Dusty – Page 6 – The (Mostly) True Adventures of Lupe

Black Hills, SD Expedition No. 174(a) – Summits on the Air! (Custer Peak, 7-2-16)

Lupe returned from her grand adventures in the Laramie Mountains of Wyoming on June 1, 2016. Naturally, she expected to resume her explorations of the Black Hills in short order, but it didn’t happen.

May and June are normally the wettest months of the year in the Black Hills, but May had been very dry with temperatures running much above normal. By early June, the sun was blazing day after day in cloudless skies. Temperatures frequently soared to near record-breaking levels. Almost no rain fell. SPHP may as well have planted saguaros in the garden. For Lupe, climbing mountains in a fur coat would have been miserable. The Black Hills just aren’t high enough.

So Lupe’s adventures in June were mostly along the line of adventures in watering the lawn. She fought with the old garden hose, converting it into a sprinkler hose in the process. She chewed foot-long pieces off the end. She played tug-of-war with SPHP, won most of the time, and became a very soggy (and cool!) doggie in the process, as the leaky hose sprayed water in every direction.

When she wasn’t a soggy doggie, Lupe licked ice cream from the freezer and consumed cold Alpo from the refrigerator. A whole lot of panting and dozing went on the rest of the time. Whenever the temperature got close to 100°F, SPHP would finally break down and turn on the AC in the bedroom, so Lupe could hide from the heat.

Nothing really changed until July 1st. That morning, Lupe and SPHP woke up to rain! It wasn’t raining hard, but at least the air was much cooler and clouds covered the sky. Within a couple of hours, Lupe had another surprise. Andrea called! She was in town with Joe and Dusty! Did Lupe want to come over to grandma’s house and play?

When she heard the news, Lupe was ecstatic! She barked and leaped to hurry SPHP along. Soon she was racing up the steps into grandma’s house to welcome everyone to South Dakota in her most enthusiastic Carolina Dog style. Grandma had Beggin’ Strips for Lupe and Dusty. The two dogs got to play ball and Frisbee with Joe and SPHP in the yard, go for walks, and lay on the deck with a view of the canyon. There was ice cream, too. July was off to a good start!

Joe is a ham radio operator. He started telling SPHP about Summits on the Air, “an awards scheme for radio amateurs that encourages portable operation in mountainous areas”. Peaks are assigned a point value. Ham radio operators can earn points toward the SOTA “Mountain Goat” award by meeting certain criteria while operating from a peak, or points toward the “Shack Sloth” award for contacting those operating on a peak from home.

The home page for Summits on the Air (SOTA).

Joe had never tried the SOTA system before, but wondered if Lupe and SPHP would like to serve as guides to a suitable peak in the Black Hills? Since Summits on the Air combines Lupe’s peakbagging interests with Joe’s amateur radio hobby, it sounded like fun! Following the rain, the next day’s weather was supposed to be good, too, with highs only in the 70’s. The question was, where to go?

Joe and SPHP looked over the SOTA website. All of the Black Hills in South Dakota is included in two SOTA regions with a total of 181 listed peaks. Most of these peaks have never been officially “activated” in the Summits on the Air system by anyone operating a portable radio from the peak. After considerable discussion, Joe and SPHP selected Custer Peak (6,804 ft.) for Joe’s first SOTA attempt. Joe created a free Summits on the Air account for himself.

The next morning, Joe posted a notification (called an “alert”) on the SOTA website that Joe (call sign AA0Q) would be operating his portable radio from Custer Peak. The alert included the frequencies he would be using, and an estimated start time. Once the alert was posted, Lupe, Dusty, Joe and SPHP dashed off to Custer Peak!

At 10:58 AM (72°F), Joe parked the G6 at Lupe’s usual starting point at the junction of USFS Road No. 216 (Custer Peak Road) and USFS Road No. 216.2A. Although Lupe was only a little over 0.5 mile SE of the summit, the road to Custer Peak was nearly 2 miles long. Lupe, Dusty, Joe and SPHP started the trek to the top along No. 216.2A.

Looking S from No. 216.2A near the start of the trek up Custer Peak (not shown).

Although Joe and Dusty had never been to Custer Peak before, this was Lupe’s 6th ascent. Based on prior experience, SPHP had been telling Joe not to expect to see anyone at all on Custer Peak. SPHP couldn’t have been more wrong! SPHP’s pronouncement quickly became a joke. First, Lupe and Dusty started coming to vehicles parked along the road. Then dozens of people began to appear, most of them arriving in caravans of 4 or 5 ATV’s.

ATV’s roared up and down the dusty road. As Lupe, Dusty, Joe and SPHP got higher on the mountain, Lupe also encountered groups of people coming down on foot. SPHP was totally amazed! What SPHP had failed to consider was that Lupe normally goes on very few expeditions in the Black Hills during the hot summer months, when everyone else is out and about. Apparently, Custer Peak is a far more popular summer destination than SPHP ever realized.

Another surprise was in store at the top of the mountain. The ranger station was manned! The hatch door to the balcony around the station was unlocked and open. Lupe, Dusty, Joe and SPHP went up on the balcony for a look around.

Lupe and Dusty on the ranger station's balcony. Although this was Lupe's 6th ascent of Custer Peak, she'd never been up on the balcony before. — Lupe and Dusty on the ranger station’s balcony. Although this was Lupe’s 6th ascent of Custer Peak, she’d never been up on the balcony before.

Joe found the ranger on duty to tell him that he would be operating a portable ham radio using 4 watts from the summit for an hour or so. He just wanted to make certain it wouldn’t interfere with the ranger’s equipment.

The ranger didn’t think there was any equipment the radio would interfere with. However, that didn’t mean there wasn’t a problem. The American people declared independence and proclaimed freedom nearly 240 years ago, but times have changed. The Land of the Free and Home of the Brave is now the Land of the Over-Regulated and Home of the Bureaucracy. The ranger was cordial, but insisted that Joe contact the headquarters of the Spearfish district of the Black Hills National Forest to get official permission to operate the ham radio.

Neither Joe nor SPHP had a phone along, but the ranger allowed Joe to use his phone. Naturally, since it was Saturday on the 4th of July holiday weekend, all Joe got was a recording. The headquarters of the Spearfish district of the Black Hills National Forest wouldn’t be open until Tuesday. Joe reasoned with the ranger inside the station. Meanwhile, SPHP stayed out of it with Lupe and Dusty on the balcony.

It turned out the ranger’s concerns had to do with the ranger station being part of a designated historical site of some sort. The ranger thought operating a ham radio might somehow break the historical site regulations. Fortunately, the ranger had a map of the historical site area. It covered only a relatively small part of the summit area surrounding the ranger station.

Joe and the ranger finally agreed that the NE side of a jagged rock outcropping a little way NW of the ranger station was outside the boundary of the historical site delineated on the map. The ranger was OK with Joe setting up the ham radio operation over there. That was a relief! Lupe, Dusty, Joe and SPHP left the ranger station to go set up the antenna and other equipment.

Joe made a perfect toss of a large metal nut tied to fishing line up over the very top of a tall tree situated near the spine of the jagged rock outcropping. The fishing line was then used to pull up a thin antenna wire. Joe instructed SPHP on how to help deploy 4 lateral wires at the base of the antenna.

The ground on the NE side of the ridge was quite steep and rocky, so it took a little time to maneuver around and get set up. Lupe and Dusty supervised operations from the most comfortable vantage points they could find.

Joe makes a perfect toss of a metal nut tied to fishing line over the top of the tall thin tree near the ridgeline. The fishing line was then tied to a very thin antenna wire, and pulled up to the top of the tree. Photo looks NW.

Lupe supervises from the shade while Joe sets up his portable ham radio NE of a jagged rock outcropping NW of the ranger station.

Joe and Lupe continue working on the portable ham radio setup. Dusty sneaks off to check out SPHP's backpack on the chance there might be something good in it. One of the lateral wires can be seen in front of Dusty. Photo looks SW. — Joe and Lupe continue working on the portable ham radio setup. Dusty sneaks off to check out SPHP’s backpack on the chance there might be something good in it. One of the lateral wires can be seen in front of Dusty. Photo looks S.

Joe nearing completion of the portable ham radio setup. Joe's call sign is AA0Q. — Joe nearing completion of the portable ham radio setup. Joe’s call sign is AA0Q.

Dusty finds a shady spot to rest near some of the lateral wires. Photo looks E.

The ranger’s concerns, and the rough ground where Joe was forced to set up the radio, slowed things down. By the time Joe was ready to try his very first Summits on the Air peak activation, it was more than half an hour after the time Joe had posted on the SOTA website. Would any other ham radio operators still be listening for AA0Q on Custer Peak? Joe had no idea what to expect.

Joe turned on his radio. AA0Q was on the air on Custer Peak! Almost immediately, another ham radio operator made contact with Joe. (A contact is apparently referred to as a QSO.) The contact told Joe that he would “Spot” him on the SOTA website. Although Joe has many years of experience with ham radio, he wasn’t prepared for what happened next.

Almost instantly, there was a “pileup”. Joe shouted out to SPHP that it sounded like 20 people were trying to contact him all at once!

While Lupe looks on, Joe is instantly swamped by the response to his Summits on the Air activation of Custer Peak! Terry Peak (7,064 ft.) (R of Center) is the highest mountain in the distance. Photo looks NW. — While Lupe looks on, Joe is instantly swamped by the response to his Summits on the Air activation of Custer Peak! **Terry Peak (7,064 ft.)** (R of Center) is the highest mountain in the distance. Photo looks NW.

Dusty, surrounded by wires, looks happy with all the success Joe is having with his very first ever activation of a peak using Summits on the Air.

AA0Q's portable ham radio during use on Custer Peak. — AA0Q’s portable ham radio during use on Custer Peak.

Joe had a frantic time trying to respond to the enormous demand. Mostly he was quiet, busy listening intently through the headphones while using Morse Code to reply to as many of the radio operators seeking him as possible. At the same time, he was trying to log the call signs, time of contact, location and a few other details of each successful contact. Just to keep Lupe, Dusty and SPHP informed, now and then he called out where the operators he was “working” were from.

The pileup eventually ended as those trying to contact Joe either got through, or gave up on reaching him. After half an hour, new contacts were sporadic. Joe kept his radio active another 15 minutes, switching to a voice frequency toward the end. After one or two voice contacts, Joe was satisfied. He’d managed to make and log 15 different QSO’s (contacts) from ham radio operators scattered all over the USA.

Joe was pretty happy with his first SOTA experience. AA0Q had never been so popular and in demand before! He’d made mistakes that kept him from “working” many of those who had tried to contact him, but Joe had learned a lot. In the future, it would be easy to correct the worst errors. Keeping the contacts short was vitally important. People wanted their “Shack Sloth” points awarded for a successful QSO fast! No dilly-dallying around allowed in this business. Next time, Joe would have SPHP do the logging.

After taking down the antenna and putting the radio equipment away, it was time to return to the summit for a few pictures. Joe also wanted to chat with the ranger to let him know his SOTA radio operation was over.

Up on the jagged ridge before returning to the summit. Photo looks SE from a point not too far from Joe’s SOTA activation of Custer Peak.

Joe, Dusty & Lupe below the ranger station. Photo looks SE.

AA0Q was the first to ever use Lupe's "Radio-Active" American Dingo guide services to a Black Hills peak for a Summits on the Air purpose. Joe earned 8 points toward SOTA's Mountain Goat designation for "activating" Custer Peak (6,804 ft.)! Photo looks NW toward Terry Peak. — AA0Q was the first to ever use Lupe’s “Radio-Active” American Dingo guide services in the Black Hills for a Summits on the Air peak activation. AA0Q earned 8 points toward SOTA’s Mountain Goat designation for “activating” **Custer Peak (6,804 ft.)**! Photo looks NW toward Terry Peak.

Joe’s operating point on the NE side of the jagged NW ridge hadn’t been the easiest place to work from (or the most comfortable), but it did have a couple things going for it. The NE side of the ridge was hidden from the trail to the ranger station, so Joe hadn’t been bothered by all the people coming and going. The site had also been close enough to the top of the mountain to meet SOTA’s standards for a “peak activation”.

Joe and Dusty start down the trail. Joe had conducted his SOTA activation of Custer Peak from the opposite side of the jagged NW ridge seen here. Photo looks N.

Lupe on the jagged NW ridge. Photo looks N.

When Joe, Dusty, Lupe and SPHP got back to grandma’s house, Joe logged all 15 contacts (QSO’s) he’d made into the Summits on the Air website. Joe was awarded his first 8 of 1,000 points required to earn the “Mountain Goat” designation. The 15 QSO’s each earned points toward the 1,000 points required for the “Shack Sloth” designation.

The SOTA map showing the activation of Custer Peak by AA0Q earlier in the day.

Joe was happy. Lupe and Dusty were happy, too. They had earned extra ice cream and Beggin’ Strips for becoming “Radio-Active”!

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Black Hills, SD Expedition No. 169 – Boulder Hill (4-22-16 & 4-23-16)

Joe and cousin Dusty were in town! That meant another Black Hills Expedition was in the cards for Lupe. Joe was in the mood for a nice, easy trail hike where the dogs could romp around in the forest. SPHP suggested taking the loop N of Boulder Hill on Flume Trail No. 50. The loop was only a few miles long, and much of it was nearly level. Joe thought that sounded fine.

A short time later, Joe was parking the G6 at the Boulder Hill trailhead (4-22-16, 2:00 PM, upper 70’s °F). Lupe, Dusty, Joe and SPHP all piled out. Although there were maps posted at the trailhead, only the W part of the Flume Trail loop was shown. SPHP didn’t think it mattered. Lupe and SPHP had explored the entire Flume Trail, including the loop, back in 2012. The loop was a piece of cake!

SPHP led everyone SE on Flume Trail No. 50, going almost 0.5 mile up a long steady rise to a saddle area between Boulder Hill (5,331 ft.) to the SW and Storm Hill (5,192 ft.) to the NE. Boulder Hill had been visible from the trailhead, and SPHP had mentioned to Joe that a spur of Flume Trail No. 50 went up to the top. Although Joe hadn’t initially seemed too interested in Boulder Hill, when the junction with the spur trail was reached just over the saddle, Joe asked about it again.

When SPHP said the spur trail to the top was only 0.25 to 0.375 mile long, and the route up involved only minor exposure/scrambling, Joe wanted to try it. Dusty and Lupe were both game, too, of course!

It had been nearly 4 years since Lupe was last here on Black Hills, SD Expedition No. 19 on 5-13-12. SPHP’s memory was less than perfect. The spur trail was more like 0.5 mile long, and SPHP lost it for a while taking a short cut. Nevertheless, the trail was soon found again near the end of a spur road to Boulder Hill off USFS Road No. 358. From here, the scramble up the rocky path to the summit began.

The path started at the SW end of the mountain. It wasn’t long, although it was longer than SPHP remembered. The little bit of scrambling and exposure involved were easily navigated. Only partway up, Joe was already becoming impressed with the views.

Joe and Dusty partway up Boulder Hill. Photo looks SW.

The only problem encountered on the way to the summit was a considerable amount of broken glass on the trail, evidence of the existence of a local band of Neanderthals. Fortunately, Lupe and Dusty made it past all the broken glass without incident.

The path approached the summit from the W between two high points roughly equal in elevation. Dusty, Lupe, Joe and SPHP went to check out the S summit area first. The S area is mostly level, open and pretty much solid rock. It features concrete blocks and a concrete step that must have once been part of a previously existing lookout structure.

Joe & Lupe. Silver Peak is seen beyond Joe. Harney Peak (7,242 ft.) is in the distance on the R. Photo looks SW. — Joe & Lupe. Silver Mountain is seen beyond Joe. **Harney Peak (7,242 ft.)** is in the distance on the R. Photo looks SW.

Dusty toward the slanting N end of the S summit area. Photo looks NNW.

Lupe near the N end of the S summit area. Part of the N summit area is visible over by the trees. Photo looks NW. — Lupe near the N end of the S summit area. Part of the N summit area is visible in the trees. Photo looks NW.

After looking around the S summit, everyone went over to the N summit area to check it out, too. The N summit area was more wooded, uneven and natural looking. There was another lower high point a little farther N, but no one went over to it. The views were fine from on high.

Lupe on the N summit area. Photo looks NNW. — Lupe on the N summit. Photo looks NNW.

The Boulder Hill survey benchmark was on one of the high rocks of the N summit area.

When Joe and SPHP were done looking at the views, it was time to head down. There was still plenty of time remaining to go around the loop back at Flume Trail No. 50.

Lupe perches high up on a rock of the S summit area close to where the trail heads down.

Joe and Dusty shortly after starting down. This photo looks W from close to the top of the mountain.

Dusty goes down the path on the W side of Boulder Hill. Photo looks S.

Once down off the rocky path to the summit, Lupe, Dusty, Joe and SPHP followed the Flume Trail spur back to the main trail. From the junction, SPHP led everyone E on the main trail, which lost elevation steadily. The trail soon appeared to follow an old road.

The road went past a strange, decaying structure a little way off to the SE in the forest. This proved to be an odd water collection device. A “V” shaped metal roof sloped down to a water trough in the middle. A sign said it was supposed to help provide a source of water for wildlife. Well, maybe for short wildlife. The roof over the trough was only 1.5 feet high. The whole thing was fenced in, neglected and falling apart. Very strange.

Lupe, Dusty, Joe and SPHP returned to the road/trail. Before long it came to a dead end. There was no sign of the Flume Trail continuing beyond the end of the road. Hmm. Mysterious. It was time to backtrack. The spur trail to Boulder Hill was in view again by the time Joe found where SPHP had missed a turn earlier. Finally back on the correct route, everyone headed E again.

Flume Trail No. 50 lost elevation steadily. SPHP kept expecting it to level out and curve around to the N. It didn’t. Finally, part of the old man-made rock foundation that supported the flume back in the early 1880’s came into view on the N side of the valley. The trail didn’t go toward it. Instead it continued E on the S side of the valley.

This just didn’t seem right. Lupe and SPHP left the trail to go over to the man-made rock foundation, hoping to find the loop trail. Joe and Dusty stayed on the main trail, exploring it a little farther E. Lupe and SPHP found no sign of the loop trail, but Joe and Dusty almost immediately came to a map posted along the main trail. The map explained everything.

SPHP had led Lupe, Dusty and Joe completely astray. This was Flume Trail No. 50 alright, but this part of the trail was going to the trail’s E end at Coon Hollow near Rockerville. The loop trail actually turned N way back at the E edge of the Boulder Hill trailhead where the G6 was parked!

Well, that was that! There was nothing to do, but return to the G6. Lupe, Dusty, Joe and SPHP turned around and were back by 5:15 PM. Sure enough, there was the start of the Flume Trail loop, just a few paces E of the trailhead parking lot. From the very start, there had been no reason to head toward Boulder Hill.

Except, of course, that everyone enjoyed Boulder Hill. Joe liked it so much, he proposed coming back the next day to hike the Flume Trail loop and climb Boulder Hill again!

So that’s what happened. The next afternoon, Lupe, Dusty, Joe and SPHP returned to the Boulder Hill trailhead (low 80’s °F). Perhaps to prevent another fiasco to the E, Joe suggested taking the trail W toward the Baker Park area to hike the loop clockwise.

Going W worked just fine. It was a bit warm out, but everyone except Lupe enjoyed the pleasant, easy stroll around the Flume Trail No. 50 loop. Lupe would have liked it, too, but the sound of distant target practice gunfire concerned her. She was in no danger despite her worries. Dusty paid no attention to the gunfire at all.

Dusty takes a break along the Flume Trail No. 50 loop.

After completing the loop, everyone hopped back in the G6. Joe still wanted to climb Boulder Hill again. The rest of the gang was in favor, too. By repositioning the G6 0.75 mile farther S up at the high point on USFS Road No. 358, the hiking distance up Boulder Hill was considerably reduced.

Lupe, Dusty, Joe and SPHP followed a rough spur road off No. 358 up to the path at the start of the scramble to the top.

Lupe WSW of Boulder Hill. Photo taken from close to the spur road off USFS Road No. 358 that ends near the path to the top.

This time, SPHP was better prepared with a couple of plastic grocery bags for collecting broken glass and other Lupe Treasures. Joe helped with the cleanup efforts. There was quite a lot of broken glass not only on the trail, but up on top, too. The cleanup job wasn’t perfect by any means, but at least there weren’t any large, sharp pieces of glass on the trail by the time Joe and SPHP finished.

Dusty on one of the rock ledges that are part of the path to the top.

Joe & Dusty return to the summit of Boulder Hill for a 2nd day in a row!

Joe & Dusty up on the S summit area. Photo looks SE.

Lupe and Joe on the S summit area. Four-lane Hwy 16 (Center) is seen in the distance. Part of Storm Hill (5,192 ft.) is on the L. Photo looks ENE. — Lupe and Joe on the S summit. Four-lane Hwy 16 (Center) is seen in the distance. Part of **Storm Hill (5,192 ft.)** is on the L. Photo looks ENE.

After a good time picking up broken glass and admiring the views from both the N and S summit areas, it was time to head down again. On the way back, SPHP intended to gather up Lupe Treasures discarded in the ashes of a big campfire ringed by stones. The campfire was in the middle of the turn-around loop at the end of the spur road.

Apparently, it hadn’t been long since the Neanderthals’ last celebration. The campfire ashes were still quite warm! Lupe Treasures were scattered all over the place, way more than fit in two little plastic grocery sacks. Joe and SPHP picked up what could be carried, but far more had to be left behind.

Joe, Dusty, Lupe and SPHP returned to the G6, and headed to grandma’s house. Lupe’s Expedition No. 169 to Boulder Hill twice in two days had been a success! Joe and Dusty proclaimed Boulder Hill one of their favorite short hikes in the Black Hills. Best of all, Lupe had left the mountain in a little better shape than she found it.

Joe, Dusty & Lupe on Boulder Hill, 4-23-16

Lupe Treasures collected: 5 plastic bottles, 6 glass bottles, 10 aluminum cans, lots of broken glass and other assorted trash.

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