Lupe – Page 79 – The (Mostly) True Adventures of Lupe

Sleeping Beauty, Cascade Range, Washington (8-22-21)

Day 17 of Lupe’s 3rd Summer of 2021 Dingo Vacation to the West Coast!

9:38 AM, 52ºF, USFS Road No. 040 pullout 0.15 mile SW of the Sleeping Beauty trailhead – Before midnight there’d been stars every time Lupe wanted out of the RAV4, but by daybreak there had been a change. Overcast! Low clouds. Not good. SPHP had spent a few hours on the trip journal. Completely caught up now, but no improvement outside.

Our usual dilemma, Loopster. Sit here and wait, hoping against hope for blue skies, simply go for it, or just forget it entirely, and move on?

Not raining. We might as well climb the mountain, since we’re already here, SPHP. Sleeping Beauty (4,907 ft.) won’t take long, will it?

Shouldn’t, Loop. 1,400 feet of elevation gain over 1.4 miles. Trail all the way. Just afraid it will turn out like Sunrise Peak yesterday, and we won’t see a thing.

And I suppose I’ll have to put up with you and your huckleberries again.

Huckleberries! That’s right! The ones on the way to Sunrise Peak had been at their juicy height of scrumptiousness. A continuation of SPHP’s newly adopted huckleberry diet was an attractive proposition regardless of what the weather might be like.

You know, I believe you’re right, Looper! Let’s climb the mountain!

Leaving the excellent pullout SPHP had discovered yesterday evening, Lupe trotted along USFS Road No. 040 to the Sleeping Beauty trailhead where Trail No. 037 headed NNE into the forest.

At the pullout along USFS Road No. 040 only 0.15 mile from the trailhead.

Trail No. 37 set out as a pleasant path winding through a leafy forest. Lupe was soon climbing steadily. She’d gone only a little way, when she came to a large chunk of deadfall over the trail. Way over the trail, that is, like suspended 9 or 10 feet above it.

*Oh, you think you’re so hilarious, don’t you, SPHP?*

Even SPHP didn’t have to duck.

My kind of deadfall, Loopster! Don’t run into it very often.

Couldn’t run into it if you tried, SPHP!

Lupe went on. Naturally, a light mist soon began to fall. No biggie, just enough to get everything damp and dripping. Might as well enjoy some of those juicy, moist huckleberries! However, the bushes along Trail No. 37 weren’t the right type. No huckleberries at all!

You tricked me, mangy Dingo!

Mangy! I’ll have you know, I’m well-groomed, SPHP. See to it personally every day with my giant pink tongue. You on the other paw …

Let’s not go there, sweet puppy! You have to admit, though, that there’s nary a huckleberry along this trail.

And how was I supposed to know that, SPHP? Dingoes aren’t huckleberry experts. We don’t even like them! I just assumed since Sunrise Peak had gobs of them that there would be plenty here, too. Just like you did!

*No huckleberries! Imagine that! A crying shame. Hehe!*

Lupe’s climb continued. No clearings, no views, not even misting any more, just forest. Steepest in the middle part of 1,000 feet of elevation gain, the trail eventually leveled out at a big saddle. Loop was now only a little way NW of Sleeping Beauty, which although nearly another 400 feet higher, still wasn’t in sight.

Upon reaching the saddle, the trail turned E. Within minutes, Lupe was climbing again, this time traversing a steep slope.

Traversing Sleeping Beauty’s lower NW slopes.

The Carolina Dog came to a series of sharp switchbacks. At the first turn, a clearing provided a glimpse of a huge rocky knob way up the slope. The second switchback came at the base of a giant wall of rock. The third featured more rock formations.

Although the mountain was becoming more interesting, the bad news was that Lupe was climbing right up into the clouds. Getting foggy!

Looking up from the clearing near the first switchback.

Below the giant rock wall at the second turn.

After the fourth switchback, the American Dingo got a better view of the rock formations above. Practically cliffs! Exactly how the trail would get her up there wasn’t clear.

The answer came at the end of the fifth and final switchback. Instead of a sharp, narrow turn here like all the previous ones, the trail widened out. Beyond this point, rock walls that must have taken an eternity to build enclosed the path as Lupe wound up a series of stony terraces.

On one of the rock walls enclosing the trail as it winds higher.

The top of the mountain wasn’t much farther. Several big knobs could be seen arrayed along an unusually lumpy summit region.

Beyond the last of the terraces, the trail made a short steep climb up to a little notch.

The notch was a cramped narrow spot along the summit ridge. A quick scramble to the NE (L) got Loop up to some rocks where the ridge was a little wider and more open.

The notch is down among the trees beyond Lupe. Photo looks SW.

This still wasn’t the top, though. A path continued NE past a few trees to another little scramble.

11:10 AM, 42ºF, Sleeping Beauty (4,907 ft.) – Skunked again! No mist, but a thick fog enveloped the mountain as Lupe reached the apparent summit. The path leveled out, passing between two stony ridges, the ridge on the R (SE) only half as high as the one on the L. Another high spot, which couldn’t have been much lower, was visible off to the E.

On the lower of the 2 summit ridges. Photo looks ENE.

Well, shucks! Whose nutty idea was it to come up here in such conditions anyway, Loop?

Ours, SPHP! It was a joint decision.

I blame the huckleberries, Looper. The ones that don’t exist!

We could console ourselves with a chocolate coconut bar, SPHP.

Might as well, but not until you get up on that highest ridge, Loop.

Close, but no banana! No chocolate coconut bar, either. C’mon silly Dingo, get up there!

*There ya go! That’s better!* Photo looks NE.

Alright, I’m at the top! Why did we come here, anyway, SPHP? What was the big attraction?

Why, for the spectacular view you’re currently enjoying of Mount Adams, of course!

Mount Adams (12,276 ft.) seems a bit hazy at the moment, if you don’t mind me saying so, SPHP! What direction should I be looking?

NE, Loop. It’s a giant volcano. You can’t miss it!

And yet, somehow, I am, SPHP.

On a day like today, you have to use your mind’s eye, Loopster. Close your real eyes and concentrate! Go all Zen Dingo! Tell me when you see it!

Oh, yes! There it is, SPHP! Wow! Amazing!

What does Mount Adams look like, Looper? Describe it. I’ll take notes so I can include the description in your post about Sleeping Beauty later on.

OK! Mount Adams is enormous, SPHP! Truly incredible!

Yes, yes! What else?

And looks so delicious …

Delicious? That’s an odd description for a mountain, Loop, especially for a volcano. How so?

SPHP, you aren’t going to believe this, but Mount Adams is shaped like a massive bar, rich with chocolately coconut goodness!

I might have known.

Good! Glad you understand me, SPHP! Now I have a question for you …

By all means, Looper! Appears chocolate coconut bar time is upon us!

In no time at all, the chocolate coconut bar did resemble Mount Adams – gone for good!

Despite virtually non-existent hopes, the American Dingo hung around on Sleeping Beauty awaiting a Mount Adams miracle. Lupe checked out various perches. She peered down the trail, which went farther beyond the summit, but there didn’t appear to be any reason to follow it.

On the lower summit ridge. Photo looks E.

Waiting for a weather miracle. Photo looks NE.

A cold breeze sprang up out of the SW, making conditions less tolerable. More than half an hour gone by, and not the slightest hint that the fog might dissipate.

Might as well call it, Loop!

Heading SW along the short little trek back down to the notch, a massive rock formation was momentarily visible some distance away. It looked every bit as high as where Lupe was. Maybe a good 10 feet higher!

Once below the notch, Loopster tried to investigate, but didn’t get far. However, she did get close enough to see that something was up there.

As close to the SW knob as Lupe got. Photo looks SSW.

Took the assistance of the camera’s telephoto lens to see what it was.

Looks like an old railing, Loop!

Oh, like the one on Sunrise Peak, SPHP?

Yeah, I think so. Must have been a fire lookout here, too, at one time.

Ought to be a way to get over there then, SPHP!

Couldn’t find it, though. Not in the fog.

If we’re ever back this way on a sunny day, I guess we can check it out then, SPHP, along with that spectacular view of Mount Adams!

Maybe so! A happy thought! With reason enough to return some day, Lupe started down the winding path among the rock walls and terraces. (End 12:23 PM, 55ºF)

Once back at the RAV4, Lupe soon hit the road. Naturally, the afternoon turned sunny by the time she reached the Columbia River. SPHP pulled over to the side of the highway.

Crossing the railroad tracks, Loopster saw lots of people parasailing out on the river. A strong wind was blowing out of the W, evidently coming from the narrow gap where the Colombia River flowed through the mountains. The sky looked darker over that way.

To the SE, blue skies, white clouds! The town of Hood River was visible on the S bank.

**Columbia River** from the N bank. Photo looks E.

Oregon, SPHP! Looks like fun!

That it does, Looper! But we aren’t quite done with Washington yet.

And with that, Lupe and SPHP returned to the RAV4, and drove W into the storm.

**Sleeping Beauty**, Cascade Range, Washington 8-22-21

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Sleeping Beauty GPS Track by Jason O’Connell (9-5-21)

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Black Hills, SD Expedition No. 297 – Peak 4741 (3-2-22)

8:59 AM, 45ºF, Centennial Trail No. 89 – Already warm out, but the trailhead was still icy when Lupe leapt out of the RAV4.

The Elk Creek trailhead! We were here last fall with Uncle Joe, Dusty, and new Cousin Laddie when we took them to Peak 5261. Remember, SPHP?

Of course! Peak 5261 isn’t in the works this time, though, Looper. Going to pick off a Lists of John peak we’ve never been to before, Peak 4741!

We’ve been in this area several times in the past year or two, SPHP. Why didn’t we visit Peak 4741 then?

Oh, because we were doing things close to Centennial Trail No. 89, Loop. Peak 4741 is way off the beaten path. Kind of remote. Probably a better way to get to it, but I’m pretty sure we can get there from here.

The first part of the route to Peak 4741 was familiar territory. Lupe left the Elk Creek trailhead following Centennial Trail No. 89 NNE up a little valley. After 0.125 mile, the trail climbed out of the valley on a jaunt NW through a flat area. As the trail started climbing again, No. 89 curved back to the SE, going partway up a hillside before turning NE.

The last time Lupe was in this region with Uncle Joe and cousins Dusty and Laddie, a stone tunnel had been discovered E of the trail. A real oddity! The Carolina Dog ventured over for another look at it.

An icy stretch as Centennial Trail No. 89 heads up the little valley. Photo looks NNE.

Starting up the hillside after crossing the flat region. Photo looks E.

Checking out the mysterious stone tunnel again.

Returning to Centennial Trail No. 89, a moderately steep climb NE led to gentler terrain. 0.75 mile from the Elk Creek trailhead, Lupe left the trail continuing NE up an easy slope to a flat, open ridge. From here, Loop could see part of Forbes Gulch, a heavily forested drainage, and even caught a glimpse of the prairie beyond the Black Hills.

Heavily forested **Forbes Gulch** (Center). Photo looks NE.

Can’t see it yet, Loop, but Peak 4741 is out that way.

How far, SPHP?

From here? Less than 2.5 miles as the crow flies, but the roads we’ll be on wind around a lot more than that.

USFS Road No. 169 was just N of the rise Lupe was standing on. A fun romp down a snowy slope, and the Carolina Dog was there. Although dry where Loop first reached it, most of the road was snow-covered as she followed it along a hillside. The worst spots were soft and muddy.

No. 169 wound around, going first SE, then NE, before ultimately turning S. For 0.75 mile, Loopster trotted along both gradual uphill and downhill stretches. Net elevation change was minimal by the time she reached a saddle where the road divided.

The snowy N slope leading down to USFS Road No. 169. Photo looks N.

Curving SE again after going NE. Photo looks SE.

On a particularly snowy stretch. Photo looks SE.

Which way, SPHP?

Stay L, Loop. Take that upper road going around the hill.

**Pass 4900**, where USFS Road No. 169 divides. Lupe took No. 169.1B, the upper route seen here. Photo looks E.

USFS Road No. 169.1B wound up onto a ridge. Lupe got her first distant view of the day along this stretch. I-90 was in sight way down along the E edge of the Black Hills.

Heading up onto the ridge on USFS Road No. 169.1B. Photo looks NE.

I-90 (R) along the E edge of the Black Hills. Photo looks SE with help from the telephoto lens.

Trending NE, No. 169.1B topped out 0.33 mile from Pass 4900. A minor high point was just N of the road.

Let’s go up there, Loop! It’s about as high as we’ll get today.

On **HP5044** (?) N of No. 169.1B. Photo looks E.

A small limestone outcropping was at the top, and not much else. Although a pleasant spot, too many trees were present to permit a clear view in any direction.

Supposed to be an even higher spot not too far off to the NW, Loop. HP5044, according to the map! Want to check it out?

Sure! How far away is it, SPHP?

Only 400 or 500 feet. Shouldn’t take long to get there.

Huh. Easier said than done. Venturing several hundred feet NNW into a dense forest, Loopster saw no sign of HP5044. In fact, the terrain had been gradually sloping down, a that trend appeared to be accelerating.

Searching for **HP5044**. Photo looks SSE.

Hmm. This doesn’t look right, Loop. Starting to think the map is wrong. Maybe you’ve already been to HP5044?

You mean that last little hill by the road, SPHP?

Yeah. Let’s call it, and go back. Doesn’t really matter, anyway. Even if there really is a HP5044 somewhere out here, which seems unlikely, not going to be able to see anything from it in this thick forest.

Returning to the hill by the road, a break was taken before continuing on. No. 169.1B turned SE, going downhill before leveling out at a big clearing where there was an intersection with USFS Road No. 169.1I.

At the junction with USFS Road No. 169.1I. Photo looks SE.

No. 169.1I was less developed, literally the road less taken.

Can we go this way, SPHP? Looks more interesting!

Go for it, Looper! Actually a shortcut compared to No. 169.1B.

No. 169.1I was destined to play out in less than 0.5 mile, but that didn’t matter. Lupe followed it NNE all the way to the end.

Exploring USFS Road No. 169.1I. Photo looks NE.

At the end of No. 169.1I, a short climb N through open forest got Lupe to the top of a ridge. HP4827, the next hill N, and the next objective, was less than 0.25 mile away. However, the slope going down to the saddle that led to HP4827 was densely forested and choked with deadfall.

Heading up to the ridge N of where No. 169.1I ended. Photo looks NNE.

N of the ridge, on the way down to the saddle leading to **HP4827**. Photo looks E.

Conditions seemed slightly better toward the E, allowing Lupe to work her way down to the saddle, where she came to a small clearing. The S slope of HP4827 was more open, so it didn’t take long to get up to a big boulder along the HP4827 ridge.

In the small clearing at the **saddle S of HP4827**. Photo looks WNW.

On the first big rock reached along the **HP4827 summit ridge**. Photo looks NW.

HP4827‘s forested summit ridge was hundreds of feet long. Whether this first big rock was the true summit wasn’t clear. A boulder off to the WNW that was barely visible through the trees appeared to be about the same elevation. Loopster went over to check it out. Hard to tell if it was really any higher, but this was definitely the last high point to the W.

On the boulder at the **W end of the HP4827 ridge**. Photo looks WNW.

Exploring the summit ridge E, Lupe came to a double rock formation that seemed definitely higher than either of the first two boulders she’d visited. Too many trees to see much, but this was apparently the true summit of the entire ridge.

**True summit of HP4827**. Photo looks NNE.

Continuing E, Lupe came to a clearing at the E end of the ridge. Looked like a good spot to take another short break.

**E end of the HP4827 ridge**. Photo looks NE.

HP4827‘s N slope proved fairly steep when Lupe started down. Progress was slow. Patches of snow made the going slick, as SPHP picked a way through copious deadfall laying perpendicular to the descent. On the bright side, so many trees were down that Lupe enjoyed a good view of Peak 4760. Looking small from here, Bear Butte (4,422 ft.) was even in sight way out on the plains.

**Peak 4760** (L), **Bear Butte** (Center) and **Peak 4642** (R). Photo looks NNE.

**Bear Butte**. Photo looks NNE with lots of help from the telephoto lens.

The rate of descent slowly diminished. After losing 400 feet of elevation, Lupe turned E toward a broad, flat saddle with considerable open space. After crossing a field, and passing through another stretch of forest, an unimpressive hill was ahead.

Approaching the saddle region after descending from **HP4827**. Photo looks E.

A pile of logs left over from a logging operation. Photo looks ESE.

Passing through another stretch of open forest. Photo looks E.

The unimpressive hill ahead. Photo looks E.

Hey, we’re getting there, Looper! That must be USFS Road No. 169.1D, with Peak 4741 beyond it!

That’s Peak 4741, SPHP? Are you sure? Doesn’t look like much! What’s so special about it?

According to Lists of John, 351 feet of prominence. Ranked 160th out of only 278 peaks in South Dakota with at least 300. Don’t think we’re seeing the actual summit yet. Taller than it appears from here.

Well, we’ll see. Looks like a snap to me, SPHP!

The American Dingo headed down to USFS Road No. 169.1D, intent upon following it at least a short distance toward Peak 4741. However, the day had warmed up quite a bit. Melting snow and ice made the road a soft, mucky mess. Better just tromping through the fields beside it.

Muddy USFS Road No. 169.1D. Photo looks NE.

Shortly after the road curved SE, Lupe left it to head E up a grassy slope dotted with young pines. The slope soon led to denser forest. At 4,600 feet, she passed a vertical rock formation prior to reaching a flat region.

Starting up **Peak 4741’s W slope**. Photo looks E.

As exciting as it got at 4,600 feet. Photo looks W.

The flat region led to another easy climb. Exploring E after the terrain leveled out again revealed a modestly elevated ridge. A stump next to the first limestone outcropping Lupe came to was the true summit.

**True summit of Peak 4741**. Photo looks SE.

1:05 PM, 57ºF, Peak 4741 – The true summit was located at the NW end of a 150 foot long ridge that was only slightly lower toward the SE. The only view was of a long ridge to the S. Still, it was something. Another small rock outcropping 20 or 30 feet farther SE that was at essentially the same elevation as the true summit was a better spot to see it, and was where Lupe and SPHP took a break.

At the rest break outcropping. Note the small cairn (L) on a stump. Photo looks SE.

View of the long ridge (R) to the S. Photo looks S.

So this is it, SPHP? Peak 4741?

Afraid so, Loopster. Pleasant enough, but admittedly not too dramatic.

Mellow indeed, but it’s still a Lists of John peak, right?

Absolutely! You’ve chalked up another one, Loop!

And we went over both HP5044 and HP4827, too, right, SPHP?

Yes, although a tiny bit of doubt remains about HP5044 since we didn’t go quite all the way to where it should have been.

That’s because you concluded that the map was nuts, SPHP.

True enough, Loop. So, what are you driving at?

Blimey! You’re a little slow on the draw, SPHP. After coming all this way over hill and dale, isn’t it about time for a chocolate coconut bar?

Oh, of course! I’ve got some Taste of the Wild for you, too!

Traffic noise from I-90 was easily heard over the crunching and munching of Taste of the Wild after the chocolate coconut bar vanished. There actually was more to see along Peak 4741’s summit ridge once Lupe was finished. Only slightly lower, the limestone formations along the SE end of the ridge were larger and more interesting than the true summit had been. Worth a look!

**SE end of the summit ridge**. Photo looks SE.

Looking back the other way. Photo looks NNW.

Inspection of the SE limestone formations complete, Lupe returned to the break spot to relax a little longer before visiting the cairn nearby.

*Standing by a cairn helps make any ascent more official, you know!*

Half an hour after arriving, the American Dingo was once again back at the true summit, departure imminent.

Back at **Peak 4749’s true summit**. Photo looks NE.

The forest N of the true summit wasn’t much lower, and looked dark and mysterious. Before leaving Peak 4741 for good, Lupe explored it as far N as it remained flat, but finding nothing worth noting, finally headed back down the mountain to USFS Road No. 169.1D.

Final moments on **Peak 4741** with the dark forest to be explored next in the background. Photo looks N.

Upon reaching the road, Lupe varied her return route, following 169.1D SE for more than a mile before leaving it to venture up the steep upper W end of Breakneck Gulch. This shortcut brought her straight back to the intersection of USFS Roads No. 169.1I and No. 169.1B again.

3:11 PM – Taking No. 169.1B NW to where it topped out, Lupe revisited HP5044, or perhaps its imposter, N of the road. Still a couple of pleasant miles to go retracing her morning route, but Loop and SPHP took a few minutes to relax here and reflect on the day.

Peak 4741 wasn’t all that scintillating, Loop, but we had fun didn’t we?

Of course! Always fun to explore new territory, SPHP, and we’d never been through this area before.

I’ll kind of miss doing these Lists of John peaks when we run out of them. Never know what to expect.

What? Are we really going to run out of them, SPHP?

Yup. Not yet, but pretty soon. At least the ones with public access here in the Black Hills National forest.

What are we going to do then, SPHP?

Oh, don’t worry about that, Loop. We can revisit some of our favorite named peaks, explore more trails, or even go back to following streams and valleys like we used to do way back when we first started your Black Hills expeditions. Plus there are countless hills and ridges we’ve never been to that aren’t on any lists that might still be worth seeing.

As long as there’s always another adventure waiting in the wings, I’ll be happy, SPHP, no matter where we go!

Me too, Loop! Me, too.

**HP5044** on the way back from **Peak 4741**, Black Hills of South Dakota 3-2-22

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