Start – 8:39 AM, 50°F, Needles Hwy No. 87 in Custer State Park a little N of Little Squaw Creek
The NE end of Peak5733 was already in view as Lupe started out on a dirt side road off Needles Hwy No. 87 heading W up the Little Squaw Creek valley. The morning was cool, calm, and comfortable with mostly blue skies. Looked the Carolina Dog had like a great day for peakbagging a few seldom climbed peaks in Custer State Park!
Peak 5733 (Center) from the Little Squaw Creek valley. Photo looks SW.
Loop would be getting to Peak 5733 soon enough. However, she stayed on the dirt road only a short distance before abandoning it to turn NW up a side valley. The lower end of this valley was forested and shady. Lupe was delighted to find some melting snow. Not much, but enough to cool off on, or get a mouthful of to wet her tongue now and then.
A little snow is always a good thing!
Going NW up the valley, Lupe climbed steadily. She quickly reached a minor ridge where a young forest was full of slash. The slash was left over from efforts to thin the trees, but what a mess!
On the first little ridge.Kind of a mess, isn’t it?
Slow going for sure! Gradually picking a way through the slash, Lupe and SPHP finally got above it. The slope steepened, but this was still a lot easier than dealing with all the slash. Lupe kept going and eventually came to a top.
Thick forest and steeper terrain, but this is easier than all that slash!
Loopster had made it up to Peak 5647’s summit ridge. The topo map showed two summits on Peak5647 within 5640 foot contours. The true summit was presumably the 5,647 foot elevation point marked at the S end of the S contour. However, visual confirmation wasn’t going to be possible due to all the trees.
Before heading S to look for the true summit, Lupe explored N along the ridge. She quickly came to a high point, although it wasn’t initially clear if this was Peak 5647’s N summit or not. Continuing N another 70 feet, Lupe found a small opening with a view of Black Elk Peak(7,231 ft.) and the Cathedral Spires(6,840 ft.).
Do dead logs count as summits? This one’s higher than any of the ground around here.Oh, probably not. I’d better stand on this highest rock, too. Photo looks SSW.Cathedral Spires (L) and Black Elk Peak (Center). Photo looks NNW.
After a short break at the viewpoint, Lupe started back S along the main ridge. The whole thing was so densely forested that she didn’t come to any other decent views. As it turned out, the first high point she’d been to was not the N summit. Farther S, Loop came to another clearly higher spot that was probably it.
On Peak 5647’s N summit.
Even the S summit, presumably the true summit of Peak5647, lacked views. Tree-broken glimpses of Peak5733 and Peak5880 were about it. A pink plastic ribbon was tied around a tree close to the highest rocks, but Lupe was far more interested in something hiding beneath a log down the slope to the E.
This seems to be the true summit of Peak 5647! Several other rocks around here are about this high, too. Photo looks SW.A pink ribbon. Now there’s excitement for you! Photo looks S.Summit, schmummit! All the action is down here!
Once the American Dingo had exhausted the entertainment value of whatever had been hiding beneath the fallen log, it was time to press on to Peak 5733. To get there, Lupe had to drop nearly 600 feet back down to the Little Squaw Creek valley. Taking a direct route down Peak 5647’s S slope, she came to a rock outcropping with a decent view to the SE.
Best view from anywhere near the S end of Peak 5647! Photo looks SE.
All the rest of the way down, Lupe roamed a steep forest. However, the bottom of the Little Squaw Creek valley was mostly meadow. Loopster hadn’t actually seen Little Squaw Creek earlier, but she now had to cross it. No problem at all, thanks to the “Little” part of Little Squaw Creek.
Down in the Little Squaw Creek valley again, but 0.33 mile upstream of where we left the dirt road early on. Photo looks SE.Little Squaw Creek. One little leap is all it takes! Photo looks NW.
After crossing Little Squaw Creek, Lupe started up Peak 5733’s N slope between a short N ridge and a longer NE one. Big patches of snow were still melting away on densely forested ground that started off steep, and got steeper. Lupe climbed SW or WSW. The terrain became very steep as she drew near rock outcroppings up on the N ridge. Fortunately, by this time Loop was above the slippery snow, otherwise SPHP never would have made it.
Once up on the N ridge, Lupe still faced a good climb heading S up to Peak 5733’s summit ridge. Not quite so steep, no snow, and the forest was more open, though, so this was easier than what she had just done. The last part was an easy scramble up a boulder field.
On the boulder field leading to the N end of Peak 5733’s summit ridge. Photo looks S.
Peak 5647 where we’ve just been is on the R. The big knob of rock way out beyond my head is Mount Rushmore! Photo looks N.Mount Rushmore with help from the telephoto lens. Photo looks N.Little Devil’s Tower (far L), Cathedral Spires (L), Black Elk Peak (Center), and Peak 6735 (R). Photo looks NNW with help from the telephoto lens.
Lupe followed the main ridge SW looking for the summit of Peak5733. The ridgeline was fairly rough. The American Dingo came to several rocky high points before finally reaching a clearly higher region. The true summit proved to be a tall, curved rock. Rock outcroppings nearly as high were 50 feet away both to the NE and SW.
Exploring Peak 5733’s fairly rough summit ridge. Photo looks SW.At one of the false summits Lupe came to. Photo looks SW.Peak 5733 summit. Sort of an unusually shaped rock! Photo looks W.This is it! Top of the mountain!Those rocks on the L are the SW high point. Photo looks SW.Here’s a glimpse of Little Devil’s Tower and the Cathedral Spires. Photo looks NW.
Traveling along the ridgeline, Lupe had caught glimpses of Legion Lake, but the lake couldn’t be seen from here. Trees blocked the views in most directions, but by moving around the summit area a bit, Looper did see Mount Coolidge(6,023 ft.) and Northeast Cicero Peak(6,240 ft.) off to the SW.
Mount Coolidge (L) and Northeast Cicero Peak (Center). Photo looks SW.Here’s a little better look at Mount Coolidge (L) from the SW high point. Photo looks SW.Northeast Cicero Peak with help from the telephoto lens.
Having already completed 2 of her 3 peakbagging objectives for the day, Lupe was ready to take a break. The Carolina Dog curled up on SPHP’s lap, facing into a 10-15 mph NW breeze. The best views from Peak 5733 were in this direction.
After a rest, we’ll be climbing Peak5880 (L) next! Sylvan Hill(7,000 ft.) is on the R. Photo looks NW.Little Devil’s Tower (far L), Cathedral Spires (L), and Black Elk Peak (R) from close to Peak 5733’s summit. Photo looks NNW with help from the telephoto lens.
The day was clouding up. Perhaps a bit of weather was going to come out of the NW? Didn’t seem threatening, though. Lupe was content. She stayed on SPHP’s lap, watching and waiting.
45 minutes near Peak 5733’s summit was enough. The American Dingo was ready to move on! Peak5880, the final hill on today’s agenda was in view more than a mile off to the WNW.
Peak 5880, Lupe’s next objective. Photo looks WNW.
Peak 5733’s W slope was thickly covered with slash. Instead of heading directly down into such misery, Lupe followed the main ridge farther SW. Easier to move around up here, but the situation to the W wasn’t improving. Looper did lose at least some elevation before the slash had to be taken on. The W slope wasn’t steep, but SPHP was very slow at picking a way through all the debris.
SPHP finally made it down to where the amount of slash present was greatly diminished. Lupe heard a squirrel and dashed off at top speed, thrilled to be able to run again!
Racing down the slope! Photo looks WNW.
After crossing a gently sloping region, Loopster came to a line of scenic granite formations. She followed them a little way before heading W down into a shallow valley. This valley was part of the Little Squaw Creek drainage, but no surface water was present here. However, going NW the valley soon widened out, and Loop did come to some marshy ground. This marshy area was both the source of Little Squaw Creek, and the low point of Lupe’s trek to Peak 5880.
Getting closer! There’s Peak 5880! Loop on one of the granite formations. Photo looks W.
From the marsh, a rutty dirt road went W. Lupe followed it. A sign said she was on Centennial Trail No. 89! Only a couple of weeks ago, Lupe had been exploring the Centennial Trail on Expedition No. 249, but a few miles farther N in the Black Elk Wilderness.
The rutty road led up out of the Little Squaw Creek drainage. Lupe came to an intersection with a better dirt road. Another sign for Centennial Trail No. 89 was SW along this better road toward Peak 5880.
Near the Centennial Trail No. 89 sign on the better dirt road. Peak 5880 (Center). Photo looks SW.
Following the good road SW, Lupe gradually gained elevation. Near Peak 5880, the road leveled out and curved W. The Carolina Dog left the road here, going first SW through a meadow, then S up a forested slope. After gaining nearly 300 feet of elevation, Loop reached a saddle on Peak 5880’s SE ridge.
The summit was still 0.25 mile away. Lupe turned NW climbing along the ridge. In some areas, quite a bit of slash was present, but the worst of it could usually be avoided. After gaining another 140 feet, the ridge leveled out. Lupe came to the W end of a rock ledge. The pointy summit of Peak 5880 was in sight beyond a slash-filled minor saddle. Loopster was almost there!
Pointy summit of Peak 5880 dead ahead! Photo looks W.Not even to the top yet, but this is kind of a scenic spot.Peak 5880 (L). Photo looks WNW.There’s Little Devil’s Tower and the Cathedral Spires (Center) again! Photo looks NNW.
Despite the slash in the saddle, and a steep little climb, Lupe was soon at the top of Peak5880. A U-shaped ring of boulders surrounded a small patch of pine needle-covered ground. The American Dingo got up on several of the boulders. The highest one was a bit of a precarious perch.
At the mostly rocky top of Peak 5880. Photo looks W.Quite a lofty perch, but too many trees to see much from up here! Photo looks W.How does this look? This is a slightly higher rock. Photo looks WSW.Loopster clinging to the very highest rock on Peak 5880 for you peakbagging purists out there! Photo looks SSE.In the little sheltered spot nearly surrounded by boulders. Photo looks SE.
With 3 out of 3 peakbagging objectives successfully completed, it was time for another break. SPHP sat on a narrow ledge overlooking a nearly vertical drop. Lupe once again curled up on SPHP’s lap. Despite the airy setting, there were too many trees to see much. The only clear views were off to the E. Both Peak5647 and Peak5733 were in sight.
Looking NNE.Peak 5647 (L) and Peak 5733 (R). Photo looks E.
Loop rested calmly. SPHP ate an apple. 4:00 PM, plenty of time to get back before dark. 20 minutes of the same view was plenty, though. Nice, but not that dramatic. Lupe was ready to go down Peak 5880’s S ridge a little way to see if anything interesting was over there. Yes! Quite a nice view of Custer Mountain(6,089 ft.) and Stockade Lake.
That was about all, though. Before leaving Peak 5880, Lupe returned briefly to the summit.
On top of Peak 5880 for the final time. Photo looks NE.
On the return to Needles Hwy No. 87, Lupe retraced her route only as far as the marshy area down in the Little Squaw Creek valley. She did not climb Peak 5733 or Peak 5647 again.
A glimpse of Mount Coolidge on the way down Peak 5880’s SE ridge. Photo looks S with help from the telephoto lens.
The Carolina Dog displayed great energy, running and sniffing her way down the Little Squaw Creek valley. Deer fleeing SPHP’s approach got her all excited! Most of the time Lupe stuck to dirt roads, but not always.
Along the beginnings of Little Squaw Creek. Photo looks NE.
Between Peak 5647 and Peak 5733, Lupe came to a small pond. A couple of ducks flew off, unhappy about having company. From here, it was a pleasant road hike all the rest of the way back to the G6. (5:56 PM, 57ºF)
Near the duck pond N of Peak 5733. Photo looks SW.
Lupe had enjoyed a successful day of peakbagging in Custer State Park. She now had another reason to celebrate! Yesterday evening, Lupe’s Grandma had given SPHP some leftover roast beef.
That’s right! As soon as Lupe got home, roast beef was on the menu again! And did a thoughtful, famished American Dingo that had spent a whole day climbing mountains share any roast beef with SPHP?
She did not!
Oh, come on now! That’s just silly! I would have shared if I’d gotten full!
Start – 7:47 AM, 61°F, Big Pine trailhead of Centennial Trail No. 89 near Horsethief Lake, Hwy 244
Hard to believe more than 4 months had already flown by since Lupe had last been on Centennial Trail No. 89! Even harder to believe that the last time she’d done this particular section of it was more than 7 years ago. Lupe hadn’t even been 15 months old back on Expedition No. 10. Not likely she remembered any of it now. Going from the Big Pine trailhead to the Iron Creek Horse Camp was going to seem like a whole brand new experience.
Today we’ll be heading S from Big Pine through the Black Elk Wilderness to the Iron Creek Horse Camp. Almost 9 miles one way!
In any event, Loopster was all fired up! As soon as SPHP was ready, she crossed Hwy 244 and hit the trail. Centennial Trail No. 89 wound WSW through typical pine forest. Most of the time Lupe was gaining elevation gradually. She passed by some rock formations fairly early on.
Rock formations not far from the Big Pine trailhead.
After 0.75 mile, Lupe came to a junction with Willow Creek Rushmore Trail No. 5. A map of the local trail system was here, plus a registration station for the Black Elk Wilderness. SPHP registered for Lupe, and she continued on.
At the junction with Trail No. 5. Centennial Trail No. 89 continues on past the map.Map at the junction with Trail No. 5.
Leaving the junction, Centennial Trail No. 89 climbed steadily. 0.25 mile brought Lupe to a sign at the edge of the Black Elk Wilderness. Beyond this sign, the trail made a couple of switchbacks up to a minor pass. On both sides of a wide path, the forest was tightly packed with dog hair pines, so SPHP brilliantly named this pass Dog Hair Pass.
Dog Hair Pass was the first significant high point of the day. Lupe had gained 261 feet of elevation since leaving the Big Pine trailhead.
At the start of the Black Elk Wilderness.Here we are at Dog Hair Pass!
From Dog Hair Pass, Centennial Trail No. 89 gradually descended S into a remote valley. Dead trees had fallen across the trail in some places. At one point, a tiny stream trickled right on the trail. Lupe began getting glimpses of big rock formations, especially toward the E. The Carolina Dog eventually came to a larger stream. This was Pine Creek.
Some deadfall here due to an old pine bark beetle infestation, but it’s not too bad.A tiny stream is flowing right over this stretch of trail.Lots of big rock formations around, but most are fairly well hidden by the forest.This must be Pine Creek!Pine Creek.
After crossing Pine Creek, Centennial Trail No. 89 followed the stream E. Lupe saw more rock formations. She crossed a little tributary stream. The trail then curved N. A wall of rock appeared on the other side of Pine Creek shortly before Lupe came to a larger tributary.
A rock formation with a hollow spot underneath.Crossing a small tributary of Pine Creek.This wall of rock appeared shortly before Loop reached a larger tributary.
This larger tributary was as far downstream as Centennial Trail No. 89 was going to follow Pine Creek, and the first significant low point. Lupe had lost nearly 240 feet of elevation since leaving Dog Hair Pass. Her net elevation gain to this point was only about 21 feet. As the crow flies, she hadn’t actually gotten very far from the trailhead yet, either, less than a mile, due to the circuitous route the trail had taken.
Lupe crossed the larger tributary of Pine Creek. Centennial Trail No. 89 started climbing again following the tributary upstream.
At the first significant low point in the Pine Creek valley. Centennial Trail No. 89 follows this tributary upstream from here.
Staying N of the creek, the trail climbed E at a fairly good clip for a little way. The creek then turned S, and Centennial Trail No. 89 did, too. The valley leveled out for 0.25 mile or more. Lupe crossed the tributary of Pine Creek twice along in here. After the second crossing, the trail immediately left the stream behind and climbed E up a long slope to the next minor pass.
This second pass was also a significant high point along the trail, and was also heavily forested with a bunch of dog hair pines. However, SPHP didn’t think naming every pass Dog Hair Pass No. 1, No. 2, etc. was such a good idea. Quite cleverly, with hardly any mental effort at all, SPHP came up with Short Pine Pass as a suitable designation. No doubt Lupe was impressed, but she didn’t actually say so.
Lupe had gained 280 feet of elevation on the way from the low point at Pine Creek up to Short Pine Pass, bringing her net elevation gain to 301 feet.
At the first of two crossings of the tributary after leaving Pine Creek.Looking back after leaving the tributary behind.Short Pine Pass.
From Short Pine Pass, Centennial Trail No. 89 wound down into a ravine where the tops of trees killed by pine bark beetles had been snapped off in high winds. This did open up the views a bit. Lupe could see larger rock formations off to the SE now.
Bigger rock formations SE of Short Pines Pass.
The American Dingo was coming to an area she had been to many times before, a short section of Centennial Trail No. 89 that is shared with Horsethief Lake Trail No. 14.
At the junction with Horsethief Lake Trail No. 14.Turn L at this junction with Horsethief Lake Trail No. 14 to stay on Centennial Trail No. 89.
Upon reaching Horsethief Lake Trail No. 14, Lupe turned L (NE). Two minutes on the shared trail brought her to where the trails divided again. To the L, Horsethief Lake Trail No. 14 went straight to Horsethief Lake and Hwy 244, a major shortcut back to the Big Pine trailhead.
Going to Horsethief Lake would have completed a nice loop, but that wasn’t the plan. Loopster went R, sticking with Centennial Trail No. 89. Almost immediately after making the turn, she came to a small stream. This little stream was the 2nd significant low point. Lupe was about 190 feet lower here than at Short Pines Pass, reducing her net elevation gain to 111 feet.
At the next trail junction, only a couple of minutes from the first one. Horsethief Lake Trail No. 14 goes off to the L. Centennial Trail No. 89 bends around to the R.Go around this bend to the R to stick with Centennial Trail No. 89!Centennial Trail No. 89 crosses this tiny creek right after leaving Horsethief Lake Trail No. 14.
The trail now began climbing steadily again. Not too long after crossing the tiny creek, Lupe passed by a very tall granite spire. Beyond the spire, the trail led SE up a long valley. Near the upper end, Lupe came to a few mild switchbacks before reaching a 3rd significant high point. Since the trees were bigger here, but not enormous, SPHP designated this spot Medium Pines Pass.
Near the tall granite spire.Welcome to Medium Pines Pass, at 5,500 feet the highest point on Centennial Trail No. 89 between Big Pine and the Iron Creek Horse Camp!
Medium Pines Pass is the highest point along Centennial Trail No. 89 between Big Pine and the Iron Creek Horse Camp. Lupe was now at 5,500 feet, a gain of 310 feet from the little creek near the last junction with Horsethief Lake Tail No. 14, and 421 feet higher than the Big Pine trailhead where she’d started out.
Beyond Medium Pines Pass, the trail continued SE on a steady descent into the next valley. Large rock formations capped hills to the E. Lupe came to a big granite boulder right next to the trail. She got up onto it for a better look.
SE of Medium Pines Pass.On the granite boulder.Granite formations capping hills E of the trail.
Past the boulder, a long set of stairs wound deeper into the valley. Below the stairs, the trail continued lower, but not as steeply. Looper came to another tiny stream, which she promptly plopped herself into to cool off. After crossing this stream, the trail followed it lower for a while before unexpectedly curving away to the W, climbing perhaps 150 feet to yet another pass.
Rock formations visible E of the trail before it curved away to Deadfall Pass.
Deadfall Pass was the 4th high point Lupe had come to, but didn’t seem as significant as the others. The trail was soon descending again, but at an easy pace interspersed with flat stretches. Lupe had been going SW on the way over Deadfall Pass, but beyond it the trail gradually curved around to the SE again while winding along forested slopes. More tiny streams appeared, so small they were almost certainly seasonal.
Eventually the trail turned NE, and dropped down to a larger stream, which was often heard, but seldom seen. Impressive granite formations were in this area, especially to the N. Lupe came to a small pond.
Crossing Deadfall Pass.Another tiny stream. The trail crossed several along in here.A nice flat section.Near the little pond.This pond might be seasonal, but seemed deep enough to be around most of the time.
A short distance past the pond, the trail bent around to the S. It wasn’t much farther to another intersection. A sign indicated Lupe had reached a spur trail leading to Mount Rushmore.
The trail on the L is a spur coming in from Mount Rushmore. Lupe kept going straight on the R past the mossy log.
Ignoring the spur to Mount Rushmore, Lupe kept heading S. She was still going down the same valley Centennial Trail No. 89 had been in for a while now. The stream in this valley had grown in size, but was still small enough to easily step or leap over as the trail crossed it twice.
Crossing the stream S of the spur to Mount Rushmore.
The second crossing came just before Lupe reached a confluence with another even bigger creek. Since this confluence wasn’t too far off the trail, Lupe went over to have a look at it. She was now at 4,860 feet, the lowest point she would come to today, having lost 640 feet since leaving Medium Pines Pass. The Carolina Dog had made it to Grizzly Bear Creek.
At the confluence of the stream Lupe had been following with Grizzly Bear Creek.
Returning to Centennial Trail No. 89, Lupe continued S. 100 feet brought her to a ford. This ford was no more than a couple of feet deep, but far too wide to leap over. Not anxious to get wet feet, SPHP looked for a drier way across. A few boulders 40 feet upstream did the trick.
More than 4 hours had shot by since Lupe left the Big Pine trailhead. Grizzly Bear Creek was a beautiful spot to take a little break. Once over the stream, Lupe and SPHP relaxed for a bit on a big rock.
Grizzly Bear Creek.Don’t want to get your paws wet crossing Grizzly Bear Creek? Cross it here! This is a nice rock to rest on, too, once you’re over.
The rest break next to Grizzly Bear Creek was pleasant, but couldn’t be allowed to drag on too long. The Carolina Dog was soon on her way S again. Centennial Trail No. 89 climbed gradually at first, but before long Grizzly Bear Creek veered off to the W. Lupe found herself going up a side canyon on one of the most aggressive climbs of the day.
By the time Lupe reached Rushmore Pass, she was 320 feet higher than the low point she had just left at Grizzly Bear Creek. Up at the pass, the trail briefly curved E and entered a 40 foot wide clearing.
The clearing at Rushmore Pass.
Not much could be seen from the clearing, but a hill NE of it provided a view. Temporarily leaving the trail, Lupe scrambled up to some rocks from which Mount Rushmore(5,725 ft.) was in sight.
Mount Rushmore (R). Photo looks N.Another look with help from the telephoto lens.Only Washington and Lincoln are visible from this angle. Photo looks N.
From Rushmore Pass, Centennial Trail No. 89 continued S, once again steadily losing elevation. After a while, Loopster came to a big granite formation on the L (E) partly surrounded by a swamp. SPHP had little recollection of what Lupe had seen so far today from back when she had been here 7 years ago, but this rock did seem vaguely familiar. The area seemed more overgrown than what SPHP recalled, but was probably the same spot.
This rock deserved a name! How about Forgotten Rock? Sounded better than Dimly Remembered Rock.
Forgotten Rock! Don’t worry, there isn’t going to be a test. You can forget it, too!
The trail went on and on. From Forgotten Rock, Lupe followed a small stream uphill, crossing the stream twice before it disappeared. A spindly forest grew at another minor pass where there was a small sunny spot. SPHP dubbed this one Nowhere Pass. Nowhere Pass turned out to be hardly a pass at all. A little farther on, Lupe reached South Deadfall Pass, which was slightly higher.
Another descent, but a minor one. The trail curved to the R and crossed “Muck Creek”. Centennial Trail No. 89 climbed again. At last Lupe came to a place she had been to less than 2.5 years ago, an intersection with Centennial Bypass Trail No. 89B. Lupe had accidentally come this way from Iron Mountain(5,446 ft.) on Expedition No. 184 while looking for Peak5688.
Nowhere Pass.South Deadfall Pass.Ever feel like you’ve been in a rut? Lupe S of South Deadfall Pass.Here we are at lovely “Muck Creek”!Oh, I remember this spot! SPHP missed a turn and I wound up here on Expedition No. 184. Not going this way today!
Bypassing Centennial Bypass Trail No. 89B, a short trek brought Loop to yet another pass. Bypass Pass seemed like a silly, but appropriate name. How many of these goofy passes were there going to be anyway? Even SPHP was starting to lose track of them all.
A splendid fungus on a dead tree.Bypass Pass.
Centennial Trail No. 89 continued S from Bypass Pass on a long gentle decline. Having been here so recently, SPHP knew exactly where Lupe was going to come out – Confusion Point!
Confusion Point was another trail intersection, but an unmarked one. Way back on Expedition No. 10, SPHP hadn’t known which way to go. Now it was understood that Confusion Point was one end of another short section of shared trail, this time with Grizzly Creek Trail No. 7. When Lupe got to Confusion Point, SPHP had her turn L (E) toward a huge granite spire.
Loop at Confusion Point.
The shared section of trail began heading E toward the spire. It quickly curved SE revealing a wide passage between massive walls of granite. Grizzly Creek Trail No. 7 went through that passage, but Centennial Trail No. 89 split off to the R, resuming its course S. A sign was present, but not terribly conspicuous. It would have been easy to miss this turn, if Lupe hadn’t been here before.
Grizzly Creek Trail No. 7 goes straight on through the wide passage ahead. Centennial Trail No. 89 splits off to the R just beyond Lupe.Centennial Trail No. 89 right after it leaves Grizzly Creek Trail No. 7.The not so conspicuous sign.
Lupe had made tremendous progress! Only 1.25 miles left to the Iron Creek Horse Camp!
Leaving Grizzly Creek Trail No. 7 behind, Lupe climbed 50 or 60 feet in a fairly short distance. At the high point, newly nicknamed Confusion Pass, there was a rock formation immediately to the R of Centennial Trail No. 89. Loop got up onto it. She had a good view of some of the big granite formations she had just gone by, and could see Black Elk Peak(7,231 ft.), the highest mountain in South Dakota, too.
Rock formations in the Confusion Pass region.There’s Black Elk Peak (Center)! Photo looks NW.
Another descent began from Confusion Pass. Lupe came to a low area where a stream wound through a grassy field. Out in the middle sat a big rock formation. This was it! This was the rock formation that SPHP had been thinking of earlier at Forgotten Rock. No wonder Forgotten Rock hadn’t looked quite the same! It wasn’t.
Forgotten Rock could keep its name. SPHP truly hadn’t remembered it at all. The rock Lupe was at now could be Memory Rock, since there had at least been some recollection of it. Yeah, that made sense!
There’s Memory Rock! Guess a few brain cells are still functioning.At Memory Rock less than a mile from the Iron Creek Horse Camp. Forgotten Rock is considerably farther N.
Centennial Trail No. 89 climbed again. Off to the NW were glimpses of higher mountains, but no clear views. Making short forays off-trail, Lupe had better luck seeing some lesser, but still interesting formations much closer by.
Rugged territory by Black Hills standards to the NW.Closer pinnacles.Same view with help from the telephoto lens.
The trail dropped again, but Lupe didn’t have an awful lot farther to go. She came to another good-sized stream. Iron Creek! Possible to rock hop it today, but just barely.
We’ve finally made it to Iron Creek!Looking back after crossing Iron Creek.
The trail made one more 75 foot climb before descending to a road. Lupe had made it all the way through the Black Elk Wilderness! She passed a brand new Black Elk Wilderness sign on the way down. More maps were posted at the road.
Good job! We’ve made it all the way through the Black Elk Wilderness! Spiffy new sign, aye?Map display by the side of the road.Black Elk Wilderness map.
After a quick look at the maps, Lupe and SPHP followed the road down to a bridge over Iron Creek. On the other side of the bridge, Lupe came to the Iron Creek Horse Camp. This early in the season, the horse camp was closed. Lupe and SPHP took a stroll around the loop anyway. No people, and sadly for Lupe, no horses.
At the far end of the loop, Lupe passed the start of Norbeck Trail No. 3, most of which goes through the SW part of the Black Elk Wilderness. The highlight of the whole horse camp tour was a bright orange bird which flitted by, came to rest in a tree for 20 seconds, then flitted away. SPHP had never seen a bird like it before.
Success! Lupe reaches the Iron Creek Horse Camp.Iron Creek Horse Camp would be even better with horses!This bright orange bird was striking, but Lupe would have been more impressed with a bright orange squirrel.
And that was it. 8 hours after leaving the Big Pine trailhead, Lupe set out from Iron Creek Horse Camp, this time heading N on Centennial Trail No. 89. Already 4:00 PM! SPHP was certain the American Dingo wouldn’t get back until well after dark.
However, Lupe had an option. Instead of repeating the entire trudge over all those countless passes on Centennial Trail No. 89, at Confusion Point she could take Grizzly Creek Trail No. 7 instead. This maneuver worked out perfectly! The Carolina Dog saw territory she had never seen before. Grizzly Creek Trail No. 7 was easy, too! Much straighter, with far less up and down than Centennial Trail No. 89.
The first of many tiny cattail ponds along Grizzly Creek Trail No. 7.Exploring Grizzly Creek Trail No. 7.Evening draws nigh.
Lupe made rapid progress. When she reached the S end of Horsethief Lake Trail No. 14, she took it all the way to Horsethief Lake. Arriving at the lake before dark, a short stroll through the campground to Hwy 244 was all that remained to return to the Big Pine trailhead. (7:28 PM, 59°F)
Even though Lupe had climbed to 5,660 feet on Horsethief Trail No. 14, she’d made it all the way back to Big Pine in only 3.5 hours! No stars, no moon, no long march in the dark.
That was OK! Lupe had explored all of Centennial Trail No. 89 between Big Pine and the Iron Mountain Horse Camp. In 11.5 hours, she’d made a big figure 8 through the heart of the Black Elk Wilderness. It had all been fun! What sounded like fun now, though, was a ride home to her Alpo and a long snooze.
Evening at Horsethief Lake, Black Hills of South Dakota 4-20-18
Notes: Big Pine trailhead and the Iron Creek Horse Camp are at roughly the same elevation. Estimated total elevation gain (and loss) going from Big Pine to Iron Creek Horse Camp on Centennial Trail No. 89 is 1,781 feet. Elevation gain (and loss) via Lupe’s return route on the Grizzly Creek and Horsethief Lake trails was only 964 feet. Total gain (loss) of 2,745 feet round trip.
