Yukon Territory – Page 4 – The (Mostly) True Adventures of Lupe

The Ogilvie River & Churchward Hill, Yukon Territory, Canada (8-17-18)

Part 1 of Day 14 of Lupe’s 2018 Dingo Vacation to the Yukon, Northwest Territories & Alaska!

5:15 AM, Windy Pass summit, Dempster Highway km 152.8 – Enthused on the way back from Lupe’s grand success at Windy Pass Peak, Distincta Peak, and Peak 5906 yesterday, SPHP mentally had the American Dingo going from one peakbagging success to the next all the way up the Dempster Highway to Mount Sittichinli.

Silly delusions! As evening faded, clouds had swept over the entire sky. The wind picked up, and blew all night. This was Windy Pass, after all. Now dark clouds draped over the mountains looked like rain. Before long, it was raining. Felt like it could rain forever.

7:14 AM, 42°F – Surprisingly, on the drive N from Windy Pass, the steady rain quickly dwindled to a mere mist, though the sky remained heavily overcast. At km 166, an unusually colored stream appeared to the R (E) of the Dempster Highway. Light green to tan waters flowed over a bed of charcoal or rust-colored rocks. The overall effect was striking! SPHP stopped to let Lupe take a closer look.

Strikingly colored **Engineer Creek** at km 166 of the Dempster Highway.

A few km farther, a sign said “Red Creek”. However, Red Creek was only a tributary of the colorful stream, which SPHP finally determined was actually Engineer Creek. In any case, Engineer Creek remained visible along the Dempster Highway for a considerable distance, growing rapidly as tributaries contributed their rain-swollen flows.

7:32 AM – At km 179, Lupe and SPHP got out for another look.

Km 179. **Engineer Creek** was already a much larger stream.

The Dempster Highway follows **Engineer Creek** all the way down to its confluence with the Ogilvie River, although it’s not always visible from the road like this.

7:49 AM, 45°, km 190 – The Dempster Highway eventually angled NNW away from Engineer Creek. Dead ahead, Sapper Hill (3,019 ft.) was now in view. SPHP had expected Sapper Hill might be an easy peakbagging objective for Lupe. Instead, Sapper Hill was steep and capped by a long, ragged ridgeline. The rock formations looked so formidable, a technical rock climb might be required to reach the true summit.

Approaching **Sapper Hill**. Photo looks NNW.

Sapper Hill was surprisingly rocky and steep!

8:22 AM, 45°F, km 195.5 – A nearly deserted campground was hidden in the forest at the base of Sapper Hill. Not far beyond it, Lupe arrived at a bridge over the Ogilvie River. The bridge went right over the confluence with Engineer Creek.

The Ogilvie River was a blue, green, gray color, and much clearer than Engineer Creek. Immediately downstream of the bridge, the newly combined flows hadn’t had a chance to mix yet, and the tan silt-laden waters contributed by Engineer Creek could be seen hugging the E bank.

Sapper Hill was still in sight. Around a bend in the Dempster Highway, Mount Jeckell (4,725 ft.), another peak SPHP had hoped Lupe might have a shot at climbing, could be seen, too. However, Mount Jeckell was a much more formidable undertaking. The gloomy sky and intermittent light rain didn’t make tackling either one seem like such a hot idea.

By the **Ogilvie River** just upstream of the Dempster Highway bridge where Engineer Creek joins in. Photo looks SSW.

The Dempster Highway bridge over the **Ogilvie River**. The tan waters of **Engineer Creek** join in from the R. **Sapper Hill** is in view beyond the bridge. Photo looks E.

Looking downstream (NNE) from the bridge.

Conditions weren’t right. Lupe and SPHP continued N. The Carolina Dog would soon get to the last peak in this vicinity that SPHP had researched before she left home on this Dingo Vacation.

9:05 AM, about km 120 – SPHP parked the G6 at a pullout near the rapidly expanding Ogilvie River. Lupe’s last peakbagging candidate for a very long way was now in view. Churchward Hill (2,871 ft.) appeared less daunting than Sapper Hill or Mount Jeckell had been, and if forest didn’t interfere, views of the Ogilvie River from the summit ought to be superb. Maybe it would be worth waiting around to see if the weather might improve a bit?

**Churchward Hill** from the **Ogilvie River**. Photo looks N.

Looking upstream along the **Ogilvie River** from the same pullout. Photo looks S.

10:19 AM, 50°F about km 224.5 – There hadn’t been any decent place to park closer to Churchward Hill, so SPHP had simply pulled over as far to the R (E) along the Dempster Highway as possible. An hour had been diddled away eating an early lunch and getting ready while waiting to see what the weather was going to do. Apparently not much. No rain had fallen while Lupe had been here. Just an overcast, breezy, cool day.

Far from ideal, but good enough to take a crack at it. Starting from a point only a little SE of the mountain, Lupe crossed the highway, went down into the ditch, and started up a steep slope.

Loop about to set out for **Churchward Hill**. Photo looks NW.

The usual thick, spongy tundra of the N was underpaw. Nice and soft, but laborious to move through. The topo map showed that heading W along the lower S slopes of the mountain ultimately ought to lead to a longer, but easier route up from the SW than a direct ascent up the S face would be.

That was SPHP’s intent. The terrain never completely leveled out, but once Lupe was up the first steep embankment, the going did get easier. Loop and SPHP turned W, while still gradually gaining some elevation. So far, so good. Everything seemed to be going according to plan.

*We’re off to a good start! We’ll turn L (W) here, and look for the easiest way up*. Photo looks NW.

*Not so bad along in here, is it?* Photo looks N.

Gaining elevation at a moderate pace on the way W seemed like a good idea, but it wasn’t. Shouldn’t have gained much at all! Worked for a while, but the higher Lupe got, the steeper the terrain became. Soon SPHP was finding it difficult to make much progress toward the W. The slope was too steep. Going almost directly up the mountain was easier than making a traverse.

Up and up! Sooner or later, Lupe was going to reach the rock formations near the top of Churchward Hill. Hopefully, the Carolina Dog was far enough W to avoid getting topped out below insurmountable cliffs.

Loop was not amused by this turn of events. The were-puppy appeared, attacked SPHP several times, and delivered a stern, shrill message.

I thought we were going W! What are we doing here? Are you out of your mind, SPHP?

The were-puppy voices considerable displeasure at SPHP’s foolish deviation from the original plan of attack.

The top of Churchward Hill was more than 1,100 feet higher than where Lupe had left the G6 down at the Dempster Highway. The climb nearly got so steep that SPHP wasn’t going to be able to make it, if the incline got any worse, but by the time the first rock formations appeared, the news was good!

Lupe wasn’t stuck at the bottom of a continuous line of cliffs. She could go between the rock outcroppings. Furthermore, the climb already was no longer quite as steep. Only a short distance above the first rocks, the situation improved greatly. The slope was rapidly decreasing. Gonna make it!

Within minutes, the American Dingo was up on top. Everything was easy now, surprisingly easy. Although the entire climb had been through forest, the top of Churchward Hill was mostly open ground. With few trees and little in the way of spongy tundra up here, it was easy to move around, and the views were going to be great!

Two high points of nearly the same elevation were separated by several hundred feet. Lupe had come up quite close to the E high point, which was where the great views of the Ogilvie River ought to be, so she went over there first. A tripod stood next to a circular cairn built around a survey marker. Nearby, a sign about the survey marker stood facing SE toward a cliff. Weird! If the sign had been any closer to the cliff, no one could have read it without risking an unduly speedy descent.

Lupe reaches the **E summit of Churchward Hill**. The **W summit** is directly beyond her.

This survey marker was enclosed by a circular cairn.

Too bad it wasn’t a prettier day! The views would have been stunning! Lupe cringed at the viewpoint along the E edge of the mountain in an unpleasantly cold 20 mph S wind. The dull, gray sky did nothing for the mood, nor for the scenes on display. Yet even under these conditions, the Ogilvie River from on high was an impressive sight.

The **Ogilvie River** from **Churchward Hill**. Photo looks S.

Rapids in the **Ogilvie River**. Photo looks S with help from the telephoto lens.

Accompanied by the Dempster Highway, the **Ogilvie River** flows off to the N. Photo looks NNE.

Another look with help from the telephoto lens. The big ridge in the distance is the start of the **Eagle Plain plateau**.

Churchward Hill’s commanding views of long stretches of the Ogilvie River were the main scenic highlight, but not the only one. Beautiful mountains could be seen in most directions, the highest being off to the S. Many peaks E of the river looked like fun, relatively easy climbs, if Lupe had a way to get over to them, but she didn’t.

Peaks E of the Ogilvy River looked like fun climbs, but lacked access. Photo looks E with help from the telephoto lens.

Looking SW with help from the telephoto lens.

Much of **Churchward Hill’s summit area**. Photo looks W.

**Ogilvie River** from **Churchward Hill**. Photo looks S.

Although in the upper 40’s °F, the S wind sweeping over Churchward Hill felt cold and damp. Lupe and SPHP retreated a little down the N slope to escape the worst of the breeze, then sat together enjoying the views. The Ogilvie River flowed N toward a long ridge in the distance. This ridge was the start of the 1,000 foot high Eagle Plain plateau.

Loopster under a jacket taking shelter from the S wind. Photo looks N.

If it had been a little nicer out, it would have been fun to stay longer. As it was, at least Lupe had gotten to visit Churchward Hill (2,871 ft.). Half an hour on the forlorn, windswept summit beneath the somber sky, and the American Dingo was ready to move on.

Before leaving, Loopster visited the W summit, too. Though less of the Ogilvie River could be seen from here, looking back toward the E from a little wall of rock at the highest point, it did seem like this W end might well be the true summit of Churchward Hill.

**Ogilvie River** from **Churchward Hill’s W high point**. Photo looks S.

Lupe up on the W high point. SPHP was of the opinion that this was actually the **true summit of Churchward Hill**. However, the views of the Ogilvie River were better from the E high point, which, if not equally high, was only slightly lower. Photo looks WSW.

Looking back toward the E high point where the cairn is (R).

On the return, Lupe took a different route. Instead of heading nearly straight down the S slope the way she’d come up, she explored the route that SPHP had originally intended to take during the ascent.

This really was a better, though considerably longer, way to go. Lupe left the summit continuing W along a mostly open ridge that provided a much more gradual rate of descent. This ridge was capped by a broken line of limestone formations. The rockier terrain made for easy travel.

Lupe up on one of the bigger limestone formations on the way down the W ridge. Photo looks SW.

View to the W with help from the telephoto lens.

At the far W end, the ridge ended abruptly, dropping off sharply from a final massive rock.

*Oh, this is a better way, isn’t it? I’m glad we came this way, but we’re almost to the end of the ridge now. That last big rock on the R is it.*

From the W end of the ridge, Lupe still had considerable elevation left to lose. She headed SE down into the forest, and was soon back on deep, spongy tundra. Didn’t seem as bad going downhill, though. Turning gradually E, Loop actually had a lot of fun exploring the boreal forest.

The Carolina Dog got to roam a lot farther on the way back than she had on the way up, but eventually the final steep embankment leading down to the Dempster Highway appeared.

1:20 PM, 53°F, km 124.5 – It was still early afternoon when Lupe reached the G6. Churchward Hill had been a success, and had probably been the best possible choice that could have been made on this gray day. Plenty of time to do more, though! From up on Churchward Hill, off to the N Loop had seen the long ridge of the vast Eagle Plain plateau. Beyond the plateau was the Eagle River, and beyond that …

SPHP fired up the G6. The Dempster Highway curved a little passing through a narrow spot between the cliffs of Churchward Hill and the Ogilvie River. The road then headed N. By nightfall, for the first time in nearly a year, the Most High Exalted Dingo of the Arctic Sisterhood would return to the true Arctic.

Links:

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The Dempster Highway Travelogue Guide

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Mount Haldane, Yukon Territory, Canada (8-14-18)

Day 11 of Lupe’s 2018 Dingo Vacation to the Yukon, Northwest Territories & Alaska!

Lupe had slept well at the E edge of Beringia. Up early, she was ready to hit the road before 7:00 AM. What sort of day this was going to turn out to be wasn’t at all clear yet. Bits of blue were visible in a mostly drab, overcast sky. All was quiet at Pelly Crossing when SPHP stopped for fuel.

After crossing a pale blue bridge over the Pelly River, North Klondike Highway No. 2 wound up a hill. On a bluff overlooking Pelly Crossing, SPHP stopped a pullout. A few plaques were posted about the history of the local area. Lupe got out for a look at the peaceful scene.

The North Klondike Highway No. 2 bridge over the **Pelly River**. Photo looks SW.

It didn’t take long to look at the Pelly River. Loopster wasn’t much into plaques, either. The situation was far different a little later on at Stewart Crossing, though. Lupe was excited! Moose and bear and elk were lined up right beside the highway! The Carolina Dog was desperate for SPHP to stop. Let the fun begin!

*Thanks for stopping, SPHP, but I checked it out. It’s all fake news!*

Lupe’s excitement turned to disappointment, but at least she got to sniff around a bit. She was at the visitor center for the Silver Trail to Mayo and Keno. The visitor center wasn’t open yet, but the Silver Trail still sounded good! More plaques were on display. Loopster busied herself exploring bushes near the parking lot while SPHP took a look.

*The Silver Trail sounds like fun! Maybe even profitable!*

Stewart Crossing was only a little N of the Silver Trail visitor center. At a “T” intersection just after crossing the bridge, North Klondike Highway No. 2 went L. SPHP turned R taking Silver Trail Highway No. 11 instead.

The highway went NE up the heavily forested Stewart River valley. The river was rarely in sight. Lupe got to stop at a lookout, but even here the forest was growing up. Only a small stretch of the river could be seen. Plaques again provided information on what mostly wasn’t in view.

A glimpse of the **Stewart River** from a lookout along the Silver Trail. Photo looks ENE.

Silver Trail Highway No. 11 was paved all the way to a “T” intersection near Mayo, a distance of 53 km. To the R, the community of Mayo was somewhere not too far away back in the forest. SPHP turned L toward Keno. The Silver Trail now headed N as a perfectly fine gravel road. The highway went past a number of lakes, but nothing could be seen of them. Lupe did see the Mayo River from the Minto Bridge.

After crossing the Minto Bridge, SPHP kept an eye out for the Halfway Lakes. Just beyond the lakes, a side road was supposed to appear on the L. This was the road to the Mount Haldane (6,023 ft.) trailhead. If the turn was missed, a sign for the Silver Trail Inn ought to be visible at km 76 shortly thereafter.

Both of the Halfway Lakes were almost completely hidden from view. While passing between them, SPHP was only dimly aware of a lake on the W (L) side of the highway. However, a sign with a hiker symbol on it appeared on the R shortly before a side road was seen on the L.

The highway curved E. The Silver Trail Inn promptly came into view near the shore of E Halfway Lake. Alright! That must have been it! SPHP turned around. The side road was only 0.25 mile back.

The Mount Haldane trailhead was supposed to be on the R about 2 km from Silver Trail Highway No. 11. Sure enough, a big area scooped out of the side of a hill appeared. It was rather stony for a parking area, but reasonably level. No other vehicles were around, which wasn’t terribly surprising. SPHP parked the G6, and got out for a look. Nothing here. No signs. No information. No trail.

Loop sniffed her way around the entire perimeter. SPHP followed her, peering into the forest. The only thing visible was more forest. Huh. Seemed like this ought to be it, but maybe not? Maybe the trailhead was farther? Wouldn’t hurt to check. If that didn’t work, perhaps someone back at the Silver Trail Inn might know how to find it?

Lupe and SPHP piled back into the G6. More like 2 miles from the Silver Trail another big opening appeared on the R. This one was grassy, not stony. No other vehicles here, either, but the Carolina Dog was scarcely out of the G6 before she was able to confirm this was the right place. Near a dilapidated outhouse was a sign for the Mount Haldane trail.

Lupe arrives at the Mount Haldane trailhead. Photo looks N.

The outhouse was a little worse for the wear …

… but this was definitely the right place!

Weather conditions weren’t actually that great. The sky was completely overcast. The entire upper portion of Mount Haldane was lost in the clouds. Patches of fog drifted by the lower slopes. Sprinkles of rain were sometimes felt. However, the trail had been found, it was barely raining at the moment, and it was already getting to be late morning.

May as well give it a shot! As soon as SPHP was ready, Lupe headed out on the trail to Mount Haldane (6,023 ft.). (11:05 AM, 51°F)

The trail began as a narrow, sandy road. It soon linked up with another sandy road, which had been seen earlier shortly before reaching the trailhead. The joint trail headed NE, and soon lost its sandy quality. The surrounding forest was dense, and the air very humid. It had rained here very recently.

For the first km or so, Lupe gained little elevation. She passed through a couple of long puddles right on the trail where a small stream crossed it, the only surface water she came to. The trail eventually turned N, and began to steepen. Soon Loop was gaining elevation at a good, steady clip. It wasn’t all that warm out, but with the humidity so high, SPHP was sweating and had to shed layers.

After a km or so, the trail curved N toward Mount Haldane. Photo looks NE.

The road narrowed further as the trail went steadily higher. It became more of an ATV trail, often with a soft, green, mossy center. Forest and tall bushes pressed in on both sides. The only distant view was looking back down the road.

Looking back down the trail. Photo looks SW.

After gaining a fair amount of elevation, Lupe came to an intersection where she could go either W or E. For some reason, SPHP was under the impression that the Mount Haldane trail was going to go clear around to the E side of the mountain before reaching a ridge that would take Lupe to the summit. Due to this misconception, the American Dingo went E.

*Here we are at the intersection after a good climb up from the L (S). The road beyond me on the R is the way up Mount Hinton.* Photo looks W.

The narrow road going E curved N, and almost immediately ended at a dilapidated picnic table. A single track trail went E from here up a 30 foot high slope. Lupe made the short climb. For the first time, from a small, flat clearing covered with little rocks and young trees, she could see Halfway Lakes to the S.

A first look at the **Halfway Lakes** from a clearing close to the first picnic table. Photo looks S.

Lupe also had a view to the NW up the Fortune Creek drainage. While the summit of Mount Haldane was still in the clouds, much more of the mountain could be seen now, and the lower patches of fog had vanished.

Looking up the **Fortune Creek drainage**. Much more of **Mount Haldane** is visible now than earlier on. Photo looks NW.

Encouraging! Lupe returned to the intersection, this time taking the hard L on the ATV trail from the way she’d come up. This switchback went a long way W, before Lupe came to another sharp turn back to the NE. A series of long switchbacks and one short one ensued. All this time, there was little to be seen. As Loopster kept gaining elevation, the forest continued to hide all views.

At the NE end of one of the long switchbacks, Looper came to a second ruined picnic table. Nearby, a faint path to the R (S) led a mere 10 feet to another view of the Halfway Lakes. It wasn’t until Lupe had gone quite some distance W up another long switchback beyond the second picnic table that High Point 5300 (1,615 m) and the saddle to the E of it came into sight.

The ATV trail continued switchbacking higher. Lupe finally got above treeline. Soon she was above all the tall bushes, too. Now the American Dingo had some views! The ATV trail stopped switchbacking, and climbed steadily toward the saddle E of High Point 5300.

*Now we’re getting somewhere! That’s **High Point 5300** behind me.* Photo looks NW.

The views finally start to open up. **Halfway Lakes** at Center. Photo looks S.

The trail heads for the big saddle seen beyond Lupe. **High Point 5300** is at Center. Photo looks NW.

Looking W on the way up to the big saddle E of High Point 5300.

View to the N on the way to the saddle (out of sight to the L).

The ATV trail ended at the saddle E of High Point 5300, as far as going any farther up the mountain was concerned. For the first time, Lupe could see NW of Mount Haldane down the Bighorn Creek drainage. A chilly 15 to 20 mph breeze swept over the saddle from out of the NW. It was so cold, SPHP layered back up, even putting on gloves.

Lupe reaches the saddle E of High Point 5300. To get here, she had followed the ATV trail up the side of Mount Haldane’s S ridge seen beyond her. Photo looks SE.

*We’ve made it to the saddle E of High Point 5300! The **Bighorn Creek drainage** is on the R.* Photo looks NW.

There was good news at the saddle! The summit of Mount Haldane, still 900 feet higher, was now out in the open. What could be seen of the mountain’s SW ridge leading to it looked like an easy climb. Lupe started up the ridge heading ENE.

Starting up Mount Haldane’s SW ridge from the saddle. Photo looks NE.

Lupe had no problems getting up to **High Point 5500** seen on the R. Photo looks ENE.

A 400 foot climb along the ridge up to High Point 5500 was no trouble at all. A bit rocky higher up, but that was it. At the top, a hundred foot long section of the ridge was quite level.

Lupe reaches **High Point 5500**, an intermediate point on Mount Haldane’s S ridge. Photo looks ESE toward ponds among the headwaters of Haldane Creek.

**High Point 5300** (L of Center) is in sunlight in the foreground. Lupe had just come up from the saddle between here and there. Photo looks SW.

**Mount Haldane’s S ridge** from **High Point 5500**. **Halfway Lakes** are R of Center. Photo looks SSE.

**Halfway Lakes**. Silver Trail Highway No. 11 goes right between them. Photo looks S with lots of help from the telephoto lens.

At High Point 5500, Lupe was only 500 feet lower than Mount Haldane’s summit. The ridgeline turned NNE here. A minor dip preceded the final ascent. On a slope of dark gray rock, the steepest part was clearly going to come at the very end. Still, it didn’t look bad at all from a distance.

Only 500 feet to go! The final ascent is just ahead. Photo looks NNE.

Loop by a post on the way up. This final slope was mostly relatively stable rock. No problem at all. Photo looks NNE.

The climb did steepen toward the end. Lupe simply kept going higher. The slope was a mix of talus and larger scree, most of which was fairly stable. Nothing tricky about it, no real exposure. Just up, up, up along faint trails, a sign that others had been this way, too.

Lupe reached the top right next to a big summit cairn. An attached rock wall extended 6 or 7 feet W. A white stick protruded from the center. 10 feet to the N stood a separate metal pole with a circular metal plate at the top. At the base of the rock wall sat two boxes. One box was plastic, the other an orange painted metal. A rock rested on each one.

Success! Lupe reaches the **summit of Mount Haldane**. Photo looks SE.

Looper partway up the summit cairn. Photo looks SE.

Lupe and SPHP had been very fortunate! While it was rather chilly at the top of Mount Haldane (6,023 ft.), in the upper 30’s °F with a 15 to 20 mph NW breeze, the weather had improved a lot since Lupe had set out. The sky was still mostly overcast, but the clouds sailing overhead were now at least a few hundred feet above the mountaintop. The Carolina Dog was frequently in sunshine as breaks in the clouds offered glimpses of a pale blue sky.

Mount Haldane is locally the highest peak for a considerable distance. As a result, Lupe had tremendous views of unspoiled Yukon wilderness in all directions. Higher peaks could be seen, but most were quite far away, their summits obscured by clouds. The closest was probably Mount Hinton (6,700 ft.) to the E near Keno, but it was hidden, too.

The high ground of the summit ridge was a good 100 feet long, nearly all of it extending NW of the cairn. In other directions, the terrain dropped off quite steeply. Mount Haldane was especially cliffy to the NE. Lupe explored all the high ground, even venturing SE of the cairn, too.

Looking farther NW from the end of the highest ground along Mount Haldane’s 100 foot long summit ridge.

View from just SE of the summit cairn. **Mount Hinton (6,700 ft.)** is hidden by clouds on the horizon straight out beyond Lupe. Photo looks E.

**Mount Haldane** summit from SE of the cairn. Photo looks NW.

Lupe on **Mount Haldane**. Photo looks NW.

Looking back at the ridge Lupe came up. **High Point 5500** is on the L. **High Point 5300** on the R (Lupe’s ear points to it). Photo looks SW.

After an initial look around, Lupe was ready to for a break. She curled up by the boxes next to the rock wall. SPHP examined their contents. Both contained registries. Sadly, everything in the old orange metal box was wet and badly deteriorated. Basically garbage at this point.

However, the registry in the plastic box was in decent shape. The last entry was fairly recent. Larry LeBlanc had been here on 7-29-18. SPHP added Lupe’s name, then spent a little time reading. A surprising number of people had visited Mount Haldane.

Looper taking a break by the registry boxes. Photo looks SE.

For a while, the weather continued to improve. The chilly wind kept SPHP layered up, but more and more blue sky appeared, especially off to the NE. Yet rain showers were always visible in multiple directions.

Lupe and SPHP lingered, sometimes sitting huddled together not far from the cairn, sometimes walking out along the NW ridge. Fabulous views of the Yukon stretched away to all horizons.

**Mount Haldane’s S ridge** is in the foreground. **High Point 5500** is on the R. **Halfway Lakes** (L of Center) and **Wareham Lake** (R of Center) in the distance. Photo looks S.

**Mayo Lake** in the distance on the R. Photo looks ESE.

The **North Star Creek drainage** is in the foreground. Photo looks N.

Looking NNE with help from the telephoto lens.

**Mount Haldane’s NW ridge** is on the R. Photo looks NW toward the **South McQuesten River valley**.

Distant peaks beyond the **South McQuesten River valley**. Photo looks NW with help from the telephoto lens.

Looking SE along the summit ridge. **Mount Haldane’s E ridge** is on the L.

Lupe bathed in sunshine on **Mount Haldane**. Photo looks SE.

Looking down the steep NE face into the upper end of the **North Star Creek drainage**. Mount Haldane’s E ridge on the R is seen sweeping around to a high point toward the NE at Center. Photo looks NE.

With the aid of the telephoto lens, some sort of structure was visible at the high point of the NE ridge. Photo looks NE.

Looking down the **Fortune Creek drainage**. **Halfway Lakes** on the R. Photo looks SE.

Lupe remained at the summit of Mount Haldane for more than an hour. Toward the end, she was happiest leaning against SPHP, who sat petting her while gazing at the gorgeous Yukon scenes. The clouds seemed to be gradually lifting from Mount Hinton to the E, but the situation to the NW was deteriorating. The sky was darkening, and a still distant line of showers was heading this way.

The summit of **Mount Hinton** (Center) was almost out of the clouds. Photo looks E with help from the telephoto lens.

Time for action! Lupe had better get going.

*Hope you’ve enjoyed this tour of Mount Haldane, but rain is on the way!* Photo looks NNW.

Starting the descent to **High Point 5500** (R of Center). Photo looks SSW.

By the time Lupe was down to High Point 5500 again, Mount Hinton had actually managed to escape the clouds.

**Mount Hinton** (Center) emerges from the clouds for the first time this afternoon. Photo looks E with help from the telephoto lens.

The rain showers approaching from the NW were quite close when Lupe reached the saddle E of High Point 5300. A last glance at the territory N of Mount Haldane, then onward! Without further delay Lupe and SPHP hurried SE down the ATV trail.

*Here it comes! We’re going to get wet!* Looking NW from the saddle E of High Point 5300.

Getting drenched seemed inevitable, but the rain showers missed. A few drops, no more. However, this proved a merely temporary reprieve. More rain was on the way. Shortly before reaching the upper ancient picnic table, SPHP stopped to put on the blue plastic rain poncho.

A cold, steady rain fell all the way down the long switchbacks to the first picnic table. Never a downpour, but poor Loop got thoroughly soaked. Below the first table, the rain tapered off. Slowly the skies cleared. The forest dripped. Lupe dried off. By the time she was close to the trailhead again, Mount Haldane basked in sunshine. (6:15 PM, 59°F)

**Mount Haldane** as seen not too far from the trailhead. **High Point 5300** is in sunshine on the L. **High Point 5500** is in shadow just L of Center. Mount Haldane’s summit is also in shadow just R of Center. Photo looks N.

Mount Haldane had been a terrific day! Complete solitude, a good trail most of the way, an easy ridge walk, and a fun short scramble at the end. And at the summit, the glory of the fabled Yukon from on high.

After Alpo and helping SPHP polish off the last of the barbecued chicken, Lupe spent the rest of the evening at the trailhead. The American Dingo explored farther N along the road, chased a tennis ball, and sniffed in the forest to the W. Not until rain showers returned accompanied by mosquitoes did she retreat to the G6 to curl up beneath her blankie for the night.

Links:

Next Adventure Prior Adventure

Mount Haldane, Yukon Territory, Canada (8-15-19)

Sourdough Hill & Mount Hinton, Yukon Territory, Canada (8-14-19)