After a week of above average temperatures and with a near record high in the 70’s forecast for this Saturday, it was definitely time for Lupe to head out for another Black Hills expedition. SPHP decided Lupe would go back to the Pillar Peak area (see Expedition No. 120) where there were three more mountains listed on Peakbagger.com that Lupe could climb: Bear Den Mountain, Anchor Hill and Dome Mountain.
SPHP parked the G6 at the big Camp 5 Trailhead parking lot located just S of Hwy 14A between Sturgis and Deadwood, SD at 9:19 AM. It was already 47 degrees F out under sunny skies. Lupe started out heading S along USFS Road No. 306.1. Within a few minutes she reached the dry creek bed of Boulder Creek and just beyond it came to an intersection with USFS Road No. 172.1. Lupe took No. 172.1 which headed WSW for about half a mile before turning S.
No. 172.1 gained elevation steadily, but at an easy pace. The road was damp from recently melted snow. Only at a few shaded curves in the road was there any snow or ice still on it. The road wound along the lower E slopes of a high hill for over a mile before entering Lost Gulch. Lupe could have followed No. 172.1 up Lost Gulch, which would have brought her to the general vicinity of all three of her peakbagging goals.
However, up to this point, No. 172.1 had not been too interesting. It was not a major gravel road, but was in good enough shape so that SPHP could have driven the G6 up it without much of a problem. Lupe and SPHP both prefer a more remote and secluded feel than No. 172.1 was exuding. Stopping briefly to check the maps, SPHP found that an intersection with USFS Road No. 567.1F wasn’t too far ahead. It might be more of a challenge.
Lupe passed an intersection with No. 172.1F, which did look interesting, but another look at the maps showed it ultimately curved around to the NE – the wrong direction. Lupe stayed on No. 172.1 and about 0.25 mile later reached No. 567.1F. No. 567.1F was covered with snow and long branches of bushes were reaching out over the road. There were no tracks in the snow. It looked like No. 567.1F was likely impassable to vehicles, which made it a great choice for Lupe and SPHP.
Lupe clearly enjoyed No. 567.1F. While on No. 172.1, she had just trotted along at SPHP’s heels most of the time. On No. 567.1F, however, she started branching out and exploring the forest in every direction, while SPHP struggled along through the increasingly numerous obstacles on the long abandoned road. No. 567.1 headed generally SW up a fairly big side gulch off to the S of Lost Gulch. The road gradually deteriorated as it went up the gulch. Parts of it were completely wiped out at the bottom of the gulch due to erosion.
Deadfall timber, growing trees and bushes, rocks and snow eventually made it impractical to try to stay on the faint remains of No. 567.1F any longer. So Lupe and SPHP started climbing up the steep slopes of the NW side of the gulch. After a while the terrain leveled out quite a bit and became more open. There was a high point visible off to the SE, but SPHP checked the maps and it looked like the summit of Bear Den Mountain (5,642 ft.), Lupe’s first peakbagging goal of the day, should be off to the SW.
Lupe resumed climbing and looking for the summit of Bear Den Mountain. From Pillar Peak on Expedition No. 120 on 2-20-14, SPHP had seen that there were a number of roads on the upper slopes of Bear Den Mountain. Lupe started running into and crossing them. SPHP’s old USFS map showed that the summit of Bear Den Mountain was surrounded by private property, but Lupe came to no development other than the roads, not even any fences or signs.
Lupe did come to a high spot, also reached by a jeep trail, which at first SPHP thought might be the summit of Bear Den Mountain. A look around soon convinced SPHP that there was likely still higher terrain some distance to the W. Exploring in that direction, Lupe did clearly gain some elevation and arrived at the summit of Bear Den Mountain.
Having reached the summit of Bear Den Mountain, after a short Taste of the Wild and water break, it was time for Lupe to head for her next peakbagging goal – Anchor Hill (5,720 ft.). Lupe headed SSW down a long ridge extending out from Bear Den Mountain. She then turned WNW and followed a mile long saddle between Lost Gulch to the N and Butcher Gulch to the S.
Lupe did climb the high forested hill that SPHP had seen from Bear Den Mountain and had assumed was Anchor Hill. Only two days later did SPHP realize that the hill Lupe climbed was not really Anchor Hill, but a slightly higher hill about 0.5 mile to the NNE of the real Anchor Hill. On three expeditions, No. 119, No. 120 and now No. 122, silly little Anchor Hill has eluded Lupe and SPHP.
After a rest break on the fake Anchor Hill, Lupe headed NE for Dome Mountain. Coming down the NE slopes of the ridge connected to fake Anchor Hill, the snow was 2 to 3 feet deep. Lupe crossed the saddle ridge between fake Anchor Hill and the ridge Dome Mountain is on. It was a real mess for a long stretch due to deadfall timber as a result of a fire years ago.
Once Lupe was across the saddle ridge and into the living forest, it was much easier going as she headed W towards the rocky point that is the summit of Dome Mountain.
Up on Dome Mountain (5,512 ft.), there was a fairly stiff breeze out of the NW. The blue skies of the early morning had long ago clouded up with an indefinite overcast haziness. The highest rock outcropping which is the summit of Dome Mountain was easily climbed. Lupe finished the rest of her Taste of the Wild up on the summit, although she didn’t care much for the wind.
Having climbed Dome Mountain, SPHP was under the delusion that Lupe had achieved all three of her peakbagging goals for Black Hills, SD Expedition No. 122. (Not realizing that Lupe had climbed a false Anchor Hill.) It was time to start heading back to the G6, but SPHP also thought Lupe might have time to climb Pillar Peak (5,469 ft.) once again, which was not too out of the way. The key to being able to do so was to follow along the saddle ridge between Dome Mountain and Pillar Peak.
Lupe left the Dome Mountain summit area heading E through the living forest. When she got near the edge with Lost Gulch, she turned N trying to stay on the high ground. This was successful for a while, but the high ground she was following eventually dropped off. She had to go a considerable distance down into a ravine and climb back up to the N again to get back up on the saddle. SPHP was starting to get weary and almost decided against climbing up again in favor of just heading down into Lost Gulch. This would have meant giving up on Pillar Peak.
Fortunately, SPHP managed to summon the energy to climb back up on the ridge. Lupe continued on to Pillar Peak. The wind out of the NW was even stronger and gustier than it had been on Dome Mountain as Lupe climbed up the final stretch. The gusting wind and late hour made the stay up on Pillar Peak a short one. SPHP took a few photos and Lupe was on her way again.
Lupe left the summit of Pillar Peak and headed toward a slightly lower forested high point on Pillar Peak a short hike to the E. Just before reaching it, she headed SE down a steep slope. Like much of the day’s journey, it was slow going for SPHP picking a way down through all the deadfall timber, rocks and bushes. After losing 500 feet of elevation, Lupe found a road. It headed up in both directions. Lupe followed it S. It eventually went over a saddle. On the other side of the saddle was another road, which may have been No. 172.1H.
Lupe followed this road for a while hoping to lose elevation, but it stayed high up on the slopes of the mountain it was going around. It eventually just ended. About 150 feet lower another road could be seen. Lupe headed down to it. This road did the same thing, heading around the mountain while maintaining elevation. It also dead ended. Again another road could be seen farther below, this time near the valley floor. SPHP by now had to pick a way down the slope very carefully, for the sun had set a while ago and with the cloud cover, even twilight was fading fast.
The lowest road continued on down Lost Gulch. Even here it was a bit tricky going in the dark. The road was covered with snow and ice for a long way. Finally Lupe reached the intersection with USFS Road No. 567.1 again. SPHP recognized it and was now certain Lupe was on USFS Road No. 172.1, which she could follow essentially the rest of the way back to the G6.
It was quite dark by now. SPHP was feeling pretty played out. Even though it was downhill almost all the rest of the way, SPHP had to stop on one of the short uphill stretches for a rest. Lupe was still bright and alert. However, once back at the G6, she hopped right in as soon as SPHP was ready for her. It was 8:59 PM and still an amazing 61 degrees out. Lupe curled up and went to sleep almost instantly.
Black Hills, SD Expedition No. 122 was a success, but it wasn’t a complete success. SPHP didn’t realize it yet, but Anchor Hill had once again eluded Lupe.
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