7:48 AM, 31ºF, intersection of Dewey Road (Custer Co. No. 769) and Elk Mountain Road – What a gorgeous day! A few little clouds in a brilliant blue sky. Supposed to warm up a bunch today, too, after what had been a bitter cold couple of weeks in the first part of February. Highs in the upper 50’s ºF in the forecast back home!
Yeah, so much for that around here. Not even up to freezing yet. Lupe set out for gleaming white Elk Benchmark (5,669 ft.) heading into the teeth of a frigid NW wind. Looked like, felt like, winter!
I thought you said it was going to be nice out, SPHP! Just sort of windy.
Hah! Yeah, silly me! Actually supposed to get windier, too. 40 mph gusts! How are you faring, Looper? Are you freezing? Want to turn back?
I’m OK so far, but windier won’t be good. Are you sure you’re up to this?
Not entirely, Loop. A lot colder and snowier than I was expecting, but the mountains ought to provide us some shelter once we get closer.
Let’s keep going then, SPHP. If we can get out of the wind, that will help a bunch. Hopefully, it will warm up some, too.
A cold, cold trek for nearly 1.5 miles, but conditions improved after that. At 2.5 miles long and more than 500 feet high, Elk Benchmark made an excellent windbreak. Might have warmed up a bit by the time Lupe got close to it, too. Elk Mountain Road turned SW into a sheltered valley. Suddenly the winter display was simply beautiful, instead of an ordeal.
Peak 5500 and Wildcat Peak (5,500 ft.) were already in sight. Going to be a fun day, if it didn’t get too windy up on top!
At the W end of the protected valley, Elk Mountain Road wound 300 feet up to a pass separating Elk Benchmark and Peak 5500. SPHP paused to read a sign about Bighorn sheep. As soon as SPHP finished, Lupe left the road and began climbing SE into the snowy forest.
The snow was a foot deep most places, enough to make Lupe work. Once she got into the forest a little way, she turned E until she reached the edge of the ridge she was going to follow up Peak 5500. From here she had a great view of the secluded valley she’d come through on Elk Mountain Road, and much of the ridgeline leading to the summit.
The American Dingo kept going, climbing SE along the ridgeline. Every so often, she stopped to enjoy the unobstructed views to the E from big rocks perched along the edge.
The edge of the ridge was wide open. Breezy up here, but nothing like it had been down on the prairie. The forest just W of the ridgeline helped a lot to minimize it’s effect, but Lupe could still hear the wind roaring among the swaying pines.
Partway up, Lupe came to a flat bouldery area where there was a break in the forest. She could see a long way W into Wyoming from here, but was again exposed to the wind’s full force. Annoying, but since it wasn’t quite as cold out now, the gale wasn’t as frigid as it had been earlier.
The climb continued. Really wasn’t all that steep most of the time. Lupe explored boulders and rock outcroppings. Soon she was high enough to see the white, barren N end of Elk Benchmark, where the forest had burned away nearly 20 years ago.
Near the top there were hardly any big rocks. Scattered dead trees stood forlornly on an open snowy slope covered with animal tracks and a few human ones, too. Loopster sure would have liked to see some of those Bighorn sheep, but none seemed to be around.
Fully exposed to the cold wind again, Lupe turned S toward the summit, often having to contend with deadfall hidden beneath the snow. The big view of Elk Benchmark (5,669 ft.) back to the N continued to improve.
A little NE of Peak 5500’s true summit, Wildcat Peak (5,500 ft.) came into view. Such a beautiful mountain! Lupe had been to Wildcat Peak nearly 5 years ago.
In fact, Lupe had been to Peak 5500 before, too. She’d come up over it on that same day in April, 2016 on her way back from Wildcat Peak. Ready to complete her 2nd ascent, Loop headed for the true summit.
The true summit was more of a small area than any one identifiable point, especially with so much snow around. With her 2nd ascent of Peak 5500 complete, Lupe was ready for a break. Fortunately, the forest was close enough to help minimize the wind to some degree. Loop and SPHP hung out enjoying the fabulous view of Wildcat Peak.
Not for long, though! Snow everywhere. No dry place to sit, and enough of a chilly breeze to soon convince both Dingo and human that moving on might be a good idea. Loop ventured back to the NE for a last look at Elk Benchmark before returning briefly to Peak 5500’s true summit. She then headed S exploring Peak 5500’s long summit ridge. The Carolina Dog’s next journey to Wildcat Peak was underway!
Lupe didn’t have to go very far S to reach an open region where all the trees were dead. For a rocky, wind-swept stretch hundreds of feet long, she again had big views into Wyoming. Continuing S, Loop regained the protection of a live forest. She had a final look back at the moderately higher true summit before turning SW into the trees.
Where Peak 5500’s S ridge really start to drop off, the forest gave way to more open territory again. With Wyoming less than 0.25 mile away, Lupe got up on a rock formation with a panoramic view.
Loop continued SW down the slope a little way. Easy enough, but what the American Dingo really needed to do was to get down to the saddle leading to Wildcat Peak. With snow still melting on Peak 5500’s SE face, it was just steep and slick enough to be a bit of a challenge for SPHP.
A slow, cautious descent went fine. Lupe got down to where the terrain leveled out somewhat below and SW of the saddle. Didn’t take her long to get up to it. A big clearing at the saddle was full of deep snow.
The trek up Wildcat Peak was reminiscent of the one up Peak 5500. A bit steeper on average, but the American Dingo was again climbing SE near the E edge of a long ridge. Still plenty of wildlife tracks in the snow, but no human ones here. The fabled Bighorn sheep again disappointed by failing to put in an appearance.
As Lupe regained elevation, Elk Benchmark (5,669 ft.) came into sight again, along with a steadily improving view of Peak 5500.
Wildcat Peak (5,500 ft.) had definite true summit, a huge rock at the NW end of a summit ridge several hundred feet long. Many boulders that weren’t much lower were strung out along the entire length of this ridge, but there was no denying that the one at the NW end was higher than any other.
Not a wildcat in sight, SPHP!
Nope. But then why should there be, Looper? If I remember right, last time you were here you proclaimed this mountain to be American Dingo Peak, didn’t you? “Bring it on, Wildcats!” and all that sort of thing.
Oh, that’s right, I did! Kind of forgot about that. Can’t even sniff any sign of a wildcat now.
No wildcat prints in the snow, either. Guess you scared ’em all off. They probably figured you’d be back every now and then to defend American Dingo Peak against all comers.
That must be it! I sort of thought wildcats might still sneak up here now and then, but maybe wildcats know about Carolina Dogs’ reputation for ferocity?
Makes sense to me, Loopster. Certainly explains the current dearth of wildcats. The poor wildcats are terrified to get anywhere near this joint.
The summit boulder was too tall for Lupe to be able to get up onto it by herself. SPHP wasn’t about to lift her way up there, either, when it was all slick with snow on top. No sense in risking a fall.
Instead, both Loop and SPHP got up on the highest rock next to it. As Loopster’s personal representative, SPHP reached up and tapped the top of the summit boulder. Success! Good enough for Dingo work, anyway!
Wildcat Peak’s mostly forested summit region sloped away to the SW, but toward the SE end of the upper ridge there was a clearing with big views to the S. Leaving the true summit, Lupe headed that way.
Although it was still quite cool and windy, the snow had partially melted off some of the big rocks near the SE end of the ridge. Choosing a rock with a reasonably big dry spot, SPHP sat down. Lupe snuggled close, and was soon curled up on SPHP’s lap, since solid rock ranks distressingly low on the Dingo comfort scale.
Break time! Taste of the Wild, a chocolate coconut bar, and an apple – the usual fare. It all disappeared while contemplating the dazzling white scene to the S. A huge expanse was in sight, but none of it was higher than Wildcat Peak where Lupe was now.
That wasn’t quite true. Barely detectable way off on the far SW horizon, shimmered a faint white triangle. Might even have been a cloud, except that the triangle never moved or changed. SPHP was almost certain it was actually the top of Laramie Peak (10,272 ft.).
Much closer, 5 miles SSE, were several peaks Lupe had visited nearly 5 years ago. Sullivan Peak (4,967 ft.) and Twin Buttes (4,949 ft.) were both long white ridges, the highest points in that region. Red Point (4,680 ft.) was little more than a tiny, heavily-forested, dark green hill. Nothing red about it!
Oh, it’s good to be back on American Dingo Peak, isn’t it, SPHP?
Certainly is, Loop! You going to let the wildcats reclaim their mountain now that you’ve visited it twice?
That’s getting a little radical, SPHP! Maybe we Dingoes can just share it with them? Wouldn’t really mind if some wildcats want to come prowling through here now and then. I actually like cats, you know!
Of course! Cats are cool. And wildcats are super cool!
Brisk, snow-blindingly brilliant, blue sky minutes drifted away one by one. Really was good to be here again. All too soon, it was time for the American Dingo to start back.
An hour after Lupe first reached the top of Wildcat Peak, she passed by the true summit boulder again. Before leaving for good, Loop ventured briefly out to the E edge of the mountain a little NE of the summit.
Everything off to the E looked pretty flat, but it was all a beautiful mix of green forests and white prairies beneath the wild blue sky. Banks of red dirt added a few little splotches of color. A long way to anything higher than Wildcat Peak.
Lupe’s return varied only slightly from the way she’d come up. Down at the saddle leading to Peak 5500, the Carolina Dog simply headed straight up the SE slope. Steep, but no worse than it had been farther W. Once back up on Peak 5500’s S ridge, Loop headed N.
Hey, SPHP! I’ve been thinking.
Dat so? What about? Do tell!
This is Peak 5500, right?
Yup.
No other name for it?
Not that I know of, Loop.
Well, then! If the wildcats want their peak back, maybe Peak 5500 can be American Dingo Peak instead? That way everyone’s happy! The giant deers have their Elk Benchmark, the wildcats have Wildcat Peak again, and we American Dingoes have our own mountain, too! How do you like that idea, SPHP?
Mighty considerate of you, Loopster! American Dingoes wouldn’t really lose much in the change, either. Peak 5500 is just as high as Wildcat Peak.
American Dingo Peak is a much snazzier name than plain old Peak 5500, too, SPHP, and Wildcat Peak already had a good name! It’s settled then! Peak 5500 is the new American Dingo Peak! The wildcats can have their mountain back.
OK, fine! As far as we’re concerned, so it is! Only one problem, Looper.
Problem? What problem?
What happens when the Bighorn sheep want their own mountain?
I’m not a magician, SPHP! You snooze, you lose! I’m claiming Peak 5500 for the American Dingoes. The sheep can have Bighorn Sheep Pass. After all, that’s where they put their sign!
With the issue resolved, it was – Onward! Puppy, ho! On the way down the NW ridge leading to newly proclaimed Bighorn Sheep Pass, Lupe stopped briefly at some of the big rocks to enjoy the views.
The Carolina Dog was almost down to Bighorn Sheep Pass, when all of a sudden there was an enchanting sound in the forest. Lupe dashed away, snow flying behind her! SPHP followed the Dingo’s shrill yipping to a squirrel tree.
Happy times! Only squirrel of the whole day, but one was better than none. Every bit as good as a Bighorn sheep or a wildcat as far as Lupe was concerned. Joy rang through the forest. Once satisfied that she had given the squirrel what for, Lupe explored some big rocks to the W.
Then it was on down to Bighorn Sheep Pass, and a lovely late afternoon stroll on Elk Mountain Road back to the G6. (End 4:18 PM, 41ºF)
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Black Hills, SD Expedition No. 168 – Wildcat Peak, Fanny Peak & Summit Ridge (4-21-16)
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