South Dakota – Page 63 – The (Mostly) True Adventures of Lupe

Black Hills, SD Expedition No. 226 – Gap Lode Peak & Black Elk Peak (4-22-18)

Start – Palmer Creek trailhead W of Mount Rushmore, 7:38 AM, 41°F

Spring had sprung yet again! Maybe this time it would stick? A certain Carolina Dog, sick and tired of winter’s repeated attempts to reassert control, was more than ready. She arrived bright and early at the Palmer Creek trailhead with an ambitious day of peakbagging planned in the Black Elk Wilderness.

**Black Elk Peak (7,131 ft.)** from the Palmer Creek trailhead. Photo looks SE.

The first mountain Lupe was going for was Gap Lode Peak (6,560 ft.). As soon as SPHP was ready, the eager American Dingo was underway. Following the spur trail from the trailhead, she crossed the Palmer Creek valley. A bridge got her across tiny Palmer Creek. 0.25 mile later, Lupe arrived at the junction with Lost Cabin Trail No. 2.

In the **Palmer Creek valley** setting out on the spur trail. Photo looks SW.

Loop reaches the junction with Lost Cabin Trail No. 2. Photo looks S.

At the trail junction Lupe went R. She soon passed a registration station for entry into the Black Elk Wilderness. SPHP registered, and Loopster went on.

Lost Cabin Trail No. 2 wound SW up a forested slope. After Lupe had gone a mile or so, she reached a level area. A massive granite formation extended a few hundred feet N from the trail. The exposed granite would provide views in several directions. Ready for a break, Lupe and SPHP went out onto the granite to look around.

Quite a number of peaks Lupe had been to before were in sight.

Loop out on the granite with a view of **St. Elmo Peak (6,458 ft.)** (L). Photo looks WSW.

The double peaked ridge in the background is **Zimmer Ridge (6,600 ft.)**. The high point at Center is the true summit. Photo looks WNW.

Many smaller peaks Lupe has been to are seen here. The highest, on the horizon a little to the L of Loop, is **Five Points (6,221 ft.)**. Photo looks N.

Looking SW, a big knob of rock capped the upper end of a sloping ridge. That knob of rock was the E high point of Gap Lode Peak. Loop still had a long way to go to get up there.

The knob of rock (L of Center) at the upper end of the ridge beyond Lupe is the E high point of **Gap Lode Peak**. Photo looks SW.

Lupe returned to Lost Cabin Trail No. 2. She hadn’t encountered much snow lower down, but as the Carolina Dog continued gaining elevation, more and more snow appeared. Soon the trail had a couple of feet of snow on it, slowing SPHP down considerably.

The snowy trail switchbacked up a long slope. Pine bark beetles killed a great many trees in this region years ago. Enough dead trees have fallen over to open up the views to some extent. Lupe had tree broken views to the N most of the way.

After a tedious climb, Lupe and SPHP reached a sunny, snow-free pass W of High Point 6482. This pass was the start of the Black Elk Wilderness.

After a long climb, Lupe reaches a snow-free pass W of **High Point 6482** on the **topo map**. This was the start of the **Black Elk Wilderness**. Photo looks S.

The pass was as close to Gap Lode Peak as Lost Cabin Trail No. 2 was going to get. Lupe had been to the mountain once before. Even though Gap Lode Peak is only a little over 0.25 mile WSW of the pass, she knew that getting there wasn’t going to be easy.

The terrain between Gap Lode Peak and Lost Cabin Trail No. 2 is rough, but that wasn’t the big problem. Large amounts of deadfall timber were the real issue. The deadfall had been a significant problem the last time Lupe had been here. The situation hadn’t improved at all over the last few years. If anything, the deadfall was even worse than before.

As soon as Lupe left the trail, she faced large quantities of deadfall timber. She could travel fairly quickly through it, but the deadfall slowed SPHP down tremendously. Photo looks W.

Several large granite formations were W of the trail. Lupe went to them, climbing partway up to get a view. The E high point of Gap Lode Peak (6,560 ft.) was much closer now.

From rocks W of Lost Cabin Trail No. 2, Lupe gets her first close up view of **Gap Lode Peak**. Photo looks SW.

**Gap Lode Peak** may not be very far away, but getting there is a pain. All the deadfall makes it an ordeal. It’s an impressive peak, though, for the Black Hills. Photo looks SW.

On her way to **Gap Lode Peak**, Lupe would travel down past **Skinny Rock** seen at lower R. She then continued to the far ridge coming up near the R edge. This was a mistake. It would have been better to go L up the snowy slope to reach the ridgeline higher up like Lupe did the first time she came here. Photo looks SW.

To get any closer, Lupe had to descend into a valley chock full of deadfall timber. This valley had a N exposure, so 2 or 3 feet of snow was present as well. Progress became dreadfully slow.

Deadfall drove all route decisions. Lupe was constantly faced with choices. She had lots of options – bad routes, worse routes, terrible routes, and ghastly routes. SPHP tried to encourage her toward a nice selection of bad routes. The goal was to reach the lower end of a wall of rock ahead.

Crossing the obstacle laden valley involved no great distance, but chewed up plenty of time. Lupe did work her way through, though, and arrived at a tall, thin rock. She had passed by this same rock the first time she’d gone to Gap Lode Peak, too. It stood at the far N end of the wall of rock, and marked the point where Lupe could get past it. SPHP decided this landmark deserved a special name.

Being an endlessly creative and imaginative person, SPHP easily came up with the splendid name “Skinny Rock”.

*“Skinny Rock”, SPHP? Oh, yeah, that’s sheer genius. Hope you didn’t strain your brain.*

In the immediate vicinity of Skinny Rock, the deadfall wasn’t bad at all. As, Lupe continued on, however, she was soon back in the thick of it. Ahead to the W was Gap Lode Peak’s NE ridge. She pushed on toward it.

The first time Lupe had come to Gap Lode Peak, she had climbed this NE ridge reaching the ridgeline high on the mountain. This had worked well. SPHP wondered, though, if the ascent might not be even easier if Lupe could get up on the ridgeline at a lower point? The American Dingo set out to find out.

Struggling through deadfall and snow, Lupe managed to get close to the ridgeline. A continuous vertical wall of rock 15 to 30 feet high offered no obvious way to the top. A search along the base of the wall, revealed a place where it might be possible to scramble up.

Lupe had no problem doing just that without the slightest assistance from SPHP. From the ridgeline, she had a great view of the territory she’d just come through. She could also see that this wasn’t going to work. She was on a narrow, uneven wall of granite with drop offs on both sides.

Loopster reaches the top of a narrow spine of granite along Gap Lode Peak’s NE ridge. Unfortunately, this was a bad place to come up. Photo looks SSW.

Lupe did have a good view of the territory she had just come through. **High Point 6482** is on the L. The closer, lower rock formation on the L is where Lupe had the good view of Gap Lode Peak. **Skinny Rock** is visible lower down L of Center. **Black Elk Peak** is in the distance at Center. Photo looks E.

After a brief, failed attempt to make progress along this granite spine, SPHP gave up. Loopster retreated off the wall, and began heading SSW near its base. After going only a few hundred feet the wall ended. Loop returned to the ridgeline.

The deadfall on the other side of the ridge was bad, but the slope wasn’t quite as steep. This area had a N exposure, so there was plenty of snow. Lupe stayed on the W side of the ridge, leaping over or going under the deadfall as appropriate. SPHP struggled onward as well. Both headed SSW steadily climbing higher.

The terrain began to level out. Gap Lode Peak has two main high points, an E one and a W one, at nearly the same elevation. Lupe had made it to the deadfall strewn saddle between them. The topo map shows a tiny area within a 6,560 ft. contour at the W high point, which according to the map makes the W high point the true summit, since the E high point doesn’t have a 6,560 ft. contour at all.

SPHP had a different opinion. During Loop’s first ascent of Gap Lode Peak she had visited both high points. SPHP came away believing that the E high point was actually the true summit, though it was admittedly hard to tell for sure. Nevertheless, the Carolina Dog once again headed toward the W high point first. When she got close, it was time to take a break. Loop had an excellent view of Sylvan Peak (7,000 ft.) from a rock near her resting place.

Lupe near the W high point. **Sylvan Peak** is the high ridge at Center. Closer by on the L is a SW granite arm of Gap Lode Peak that Lupe would visit after the W high point. Photo looks SW.

Lupe curled up in the shade. She had water and Taste of the Wild. SPHP munched an apple. All the snow, deadfall, and rugged terrain on the way here took a few minutes to recover from.

When the American Dingo was ready, she went with SPHP to Gap Lode Peak’s W summit. She got up on one of the highest rocks. According to the map, she had reached the true summit of Gap Lode Peak (6,560 ft.).

The best views were toward the E and SE into the heart of the Black Elk Wilderness. This region contains some of the most rugged territory in the Black Hills. Huge granite formations of Black Elk Peak (7,131 ft.), Peak 6920 and Little Devil’s Tower (6,960 ft.) dominated the landscape.

**Black Elk Peak**, the highest mountain in South Dakota is beyond Lupe. Large granite formations on the R are part of **Peak 6920**. Photo looks E.

**Peak 6920**. SPHP isn’t certain if the summit is in view here or not. Photo looks SE with help from the telephoto lens.

Lupe would soon be going to the **E summit of Gap Lode Peak** (Center). The route up is from the L. Photo looks E with help from the telephoto lens.

After visiting the W summit, Lupe did not go directly to the E high point. Instead she went SW out onto a massive granite arm of the mountain. Deadfall made even this short jaunt time consuming. Once Loop made it to the exposed granite, though, it was easy to move around and enjoy some pretty spectacular Black Hills views.

At the end of the massive **SW arm of Gap Lode Peak**. The E high point is in view on the L. **Elkhorn Mountain** is the nearest of the two distant peaks on the R. Photo looks NE.

**Black Elk Peak** is beyond Lupe. **Peak 6920** is on the R. Photo looks E.

**Black Elk Peak** from the SW arm of **Gap Lode Peak**. Photo looks E with help from the telephoto lens.

**Bear Mountain (7,166 ft.)** is part of the high ridge in the distance L of Center. **Saint Elmo Peak** is much closer on the R. Photo looks W.

Lupe finished her tour of Gap Lode Peak with a visit to the E high point. Deadfall once again made the trek difficult despite the relatively short distance.

Lupe nearing the E high point. Photo looks ESE.

Actually getting up on top of the E high point involved a short scramble. Lupe climbed up unassisted, although the scramble was right on the edge of what she could manage on her own. Looper did make it to the top, though. She could now claim her second successful Gap Lode Peak ascent, having once again visited both the E and W summits.

The views from here, of course, were for the most part quite similar to what Looper had already seen from the W high point.

Lupe up on one of the highest rocks at **Gap Lode Peak’s E summit**. **Sylvan Peak** is in the distance on the R. Photo looks SSW.

**Black Elk Peak** (L), **Peak 6920** (Center) and **Little Devil’s Tower** (Lupe’s ear on the R points to it) are all in view. Photo looks ESE.

Looper atop the E high point of **Gap Lode Peak**. SPHP believes this is the true summit despite what the topo map shows. Photo looks SE.

*So I’ve done it, right, SPHP? Made it to both the E & W high points, so now I can claim another successful Gap Lode Peak ascent. …. That’s right, Looper! Great work, puppy!* Photo looks SE.

Neither the E nor W summits of Gap Lode Peak are roomy, but there was a small level area up here where Loop could hide in the shade next to the highest rocks. The Carolina Dog decided she wanted to do that while SPHP admired the views.

Although the topo map shows that the W high point is the true summit, SPHP once again came to the conclusion that the E high point is actually higher. Admittedly, it’s a close call, but that’s how it appeared.

**Sylvan Peak** (Center) and the **W summit of Gap Lode Peak** (R). Photo looks SW.

**Bear Mountain** (distant ridge at Center) and **Saint Elmo Peak** (R). The saddle between Gap Lode Peak’s E & W high points is in the foreground. Photo looks W.

**Black Elk Peak**. Photo looks E with help from the telephoto lens.

After being an eager participant earlier on, Lupe was reluctant to hop up onto any more rocks. After all, her peakbagging goal was accomplished. She now preferred relaxing in the shade. Not until it was getting close to time to leave could she be persuaded to resume her usual cooperation.

*I’ve already done this mountain, SPHP. You admitted so yourself only a little while ago. What more do you want? Sheesh! Photo looks N.*

*OK, OK, how does this look? …. Beautiful, Loop! Always better with a Carolina Dog, you know.* **Sylvan Peak** (L) and the **W Summit of Gap Lode Peak** (R). Photo looks WSW.

After a leisurely time spent touring the highlights of Gap Lode Peak, Lupe was ready to move on. She now needed to get back to Lost Cabin Trail No. 2. SPHP had seen from the E summit that she might be able to take a shortcut, and avoid losing so much elevation.

So after Loop made it back down to the saddle, she gave the potential shortcut a whirl. Lupe and SPHP plunged down a steep NNE slope in search of a better route E.

Looper still lost a bunch of elevation. This maneuver looked like it was going to prove to be a complete waste of time. However, as she neared a wall of rock, a possible saddle could be seen where Lupe might be able to get through. The saddle was a little higher than where she was at the moment. The effort of going back up to it was rewarded. Surprisingly, a narrow passage actually did exist.

Rock formations seen from the saddle between the E and W summits of **Gap Lode Peak**. These formations are closer to the E summit. Photo looks SE.

Lupe finds a narrow passage to the E. Photo looks WNW.

*Hey, what do you know, SPHP? Looks like this is going to work after all. Kind of a cool secret passage!* Photo looks NW.

Whether Lupe’s newly discovered secret passage E from Gap Lode Peak really saved any time is debatable. She certainly avoided losing as much elevation as she would have going all the way back down to Skinny Rock, but she wound up facing a longer than expected trek back to the trail. The deadfall wasn’t any better on the this route than on the Skinny Rock route, either. At least there was less snow this way.

At any rate, Loopster eventually did get back to Lost Cabin Trail No. 2. Although she hadn’t traveled any great distance getting to Gap Lode Peak, hours and hours had gone by. SPHP had originally foreseen Lupe also visiting Peak 6920 and Black Elk Peak on Expedition No. 226. The sun would still be up for hours, but Peak 6920 would be another super time-consuming off trail march through deadfall and snow. Trails go all the way up Black Elk Peak, but the summit was still miles away.

Calling it a day would have been the smart thing to do. SPHP realized that Peak 6920 had to be dropped from consideration, but maybe Black Elk Peak wasn’t a lost cause yet? The Carolina Dog seemed energetic and perfectly happy. Lupe and SPHP continued on Lost Cabin Trail No. 2 intent upon Black Elk Peak.

Pushing on to Black Elk Peak. Photo looks WSW.

On and on along the snowy trail. A short break was taken in a sunny glade. Lupe enjoyed a shared chocolate granola bar. Hitting the trail once again, she came to the Lost Cabin No. 2 spur trail, a shortcut to Trail No. 9 leading to Black Elk Peak. The spur trail gained elevation slowly following a creek. There was a lot of minor up and down along the way.

Lupe was nearing Little Devil’s Tower, but she was still far below it.

At the start of the Log Cabin Trail No. 2 spur trail. This was a short cut to Trail No. 9 on the way to Black Elk Peak, so Lupe took it.

**Little Devil’s Tower** from the Lost Cabin No. 2 spur trail. Photo looks SSE.

When Lupe finally reached Trail No. 9, she started meeting groups of people on their way down to Sylvan Lake from Black Elk Peak. These were first people she had encountered all day. It was getting toward evening, so no one else was on the way up.

Before long, Trail No. 9 was practically deserted, too. Loop stayed busily engaged watching chipmunks. SPHP kept trudging higher. At last, the American Dingo was above Little Devil’s Tower (6,960 ft.) and the Cathedral Spires (6,840 ft.). Black Elk Peak wasn’t much farther now.

After enjoying chipmunk watching along Trail No. 9, Loopster reaches a view of the **Cathedral Spires** (R). Photo looks SSW.

Two people were still out on the observation deck of the old Harney Peak lookout tower when Lupe arrived at the summit of recently (2016) renamed Black Elk Peak (7,231 ft.). Brandon and Nate were rock climbers from Sioux Falls. The only reason they hadn’t started down yet was that they intended to camp somewhere not too far away. After a pleasant chat with SPHP, they departed as well.

Lupe left the observation tower, taking a trail from the basement out onto the granite W of the tower. A cool E breeze was blowing. SPHP shared the last chocolate granola bar with her.

Out on the granite W of the old Harney Peak lookout tower on **Black Elk Peak**. Photo looks SE.

**Cathedral Spires** (R) from **Black Elk Peak**. Photo looks S.

This was Loop’s 8th ascent of the highest mountain in South Dakota. Photo looks NE.

Lupe had made it all the way to Black Elk Peak, but shadows were lengthening. She couldn’t stay. In fact, it would be dark long before she could get back to the Palmer Creek trailhead. Better get a move on.

On the way back, the American Dingo made a loop, taking Trail No. 9 down to Willow Creek Trail No. 8. SPHP was thinking this might be a shorter route, but it had been a long time since Lupe had last been this way. Trail No. 9 stayed high much farther than SPHP remembered.

The scenery was beautiful, but Loop didn’t have time to dilly dally. It was a race against time and fading light.

On snowy Trail No. 9 on the way down to the Willow Creek trailhead.

Looking back at the lookout tower on **Black Elk Peak**. Photo looks SW.

Nearing **Elkhorn Mountain** prior to sunset. Photo looks NE.

Night won. Two miles before Lupe reached the Willow Creek trailhead, SPHP had to bring out the flashlight. After a short rest, Lupe trotted on, alert and uncomplaining, beneath silvery stars and a bright half moon. (End – 10:25 PM, 38°F)

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Black Hills, SD Expedition No. 74 – Willow Creek to Sylvan Lake (1-19-14)

Willow Creek Horse Camp, Norbeck Wildlife Preserve (10:28 AM, 49°F)

At last! Grandma was doing lots better, and it was an amazingly warm day for January. For the first time in a month and a day, Lupe was heading out on one of her Black Hills expeditions – her first of 2014. A few inches of snow only served to make the Carolina Dog even more joyous and revved up! Not a soul was around as she charged ahead on Willow Creek Trail No. 8, sniffing madly.

The trail went S through a forest of tall pines and spruce trees. It wound around going up and down before crossing small, frozen Willow Creek. Across the creek, the trail divided. One branch went S up the creek valley, the other turned NW and quickly brought Lupe to a cul-de-sac at the end of a gravel road.

Lupe’s ultimate objective for the day was to reach Sylvan Lake, which she had never been to before. Somewhere around here, Loop was supposed to take Lost Cabin Trail No. 2, but there were no signs indicating which way to go. A rather primitive trail headed SW from the cul-de-sac. Since that was the right general direction, Lupe and SPHP tried it.

The primitive trail gained elevation steadily. At first, a few footprints in the snow helped show where the trail went, but they ended at a large clearing where the snow became deeper. Lupe and SPHP had to guess which way to go. Continuing SW across the open ground toward the next part of the forest seemed to be the thing to do.

Near the trees, Lupe found the trail again. As expected, it did head into the forest. There was less snow here, but quite a few dead trees had fallen across the trail. The situation only became worse as Lupe proceeded. The deadfall timber slowed SPHP down significantly.

After a little while winding through the forest, Lupe reached another intersection where the trail divided. The trail heading S started climbing more steeply up the mountain. The trail going N was less steep. It went toward a less heavily forested hillside where it curved W. SPHP wasn’t sure which way to go, but tried the trail to the N.

As the trail turned W, it became apparent why this hillside wasn’t as heavily forested. Pine bark beetles had decimated the trees. Lots of tree trunks were still standing, but the upper portions of the trees had snapped entirely off the trunks. The trail was covered with deadfall timber. The snow was deeper here, too. It was slow going fighting both the deadfall and the snow. Lupe and SPHP spent far more time off the trail trying to get around all the obstacles than on it.

Fortunately, this bad stretch of trail didn’t last long. After 0.25 mile, Lupe came to a footbridge crossing Palmer Creek. A long field paralleled the creek on the other side of the bridge. Across the field, the trail ended at the Palmer Creek trailhead. A map posted at the trailhead showed that Lupe had been on Lost Cabin Trail No. 2 at least since leaving the cul-de-sac. However, the last 0.25 mile of difficult trail leading to this trailhead was only a spur. Lupe would have to retrace it to continue S on up the mountain.

Looking SW up the Palmer Creek valley from near the footbridge.

So Lupe followed the spur trail back across the field, over the bridge, and all the way back to the trail junction. This time she took Lost Cabin Trail No. 2 going S up the mountain. The trail entered a more heavily forested area again as it started climbing rapidly. The snow deepened. Deadfall timber continued to block the trail at regular intervals, but wasn’t as bad as on the spur trail.

Lupe climbed for what seemed like a long time. On the way, she entered the Black Elk Wilderness. The views were steadily improving. Finally the trail leveled out. Lupe had reached a high, rocky area, part of a massive ridge of granite. Lupe left the trail temporarily to explore the rock formations and take in some of the views from here.

Lupe left Lost Cabin Trail No. 2 to explore among the rocks on this big granite ridge. The long ridge with high points at both ends seen in the distance a little R of Center is **Zimmer Ridge (6,600 ft.)**. Photo looks WNW.

Although Lupe had gained hundreds of feet of elevation, she could still see other peaks and ridges that were just as high or higher than where she was now. She returned to Lost Cabin Trail No. 2 to resume her climb.

The trail continued steadily up for a while, but eventually crested at a broad saddle near 6,350 ft. elevation. Due to pine bark beetles, the forest here was a mess. However, the devastation had opened up a view of a rocky high point just to the E.

This seemed like a good place to take a break. SPHP sat on one of the many fallen tree trunks near the trail. Lupe enjoyed Taste of the Wild, SPHP had the usual apple, and both had water.

Lupe reached the crest of Lost Cabin Trail No. 2 at this saddle 0.33 mile NE of **Gap Lode Peak (6,560 ft.)**. The rocky hill seen here is E of the trail. Photo looks E.

After 15 minutes, SPHP’s feet started getting cold. Time to press on and get the circulation going again! Lupe continued S on the trail. It wound around through the forest, but was no longer gaining elevation. Farther along, the forest was in much better condition. The pine bark beetles hadn’t hit it nearly so hard here.

As Lupe continued S on Lost Cabin Trail No. 2, the forest was in better condition.

About 1.5 miles from the break point at the saddle, Lost Cabin Trail No. 2 left the Black Elk Wilderness and ended at a junction with Harney Peak Trail No. 9. At 6,405 feet, this was the highest elevation Lupe would reach all day.

Lupe wasn’t going all the way to Harney Peak (7,242 ft.). Instead, she turned SW on Harney Peak Trail No. 9 in the direction of Sylvan Lake. The trail would take her 0.75 mile down a valley to the Sylvan Lake trailhead, Custer State Park’s most popular starting point for the 3+ mile hike (one way) to Harney Peak.

Trail No. 9 was snow-packed, icy and very slippery. Even though it’s a wide, heavily traveled trail and not particularly steep, the going was treacherous for SPHP. The day was warm enough to melt some snow, allowing water to run over the ice. The ice, however, had hardly softened up at all. The wet ice was super slick. Even an American Dingo slipped and slid in some places.

Lupe had never been here before, but SPHP had. The valley along the trail had been transformed since the last time SPHP had seen it. Apparently pine bark beetles had hit hard. Consequently, bulldozers had been all over the NW side of the valley completing the destruction. The forest had been severely thinned. A once shady hike beneath tall pines and spruce was now far more open and exposed.

The damaged hillsides looked bad. On the plus side, it was much easier than it used to be to see some of the large rock formations on the SE side of the valley.

With so many beetle killed trees removed, views of large rock formations across the valley from Harney Peak Trail No. 9 on the way to Sylvan Lake were much better than they used to be. Photo looks SSE.

A surprising number of people were around when Lupe reached Sylvan Lake. A dozen cars were parked near the lake close to the picnic ground. Lupe and SPHP went over to the small sandy beach on the NE side of the lake. Nearly all the large beautiful pines that used to provide shade around the perimeter were gone. It was a sad sight.

Close to the beach, Lupe climbed up on a big granite formation that juts out into Sylvan Lake. The beautiful scenes looking across the lake from here were unchanged.

Lupe had made it to Sylvan Lake, but winter days are short. The sun was already getting low. Going back the way Lupe had come was not a good idea. Too many parts of the trail had been hidden under deadfall timber. Losing the trail on a winter night was not an option. Although it was 6 miles back to the G6 taking Hwy 87 and Palmer Creek Road, that was the only smart choice.

Lupe and SPHP left the rock formation and went down to the beach, intending to go around the S end of the lake to get to Hwy 87. However, the ice on Sylvan Lake looked thick. Lupe could just walk across to the W side of the lake! Why not?

The ice was full of cracks and fissures as Lupe started out, but felt solid. Lupe went W staying close to the granite formation she had been up on moments ago. She could see people out on the ice near the opposite shore.

Coming around a corner near the rocks, SPHP was surprised to see open water at the edge of the rock formation 30 feet ahead! The sight of open water was unexpected and worrisome, but the ice was still very thick and firm where Lupe was. The Carolina Dog continued across the lake, but swung wide to the S around the small patch of open water.

Lupe reached the W shore of Sylvan Lake without incident.

After crossing frozen Sylvan Lake, Lupe reaches the W shore. Photo looks N.

With the sun sinking fast, people were heading for their cars to go home. Lupe went N on the trail along the W shore of the lake.

Lupe on the trail on the W shore of Sylvan Lake. Photo looks N.

At the NW end of Sylvan Lake near the dam, the trail passes through a narrow gap between huge vertical rock formations. The gap is almost like a tunnel. Large boulders can be seen wedged into the top of the gap above. Lupe went through the gap.

On the other side, Lupe could have gone down beneath the dam that forms Sylvan Lake, but she needed to get to the highway. She took a trail W, passing below more large granite formations.

Walls of granite like this one are typical of the Sylvan Lake area.

SPHP thought Lupe might take the Sunday Gulch trail part of the way back, but missed the turn for it. Lupe arrived at Hwy 87 close Sylvan Lake Lodge.

The sun was still up as the American Dingo trotted N on Hwy 87, but she was in the shade of Sylvan Hill (7,000 ft.) all the way. The highway wound its way steadily down the mountain. Lupe passed through a short granite tunnel. Now and then cars or pickup trucks went by. The temperature was dropping, but Lupe and SPHP enjoyed the trek in the cool mountain air.

While still high up, Lupe saw deer. A few miles later, down in the valley, she saw horses. They kept the journey interesting. When the Carolina Dog reached the turn onto gravel Palmer Creek Road, she took it. Now there was no traffic. The final glow of sunset faded. Lupe passed the access road to the Palmer Creek trailhead.

Stars glittered above in the black night sky by the time Lupe reached Hwy 244. The turn for the Willow Creek Horse Camp wasn’t far now. Before long, a tired, but happy Carolina Dog arrived at the G6 (5:57 PM, 34°F).

Expedition No. 74 was over. Lupe’d had a wonderful time sniffing and exploring new places she’d never been to before. She’d made it all the way to Sylvan Lake, and even walked across the frozen lake. It felt great to be back in action, especially knowing that this was only a start to the many fantastic adventures she would have in 2014!

The final glow of sunset faded away as Lupe traveled Palmer Creek Road.

Willow Creek Horse Camp where Willow Creek Trail No. 8 originates is located off Hwy 224 about 5 miles W of Mount Rushmore, and 3 miles W of Horsethief Lake. The turn is on the S side of the highway a little E of the Palmer Gulch KOA.

The Palmer Creek trailhead where the spur to Lost Cabin Trail No. 2 originates is located off Palmer Creek Road, which can be approached from Hwy 244 a little W of the Palmer Gulch KOA, or Hwy 87 about 3 or 4 miles N of Sylvan Lake.

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