Double Digit Dingo! – Lupe’s 10th Birthday (12-14-20)

9:14 AM, 16ºF, Hwy 244 at the Rushmore profile parking lot – The newly minted Double Digit Dingo leapt out of the G6.  Mighty chilly!  Worse yet, the monotonous gray sky held out little hope for improvement.  Would have to be the coldest day in the entire month of December.  Maybe this wasn’t going to work?

Lupe, however, was unfazed.  Apparently, she intended to tough it out at least long enough to see the most famous mountain in South Dakota.  After all, this was the Carolina Dog’s big chance to do something special in the Black Hills on her 10th birthday!

George Washington from Hwy 244.
Zoomed in.
At the Mount Rushmore profile parking lot.

Not a soul around on a Monday morning in December.  After a look at George Washington, the only president visible from here, Lupe started trotting up Hwy 244.  The main entrance to Mount Rushmore was 0.25 mile back.

Quiet morning along Hwy 244.

Hardly any traffic along the highway, but there was more activity than SPHP expected up at the main visitor parking lot.  Orange plastic fences blocked off various construction zones.  Groups of people were coming and going.

SPHP let Lupe go only so far before saying this was good enough.  Loop got a nice look at Mount Rushmore (5,725 ft.), but since Dingoes aren’t really welcome here, she wasn’t permitted to linger.  A souvenir 10th birthday photo, and she was on her way.

At Mount Rushmore!
Mount Rushmore, South Dakota’s most famous mountain. L to R: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln.

Since Loopster didn’t seem to mind the cold, perhaps she was up for a more substantial 10th birthday adventure?  SPHP had just the thing in mind.  Having already seen the most famous mountain in South Dakota, maybe she would enjoy climbing South Dakota’s highest mountain, too?  A great trailhead providing access to the Black Elk Wilderness was only 4 or 5 miles farther W along Hwy 244.

10:05 AM, 18ºF, Willow Creek trailhead – 2 degrees warmer!  Every little bit helped.  Lupe stood by the Willow Creek trail No. 8 sign waiting for SPHP to decide which part of the loop to take.  SPHP chose the W half, which began by heading S straight for Black Elk Peak (7,231 ft.).

At the Willow Creek trailhead. Lupe would take the trail seen on the R. Black Elk Peak (R) visible in the distance. Photo looks S.

Only a skiff of snow was on the ground as Looper set out.  Although cold today, the last 1.5 months had been uncommonly warm.  The Black Hills had gotten almost no precipitation.  Ordinarily, climbing Black Elk Peak on Lupe’s birthday would have been out of the question.  Cold and snowy enough to make the journey more ordeal than fun.

Today was different!  The awesome thing was that if Lupe made it up Black Elk Peak, this ascent on her 10th birthday would also be her 10th ascent of South Dakota’s highest peak.

In the forest, early on.

The first part of Trail No. 8 was super easy, a nice level trek through the forest.  Before long, the trail crossed Willow Creek and quickly came to a junction.  Lost Cabin trail No. 2 went R.  Lupe went L instead, staying on Willow Creek trail No. 8.  Although she’d been on most of the trails in the Black Elk Wilderness at one time or another, the American Dingo had never been on this next section of No. 8 before.

Turned out it wasn’t far to a frozen waterfall on Willow Creek.

Near the frozen waterfall.
Cool waterfall! Frozen stiff, in fact.

A little past the waterfall, Lupe came to two wooden bridges.  After the second bridge, Trail No. 8 began a slow, steady climb.  A field of dry grass bordered by large dark gray rock formations appeared on the L.

Crossing the 2nd wooden bridge.
In the field.

A smaller field appeared a little farther on.  Smoke could be seen rising from the trees in the distance.  A forest fire in December?  No.  Took a moment, but SPHP soon realized it was coming from the sawmill a few miles NE of Hill City.  Completely normal.

Five Points (6,221 ft.) (L). Smoke (Center). Photo looks N.

After a mile on Trail No. 8, Lupe came to another junction, this time with Trail No. 9, which would take her to Black Elk Peak.  This intersection was only 0.5 mile from the Willow Creek trailhead as the crow flies, since Trail No. 8 had taken a semi-circular route to the S, E, then NE.

At the junction with Trail No. 9.

Trail No. 9 went E a little way, then zigzagged S through the forest.  At one point, Hwy 244 could be seen not too far away down a steep slope.   However, No. 9 soon turned away from the road.  From the last big field the trail came to, Black Elk Peak was in sight again.  The Carolina Dog was getting closer, but she still hadn’t gained all that much elevation.

Black Elk Peak (L of Center) from the last field Trail No. 9 goes by. Photo looks SSW.

Re-entering the forest, Trail No. 9 turned sharply, starting to climb again.  The next junction was with Willow Creek Rushmore trail No. 5.  This intersection was only a little N of the massive granite formations of Elkhorn Mountain (6,381 ft.).

Elkhorn Mountain from the intersection of Trails No. 5 & 9. Photo looks S.
Trail No. 5 sign. Lupe stuck with No. 9 instead.

After passing Trail No. 5, the terrain become more rugged.  Trail No. 9 went S to Elkhorn Mountain, then SW along its base.  A high point was reached, then the trail descended 100 feet to cross a tiny tributary of Willow Creek.  After crossing the creek, No. 9 switchbacked steadily higher working its way SE past the W end of Elkhorn Mountain.

The forest was a wreck!  Thousands of large pines had been killed by pine bark beetles years ago.  Most had fallen over by now, opening up the views to some extent.

Approaching Elkhorn Mountain on Trail No. 9. Photo looks S.
Another glimpse of Black Elk Peak (Center). Photo looks SSW.
Elkhorn Mountain from quite a bit higher now. Photo looks E.
The dramatic granite ridge of Elkhorn Mountain rises beyond the shattered forest. Photo looks NNE.

After getting nearly as high Elkhorn Mountain, Trail No. 9’s rate of climb decreased.  Switchbacks lengthened, then disappeared.  No. 9 continued to climb, but more slowly as it worked its way SW.

Lupe was getting close to the most scenic part of the entire journey, other than the summit of Black Elk Peak itself.  Granite Flats wasn’t much farther.  The first sign she was getting close was an impressive view of a 3-pronged granite knob atop other massive rock formations.  This knob might have been Peak 6057, but SPHP wasn’t at all certain about that.

Peak 6057 beyond Lupe? SPHP didn’t know. Still impressive, whatever it was.

The weather was changing as Lupe approached Granite Flats.  Clouds closed in.  The air cooled, becoming a little foggy, and it began to snow.  Lightly, nothing to be concerned about, but views were disappearing.  Suddenly it felt like winter!  The cold gray world gradually turning white.  So quiet, hidden, and remote!

Starting to snow on the way to Granite Flats. Photo looks SW.
Black Elk Peak from Granite Flats. Photo looks SW with help from the telephoto lens.
On one of the Granite Flats rock formations. Black Elk Peak (Center). Photo looks SW.
So, it’s not all flat, is it?
Turning white.

After spending a little time exploring Granite Flats, Lupe hurried on her way.  Even so, she paused now and then at certain viewpoints.

Lupe on the day she turned 10. Peak 6735 in the distance. Photo looks SSE.
Getting closer! Old fire lookout tower atop Black Elk Peak (Center). Photo looks SW.

Not much farther now!  Loopster passed the last viewpoint, and the trail was soon switchbacking steeply up a forested slope.  Loop gained most of the last few hundred feet of elevation remaining here.  The trail then leveled out, proceeding SSE to a junction with the spur trail that goes to the old fire lookout tower on Black Elk Peak.

The spur trail promptly swung around the S end of the summit region to more open ground on the W side of the mountain.  Still snowing.  Normally sweeping views of some of the most rugged terrain in the Black Hills were reduced to the silent, ghostly presence of nearby peaks.  Trotting N now, Lupe reached the entrance to the spiral staircase that winds up to the to the old lookout tower.

The see-through metal grid stairway that used to freak Loop out so much had long since lost its terror.  Up the American Dingo went without the least hesitation.  She’d made it!  The Black Elk Peak (7,231 ft.) lookout tower was only 50 feet away.

By the entrance to the metal stairway.
Come on, SPHP! Nothing to it! We’ve done this a bunch of times, remember?
Lookout tower dead ahead!

After entering the lookout tower, Lupe ventured out onto the viewing platform.  No one around.  SPHP helped her up onto the wall.  Even the views had deserted Black Elk Peak.  December’s frigid, snowy solitude was awesome, though!

On the viewing platform wall.

2:02 PM, 17ºF, Black Elk Peak – Leaving the viewing platform, Lupe had gone down to the basement of the lookout tower and out the back door.  Now she was curled up on SPHP’s lap out on the huge granite formations W of the tower with SPHP’s jacket thrown over her for warmth.  She was warm, too, despite winter’s grip.

Below the lookout tower.
Watching the granite turn white.

Half an hour enjoying the gray-white solitude.  Two chocolate coconut bars shared.  A little water.  SPHP munched an apple.  The Carolina Dog was still toasty warm, but SPHP was getting cold and stiff sitting on the granite.  A couple of people waved from up on the viewing platform.  The signal to move on.

Up on the platform, Lupe and SPHP met a young couple from Boston.  A friendly 15 minute chat, and it was time to leave them to the solitude, something they said was near impossible to come by in the mountains of New Hampshire and Vermont where they normally went.

A few more photos, and Looper was on her way.

About ready to go.
Leaving Black Elk Peak.

Lupe trotted down the metal stairs.  Nearly an hour had shot by up top!  That bright spot in the clouds would set in 30 minutes.

The long trek back was utterly deserted.  Much whiter than the journey up had been.  So beautiful!  What an experience being a Double Digit Dingo was turning out to be!  The most famous mountain in South Dakota, and the highest one, too, on the very first day.

Near Elkhorn Mountain again during the return.

5:41 PM, 17ºF, Willow Creek trailhead – Dark and still snowing!  SPHP hadn’t had to bring out the little flashlight until Lupe had gotten all the way back to the wooden bridges over Willow Creek.  Now the adventure was over.  SPHP turned the key, and the G6 sprang to life.

Lupe curled up for the ride home.  To her great surprise that wasn’t the end of things.  At home, SPHP made a couple of trips loading stuff into the G6.  Then it was off to see Grandma!

Visiting Grandma was a Dingo birthday tradition.  However, Grandma had moved to a senior living facility early this year, even before Lupe and SPHP had helped her get her big, old house sold.  At the time she’d moved in, Grandma thought that Lupe wouldn’t be allowed in the senior living center, but that had turned out not to be true.  Loopster had been there lots of times.

7:15 PM, Grandma’s apartment – The party animal had arrived!  Lupe dashed in all excited to see Grandma!  She barked and wagged her tail like mad, then raced over to hop up on the comfy white couch.  Grandma was so happy to see Lupe, too!

No dilly-dallying!  SPHP was famished.  A chocolate coconut bar and an apple all day were no longer cutting it.  Birthday presents were piled up around Lupe right there on the couch.  One of the presents wasn’t even wrapped.  Lupe’s buddy Dave Covill had sent her a package of Smart Cookie Rabbit & Pumpkin regional bites all the way from Colorado.  They weren’t wrapped because Loopster hadn’t been able to wait.  She’d been gobbling them up all week long.

On the comfy couch surrounded by presents.
With Grandma on Double Digit Dingo day.

Without delay, SPHP produced a birthday cake.

Double Digit Dingo cake.

A Double Digit Dingo cake with candles!  So incredibly many candles that Grandma could heat her apartment with it.  The Carolina Dog was leery of the fearsome fiery spectacle.

The spooky cake.
Another trial by fire! Why do I have to go through this every year?

There was singing!  Happy Birthday!  It was happy, too!

Grandma’s girl on Double Digit Dingo day.

SPHP helped Lupe choose the first present to open.  It sniffed good!

This is going to be great!
A T-bone steak!

While the T-bone steak was broiling, Lupe opened the rest of her presents.  She got 3 new Kong squeaker balls, and lots of good things to eat!  Speaking of eating, she devoured the rest of the Smart Cookie Rabbit & Pumpkin regional bites that Dave Covill had sent.  They served as T-bone steak appetizers.  Although there was nothing wrong with Loopster’s appetite, she loved the whole concept.

10th birthday loot!
Purina Busy Rib Hides.
Zuke’s Superfood Blend.
Zuke’s Hip Action.
Smart Cookie Rabbit & Pumpkin regional bites from Dave Covill. Bon appetit!

At last the T-bone was ready!  While Lupe had steak, Grandma and SPHP had cake and ice cream.

Loop with her 10th birthday T-bone.

While there was still some meat on it, SPHP saved the T-bone itself.  The big bash ended with Lupe giving Grandma a live demonstration of what to do with a Purina Busy Rib Hide.

It’s easy! Like this, Grandma!

Nearly 10:00 PM by the time Lupe got home again.  Double Digit Dingo day had been a blast, but a long one.  Loopster hopped up on the bed.  While SPHP read, the Carolina Dog got to munch away on that still meaty T-bone SPHP had saved for her.

Crunching away was so satisfying!  By the time the light went out, only a stubby, little white T remained.

Double Digit Dingo day, Black Elk Peak, Black Hills of South Dakota, 12-14-20

Links:

Lupe’s 9th Birthday (12-14-19)

Lupe’s 11th Birthday (12-14-21)

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