SPHP only heard Lupe stir once during the night. Even so, when SPHP woke up around 6:00 AM, Lupe was already wide awake. The 3rd day of Lupe’s 2015 Dingo Vacation had dawned. Lupe was hungry! She hadn’t had anything to eat the previous evening after her long trek up Medicine Bow Peak(12,013 ft.). SPHP gave her Taste of the Wild and Alpo for breakfast.
After climbing two big mountains, Laramie Peak (10,272 ft.) and Medicine Bow Peak, on the prior two days, SPHP wasn’t really all that raring to go, even if Lupe was. SPHP wasn’t sure what to do this morning, but at least for a little while, it wasn’t going to be anything too strenuous. After Lupe had eaten, SPHP drove to Snowy Range Pass. There was a round rock observation platform there. Lupe checked it out.
Lupe visits Snowy Range Pass. Medicine Bow Peak (L) and Sugarloaf Mountain (R) in the background. Lupe had climbed Medicine Bow Peak the day before.Lupe checks out the cool round rock Snowy Range Pass observation platform near Hwy 130.
Looking NW back at Medicine Bow Peak (Center) and Sugarloaf Mountain (R) from the Snowy Range Pass observation platform.
To the S of the observation platform was a broad plain dotted with rock outcroppings and clumps of pines. A big pond or small lake could be seen out there. This area is known as Libby Flats. Beyond Libby Flats were mountains in Colorado in the distance.
Libby Flats as seen from the Snowy Range Pass observation platform.
A footpath led from near the round rock observation platform toward another smaller pond down the hill to the E. Lupe wanted to check that out, too. She raced down to the small pond and then came running back with her report. She liked it. SPHP promised her she could come back, but now SPHP was hungry.
Lupe and the Snowy Range Pass observation platform from the footpath to the small pond.
After SPHP had eaten at the nearby Mirror Lake picnic ground, Lupe and SPHP returned to Snowy Range Pass. A trek to both the small nearby pond and the more distant bigger pond was on the agenda now. Despite the Carolina Dog’s enthusiasm, SPHP was feeling none too energetic. Libby Flats sounded good – especially the “flats” part.
Libby Flats proved to be a fun time. It was easy strolling around the various low rock formations and wandering the meadows between the clumps of forest. Lupe went to both of the ponds. Near the N shore of the larger pond, Lupe and SPHP watched clouds, listened to birds sing, insects hum and the breeze blow. SPHP dozed off for a while. The ever-faithful Lupe snoozed next to SPHP.
Lupe explores Libby Flats.
Lupe near the NW shore of the big pond on Libby Flats.A very busy American Dingo at Libby Flats S of Snowy Range Pass in Wyoming.
SPHP woke up feeling considerably recovered – still no where near 100%, but definitely better. Lupe sprang to life. What to do with all this newfound energy? SPHP had a plan – it was time to climb Sugarloaf Mountain(11,300 ft.)! Lupe had more fun exploring Libby Flats on the way back to the G6 at Snowy Range Pass. From there, it was only a short drive to the trailhead near Lewis Lake.
Lupe about to set off from Lewis Lake to climb Sugarloaf Mountain (L). Medicine Bow Peak is seen on the (R).
Lupe set off on the trail that goes between Lewis and Libby Lakes at 3:08 PM. The sky had clouded up to a considerable extent during the nap, and it was a pleasant 61°F out. The trail went along the S shore of Lewis Lake, and then headed up to the pass between Sugarloaf Mountain and Medicine Bow Peak.
Flowers along the trail near Lewis Lake.
Shortly before reaching the junction at the pass where the Lakes Trail meets the Medicine Bow Trail, Lupe and SPHP left the trail from Lewis Lake and started climbing SE towards Sugarloaf Mountain. Lupe reached the top of a small ridge. SPHP sat down on a big rock to study Sugarloaf Mountain for a few minutes.
The N face looked too steep to seriously consider. From perhaps 50 to 75 feet below the summit, a long ridge swept down towards the SW. Most of the ridge looked too steep for SPHP to climb up, too.
However, partway down the ridge there were two large white boulders sitting up on top right at the edge of the ridge. They were larger than any of the other boulders in view on the ridgeline. There were two clumps of greenery – bushes and small trees – near the top of the ridge too. One clump was closer to the summit than the two big white boulders, and the other was farther down the ridge.
It looked like it might be possible to scramble up onto the ridge at either of the clumps of greenery. Lupe and SPHP headed across the small valley toward the base of the ridge below the clump of greenery closest to the summit. Lupe had to cross a boulder field just to get to the base of the ridge. The boulder field extended all the way up to the greenery.
Lupe is great at picking her way through boulder fields. She is fast, too. Lupe had plenty of time to strike dramatic poses and survey the surroundings from various big boulders, while SPHP slowly climbed the ridge. SPHP eventually reached the greenery and arrived up on the ridgeline. The hardest part of climbing Sugarloaf Mountain was done.
Off to the S and E, a long line of showers could be seen about 10 miles away. What had been an increasingly overcast day was now starting to look like rain. Still, SPHP figured the showers would probably move away off to the E. SPHP turned and looked up the length of the ridgeline toward the summit. A cairn was on a big rock nearby. It seemed unnecessary. The way up was pretty obvious – a continuous scramble through boulders all the way.
Looking NE from the highest big patch of greenery on the ridge that sweeps down to the SW from the summit of Sugarloaf Mountain.
The boulder field up the SW ridge really wasn’t bad at all. Soon Lupe reached some green mossy areas between the boulders. Most of the way SPHP was able to avoid the boulders and just walk normally along the mossy areas up to the top of the ridge. There the mossy areas ended. The last 50 to 75 feet up really was just a scramble up the big pile of boulders leading to the summit. Soon Lupe was there – on top of Sugarloaf Mountain!
Lupe on Sugarloaf Mountain. Part of the “Great Wall of Sugarloaf” is just behind her. Browns Peak is on the right.
At the top of Sugarloaf Mountain was a little curved wall built of loose rock that someone had built up there. It was rather cool. SPHP dubbed it the “Great Wall of Sugarloaf”. The summit area was narrow in the NW/SE direction, but quite long in the SW/NE direction. There was plenty of room to walk around and enjoy the fabulous views.
Looking N from Sugarloaf Mountain. Browns Peak(11,722 ft.) is on the (R). Of the 3 largest lakes on the (L) side of the photo, Klondike Lake is the closest and South Gap Lake is the most distant.Looking W towards Medicine Bow Peak from Sugarloaf Mountain. Lupe had been up on Medicine Bow Peak less than 24 hours earlier!
Less than a minute before Lupe reached the top of Sugarloaf Mountain, it had started to sprinkle. It sprinkled on and off while Lupe was on the summit. There was an E breeze up on Sugarloaf. Oddly and unexpectedly, the line of showers to the E & S was getting closer instead of moving farther away. Lupe and SPHP were having fun up on Sugarloaf when suddenly the sprinkles turned to rain. The rocks were getting wet and slippery fast. Even though Lupe had only been up on the summit for 10 or 15 minutes, it was time to head down.
By the time Lupe and SPHP were back down to the top of the SW ridge below the summit, the rain had stopped. It was back to just sprinkling intermittently again. SPHP wished Lupe had been able to spend more time up on the summit. However, since she was already on her way down, there was no sense in going back up. The rain could start in again any time.
Lupe had a blast on the way back to the G6. So did SPHP. It was fun scrambling around on the rocks. It sprinkled now and then, but it didn’t really rain. Sugarloaf Mountain had been just the right difficulty and height to make it challenging enough to be fun, but not another long exhausting trip.
Lupe reached the G6 at 6:57 PM. Inside the G6 she had another good meal of Alpo and Taste of the Wild. Within just a few minutes it started raining again – this time harder and more steadily. Nice and dry, and with a full belly, the Carolina Dog zonked out for a good long snooze on her pile of pillows and blankets.
On Day 2 of Lupe’s great Summer of 2015 Dingo Vacation, she set a new personal record by climbing Medicine Bow Peak(12,013 ft.) in Wyoming. Medicine Bow Peak was the first mountain over 12,000 feet Lupe had ever climbed, surpassing Lonesome Mountain(11,399 ft.) in Montana. Lupe had climbed Lonesome Mountain on 8-3-14 near the end of her Summer of 2014 Dingo Vacation.
Despite Lupe’s late night antics near Laramie Peak(10,272 ft.) the previous evening, Lupe and SPHP were up at 5:30 AM on the morning of 8-10-15. It was the start of Day 2 of Lupe’s 2015 Dingo Vacation. Lupe was eager to get going! Lupe and SPHP left the Friend Park area near Laramie Peak turning S on USFS Road No. 671. A sign said it was 6 miles to Arapaho Trail Road. SPHP had no idea where Arapaho Trail Road might go, but Lupe was going to find out!
Along the way, Lupe was so stirred up by the sights and sounds outside, SPHP stopped the G6 three separate times. Each time, Lupe dashed out of the G6 to race around sniffing madly through the forests and meadows. She literally bounded through the forest and tall grass. With all these dingo delays, the six miles to Arapahoe Trail Road went by slowly.
USFS Road No. 671 wasn’t too bad a road. The G6 had no difficulties until the road dipped rather steeply on its way down into a small valley. The slope was rutty, rocky and eroded. The G6 had to proceed very slowly and carefully down the hill. SPHP was happy to have guided the G6 down without incident, but only for a moment. Almost immediately, a huge murky mud puddle (which might actually have been part of a stream) occupied the entire road ahead. No way the G6 was going through that!
End of the line for the G6 on USFS Road No. 671 nearly 6 miles S of Laramie Peak. Time to turn around!
So Lupe never made it to Arapaho Trail Road. Where Arapaho Trail Road goes remains a mystery. SPHP was just glad there was an easy spot to turn the G6 around. Another slow crawl over the rocky, rutty part of USFS Road No. 671 ensued, this time heading uphill. The G6 triumphed again. If Lupe was disappointed at having to backtrack all the way N again on No. 671, she was certainly able to hide it.
A sad Lupe thinks about having to head all the way back N on USFS Road No. 671. No doubt she will be forced to get out and run around sniffing some more.
Lupe insisted on getting out to bound around sniffing a couple of more times on the way back N. Finally, though, the G6 reached County Road No. 710. Instead of turning N to Esterbrook, Lupe turned S. No. 710 wasn’t a great road, but it was good enough to drive the G6 20-30 mph most of the long way to Fetterman Road.
The scenery in this remote part of the Laramie Mountains was beautiful. There were a few abandoned ranch homes, but no traffic and no people around for a very long way. Little birds flew over the road, rabbits and small animals dashed across it, cows and horses munched away in the open fields between the mountains. Lupe had a blast barking at the cows and horses. Every now and then SPHP let her out of the G6 to explore, while SPHP admired the sights and sounds of nature.
There were a couple of nice ponds like this one as Lupe neared the edge of the Laramie Mountains.
By the time Lupe and SPHP reached Fetterman Road, the Laramie Mountains had been left behind. Fetterman Road went across 41 miles of high barren rolling plains full of cows, horses and pronghorn antelope. For some reason, Carolina Dogs never seem to grow hoarse or lose interest in barking at grazing animals. Lupe worked herself up into a complete frenzy. The din inside the G6 lasted as long as Fetterman Road did. Outside the views were not as dramatic as in the mountains, but still pleasing to the eye.
Fetterman Road ended at Hwy 30 just a few miles N of Rock River, WY. Hwy 30 was undergoing road construction. The G6 had to wait for a pilot car to come along. For a few minutes, Lupe and SPHP got out of the G6. Lupe’s barker was dry – very dry. She lapped up water almost as frantically as she had barked all along Fetterman Road.
From Rock River, Lupe headed SW on Hwy 13 past McFadden, reaching I-80 at Arlington. SPHP drove W on I-80, but only as far as Exit 260. There Lupe headed S on a very patchy, bumpy paved road that soon turned to gravel. ElkMountain(11,156 ft.) was now in view to the SW.
Lupe NE of 11,156 foot Elk Mountain, WY.
Lupe and SPHP continued on. Dusty USFS Road No. 100 led Lupe up into the Medicine Bow Mountains past Turpin Reservoir, which was mostly hidden by the forest. SPHP was glad to reach paved Hwy 30. Upon reaching the West Trailhead at Lake Marie, SPHP parked the G6. At 2:54 PM, Lupe and SPHP started for Medicine Bow Peak along the Lakes Trail. It was 64°F.
Lupe at Lake Marie in the Medicine Bow Mountains. Photo looks NW from near the outlet stream.Lake Marie from the NE. Note the terrain at the far end of the lake. It became important later on.
The Lakes Trail went between Lake Marie and Mirror Lake. Then it headed NNE passing to the E of Lookout Lake, the largest lake along the route, and a series of smaller lakes and ponds. To the W of all the lakes were the cliffs beneath the long, high ridge that extends up to Medicine Bow Peak.
Mirror Lake from the S.Lupe SE of Lookout Lake, Medicine Bow Range, WY.Lupe farther N now, but still to the E of Lookout Lake along the Lakes Trail. Medicine Bow Peak in the background.
The Lakes Trail climbed at an easy to moderate pace as it headed NNE past all the lakes. At least it should have been easy. Maybe for Lupe it was. She seemed to have no difficulties whatsoever. SPHP, on the other hand, was dragging from the very start. Perhaps it was the 10,500 foot elevation level (higher than Laramie Peak!) near the start of the trail at Lake Marie. Perhaps it was the 2,800 feet of elevation gain climbing Laramie Peak the previous day. Maybe it was not enough sleep. Maybe it was the combination of all three.
Whatever it was, SPHP struggled along the trail with little energy, breathing hard, with heart pounding. Lupe must have wondered at the reason for all the rest stops. At least they gave her time to appreciate the gorgeous alpine scenery all around. That’s one nice thing about the Medicine Bows – even though the area of alpine terrain isn’t all that huge, Hwy 130 climbs up high enough to start adventures already in the alpine zone.
SPHP marveled at how 2,800 feet of elevation gain at Laramie Peak hadn’t seemed that difficult. Yet now the 1,500 feet of elevation gain necessary to reach the top of Medicine Bow Peak seemed endless and insurmountable. In the end, SPHP simply lived up to the acronym and plodded slowly on, taking as many rest breaks as required to keep going. Gradually, Lupe and SPHP got past Lookout Lake and approached Sugarloaf Mountain.
Lupe still near Lookout Lake.Making progress – now NE of Lookout Lake.Sugarloaf Mountain(11,300 ft.). Photo looks NE.
NW of Sugarloaf Mountain at the top of the pass between Sugarloaf Mountain and Medicine Bow Peak, the Lakes Trail met up with the trail coming from Lewis Lake to the E and the Medicine Bow Trail. The easy part was over! It was time to climb the steep, rocky switchbacks of the Medicine Bow Trail up the E face of Medicine Bow Peak. Surprisingly, SPHP seemed to get a bit of a second wind. Gradually Lupe and SPHP gained elevation and the views got even better.
Looking S as Lupe climbs Medicine Bow Peak. Lookout Lake is now the farthest one in the distance.Looking NE at Browns Peak(11,722 ft.), which came into view once Lupe reached the pass between Medicine Bow Peak and Sugarloaf Mountain.Looking SE now at Sugarloaf Mountain.
On the Lakes Trail, there had been plenty of people and dogs. However, Lupe and SPHP had gotten such a late start that by the time Lupe was headed up the Medicine Bow Trail, there weren’t many people left. Most of them were headed back down. After a little while, there were only two other people on the trail. They were ahead of Lupe and SPHP, and still going up. Lupe and SPHP gradually gained on them, much to SPHP’s surprise.
Close to the top of the mountain, Lupe started seeing snow. Just before the final climb, the trail turned sharply and revealed a 100 foot long snowbank. It wasn’t terribly wide, maybe 20 feet, but the trail went right up the length of it. Lupe was thrilled! She rolled around on the snow in delight.
Close to the top of Medicine Bow Peak there starts to be some snow. By now you know that biggest lake to the S is Lookout Lake. Lake Marie, where Lupe started this climb, is seen beyond Lookout Lake.Lupe loved the big long snowbank the trail went over just before reaching the summit of Medicine Bow Peak.
At the top of the long snowbank, Lupe and SPHP caught up with the couple who had been leading the way up Medicine Bow Peak. They had stopped for a break. They were from Virginia. SPHP chatted with them for a few minutes before Lupe and SPHP continued on ahead.
Above the long snowbank was nothing but a boulder field. It was just a scramble across the rocks to the summit, gaining at most 50 feet of elevation along the way. Lupe is great at boulder hopping. SPHP not so much, but SPHP still managed to make progress. The wooden post at the summit was already in sight, when the guy from Virginia reappeared. He had no difficulty passing SPHP and reaching the summit first. After giving him a little time to enjoy the summit in peace, Lupe and SPHP headed over to it, too.
SPHP didn’t see the woman, and asked the guy if she was still coming. He said she was now scared and didn’t want to go any further. She was waiting for him back at the snowbank.
SPHP encouraged him to just give her a little encouragement. There was hardly any elevation gain left for her to be able to claim a successful summit. The boulder field was slow, but it was not difficult and not dangerous. It wasn’t steep either, as long as she stayed away from the cliffs at the E face of the mountain. In fact, what remained was far less scary than what she’d already done. The weather was perfect – SPHP had arrived at the summit in a T-shirt. She would be glad and proud she finished climbing Medicine Bow Peak.
The guy replied that he didn’t want to force her, but said he would ask her again if she wanted to continue. SPHP told him to tell her that Lupe was waiting at the summit to congratulate her. He laughed and left. Lupe and SPHP remained at the summit enjoying the terrific views in all directions.
Lupe on the summit of Medicine Bow Peak. Photo looks NE towards Browns Peak.Looking S from the summit of Medicine Bow Peak.
Looking N back at the summit post on Medicine Bow Peak, the first mountain over 12,000 feet Lupe had ever climbed.
Although Lupe and SPHP waited, the gal from Virginia never appeared. SPHP thought that was a shame, but it was her choice. Still, she likely just needed some encouragement. There was nothing an American Dingo could do about it, though. Lupe and SPHP had arrived at the summit about 45 minutes before sunset. It was a long way back to the G6, and Lupe still had some peakbagging left to do!
The Medicine Bow Trail continues S of Medicine Bow Peak on the W side of the long ridge that extends clear down to Lake Marie. At the far S end of the ridge, it heads steeply down to the West Lake Marie Trailhead where the G6 was parked. Lupe was going back this way to make a giant loop.
A short distance E of the trail, not too far SW of Medicine Bow Peak, is the Carbon County, WY high point, also known as Medicine Bow Peak – West Ridge(11,920 ft.). It is not a peak of any sort, just a spot on the way back down the mountain where the county line intersects the ridge. As the high point of Carbon County, it was a peakbagging goal for Lupe.
The high point of Carbon County is just beyond the next hill of boulders seen here to the S!Heading towards the Carbon County, WY high point from Medicine Bow Peak.Looking back towards Medicine Bow Peak from the SW. The big rock cairn with a sharpened post sticking out of it was typical of the cairns along the Medicine Bow Trail. They were soon to prove very useful to Lupe & SPHP.
Lupe and SPHP headed SW from Medicine Bow Peak on the Medicine Bow Trail. The trail went around the W side of the next slightly lower boulder hill. Somewhere not too far down on the ridge extending down from the SW side of this hill was the Carbon County, Wyoming High Point that Lupe was looking for. Soon after passing the hill, Lupe and SPHP left the trail to head E and climb up on the ridge. The sun was just setting as Lupe headed for the ridge.
Lupe on her search for the Carbon County, Wyoming High Point. The highest mountain in the distance on the right is Kennaday Peak(10,810 ft.).
Lupe up on the ridge SW of the first boulder hill SW of Medicine Bow Peak. Lupe headed down along the ridge (toward the camera) from the big flat boulder she is next to looking for the Carbon County HP.
SPHP had brought notes on what a couple of other climbers who had been to the Carbon County, Wyoming High Point had written on Peakbagger.com. Dan Quinlan (8-18-12) had written the “only thing of note was some old fencing in the area”. Eric Noel (8-30-10) had written “An improbable small snag must have been placed as a potential county line given that it was the only thing in an immense sea of rocks and quite close to the HP.”
And then, after Lupe headed down the ridgeline a little way, there it was! In the fading light was Eric Noel’s “improbable small snag” right about where the Carbon County High Point ought to be. Lupe and SPHP headed for it. There was some wire down in the rocks at the base of the snag. It looked like it was smooth wire, but after Lupe’s bad experience with barbed wire back in the Black Hills on 6-27-15, SPHP didn’t want Lupe to linger here or anywhere else there was wire on the ground – just in case it wasn’t all smooth.
Eric Noel’s “improbable small snag” at the Carbon County HP? There was some smooth wire down among the rocks below it. Dan Quinlan’s “old fencing”? SPHP believes this was it, or very close to the actual Carbon County, HP. If not, Lupe had to have been at it or very close somewhere along her route.
About a football field away to the NW of the “improbable small snag”, one of the cairns along the Medicine Bow Trail was in view. Lupe and SPHP headed over to it in order to reach the trail. Looking back to the SE, the “improbable small snag” was in clear sight from the cairn.
The sun was down even before Lupe had reached the Carbon County High Point. The light was starting to fade. It was time to make tracks. Lupe and SPHP followed the Medicine Bow Trail heading SW. Although there were extensive boulder fields all along the way, the trail did a pretty good job of avoiding the worst of them. For a little while, the trail headed W and lost a fair amount of elevation. It eventually turned back to the S and then went up and down.
SPHP was really fatigued by now. The up stretches weren’t really bad at all, but each one seemed difficult. Lupe was amazing as always. It’s always hard to tell if she is even tired. She just keeps going. The light faded. Lupe and SPHP were alone in a vast sea of boulders. The big cairns with sharpened posts sticking out of them showed the way. They were a huge help – SPHP never lost the trail along the ridge for more than a minute.
Gradually, first the cairns, and then the sea of boulders faded from view. They were replaced by a sea of stars above. The flashlight came out. It was a beautiful evening. Far away to the W were the lights of Saratoga and Encampment. Lupe and SPHP continued on for what seemed like a very long time. Finally the trail turned and started heading down to the E. This stretch seemed terrible. It was steep and full of loose rocks. There weren’t any real switchbacks, just a steep gash on the mountain. Past a cairn, the dirt suddenly became smooth.
Lupe and SPHP hadn’t gone too far on the smooth ground beyond the cairn when SPHP became worried. Suddenly, it really wasn’t clear where the trail went. In the weak light of the tiny flashlight, the ground looked all bare and smooth like the entire area had been trampled until all the vegetation had died. The scary part though, was that it was getting steeper.
SPHP stopped going forward. It looked like maybe the trail went to the left towards the N, but a short investigation in that direction was not encouraging. Beyond some bushes, the bare ground got steeper. Shining the flashlight to the E showed nothing – just a black void. A check back to the S revealed a thick tangle of trees, but no sign of a trail.
SPHP thought about the long line of cliffs that extended clear down past Lake Marie from Medicine Bow Peak. If Lupe wasn’t far enough S yet, to continue E meant inevitably heading over a cliff. SPHP decided to go back up to the last cairn. If the trail couldn’t be found, Lupe would have to spend the night on the mountain! Even though it was certain Lupe wasn’t very far away from the G6, only following the trail would be safe in the darkness.
Returning to the cairn, SPHP was relieved to see that the trail did veer sharply to the S. In the darkness, SPHP had just missed the turn earlier. Lupe headed on down the trail. It was still surprisingly far back to the G6. The trail went down and down through an area of long switchbacks. When Lupe reached the G6, it was 11:30 PM and 44°F. Lupe was too tired to even eat. Lupe and SPHP both just passed out. There was no repeat performance of Lupe’s late night antics near Laramie Peak the prior evening!
A post about August 9, 2015, Day 1 of Lupe’s grand Summer of 2015 Dingo Vacation which took her to parts of Wyoming, Colorado and a new Lupe state – Utah!
Finally the long-delayed day for the start of Lupe’s grand Summer of 2015 Dingo Vacation arrived! The trip had been postposed by the terrible injury Lupe suffered to her left front leg on Black Hills, SD Expedition No. 135 to Peak 6820 & Crooks Tower(7,137 ft.) on 6-27-15. She had run straight into a downed 5-strand barbed wire fence in Trebor Draw and gotten all cut up. Thankfully, lead emergency veterinarian Dr. Erin Brown at the Emergency Veterinarian Hospital in Rapid City was available late that Saturday night to stitch up the gaping wound on Lupe’s leg.
Lupe had then spent a mostly very dull July and early August encouraged to do as little as possible while her leg was healing. Other than a trip to CascadeFalls on Xochitl’s birthday, nothing very fun had happened to the increasingly discouraged Dingo. So Lupe was surprised and hopeful, when SPHP got up a little after 4:00 AM on the morning of 8-9-15, and started loading the G6 with the small mountain of supplies that had been sitting in the living room.
Packing the G6 seemed to take a long time. SPHP kept remembering additional things that needed to be brought along or done before departure. Lupe, already perched up on her stack of supplies, pillows and blankets in the G6 began to wonder if anything was really going to happen or not.
Lupe became bored in the G6 waiting for her great summer of 2015 Dingo Vacation to begin while SPHP kept thinking of more things to do before departure.
It was nearly 10:00 AM, by the time SPHP backed the G6 out of the driveway. Although Lupe’s perch in the front passenger seat was arranged the way it normally was on Lupe’s prior vacations, at first Lupe didn’t seem to remember that this meant something great was about to happen. It was over a year since returning from her 2014 Dingo Vacation to the Canadian Rockies and Beartooth Mountains, a very long time to Lupe. She didn’t start getting excited until she was already on the highway and saw cows to bark at. She sprang into action with her usual deafening enthusiasm.
The sky was overcast in the Black Hills, but Lupe and SPHP drove into sunshine leaving the hills. At Mule Creek Junction in Wyoming, SPHP stopped long enough at the rest area to snap a quick photo of Lupe and the cloud still hanging over the Black Hills in the distance.
Lupe at Mule Creek Junction, Wyoming. A last look back towards home at the big cloud still hanging over the Black Hills, SD in the distance.
Lupe by-passed Lusk, WY by taking the more scenic Hwy 270 to Lance Creek and then S to Manville, WY. A few miles before reaching Manville, Lupe and SPHP stopped for a short break at some interesting rock formations.
Lupe near the rock formations along Hwy 270 N of Manville, WY.
From Manville, Lupe went to Douglas, WY and then S on Hwy 94. Hwy 94 turned into a gravel road well before reaching Esterbrook. Lupe was on her way to her first peakbagging goal of her Summer of 2015 Dingo Vacation – Laramie Peak(10,272 ft.), the highest mountain in the Laramie Range.
Lupe near Laramie Peak. Photo looks SSE.Laramie Peak from the NNW.Lupe WNW of Laramie Peak, Wyoming.Lupe N of Eagle Peak(9,167 ft.), which is about 4 miles W of Laramie Peak.
Shortly before reaching Friend Park Campground, there was a left turn that led up a hill to the Friend Park Trailhead. Only 2 other vehicles were at the dusty trailhead when Lupe arrived. The owners of one vehicle returned while Lupe was still at the trailhead. They told SPHP they had gone quite a distance up the trail to Laramie Peak, but they had children with them and had to turn back before reaching the summit. There was a $5.00 fee required to hike the trail.
It was 4:02 PM when Lupe started up the Laramie Peak Trail. The trail goes through a pine forest nearly all the way to the summit. The first half mile or so on the way to Friend Creek was relatively flat, and may have even lost a little elevation. Although the area looked like it had been very dry recently, Lupe and SPHP were glad to see that Friend Creek still had pretty good flow in it.
Soon after crossing the bridge over Friend Creek, the trail started to climb steadily. Switchbacks helped to slow the rate of ascent to some degree, but the trail was fairly steep all the rest of the way up the mountain. Occasional very small streams crossed the trail, and at one more point the trail came near Friend Creek again. A sign said something about a waterfall, but there weren’t any notable falls apparent from the trail.
As Lupe gained elevation, now and then there were views of a high ridge to the NW. It wasn’t until well up on the mountain that some glimpses of a large valley to the SW came into view. Most of the time, the forest hid the views pretty effectively. About 3/4 of the way up, Lupe met a couple of women coming down the mountain with a little black and white dog named Decker.
Decker liked Lupe and didn’t want to leave when the women continued down the mountain after chatting briefly with SPHP. Lupe wasn’t terribly gracious. She didn’t want to be sniffed. Lupe growled at Decker. Decker wasn’t discouraged. The women had to come back up to retrieve Decker before they could continue on down. Decker and the two women were the only other party Lupe and SPHP encountered anywhere along the trail.
About 45 minutes before sunset, Lupe and SPHP finally reached the top of Laramie Peak. It was disappointing to see how much human junk was there. There were metal sheds, antennas, solar panels, wires and cables left behind from apparently abandoned communications systems. Fortunately there didn’t appear to be any broken glass, although there were a few boards with nails sticking out of them.
A lot of human debris from old communication systems greets the eye on the approach to the summit of Laramie Peak. A disappointing find!Lupe on Laramie Peak. This photo looks S.
Fortunately the summit of Laramie Peak was very rocky and the forest did not extend up onto the rocks. The summit was pretty rugged. There were big rounded boulders of reddish rock at the very top. Lupe and SPHP worked around the various boulders and rock outcroppings exploring different parts of the summit area. Since there weren’t trees at the top, there were some really great views in most directions.
Looking SE from Laramie Peak.View to the SSW.Looking NE from Laramie Peak. A high ridge of solid rock and boulders separated the E side of the summit area from the W. Unfortunately more junk marred the otherwise terrific view.
Lupe couldn’t get up to the very tippy-top of Laramie Peak, because the last couple of boulders at the top were just way too large for her to jump up onto. She did get very close though. Close enough for Dingo work to claim success! Lupe seemed very pleased to have climbed Laramie Peak, a considerable trek for the first mountain of her Summer of 2015 Dingo Vacation with nearly 2,800 feet of elevation gain.
Lupe near the some of the very highest boulders on Laramie Peak. Photo looks N.Yeah, Lupe didn’t quite make it up there. Shown are the very top boulders on Laramie Peak. Photo looks E.
There was one structure up on Laramie Peak that looked very interesting. A short distance to the NW of the very summit was what appeared to be a viewing platform with a metal ladder leading up to it. The platform would have been a great place from which to take a look around. It would offer great views to the NW, a direction difficult to see from where Lupe and SPHP were.
Lupe started heading toward the viewing platform, but the way was full of really big boulders separated by equally big drops. With the sun due to set soon, SPHP decided it wasn’t going to be worth the effort to get over there. Even though the platform wasn’t very far away, there was no sense getting stranded away from the trail in the dark. The terrain was just too rough for that!
Lupe with the high viewing platform up on Laramie Peak visible beyond her. This platform would have offered great views to the N and NW, which were not easily seen from the rest of the summit area where Lupe and SPHP were. Photo looks NW.
Lupe stayed up on top of Laramie Peak while the sun set. The view struck SPHP rather strangely. Around the mountain were still largely unspoiled scenes from the Old Wild West, conjuring up in the mind images of vast empty tracts of land where huge buffalo, deer and antelope herds roamed free. It couldn’t have looked much different during the days of Indians, tipis, cowboys, covered wagons, cavalry and forts. But those storied days, which still really aren’t all that long ago, will never return. They have passed into a history no one has any living memory of now.
Contrasting with the images of the Old Wild West was the debris on the mountain. Among it all, an abandoned American flag hung limply from an old antenna. Now and then the sun lit the flag up, as it fluttered briefly in a breeze, only to droop again as if it were exhausted. None of this stuff served any purpose any more. It was a monument to the wasteful despoiling of the natural world by humanity for temporary gain. It looked and felt like national decline and the end of the American dream.
An abandoned American flag droops among the debris at the top of Laramie Peak at sunset.
The sunset was still pretty, though. Lupe and SPHP spent the last few moments together watching the sun disappear from view. When it was gone, it was time to start down the mountain.
A final look back toward the summit of Laramie Peak after Lupe and SPHP started down the trail.
About 1/3 of the way down, twilight had faded to the point where SPHP had to bring out the little flashlight. It was 10:54 PM when Lupe reached the G6 again.
In the middle of the night, Lupe finally seemed to understand that her great Summer of 2015 Dingo Vacation had really begun. She was all excited, and not the least bit sleepy. She ran around sniffing like a Dingo possessed in a huge dark field surrounded by even blacker forests. Stars blazed above her in a moonless sky.
At last, she was done. Lupe returned to SPHP. She fell asleep on SPHP’s lap. The night grew chilly. A warm Dingo felt good.
Shortly before reaching the junction at the pass where the Lakes Trail meets the Medicine Bow Trail, Lupe and SPHP left the trail from Lewis Lake and started climbing SE towards Sugarloaf Mountain. Lupe reached the top of a small ridge. SPHP sat down on a big rock to study Sugarloaf Mountain for a few minutes.
