South Dakota – Page 60 – The (Mostly) True Adventures of Lupe

Black Hills, SD Expedition No. 229 – Centennial Trail No. 89: Brush Creek to Rapid Creek & Perrin Mountain (5-14-18)

Start – 10:26 AM, 62°F, Brush Creek trailhead of Centennial Trail No. 89

15 days after reaching Centennial Trail No. 89’s Brush Creek trailhead from the S, Lupe was back. After days of gloomy mist and fog, bright white clouds now floated in a clean blue sky. A pretty morning in May, but the air was humid. Lupe and SPHP were both glad it wasn’t any warmer out than it was.

Lupe returns to the Brush Creek trailhead ready to continue her explorations farther N on **Centennial Trail No. 89**.

111 mile long Centennial Trail No. 89 goes from **Bear Butte** near Sturgis, South Dakota to **Wind Cave National Park** in the southern Black Hills.

The first part of today’s plan was to explore Centennial Trail No. 89 all the way N to the Tamarack Gulch and Rapid Creek trailheads, a distance of 4.9 miles as the trail goes. Lupe started off following the trail NE down Brush Creek canyon.

Centennial Trail No. 89 crossed the road frequently. In some places the trail was practically non-existent, so Lupe simply trotted along right on the road. Most of the time, though, she stayed on the single track trail.

*Yes, the road is close by and easier, but following the trail is more fun!*

Except for a few small pools of water and a tiny trickle of a stream close to the trailhead, Brush Creek was totally dry. The canyon was pretty, though, with some fairly impressive rock walls.

Brush Creek was dry, but the canyon featured some scenic rock walls.

After 3/8 of a mile, Centennial Trail No. 89 left Brush Creek Road for good. The trail turned N and went over a small ridge. On the other side of the ridge, Lupe discovered another creek. This was Prairie Creek, which actually did have flowing water. The Carolina Dog was already interested in a little refreshment.

Centennial Trail No. 89 leaves Brush Creek Road for good here. It continues N over this low forested ridge. Photo looks NE.

*Sure, this may look like it could be Brush Creek, but it’s actually **Prairie Creek**!*

Loopster wouldn’t have had to run down to Prairie Creek right away. Centennial Trail No. 89 crossed the stream 3 times over the next 0.25 mile. The creek crossings were trivial. Stepping stones were available for SPHP’s use. Lupe didn’t bother with them. She preferred to cool her paws off in the shallow stream.

*Nothing to these **Prairie Creek** crossings! Use the stepping stones or cool your paws off, whatever you prefer!*

After the 3rd creek crossing, Prairie Creek veered off into a side canyon. Centennial Trail No. 89 continued NW up Gold Standard Gulch. Lupe gained elevation steadily, but slowly. For a little way, large rock walls were NE of the trail. Farther on, Gold Standard Gulch was simply a pleasant valley. The valley floor was dominated by stands of aspens or small meadows. Ponderosa pines covered the hillsides.

For a little way beyond the last Prairie Creek crossing large rock walls were seen along the NE side of **Gold Standard Gulch**. Photo looks NNW.

Farther on, **Gold Standard Gulch** was simply a nice valley full of bushes and aspens. Ponderosa pines dominated the hillsides. Photo looks NW.

Little changed for nearly 1.5 miles, but eventually the terrain began to steepen. Lupe was gaining elevation faster, but still at only a moderate pace. It became clear, however, that she would soon be coming to some sort of pass or high point.

The aspens gave way to an open pine forest which had been thinned by logging operations. Centennial Trail No. 89 curved N. A dirt logging road brought Lupe to a saddle at the upper end of Gold Standard Gulch. Loop was already over halfway to the Rapid Creek trailhead. The saddle seemed like a good spot to take a short break.

Lupe wasn’t hungry yet. She rested on pine needles atop little rock ledges W of the trail. SPHP had an apple. Not too surprisingly given the humid conditions, the sky had clouded up. Rain was a low probability according to the forecast, but seemed rather likely.

If Lupe hadn’t stopped here, SPHP would have followed the logging road right on over the N side of the saddle. However, while Lupe relaxed, SPHP suddenly realized that there was a Centennial Trail No. 89 marker in the forest on the opposite side of the road. Evidently, the trail left the logging road at this pass.

On the saddle at the upper end of **Gold Standard Gulch**. Centennial Trail No. 89 leaves the logging road here. Lupe is close to the marker. Photo looks NE.

When SPHP was ready, Lupe pressed on. Centennial Trail No. 89 went NE over a small forested hill on a ridgeline. The trail didn’t stay up on the ridge for long. Soon it turned NW and began winding down into Tamarack Gulch. Lupe came to a grassy road, which the trail followed N down the gulch.

Centennial Trail No. 89 follows a grassy road down **Tamarack Gulch**. Photo looks N.

Tamarack Gulch was steeper than Gold Standard Gulch had been. Lupe rapidly lost 400 feet of elevation. Centennial Trail No. 89 didn’t go all the way down Tamarack Gulch, but left it, swinging briefly to the W on a side road on some level ground. After only a few hundred feet, the trail left the side road, too, becoming a single track trail once again heading NW. Another 80+ feet of elevation loss brought Lupe to a cabin just S of the Tamarack Gulch trailhead.

Tamarack Gulch trailhead was nothing more than a turnaround loop for vehicles on a flat open meadow near Rapid Creek. By the time Lupe got there, it was raining. A huge Ponderosa pine next to the creek provided Lupe and SPHP some degree of protection from the rain.

It was raining when Lupe reached the Tamarack Gulch trailhead near **Rapid Creek**. Photo looks N.

Rain fell for 20 minutes while Lupe and SPHP sheltered under the big pine tree. Little trout were leaping in the creek almost the whole time. They were fun to watch. Every now and then a larger trout made an especially big splash.

The rain eased up. Onward! Lupe was now in the broad, flat Rapid Creek valley. The Rapid Creek trailhead was only 0.6 mile away. Two pawbridges over the meandering river would get her there.

Approaching the first pawbridge over **Rapid Creek** near the Tamara Gulch trailhead. Photo looks NNW.

At the first of two pawbridges over Rapid Creek. Photo looks SW.

By the time Lupe reached the second pawbridge, the rain had completely ended. Sunshine was drying the damp Dingo off as she approached the Rapid Creek trailhead.

The rain was completely over by the time Lupe reached the second pawbridge over **Rapid Creek**. Photo looks NW.

Looking downstream from the 2nd pawbridge. Photo looks SE.

Approaching the Rapid Creek trailhead. The Pactola Reservoir spillway is seen on the L. Photo looks W.

*Damp, but not daunted! And not even damp for long. Getting to the Rapid Creek trailhead was easy! Now what, SPHP? Shall we go take a look at the pond below the spillway?*

Upon reaching the Rapid Creek trailhead, Lupe had completed her planned explorations along Centennial Trail No. 89 for the day. Of course, she’d have to take the trail all the way back to the Brush Creek trailhead again, but even so, she had lots of time to spare.

Lupe and SPHP wandered over to have a look at the pond below the Pactola Reservoir spillway. Several ducks flew off as Lupe drew near. Loop climbed up an embankment for a better view of the pond.

The Rapid Creek trailhead is located below the Pactola Reservoir dam. A side road comes down from Hwy 385 up on the dam to the trailhead.

Lupe arrives at the pond below the **Pactola Reservoir spillway** for a look around. She saw a number of ducks, but most of them flew away as she approached.

Another look from up on an embankment. **Pactola Reservoir dam** (L) and the **spillway** (R) are both in view. Photo looks SW.

This pond is only a couple hundred yards from Centennial Trail No. 89’s Rapid Creek trailhead. Worth a look, aye? If you are feeling ambitious, you can go up and take a look at Pactola Reservoir, the largest lake in the Black Hills, too, from up on the dam.

From the pond, Lupe could have gone up onto the dam for a look at Pactola Reservoir, but being more of a peakbagging Dingo than a water Dingo, she had a different adventure in mind. She was going to climb nearby Perrin Mountain (5,212 ft.) instead.

*The pond was pretty, but we’re going to go climb a mountain now, right SPHP?*

From the Rapid Creek trailhead, Centennial Trail No. 89 follows a gravel road NW up a valley as it begins the 5 mile journey to the next trailhead at Deer Creek. Lupe had no intention of going all the way to Deer Creek, but started up the valley. She immediately passed several nice cabins along the way.

*Oh, wouldn’t it be nice if SPHP would buy me a beautiful cabin in the Black Hills like this one?*

Just beyond the last lovely cabin (pictured above), the valley and road both forked. Centennial Trail No. 89 continued up the L fork. Lupe took the road to the R. She followed it only a few hundred feet before turning E and climbing up onto a forested ridge. On the other side of this ridge was another valley. A big power line was down there.

Lupe followed the ridge she was already on climbing steadily N.

Climbing the forested ridge on the way to Perrin Mountain. Photo looks N.

Lupe eventually began to get tree broken views of Pactola Reservoir back to the SW. When she had gone over 0.5 mile and gained 500 feet of elevation, she reached the power line. From here she had her first and only clear view of Pactola Reservoir on her way up Perrin Mountain.

When Lupe reached the power line, she got her only clear view of **Pactola Reservoir** on the way up Perrin Mountain. Photo looks SW.

Lupe went under the power line climbing NNE. The ridge was steep here, but remained so only until she reached a large rock formation.

Not far from the power line, Lupe reaches the largest rock formation she came to while climbing Perrin Mountain. Photo looks SSW.

Another 0.1 mile brought Lupe to a grassy high point. This high point was both the far N end of the ridge she had been following and part of Perrin Mountain’s main W ridge. The summit was still 0.5 mile away off to the ESE. Loop would only need to gain another 230 feet of elevation on the way there.

The American Dingo headed E for the summit. The gradual uphill trek on the broad ridge was fun and easy. Lupe passed many upright tilted rock formations only a few feet high. Glimpses of Pactola Reservoir were available between the trees almost the entire time, but the forest was thick enough so the views didn’t really grab or hold attention.

More than halfway to the summit, Lupe came to a dirt road. The road soon ended at a campfire ring made of stones. Neanderthals had been here! They’d left broken glass and beer cans as evidence of the power and glory of their civilization. For the moment, Lupe and SPHP left this fabulous archeological discovery undisturbed .

At the Neanderthal archeological site on Perrin Mountain.

A single track trail led to the summit of Perrin Mountain (5,212). Lupe had been here once before more than 2 years ago, so she knew what to expect. No views, and only a small rock outcropping at the true summit.

On the single track trail leading to the top of **Perrin Mountain**. The summit isn’t far from here! Photo looks SE.

Back on top of **Perrin Mountain** for the 1st time in more than 2 years. Photo looks E.

*So what, if you can’t see much from here? This still counts as another successful ascent in the peakbagging world!* Photo looks SE.

*Centennial Trail No. 89 is fun, but I like to spice it up with a bit of peakbagging along the way whenever possible!* Photo looks NE.

As soon as Lupe reached the top of Perrin Mountain, she heard thunder off to the N. The sunshine had disappeared again a while ago. More rain was on the way. The plan had been to take an extended break up on Perrin Mountain, but maybe that wasn’t such a great idea?

Things didn’t seem too threatening yet, though. Loop and SPHP lounged about for a while. The Carolina Dog was hungry. The Taste of the Wild supply disappeared. The last apple vanished, too. Thunder rumbled off to the N every few minutes, as a reminder not to get too complacent.

Not much had changed up on Perrin Mountain in the past 2 years, which was a good thing, of course. The Hurt Locker sign was still attached to a tree a little SE of the true summit. SPHP still thought it must refer to a first aid locker, but none was to be seen.

Perhaps this sign refers to a first aid kit that used to be here?

A stroll around Perrin Mountain’s summit area didn’t reveal much. Lupe could see a short stretch of Hwy 44 off to the NE. She had badly tree broken views of Pactola Reservoir to the SW. That was about it. The most interesting thing was a huge dead tree NW of the true summit.

The Perrin Mountain summit area was pleasantly secluded. Not too exciting, however, except for the rumble of thunder. The true summit is seen on the R. Photo looks N.

This big dead tree NW of the true summit was the most dramatic thing to be seen. Photo looks NNW.

Half an hour after arriving, Lupe left the summit of Perrin Mountain. She now had to retrace the entire journey here all the way back to the Brush Creek trailhead where she’d started. On the way, she stopped by the Neanderthal site where SPHP looted the priceless treasures.

On an upright rock formation on Perrin Mountain’s W ridge. Photo looks WNW.

The next rain shower caught Lupe on Centennial Trail No. 89 out in the open between the Rapid Creek and Tamarack Gulch trailheads. The rain fell harder this time, but fortunately wasn’t a deluge. The shower ended as Lupe reached the big pine tree next to Rapid Creek at the Tamarack Gulch trailhead. The little trout were still jumping, so Loop and SPHP hung out beneath the big tree for a few minutes to watch them.

A couple of Canadian geese were wandering about checking out the local real estate on offer. Apparently it had been looking promising. Rapid Creek and the rain shower were both desirable features. However, they sauntered away when they saw a Carolina Dog in the neighborhood. Who wants to live next to such riffraff?

A couple of Canadian geese were out inspecting local real estate at the Tamarack Gulch trailhead.

**Perrin Mountain** (Center) from the **Tamarack Gulch trailhead**. The geese saunter off as Lupe pretends not to notice the insult. Photo looks N.

Once Lupe had regained 500 feet of elevation going up Tamarack Gulch to reach the saddle at the upper end of Gold Standard Gulch, the rest of the return trip was easy. Thunder continued to rumble for a while, but eventually faded away. It never did rain again. The sun even came out for a few seconds now and then.

Going down Gold Standard Gulch was fun! Squirrels in the aspen trees provided plenty of excitement and entertainment. All too soon, the first of the three Prairie Creek crossings appeared indicating the approaching end of the good times in Gold Standard Gulch.

The return trek down **Gold Standard Gulch** was fun and easy. Photo looks E.

*Come on, SPHP! This is prime squirrel territory! Let’s go find some.* Photo looks E.

*Well, this has been fun, hasn’t it? And to think that we have the whole place all to ourselves!*

Loop reaches **Prairie Creek** again nearing the lower end of **Gold Standard Gulch**. 2 more creek crossings to go! Photo looks NE.

While going up Brush Creek canyon on the last part of the return trip, Lupe scared up a bird along the trail. It flew up from the ground only a little way to sit on a low branch. Neither Lupe nor SPHP had ever seen a bird quite like it anywhere in the Black Hills before.

*Of course, I know what kind of bird it is, Loop! That’s a brown crested whatchamacallit.*

The strange bird provided the evening’s final bit of excitement. Lupe was soon back at the Brush Creek trailhead and the G6. (6:45 PM, 53°F)

The last of the American Dingo’s three adventures along Centennial Trail No. 89 in the spring of 2018 were now complete. They had been fun, but summer was coming! Lupe had a couple more adventures ahead of her in the western high country of the Black Hills before June, but after that her summer of 2018 Dingo Vacations to exotic and remote locations far from home would begin.

*Oh, don’t worry Centennial Trail fans! I’ll be back in the fall for more great adventures along Centennial Trail No. 89, so stay tuned!*

Links:

Next Black Hills Expedition Prior Black Hills Expedition

Next Trail Section South:

Black Hills, SD Expedition No. 227 – Centennial Trail No. 89: Spring Creek to Twin Peaks & Brush Creek (4-29-18)

Next Trail Section North:

Black Hills, SD Expedition No. 234 – Centennial Trail No. 89: Rapid Creek to Deer Creek (9-22-18)

Centennial Trail No. 89 Map & Brochure

Lupe treasures gathered – 18 aluminum cans and some broken glass.

Want more Lupe adventures? Check out her Black Hills, SD & WY Expeditions Adventure Index, Master Adventure Index, or subscribe free to new Lupe adventures!

Black Hills, SD Expedition No. 67 – Big Sid Joins the Pack! (10-26-13)

Blizzards used to hit the Black Hills in late winter or early spring with some degree of regularity. Whether due to global warming, long term cycles, pure chance, or other factors, blizzards have become increasingly rare here. Yet this one hit October 4th, easily the earliest in the season SPHP could ever remember.

Leaves were still on the trees and caught the heavy snow, making the storm far more destructive. Huge branches, even entire trees collapsed. SPHP narrowly avoided losing power to the house by trimming branches off a tree in the back yard using an electric pole saw before they broke and fell on the main power line.

The whole town was a mess. Intense cleanup efforts took days. It was weeks before things were back to normal.

The October 4th blizzard dropped a couple feet of heavy, wet snow at a time of year normally before the first frost, never mind all this!

Leaves still on the trees caught the heavy, wet snow and made the storm far more destructive. Lots of branches broke. Even large trees snapped.

A couple big branches had broken over at Lupe’s friend Sidney’s house.

SPHP cleared a Dingo path on the front walk.

All the clean white snow was destructive, but beautiful, too.

At first, Lupe wasn’t sure what to make of this radical overnight transformation of the neighborhood, but she did enjoy being outdoors while all the cleanup activity going on.

Lupe enjoyed all the outdoor cleanup activity after the storm, but weeks went by and she hadn’t gone on a single Black Hills expedition yet in October, normally a great month to be out in the hills.

Finally, the great day arrived! At home, all the snow had melted long ago. The debris was gone or cut up for firewood. It was time to get out in the hills, and see what things looked like out there. As a special treat, Lupe got to invite her friend and next door neighbor, Sidney, to come along with. Nina said it was OK. This would be the first time Big Sid ever got to come with Lupe on one of her expeditions!

Sidney zoomed out the front door of his house, full of enthusiasm, but without the faintest idea what was about to happen. SPHP had trouble persuading him to get into the G6. He kept wanting to run back home to get JB. Finally, SPHP got Sidney in the car. Lupe and Sidney were off on an adventure together!

SPHP drove far enough into the central hills to get to where there was still some snow around, parking at the junction of USFS Road No. 256 and Rocky Johnston Road (10:56 AM, 50°F). Everyone piled out of the G6 and started following Rocky Johnston Road going gradually up a valley.

Everyone didn’t keep doing that, though. By now, Sidney was alarmed at this turn of events. Where was JB? Where was Nina? Where was Cassie? No one in his family was here. He’d been dog-napped!

Every time SPHP relaxed and stopped paying attention, Sidney snuck back to the G6. Big Sid wanted to go home. It was scary being way out here with Lupe. What terrible fate might be in store? What evil lurked in that scrawny Dingo’s heart? Mommy! Daddy! Help! Save me!

Knock it off, Sid, you big chicken-dog! You’re going to be fine. You’re not going home now, we just got here. Stick with Loopster, and have some fun exploring. You’ll love it. Stay close! Come on, now!

Big Sid finally realized SPHP wasn’t going to let him back in the G6. Ever so reluctantly, fearful of being totally abandoned and alone outside, he decided he had no choice but to follow wherever the Carolina Dog went and hope for the best.

Rocky Johnston Road went W at first, then turned N. The road hike was easy, but kind of boring. SPHP thought Sidney might become more interested and involved sniffing around in the forest E of the road. At first, Big Sid thought leaving the road was nuts, but seeing Lupe busy exploring the forest soon made him forget some of his fears. He began to get into the swing of things, too.

Sidney was in no shape to keep up with Lupe, but did his best. What he lacked in physical conditioning, he started gaining in spirit. He often arrived to take his turn sniffing at points of canine interest about the time Lupe completed her own investigations. Through the snowy forest, Lupe led and Sidney followed. Big Sid forgot all about the G6. He actually was having a good time!

The trek through the forest paralleled Rocky Johnston Road for more than a mile, but eventually big white fields, a home, and outbuildings could be seen ahead at the end of the valley. To avoid this private property, Lupe, Sidney and SPHP crossed over to the W side of Rocky Johnston Road and climbed NW up a snowy slope.

The terrain up above was nearly level. Lupe and Sidney continued NW through a thinly forested area. More snow was up here than down below, but it wasn’t too deep. Before long, Lupe reached a small clearing where a couple of unmarked USFS roads met. The roads went W or NW. Both directions looked interesting.

However, something even more interesting was in sight to the N beyond a much larger clearing – a high ridge topped by small limestone cliffs. That ridge was likely the highest ground Lupe and Sidney would come to today, so taking a look at the sights from up there seemed like a good idea.

When you join Lupe’s pack, the American Dingo doesn’t cut you much slack. An hour after leaving the G6, Sidney found himself climbing a mountain. It wasn’t all that big a mountain, but it was steep enough near the top. The limestone at the S end of the ridge was discontinuous. Even Lupe and SPHP couldn’t find a way up onto a couple of limestone islands in the sky.

Nevertheless, a route was found to the top of the ridge slightly farther N. Sidney followed Lupe up. A 180° panoramic view existed to the W. Lupe was used to seeing this sort of thing, but maybe it was a new experience for Sidney. Big Sid seemed a little shocked at the size of the world. He wasn’t afraid of being up here, though. He stood calmly surveying the vast territory in view before him.

Lupe and Sidney arrive up on top of the high ridge. A couple of limestone islands in the sky that weren’t easily accessible are seen beyond them. Photo looks S.

Never been on a mountain before, Sid? Yeah, I do this all the time. The views aren’t bad here, but I’ve seen lots better than this. Stick with me, play your cards right, and maybe I’ll take you to some of the really good stuff! Photo looks S.

OK, Sid, pay attention. You need to start learning your way around. That big field down there is at the upper end of Gudak Gulch. I’ve been by it before on Expedition No. 56, so I know. Off in the distance is **Terry Peak (7,064 ft.)**, lots of towers and a ski resort on it. Biggest peak in the northern Black Hills. If you want to learn downhill skiing around here, either Terry Peak or nearby Deer Mountain are your choices. Photo looks NNW.

On the ridge, Big Sid was visibly encouraged and an eager participant when break time was announced and he got to share in the Taste of the Wild with Lupe. SPHP sat munching an apple while the chow hounds made great progress lightening the backpack.

A few minutes after break time was complete, it was time to head back down. Lupe and Sidney returned to the little clearing S of the ridge. Big Sid wouldn’t have to climb any more high points, but his inaugural expedition with Lupe was far from over. Lupe and Sidney began exploring the USFS road going W.

This road leading W from the small clearing eventually proved to be USFS Road No. 219. Photo looks W.

The road turned SW, but remained level for a while before eventually starting to lose elevation. Lower down there was less snow.

After losing some elevation, there was less snow on USFS Road No. 219. Photo looks WSW.

When the USFS road turned S, SPHP figured Hwy 17 coming N out of Rochford couldn’t be too far away to the W. Leaving the road to climb a minor ridge to the W soon proved the point. Yes, there was Hwy 17 on the other side. Lupe and Sidney followed the ridge S a little, then left it to cross Hwy 17 and get on the Mickelson Trail near the confluence of the North Fork of Rapid Creek and Buskala Creek.

Traveling S on the flat, wide Mickelson Trail was easy, but a little dull. Lupe and Sidney did get to see an interesting old red building. The sides and roof were made of something round. A fascinating and highly informative plaque told all about this historical building and exactly what it was made of, but SPHP can’t recall a single detail. Must be the A.D.D.

Lupe and Sidney passed by this historical red building made of some circular things while traveling a short stretch of the Mickelson Trail about a mile N of Nahant. Photo looks NNW.

S of the historical red building, everyone left the Mickelson Trail to cross Hwy 17 again. A gravel road, which might have been a driveway, led E up into the hills. There was no sign of any recent traffic on this road, but sure enough, a little way up the hill a house could be seen tucked back against the trees at the edge of a field to the NW.

The driveway started curving N, so Lupe and Sidney left it to cross the dam of a small stock pond. They headed SE over a low pass back onto USFS land, and soon after arrived at USFS Road No. 256.

When it turned out Lupe and Sidney had entered private property, they crossed the dam of this small stock pond and headed back onto USFS land continuing over the low pass seen at Center. Photo looks SE.

Hours had gone by. Sidney wasn’t used to anywhere near this much exercise. He was tired! The easiest and most merciful thing to do would have been to follow No. 256 a few miles E to reach the G6 at the junction with Rocky Johnston Road. Lupe, however, wasn’t done exploring. She crossed No. 256 going SSE, eventually climbing up a ridge. Sidney did his best to keep up, but his enthusiasm was clearly waning.

The ridge Lupe led Sidney to was hideous. Either fire, pine bark beetles, or a combination of both had wiped out the pine trees. Loggers had subsequently come through and clear cut a large area. All the devastation did have one benefit. It opened up views of higher country to the SW.

S of USFS Road No. 256, Lupe and Sidney wound up on this ugly ridge where fire or pine bark beetles had wiped out the forest. Loggers had clear cut the dead trees. At least the logging opened up the views. Photo looks S.

From the hideous ridge, SPHP looked for an easy route to the E or NE. The sun was starting to get low, and Sidney was fading. The terrain stubbornly remained easiest going SSE. Finally, the time came to forget about the terrain and just do it. Lupe turned NE entering a thick, healthy forest and descended into a valley.

Lupe came across these unusual slender plants in the woods during her explorations S of USFS Road No. 256. She always finds interesting things to sniff, but by now long shadows meant it was time to be getting back to the G6. Photo looks N.

The valley was in shadow and noticeably darker, but Lupe and Sidney made good progress going NE through the forest. They found a dirt road, which led to USFS Road No. 203 up on Minnesota Ridge. No. 203 eventually led N to No. 256 again.

Sunset was imminent. The G6 was still nearly 2 miles E. Big Sid was a trooper, but desperately wanted to stay on the road now. He couldn’t understand why the crazy American Dingo insisted upon remaining in the forest. She was still racing back and forth while wandering up and down various slopes. Sidney tried to follow Lupe, but headed straight for the road every time she got close to it.

The sun set. Lupe stayed in the forest N of the road. She went down a steep, snowy slope. She jumped over a small stream at the bottom. The G6 was in view! To Sidney’s relief, the Carolina Dog finally returned to the road and led him to the G6. At 5:41 PM (40°F), Lupe’s fun and Big Sid’s ordeal were over.

Expedition No. 67 had been the biggest outing of Sidney’s life! JB and Nina later reported that poor Sid couldn’t even move the next day. He was exhausted and sore for days on end.

Dingo initiation rites are brutal, but Big Sid had made it! Sidney would be invited along again on more expeditions for more adventures. Over the next few months, he was a regular member of Lupe’s pack. Long-suffering Sid willingly braved whatever she put him through.

Big Sid must love a challenge, he was always eager to go!Links:

Next Black Hills Expedition Prior Black Hills Expedition

Want more Lupe adventures? Check out her Black Hills, SD & WY Expeditions Adventure Index, Master Adventure Index, or subscribe free to new Lupe adventures!