Island Lake. A guy from Michigan said it was supposed to rain at 3 PM. This was concerning. There were already some clouds on the western horizon. One lady reported having seen a grizzly bear and two cubs just 10 minutes before Lupe and SPHP came along. Lupe wasn’t even past Island Lake yet. The fishermen SPHP talked to were all having good success catching fish – mostly cutthroat trout.

Lonesome Mountain from near Becker Lake. Lupe climbed up near the left side.

The trail passed through gorgeous territory. This may be the best hike Lupe and SPHP have ever been on outside of the Canadian Rockies. There were beautiful wildflowers everywhere. The mountain scenery was impressive. Lupe and SPHP passed a succession of splendid alpine lakes – Island Lake, Night Lake, Flake Lake, Mutt & Jeff Lakes, and Becker Lake. There was only one trail intersection to watch for, which was a right turn 2.5 miles from the start (at the S end of Island Lake) onto the trail that goes between Mutt & Jeff Lakes. The only bad thing was the mosquitoes. Lupe really couldn’t stop anywhere for more than a few minutes before they came swarming in.

N of Becker Lake, Lupe and SPHP left Wyoming and entered Montana. There was no sign. At the S end of Albino Lake at 10,000 feet it was time to leave the trail. Lonesome Mountain loomed high above Albino Lake just to the W. Lupe and SPHP turned SW and headed for the big ridge that projects SSE from Lonesome Mountain. Once up on the ridge, Lupe discovered lots of hidden ponds and deep snow banks. Lupe and SPHP turned NNW and headed for the summit of Lonesome Mountain scrambling up and down over big granite ridges.

Albino Lake from the SW near where Lupe left the trail. This shot was actually taken in the evening when Lupe returned to the trail.

Eventually the climb turned into just a scramble over huge boulder fields all the rest of the way to the top of Lonesome Mountain. Lupe is an excellent scrambler and could have been at the top of the mountain long before SPHP got there. The weather started deteriorating all around as Lupe and SPHP scrambled ever higher on the mountain. SPHP’s progress over the big boulders was painfully slow. Lupe was always appearing nearby looking like a true explorer surveying the world from the heights of various boulders.

As SPHP finally got close to the top of Lonesome Mountain, the rumble of thunder could be heard in the distance. A big rainstorm was in progress some miles to the S. Fortunately, SPHP did not see any cloud to ground lightning. Lupe and SPHP finally reached the top of Lonesome Mountain. The view was spectacular. Lupe and SPHP could see lots of lakes and mountains that SPHP hadn’t ever seen before except on maps.

Looking S from Lonesome Mountain. Island Lake is the most distant larger lake toward the center. Part of Becker Lake is seen much closer on the left. Beauty Lake is on the right. — Looking S from Lonesome Mountain. Island Lake is the largest distant lake toward the center. Night Sky Lake is right next to Island Lake but closer and smaller. Part of Becker Lake is seen much closer on the left. Beauty Lake is the largest and most distant lake on the right.

Beartooth Butte from Lonesome Mountain. The long skinny lake is Lonesome Lake.

The view to the NNE of Lonesome Mountain. A portion of Jasper Lake is seen at the lower left.

A woman on the trail between Albino and Becker Lakes had told SPHP she tried to climb Lonesome Mountain earlier this day, but ran out of time. She told SPHP that the summit in view was a false summit. Lupe and SPHP had climbed the false summit. Quite a distance to the NW, SPHP could see another summit separated from where Lupe was by a big drop-off and then a saddle consisting of another boulder field. It all looked very possible to get over to the true summit easily enough, but it was late in the day already and would have taken at least an hour to get over there.

In a way it really didn’t matter – the true summit looked to be at essentially the same elevation as the false summit. A check of SPHP’s maps showed both summits within the same elevation contours. The difference in height between the two summits can only be a matter of 0-20 feet. (Later on SPHP found out that on Peakbagger.com the false summit at 10,399′ which Lupe did climb is listed as the high point on the mountain, although a 10,400′ contour is shown to the NW. SPHP’s Alpine Quadrangle of the Absaroka-Beartooth mountains shows a height of 10,409′ to the NW.)

Lupe and SPHP would have loved to stay up on the summit (false or not) of Lonesome Mountain to enjoy the views while figuring out which lake below was which. However, although current conditions were just cool with a light breeze, Lonesome Mountain was now surrounded by threatening weather.

To the S there was a big storm going on. Dark clouds hung just over the huge ridge to the NE. Back at Island Lake where Lupe had come from, SPHP could see it was raining hard. Off to the W an ominous line of dark clouds and showers was approaching. A cloudburst was going on to the SW. SPHP was pretty certain rain was going to hit within 30 minutes. Rain wouldn’t be too bothersome, and even hail might be avoidable under the shelter of a big boulder, but lightning would be potentially deadly.

Looking NW toward the possible true summit of Lonesome Mountain. Some maps indicate it might be 10,409 feet, whereas the summit Lupe climbed may be only 10,399 feet. Close enough for Dingo play! — Looking NW toward the possible true summit of Lonesome Mountain. Some maps indicate it might be 10,409 feet, whereas the summit Lupe climbed may be only 10,399 feet. Close enough for Dingo play, especially with stormy weather around!

SPHP snapped a few quick photos and told Lupe it was time to get down off Lonesome Mountain ASAP. So began the scramble down. It took quite a long time, but not as long as going up. SPHP thought about going down by Lonesome Lake, which could be seen clearly to the SW. Lupe and SPHP have never been there before. That whole area looked full of lakes easy to reach. It would have been fun to explore there, but a look at the map showed it would be a longer hike back to the G6. SPHP knew Lupe was going to be late enough getting back to the G6 as it was.

About 20 minutes after Lupe started down, it did start to rain, but it never rained hard. Lupe and SPHP only got sprinkled on, and even that only lasted maybe 20 minutes. Eventually the skies to the W cleared. The storm to the S still rumbled. There was some cloud to ground lightning, but it was far away. It became apparent Lupe and SPHP were not going to get caught in any significant storm.

It took Lupe and SPHP a long time to work their way back down to Albino Lake. The were-puppy liked to attack SPHP on the big snow banks that had to be traversed, but SPHP was now in too much of a hurry to play the were-puppy game. On one snow bank SPHP suddenly noticed a dark pink, almost red color on Lupe’s white vest and paws.

Lupe wanted to play the were-puppy game on the snow banks on Lonesome Mountain.

Initially SPHP thought maybe Lupe was injured and bleeding from some mishap in the boulder fields, but upon examination it proved to be just some of the pink coloration that is common on the old snow banks here. Lupe certainly acted like she felt not only fine, but terrific! Once down out of all the super rocky stuff up on the ridge, Lupe took off running great distances at top speed racing here and there over the heather. She had an absolutely wonderful time.

Nope, not blood. Just pink stuff from the snow on the puppy.

Lupe and SPHP rejoined the trail at Albino Lake. They went long distances on the trail without seeing anyone. The last sunlight to shine on Lupe was at Becker Lake. Other day hikers had already returned to the trailhead. Backpackers had already reached their camping destinations. Lupe and SPHP met just a very few people, but otherwise the trail was empty. It grew so dark it was hard to see the trail, but SPHP didn’t use the flashlight until the final major stream crossing at the outlet from Island Lake. The campground was totally dark and quiet.

Lupe arrived at the G6 at 10:09 PM. It was 44 degrees F. SPHP fed Lupe some Taste of the Wild and Alpo. She was tired. SPHP was tired too. Thankfully, the G6 started up. SPHP drove in the darkness back to Lupe’s favorite spot on the Clark’s Fork of the Yellowstone River for another night in the G6. At nearly 12 hours, this hike proved to be Lupe’s last really long day hike of her 2014 Dingo Vacation to the Canadian Rockies & Beartooth Mountains. Climbing Lonesome Mountain had been a wonderful time. Lupe agreed it sure beat spending the day cooped up in the G6 in the Wal-Mart parking lot!

Beartooth Butte from Lonesome Mountain 8-3-14 — **Beartooth Butte** **(10,514 ft.)** from Lonesome Mountain 8-3-14

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Tag: Beartooth Mountains

Camped on the Clarks Fork of the Yellowstone River (7-11-13)

Lonesome Mountain in the Beartooth Mountains of Montana (8-3-14)