Day 2 of Lupe’s 1st Summer of 2022 Dingo Vacation to Wyoming!
Wee hours – The Carolina Dog was awake. Earlier, the night had been very dark despite a zillion stars overhead. That was then. Bellyache Flats was now drenched in the ghostly light of a dying moon. A faint breeze murmured something inaudible, then faded. Nothing stirred.
Try to get some sleep, Loopster, or you’ll be exhausted before we ever get to Giant Deer Mountain (11,321 ft.)!
I can’t sleep, SPHP! Not on the first night of a Dingo Vacation!
Yeah, I know. Honestly, I don’t understand how you can peer endlessly into the night like you do, but suit yourself. Nothing’s happening is it?
Not so far, but you never know when something will, SPHP. Watching comes naturally for us American Dingoes.
If Lupe did see anything in the night, she never mentioned it to SPHP. The next time SPHP pried an eyelid open, she actually was getting a few winks in. Already light out by then, though! As SPHP fired up the RAV4, Loop instantly sprang back to life.
The early drive N on USFS Road No. 24 to Battle Park to register prior to entering the Cloud Peak Wilderness was exciting! Deer, and even a few giant deer, to bark at along the way! The last time time Lupe had been to Battle Park in 2018, the big clearing had been a horse camp city full of trucks, trailers, and people. However, this morning she arrived to find it deserted, except for a large herd of giant deers. They raced off as soon as the trembling Carolina Dog started her high-pitched whining.
6:42 AM, 46°F, USFS Road No. 24, Middle Fork Trailhead – Lupe stood smiling in the sunlight at the start of Trail No. 066 as SPHP hoisted the pack.
No tiny house, SPHP? We’re taking on Giant Deer Mountain as a day hike?
Yup! Most likely our best bet after what we saw from Buck Mountain yesterday evening, Loop.
Trail No. 066 started out as an ATV route. Winding NE, mostly through forest, it steadily gained elevation on its way to Lily Lake roughly 1.5 miles from the trailhead. Fairly early on, as the trail skirted the N side of a large meadow, it passed near a tributary of the Middle Fork of Paint Rock Creek. Beyond the meadow, Lupe came to a tiny snowmelt stream that trickled right down the middle of a long, muddy section of the trail.
From almost the very beginning, patches of snow had been melting away in the forest. There was more snow by the time Lupe reached a wooden bridge over a small creek. After crossing the bridge, the trail steepened for 0.25 mile before beginning to top out.
A second big meadow was ahead. The road angled N here, but Looper abandoned it, continuing NE while cutting across the open terrain.
That’s Giant Deer Mountain (11,321 ft.) straight ahead, isn’t it, SPHP?
No doubt about it, Loop! Our SW approach is looking very doable, too! Think we’ve made the right decision.
Glimpses of Lily Lake were soon visible beyond a line of trees along the N edge of the meadow. Trotting over to the shoreline to get a view of Giant Deer Mountain from the lake, the American Dingo crossed Trail No. 066 again, which had now turned E.
Conifers surrounded Lily Lake on 3 sides, but the second meadow was vast. Extending along the E shore, it also encompassed a spacious, gently rolling region E of the lake. Clearly, the meadow was the easiest way to get closer to Giant Deer Mountain. As Lupe circled around the SE end of Lily Lake, the only question in SPHP’s mind was whether she would be able to get across the outlet stream that left the lake’s NE corner.
SPHP needn’t have worried about that. Happily, a broad outlet channel quickly narrowed down to a little stream easily rock-hopped even in mid-June. After enjoying a cold drink, Lupe roamed the open territory NE of the creek.
Exploring the open ground was fun! Progress was rapid. Lupe soon came to a rocky embankment. Since the region above it all appeared to be densely forested, she remained below, traveling along the base of the embankment in order to take full advantage of the meadow for as far as it went, which didn’t appear to be much farther at all.
Even after plunging into the trees once the vast meadow came to an end, the forest proved surprisingly open, too. A small hidden clearing led to a much larger one.
Everything was going great! Looked like Looper wasn’t going to have to endure as much of a struggle getting to tree line as SPHP originally anticipated.
However, the going got tougher once this larger clearing ended. Turning N, Lupe followed game trails up onto a ridge where the forest was much denser. A 25 foot descent on the other side of the ridge led to a small stream flowing among boulders.
After another drink, Loop explored ENE up the stream a little way. It soon divided into a multitude of rivulets and disappeared. The forest was so thick that SPHP had difficulty pushing through.
Wandering N or NW, opportunistically following narrow open lanes whenever possible, another stream was reached. A rocky ridge was now visible to the NNE.
Heading over to the base of the ridge, the first section looked to be only 30 feet high, or so. It appeared likely Lupe might reach an open region up there where SPHP anticipated she would be able to follow a broad, grassy bench ENE.
The scrambling wasn’t hard, but Lupe had to climb twice as high and go 3 times as far as SPHP expected before reaching the bench. When the American Dingo got there, the news was terrible! Instead of a smooth, grassy plain, a jumble of talus stretched away to the ENE. Scattered stands of conifers only amounted to additional obstacles.
A bit of grass barely visible up on a rise at the far end of the boulder field held out the only glimmer of hope for better terrain ahead.
Not much choice! A tedious boulder hop began. A couple of spots were scary, as Lupe barely managed to make the required leaps between giant chunks of talus. SPHP’s progress was dreadfully slow. More than an hour and a half slipped by just getting up to a first little grassy spot where a rest break could be taken.
Beef jerky, Loop?
Don’t mind if I do, SPHP! Bring it on!
The Carolina Dog practically inhaled each piece of jerky offered, while SPHP munched calmly away. Looking SW back toward Lily Lake, it seemed Lupe hadn’t made it very far, or gained all that much elevation, considering the amount of effort expended coming up the talus bench. Lily Lake appeared to be only 500 feet lower than the rest spot.
Criminy! Going to be a mighty long day at this rate, Loopster! Still have another 1,300 feet to go!
Guess we better get at it then, SPHP!
More talus was above the rest spot, but Lupe didn’t have to scramble much higher before reaching the patch of greenery that had been visible from a distance. A most encouraging sight was ahead! A lovely little stream gurgled down a wide swath of grass stretching up a long slope.
A series of high points was visible considerably farther up the mountain, each rising above the one before. Lupe headed for them.
This long trek higher started out easy enough, but eventually the grassy region withered away as the terrain became increasingly rocky again. At first, the rocks were much smaller than the talus field encountered earlier, and lanes of vegetation could still be found. Pressing on, though, the rocks grew in size. Grass became scarce. Another endless rock hop!
Upon reaching two large flat rocks at a small grass oasis, Lupe and SPHP were both ready for a break. HP10882 was now in sight, about 60 feet higher, off to the W. To the NNE, the most distant of the high points Lupe had been climbing toward appeared to be the true summit of Giant Deer Mountain. Still a ways off, but Lupe had made considerable progress.
Continuing NNE from the two flat rocks, there was almost no vegetation. The rock-hopping slog higher got steadily tougher as long snow banks and big talus appeared. The snow was so soft and slushy that it wouldn’t hold even Lupe’s weight. Completely avoiding it seemed advisable due to the many holes hidden in the rough terrain beneath it.
Winding between the long snow banks lengthened the route, and the higher the American Dingo went, the more snow there was to contend with. Near the end, Loop finally reached the base of a much deeper and steeper snow field that covered so much territory that avoiding it wasn’t going to be easy. SPHP tested the surface. A couple feet beyond the soft edge, this snow had a much harder crust.
We’re in luck, Looper! Onward! Puppy, ho!
Traveling over the hardened snow was so much easier than scrambling among the rocks! Lupe quickly got up to where the snow field leveled out up top. To the NE, a big wall of talus several hundred feet long was directly ahead.
The high point Lupe had been heading for all this time was now only a little off to the NW, and clearly higher. At the very top, a lone boulder in the shape of a massive, fallen column leaned against some other huge rocks, projecting skyward like the barrel of a cannon.
Cannon Barrel Rock looked like a mighty airy perch, but a quick glance around revealed that it wasn’t really the true summit. Toward the SE, another outcropping of big talus appeared to be even higher. The true summit of Giant Deer Mountain had to be somewhere over that way.
Heading over to explore this outcropping, Lupe discovered a patch of grass next to a snow melt puddle. The Carolina Dog promptly plunked herself down.
Can we take a break, SPHP? It’s been a long climb, with so many rocks to leap over! I’m soooo tired and sleepy!
Sure thing, Looper! Knew you’d get sleepy after staying up half the night. Relax a bit. We can’t be far from the top now, anyway.
SPHP shared some more beef jerky. Lupe devoured a bowl of Taste of the Wild, too. Then, while the weary American Dingo dozed on the soft grass, SPHP sat munching an apple. Turned out Loop wasn’t the only would-be peakbagger on Giant Deer Mountain. A fuzzy caterpillar had made it way up here, too.
20 minutes hardly seemed like enough of a break, but the time had come to find out if Lupe could actually get to the top of Giant Deer Mountain. Returning to the snow field, she climbed a bit higher, circling around to the N side of the SE talus outcropping. From up here, the outcropping was seen to be a ridge extending farther SE.
Ascending near the NW end of the ridge, the rocks were so huge that SPHP had to give Lupe a boost at a couple of points to get her to the ridgeline. Once on top, cautiously working SE among the enormous rocks, Lupe headed for a big rock shaped like a gumdrop.
As Lupe got close to Gumdrop Rock, higher rocks were visible beyond it. Something else was visible, too – a tall, thin pole standing erect. That had to be it! The true summit of Giant Deer Mountain (11,321 ft.) was over by that skinny pole!
The ridge narrowed as Lupe headed for the pole. 15 feet NW of it, she came to a tiny patch of dirt and moss tucked down among the talus. Loop could sit on this mossy spot comfortably enough, but it was so small that she couldn’t really lay down. A brief rest here, and the final scramble to the summit was on.
2:37 PM, 65ºF, 10 mph SW breeze – Two big rocks next to the tall pole, each large enough to provide a decent, but solitary perch, proved to be the true summit of Giant Deer Mountain. The American Dingo needed another boost from SPHP, rather awkwardly rendered, to get to either one. After photos by the skinny pole, Lupe stood on the SE rock, while SPHP sat on the NW one.
We made it, SPHP!
Yes, we did, Loop! Congratulations on your successful ascent of Giant Deer Mountain!
Chocolate coconut bar, SPHP?
Uh, yeah, but not here. A bit airy for that. Look at that E ridge, Loop! Would have taken us a month of Sundays to get here from that direction. Glad we came up from the SW.
Me too, SPHP! Look at these views, though, simply spectacular!
Indeed, they were! Giant Deer Mountain’s E ridge, a jumble of talus with sections nearly as high as where Lupe stood now, snaked away for more than a mile. Beyond it, still significantly snow-clad, the mightiest peaks of the entire Bighorn range were on display.
Black Tooth Mountain (13,005 ft.), Mount Woolsey (12,978 ft.), Cloud Peak (13,167 ft.), Bomber Mountain (12,840 ft.), Peak 12,328, Mather Peaks (12,400 ft.), Darton Peak (12,275 ft.), Bighorn Peak (12,324 ft.), and others were all in sight.
You know, Loop, Giant Deer Mountain (11,321 ft.) has got to be the best vantage point we’ve ever been to, as far as having a clear view of so many of the highest peaks in the Bighorns! Incredible what we can see from here!
Despite the fabulous panorama, SPHP was nervous about letting Lupe remain up on such a cramped, airy perch for long. Essentially the same views had been available from all along the summit ridge, and even from the much safer terrain where Lupe had first started up it.
No registry or survey benchmark. 5 minutes of glory spent basking in the splendor of the Bighorn Mountains from Giant Deer Mountain’s true summit, then SPHP helped Lupe down off her lofty boulder. A careful retreat to the security of the little spot of dirt and moss, and not 1, but 2 celebratory chocolate coconut bars bit the dust in short order.
The scramble NW back along the summit ridge to where Lupe had come up was roughly 300 feet long. The American Dingo paused frequently to enjoy the views as SPHP poked along amidst the big talus.
Once down off the summit ridge, Looper took a final look at the grand vista available from several boulders nearby. She then returned to the grassy spot by the snow melt puddle for another rest before beginning the long descent of Giant Deer Mountain’s SW slope.
The return was an adventure in itself! Venturing farther W along the big snowfield near the summit, Lupe lost plenty of elevation with relative ease before coming to such a soft patch that even the Carolina Dog was post-holing and floundering. SPHP lost a boot deep in the snow, and had a dandy time extracting it.
Descending the talus field while avoiding the long snow banks seemed just as hard as on the way up. SPHP was surprised when Lupe managed to find the 2 flat rocks again E of HP10882. After that, life got easier once the grassy lanes among the rocks reappeared.
An attempt to avoid the lower talus field failed miserably. By the time Lupe reached the forest, a big wind had come up out of the SE, bringing rain. SPHP donned a brand new red rain jacket for the first time ever, the ancient blue plastic Cookie Monster poncho having finally given up the ghost on Bruce Mountain nearly a year ago. The squall promptly ended.
Venturing farther S this time, Lupe got close to the Middle Fork of Paint Rock Creek. At one point her route was blocked by a pond not shown on the map. Passing S of HP9746, it was nearly dark by the time Loop made it back to the E shore of Lily Lake.
During the trek back down Trail No. 066, SPHP was profoundly weary. Lupe, on the other paw, seemed energized by the black forest, sniffing along in and out of the weak beam of the little flashlight. SPHP finally begged for mercy, laying down next to the trail to doze in the dirt. The ordeal didn’t end until the RAV4 was reached at 11:05 PM.
What a day! Long, sort of grueling, but that was OK. Lupe had made it to Giant Deer Mountain! Her 1st Summer of 2022 Dingo Vacation was off to an auspicious start.
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