Uncle Joe, Aunt Andrea, and Cousin Dixie had arrived yesterday from Colorado, visiting Hotel Lupe for the first time this year. The excited Carolina Dog knew what that meant – adventure time in the Black Hills! However, on this Friday morning before Memorial Day, the first stop was a sad one, because it was also the first time they’d been here since Grandma died last December. At the Black Hills National Cemetery, Andrea placed a bouquet of red, white, and blue flowers on Grandma and Grandpa’s grave.
The Alkali Creek trailhead of Centennial Trail No. 89 was only a mile from the cemetery, and the starting point for one of Uncle Joe’s favorite hikes in the Black Hills. Due to its mix of rolling prairie and Ponderosa pine-covered ridges, it sort of reminded him of the old western show Bonanza, and he always referred to this region as the Ponderosa Hike. Now with Grandma gone, for the first time ever, Aunt Andrea was going to get to experience the Ponderosa Hike along with the rest of the gang.
9:17 AM, Centennial Trail No. 89 at the Alkali Creek trailhead – For late May, it was a cold day. With a stiff N wind blowing, the humans were all bundled up. On the other paw, both Lupe and Dixie seemed to relish the invigorating fresh air. They were raring to go!
Lupe, Andrea, Joe, and Dixie at the Alkali Creek trailhead. Photo looks NNW.
After crossing Horse Soldier Road, Centennial Trail No. 89 swung around to the E side of the first ridge and headed N. Bear Butte(4,431 ft.) was soon in sight from the top of a small rise. There was a trail junction here. Beyond a gate, Centennial Trail No. 89 went off to the L, heading W for the trees at the base of the ridge.
Bear Butte (R) from the first rise. Photo looks N.After going through the gate, Centennial Trail No. 89 heads for the base of the ridge. Photo looks W.
Approaching the trees, the trail angled NW, heading toward a region of scrub oaks. Climbing steadily among them, it first wound around to the N before curving back to the S.
Among the oaks. Photo looks W.
After gaining some elevation, the oaks gave out. Continuing higher, the trail now wound through a mostly Ponderosa pine forest. Near the top of the ridge, the forest was quite open. The trail even went through a small meadow.
Continuing higher. Photo looks SW.Passing through a meadow near the top of the ridge. Photo looks NW.
As the terrain began leveling out, a short distance off-trail there was a view of the Black Hills National Cemetery to the S. It was sad to think that both Grandma and Grandpa were down there now. It still almost didn’t seem real.
Cousin Dixie at the viewpoint. Black Hills National Cemetery (Center) beyond the I-90 interchange. Photo looks S.
Soaring high overhead, the late May sun was warming the day up. Now somewhat sheltered from the wind by the pines, and also warmed by the exertion of the climb, suddenly the humans were all feeling the need to shed some layers.
Cousin Dixie looking naturally fabulous during a brief human unbundling break. Photo looks NNE.
From the cemetery viewpoint, Centennial Trail No. 89 turned NNW, now gaining elevation very slowly. Peak4027, the high point of the entire ridge, was only 1/8 of a mile farther. However, the trail didn’t go quite all the way up to the top, instead leveling out shortly after entering a big meadow where it swung around to the E, avoiding the actual summit.
Entering the big meadow near Peak 4027. Photo looks N.
Almost there, and not tagging the summit? That would never do! Lupe and SPHP insisted that everyone just had to make the short off-trail stroll to the top. With minimal extra effort involved, it was an easy sale.
Peak 4027’s summit region was mostly a roomy, flat meadow of tall grass with pines around the edges. There were even a few oaks. Nothing too exciting or special about it, except that Peak 4027 did sport a terrific view of Bear Butte off to the NNE.
On Peak 4027. Photo looks NW.Lupe and Andrea with Bear Butte (R) in the background. Photo looks NNE.Cousin Dixie gets in on the action. Bear Butte (Center). Photo looks NNE.
Returning to Centennial Trail No. 89, it continued N from Peak 4027 on or near the crest of the ridge, now gradually losing elevation as it went through a mixed pine and scrub oak forest.
Lupe and Dixie lead the way. Photo looks N.A swarm of tent caterpillars.
HP3983, the second highest point on this ridge, was 0.5 mile N of Peak 4027. Shortly before getting there, the trail began gaining elevation again as it entered another big meadow. There was a second gate up here, and a little beyond it an old dirt road took off heading NE down into the forest.
Approaching the HP3983 region. Photo looks N.Andrea and Dixie at the second gate near HP3983 as Joe looks on. Photo looks N.
Sticking with Centennial Trail No. 89, it continued N past HP3983, soon dropping into the forest as well. After a dip of 50 feet, the trail regained half of it before starting down again. Another viewpoint was just ahead. From a rock formation with a cliff edge, the town of Sturgis was in sight.
The cliff didn’t faze Lupe at all.
Sturgis (Center) from the viewpoint at the N end of the ridge. Photo looks NW.
Joe and Andrea weren’t fazed, either, but they wouldn’t let Dixie get near it. Only a year old, Cousin Dixie was too rambunctious.
Joe and Andrea join Lupe at the N viewpoint. Photo looks NW.
From the N viewpoint, Centennial Trail No. 89 began winding down a lower ridge running NE. Before losing too much elevation, an opening in the forest provided a beautiful distant view of the prairie beyond the Black Hills.
The big prairie view. Photo looks E.
The trail eventually wound down into a valley of scrub oaks.
In the scrub oak valley. Photo looks E.
After losing all the elevation previously gained, the valley emptied back out onto Horse Soldier Road again. Centennial Trail No. 89 continued NE on the other side. This was the start of the mostly prairie portion of the Ponderosa Hike. In late May, even the prairie was green and lush.
Contemplating the next portion of the Ponderosa Hike from Horse Soldier Road. Photo looks NE.
Almost immediately after crossing Horse Soldier Road, Trail No. 10 took off to the L. Lupe and SPHP had been on it before, but no one else had. It wasn’t yet part of the official Ponderosa Hike, although it might be possible to include it as part of a loop. In any case, Andrea still needed to experience the usual route. For now, Trail No. 10 got by-passed.
At the junction with Rough Rider Trail No. 10. Photo looks ENE.Closeup of the junction signage. Photo looks ENE.
Discovering a tiny stream flowing out of a culvert, Dixie and Lupe had no qualms about helping themselves to a drink, even though the stream was rather mucky.
Down in the muck.
As Centennial Trail No. 89 headed out onto the prairie, the final ridge of the Ponderosa Hike came into view. Less than 150 high, this ridge wasn’t nearly as big a climb as the Peak 4027 ridge had been.
Heading out onto the prairie. Final ridge of the Ponderosa Hike (L). Photo looks NE.
The trail soon wound up to the top of this second ridge. Bear Butte and Fort Meade were both in sight from up here.
Up on the second ridge. Fort Meade (L) in the valley, Bear Butte (R of Center) beyond Joe and Andrea. Photo looks NNE.
It had always been a Ponderosa Hike tradition to take a seat in the shade of a few pines, and enjoy a rest break while contemplating these views. However, due to the brisk N wind, which still felt quite cool, the S side of the ridge was more appealing today.
Abandoning the windy N edge, a suitable spot far enough down the S slope to provide some protection from the wind was chosen instead. The humans munched on energy bars and apples. Dixie and Lupe had Taste of the Wild, water, and split a chocolate coconut bar. The panoramic view of rolling green prairie and low forested ridges was very pleasant.
Heading over to the S side of the ridge in search of a more sheltered break spot. Bear Butte (L). Photo looks NE.Near the ultimately selected spot. Photo looks SE.
Although Centennial Trail No. 89 continues N all the way to the top of Bear Butte, this second ridge was the usual endpoint of the Ponderosa Hike. The route taken back to the Alkali Creek trailhead varies, but so far has never involved a complete retracement of the Peak 4027 ridge.
Today, the first part of the return consisted of a simple off-trail romp wandering S through the prairie. Dixie and Lupe had a blast running free, sniffing and exploring along the way. After crossing Horse Soldier Road again, another trail eventually led back to Centennial Trail No. 89 at the first gate.
Roaming free on the way back. Photo looks SSE.
1:00 PM – Once back at the Alkali Creek trailhead, Dixie and Lupe both helped themselves to a drink from Alkali Creek.
Back at Alkali Creek. Photo looks SW.
The day was still young! A big success, as usual, the Ponderosa Hike had taken only a few hours. Andrea had survived her initiation with flying colors, yet none of Hotel Lupe’s guests seemed to have any idea what to do next. Maybe it was time to head back to Hotel Lupe?
Andrea gloats as an official survivor of the Ponderosa Hike.
What, already? Perish the thought! Lupe and SPHP had other ideas … to be continued
Returning to Alkali Creek, the Ponderosa Hike, Black Hills of South Dakota 5-24-24Uncle Joe’s Ponderosa Hike GPS Track
Oh, no! I love the Centennial Trail, it’s just that we’ve been here several times recently. I was sort of expecting something different.
Well, you can blame poor planning on my part, Loopster. I should have checked out the Meade County Lists of John peaks before we came down here from the Elk Creek trailhead on Expedition No. 274. Didn’t even think about that. We could have tagged a couple of 300+ foot prominence peaks along the way.
So we’re going back to tag them today, SPHP?
Yup! Shouldn’t be too hard, we’ll be on Centennial Trail No. 89 most of the time. The peaks we’re going to are way back up in the hills, but not too far from the trail.
At the Alkali Creek trailhead. Photo looks NW.
Crossing the access road, Lupe set out following Centennial Trail No. 89 WNW through grasslands overlooking scrub oaks down in the Alkali Creek valley. She soon reached I-90, passed through a tunnel beneath it, under a railroad trestle, then up into a big field. From here, the trail headed SW gradually climbing toward the hills.
Setting out on Centennial Trail No. 89 along the N side of the Alkali Creek valley. Photo looks WNW.In the tunnel under I-90.The railroad trestle just past the tunnel. Photo looks SW.Heading for the hills! Photo looks W.Looking back toward I-90. Photo looks E.
Right after Centennial Trail No. 89 reached the forest at the base of the hills, Lupe left it venturing a short distance NW to a viewpoint where Alkali Creek passed through a narrow gap between small limestone cliffs. The creekbed was just a dry wash here.
By the limestone gap where Alkali Creek leaves the Black Hills. Photo looks NW.
Once back on Centennial Trail No. 89 again, the trail made a quick loop S before returning to the Alkali Creek valley. Heading SW, Lupe passed a scenic cliff, then entered a two-toned forest – the dark green of all the Ponderosa pines above, and dry orange of dead leaves still clinging to bushes below.
Passing the cliff. Photo looks SW.In the two-tone forest. Photo looks SW.
The trail soon left the Alkali Creek valley, turning SE up a side ravine. A layer of limestone cliffs capped the ridge to the NE. Lupe wandered up beneath the cliffs to sniff around and check them out.
A little above the trail, exploring along the base of the cliffs. Photo looks S.
Near the upper end of the ravine, just past the last of the cliffs, Loopster came to Poett’s Corner. By a rickety wooden gate, a poster was attached to a tree. A bell hung below the poster.
At Poett’s Corner.
Although Lupe had been past Poett’s corner on several other Black Hills expeditions, she had never seen Poett. Poett was nowhere in sight now, either.
Kind of makes you wonder if Poett is still around, doesn’t it, SPHP?
Yes, it does, Looper. No telling what’s happened to Poett. Maybe Poett moved away, or has become bored with this trail and doesn’t come here any more?
Well, whatever happened, I hope Poett’s OK, SPHP! Hate to think that Poett might have gotten lost or stolen, or anything terrible like that.
Me, too, Loop, but seems likely we’ll never know the truth.
Centennial Trail No. 89 curved away from Poett’s Corner. It wound through the forest for a couple more miles, climbing steadily most of the time. At one point there was a view of Bear Butte(4,422 ft.) way out on the prairie to the NNE, but other than that, there was generally little to see except the forest itself.
In the forest.Bear Butte. Photo looks NNE with lots of help from the telephoto lens.At a curve near another big ravine.Continuing higher.
Roughly 4 miles from the Alkali Creek trailhead, Centennial Trail No. 89 reached a ridge where Lupe came to a junction. While No. 89 continued over the ridge, another trail branched off to the R heading farther up it. A sign indicated that this was the way to the Sturgis City Dams.
Which way, SPHP?
Sturgis City Dams, Looper, but let’s have a look at Peak4760 first.
From a small clearing near the trail junction, an unremarkable hill was visible a mile S. Heavily forested, it didn’t appear much different from countless others in the Black Hills region.
First glimpse of Peak 4760. Photo looks S.
Is that it, SPHP?
Yup. Guess we won’t be seeing much from up there by the looks of it. Way too many trees. Oh, well! Carry on, Loopster! Maybe Peak4780 will be better?
Taking the trail that went past the Sturgis City Dams sign, Lupe headed up the ridge.
Near the trail junction, about to head for Peak 4780. Photo looks WNW.
The trail climbed at an easy pace along the broad ridge. Progress was rapid. Most of the ridge was forested, but sometimes there were views. Bear Butte came into sight again, followed by parts of Sturgis.
Heading W on the Sturgis City Dams trail.Bear Butte (L of Center). Photo looks NNE.Continuing W along the ridge. Photo looks W.Parts of Sturgis came into view (beyond Lupe). Photo looks N.
How much farther to Peak 4780, SPHP? And why didn’t we go to Peak 4760 first, since we could already see it back at the junction?
Because we’re already on Peak 4780’s E ridge, Loop! The summit is close to the W end of the mountain, only 0.75 mile from the trail junction. Not much of a climb. We should get there pretty soon at this rate.
More than halfway along the ridge, the Sturgis City Dams trail angled over to the S edge, and began heading down. To the N, abandoned USFS Road No. 139.1E came up the N slope from the E, climbing more steeply than the trail had been as it continued W. The road provided another good look at Bear Butte as Lupe left the trail to follow it higher.
About to take abandoned USFS Road No. 139.1E higher. Photo looks W.Bear Butte again. Photo looks NNE with help from the telephoto lens.
As No. 139.1E topped out, it faded away. Lupe had reached Peak 4780’s summit region, but the exact location of the true summit wasn’t entirely clear yet. A small hill just to the N appeared to be a likely candidate, so the American Dingo climbed it.
In the flat region where USFS Road No. 139.1E faded away.Up on the first Peak 4780 summit candidate. Photo looks N.
Loopster kept exploring. The terrain rose slowly as she headed farther W. The Carolina Dog finally reached a region near the S edge where the terrain leveled out again. SPHP was pretty certain this had to be the true summit of Peak4780.
At the true summit of Peak 4780. Photo looks NW.
Really nothing to see here except the forest. A fairly large area was very nearly the same elevation. A few tens of feet farther W, Lupe found a bit of a clearing where she had a view of rumpled green hills to to the SW from a little line of broken limestone. It was a sunny spot, and a good place to take a chocolate coconut bar break.
While SPHP dug one out of the pack, Lupe relaxed. Turned out the grass was full of hundreds of ladybugs! Swarming all over Looper’s fur, they must have tickled. She snapped up several ladybugs before turning her attention to the chocolate coconut bar when offered.
At the chocolate coconut bar break spot, which was very nearly as high as the nearby true summit. Photo looks E.The view to the SW.Loop awaiting her share of a chocolate coconut bar.
Lupe followed up the chocolate coconut bar with Taste of the Wild and water while SPHP munched an apple. Once that was gone, it was time to take a little more of a look around. A stump near the spot where Loop had taken her rest break offered a view of Veteran Peak(5,333 ft.).
Veteran Peak (L of Center). Photo looks SW.
Part of the slope below the break spot was open and grassy, so Looper ventured down there, too. She was rewarded with a more sweeping view than had been available from up on top, part of which included a really good look at Peak 4760 where she would be heading next.
In the open area below the break spot and true summit. Photo looks S.Peak 4760 (L of Center). Photo looks SE.
Unsurprisingly, the view from this new angle didn’t alter SPHP’s opinion that Lupe wouldn’t being seeing much other than trees from Peak4760, either, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t going to make the journey. Never know what might be up there or along the way!
Returning to the top of the ridge, the American Dingo paid another brief visit to Peak 4780’s true summit before continuing on. Soon reaching the W end of the mountain, Lupe paused briefly to admire a better view of Veteran Peak before heading down.
On the way back up to the break spot. Photo looks N.Veteran Peak (slightly L of Center) from the W end of Peak 4780. Photo looks SW.
Peak 4780’s upper W slope was surprisingly steep. Fortunately a band of cliffs was not continuous. Lupe found a way to get through it. The slope below the cliffs was still fairly steep, but posed no real problem on the way down to a saddle where the terrain leveled out.
Below a cliff at the W end of Peak 4780.Heading down to the saddle. Photo looks W.
Once down at the saddle, Lupe turned SE. At first, she lost a little more elevation, but after running into a trail, she started regaining it again.
This was probably the same trail that went to the Sturgis City Dams, but Loop didn’t stay on it very far this time. Instead, she soon headed S through a field down to USFS Road No. 139.
Back on the trail to the Sturgis City Dams. Peak 4760 (L of Center). Photo looks SE.S of Peak 4780 on USFS Road No. 139. Photo looks ENE.
After a short incline, Lupe followed No. 139 more than 0.75 mile E as it lost elevation, slowly at first, but much more quickly toward the end. In a secluded valley, the Carolina Dog came to a place she recognized.
Centennial Trail No. 89 crossed the road here. Lupe followed the trail S up a hill. It then leveled out and wound around to the W for a bit before turning SE the rest of the way to Bulldog Creek.
Heading E on USFS Road No. 139 as it starts losing elevation. Photo looks E.At the junction with Centennial Trail No. 89. Photo looks S.Centennial Trail No. 89 on the way to Bulldog Creek. Photo looks SE.
Bulldog Creek was very small, but at least had some water in it when Lupe was last here back on Black Hills, SD Expedition No. 274. Now the creekbed was bone dry. Abandoning Centennial Trail No. 89, Loopster followed the creekbed downstream.
Following bone dry Bulldog Creek.
Many branches hung over the creekbed. SPHP often had to duck. More problematic, some deadfall was across it, too. Following the creekbed E, Lupe soon came to a towering wall of rock that forced the stream S.
Approaching the wall of rock that forced Bulldog Creek S. Photo looks E.
Around this bend, Bulldog Creek was a total mess. Deadfall choked the creekbed, which actually had some standing water in it here. Loopster helped herself to a drink, while SPHP thrashed around trying to force a way through.
Loop standing in the pool of water where she managed to get a drink.
SPHP’s progress was dreadfully slow. Fortunately, Lupe didn’t need to follow Bulldog Creek much farther. It quickly turned E again. When it did, Lupe continued S, leaving the wretched stream behind.
Loop was now entering a valley in a very remote region. No sign that anyone ever comes this way! The plan was to follow the valley 0.33 mile S up to a saddle directly W of Peak 4760’s summit, then turn E making a direct assault. However, the floor of the valley was so thick with bushes, that SPHP found it easier staying toward the E.
The terrain forced Lupe higher and higher above the valley floor. SPHP finally realized that it would probably be easier to head SW straight up the mountain right here than try to traverse the increasingly steep slope leading to the saddle W of the summit.
Heading up Peak 4760’s NW slope.
The climb got steeper and steeper. SPHP was on the verge of clinging to trees, and paused repeatedly to gasp for breath. At one point there was a little open spot where Lupe could look back and see Peak 4780, but mostly it was just trees, trees, and more trees.
After gaining hundreds of feet of elevation, the rate of climb diminished slightly. The American Dingo persevered, finally reaching Peak 4760’s N ridge. She was already very high on the mountain. Beginning a search for the true summit, Lupe turned S.
Up on Peak 4760’s N ridge. Photo looks SW.
It wasn’t much farther. A sunny lane led right to it.
Approaching Peak 4760’s summit. Photo looks SSW.
In a flash, Lupe was there!
At Peak 4760’s true summit. Photo looks SSW.
2:11 PM, 65ºF, Peak 4760 true summit – The summit was a surprising place. Despite its prior densely forested appearance, a clearing ran along a short ridge. Although only a partial glimpse of Peak 4780 was available, Veteran Peak(5,333 ft.) was in sight again.
Surprisingly, in sunshine instead of shade. Photo looks NW.
The steep climb had made a genuine rest break a high priority. Before checking out the views, SPHP dug another chocolate coconut bar out of the pack, while Lupe laid down. Ladybugs were holding a convention in the unbelievably warm early December sunshine here, too, but there weren’t as many of them as there had been at Peak 4780.
Although Peak 4760 felt very remote, Lupe clearly wasn’t the only one to ever be here. However, the last visitors might have left a mighty long time ago. Five exceedingly rusty cans and a broken plastic spoon were grouped together right at the true summit.
By the rusty cans.
After devouring her remaining Taste of the Wild, Looper slurped some water. SPHP polished off the last apple. Not much exploring to be done up here, but the time had come for it.
Heading S, the summit ridge soon began to slope lower, broadening out somewhat as it did so. There were scattered trees, but open ground, too. In fact, the best views from Peak 4760 were over this way.
Exploring S along the summit ridge. Photo looks NNE.Toward the S, the ridge widened out and had some open space. Photo looks N.Best view from the summit region. Veteran Peak (R of Center). Photo looks SW.
December afternoons are short. It was a long way back to Alkali Creek. Lupe lingered only 20 minutes up on Peak 4760 before SPHP grabbed the 5 rusty cans and broken spoon, and tossed them in the pack. Loop then started down the N ridge.
Lupe hadn’t lost much elevation yet, when she came to a place where a limestone platform jutted out toward the NW. From the end, there was a nice view of Peak 4780.
Peak 4780 (Center). Photo looks NW.
Then it was down, down, down Peak 4760’s N ridge! Lupe scrambled around a few rock formations, and dodged deadfall. When the N ridge eventually broadened out, becoming less distinct, Loop stayed toward the W, which put her on steep terrain.
After a long descent, Lupe reached Bulldog Creek 0.33 mile downstream of where she’d left it earlier. It was completely dry here. After crossing the creekbed, she had to scramble 40 feet up a steep bank to reach USFS Road No. 139 again.
0.5 mile on No. 139 brought Lupe back up to where Centennial Trail No. 89 crossed it. This time she took the trail N, eventually reaching the same junction where the trail to the Sturgis City Dams split off toward Peak 4780’s summit. Downhill essentially all the way back to the Alkali Creek trailhead from here.
Getting late, though! Light was fading as SPHP was finally able to pick up the pace. Considerable progress had been made down the mountain when suddenly there was movement in the deepening gloom ahead.
A dog! Not just any dog, either. Tail slowly wagging, Poett stood alone on the trail, waiting to greet Lupe!
They sniffed. Then Poett joined the procession, preferring to fall in at the end of the line. Still some distance down to Poett’s Corner. SPHP was glad when Poett began to fall behind. Evidently, Poett was going to be content to return home, instead of following Lupe past his gate and bell.
What a way to end the day, Loopster! You finally got to meet Poett, canine celebrity of the N Centennial Trail!
We were lucky, SPHP! I’m so glad to see that Poett’s well and still actively patrolling his part of Centennial Trail No. 89!
And who knows? If you head up into the Black Hills from the Alkali Creek trailhead, Poett may be there still. (End 5:31 PM, 51ºF)
Poett at dusk, Centennial Trail No. 89, Black Hills of South Dakota 12-2-21
