Day 5 of Lupe’s 2nd Summer of 2021 Dingo Vacation to Wyoming!
Six miles up the spectacular Shoshone River canyon W of Cody, the RAV4 emerged from the last of 3 tunnels along Hwy 16/20/14. Immediately off to the L was the Buffalo Bill Dam Visitor Center. SPHP drove another couple of miles to the first pullout along the big reservoir.
C’mon, Looper! Let’s have a look at Cedar Mountain (7,880 ft.)!
Happy to escape the RAV4 for a while, Lupe accompanied SPHP down to Buffalo Bill Reservoir’s shoreline, a rocky beach littered with driftwood bleached white by the sun. The beautiful lake consisted of two big arms, one extending miles W near the highway and another off to the S.
Along the E shore loomed a mighty triangular-shaped mountain, it’s rugged W face composed of a series of cliffs overlooking the lake.
That’s Cedar Mountain, SPHP?
Sure is, Loop! Don’t worry, though. We won’t be going up that way!
As waves rolled in, the Carolina Dog enjoyed a sniff along the N shore before SPHP suggested checking out the visitor center. 10 minutes later, Lupe was hopping out of the RAV4 at a paved parking lot right across a narrow channel from Cedar Mountain. The visitor center was a short stroll away.
The visitor center was not Dingo friendly, but Lupe was free to look around outside. A walkway over the dam, which was right next to the visitor center, provided a stunning view of the Shoshone River canyon.
It’s all very scenic, SPHP! Wonder what the views are like from way up on Cedar Mountain? Must be incredible!
Oh, I bet they are, Loopster! Let’s go find out!
Driving E back down the Shoshone River canyon into Cody, SPHP missed the sign for Spirit Mountain Road, mostly likely because there wasn’t one. The turn eventually proved to be about 2 miles W of Walmart, on the L (S) from that direction, just before Cedar Mountain Trail Rides. SPHP parked the RAV4 at a large trailhead 150 feet from the highway.
11:59 AM, 67ºF – Ready to go! The American Dingo left the trailhead on a dusty path which soon joined an even dustier trail used by the trail ride horses. Cedar Mountain’s lower slopes were sparsely dotted with cedars, alright, but Sagebrush Mountain might have been a better name. The horse trail quickly led to Spirit Mountain Road, which could be seen switchbacking ever higher up the NE slope.
The road hike wasn’t very exciting, but at least it was easy, just a steady climb winding up the mountain. The predominate sagebrush didn’t block the views, which inevitably improved as Lupe trudged higher. Cumulus clouds sailed overhead providing shade, but whenever the sun came out, so did the Carolina Dog’s tongue. Starting to get hot!
At a sharp turn where there were some rock formations, Lupe left the road for water promised by SPHP and a look around. Nearby, stretches of the Shoshone River could be seen. McCullough Peaks (6,547 ft.) were visible off to the NE beyond Cody. The most dramatic view was due N of Heart Mountain (8,123 ft.).
Continuing on, the day grew sunnier. Loopster plodded along behind SPHP, panting hard, clearly not too into this baking hot trek. Whenever SPHP paused for a look at the tremendous views or to gasp for air, the Carolina Dog sought the shade of the nearest cedar tree.
After many switchbacks, the road straightened and leveled out. Towers could be seen ahead up on Cedar Mountain’s E summit. It wasn’t much farther to a vacant parking area near a trail to Spirit Mountain Cave.
A key had to be acquired in advance in order to visit Spirit Mountain Caverns. Since SPHP hadn’t bothered to get one, there was no point in taking this side trail. Looper continued along the road. Soon she came to another vacant parking area near a blue gate.
This blue gate was as far as the public was supposed to drive along Spirit Mountain Road. Beyond this gate were 2 miles of private property. It was SPHP’s understanding that continuing on paw was acceptable, as long as one stayed on the road. In any case, the gate was standing wide open when Lupe reached it.
The American Dingo pressed on, coming to a brown gate, also open, 15 minutes later. Beyond the brown gate the road resumed its climb. Lupe passed through a short stretch of much thicker cedar forest. Beyond the forest, she entered more open territory again. This region was grassier with far less sagebrush.
By now, Lupe was getting quite high on the mountain. A short break was taken beneath a big cedar tree near a sharp bend in the road. Water and a shared chocolate coconut bar. Clouds were again providing relief from the sun, but these clouds were darker, and so many had moved in that the weather suddenly seemed iffy.
However, the sky brightened again. Loopster kept going. The towers of Cedar Mountain’s E summit came back into view, still several hundred feet higher. Lupe passed a house on the R before reaching a green gate. It was open, too.
Shortly after passing the green gate, Loopster started coming to the first of many towers scattered over the E summit region. The weather now seemed ominous. The sky had darkened again, and a strong breeze blew out of the NW. Rain, possibly hail, appeared imminent. Hurrying on, SPHP looked for shelter.
A gray concrete block building appeared on the L just prior to a fork in the road. Looked like it would do in a real emergency, but things weren’t that dire yet. Staying L at the fork, Lupe went a bit farther, ultimately seeking refuge in another patch of cedar forest as a gale suddenly swept over Cedar Mountain. Huge raindrops pelted Loopster as she reached the trees in the nick of time.
Or so it seemed. Not really, though. No sooner had the Carolina Dog reached the forest, which was a little way from the road, than the storm passed. The rain stopped. The wind died away. A squall, nothing more.
That’s it? Hah! I thought we were in for it, Loopster!
Maybe we ought to hang out here for a while yet, SPHP. Just to make sure we’re in the clear again.
I suppose that makes some sense. Sure, why not?
Another chocolate coconut bar would help to pass the time, SPHP! Got any more?
Oh, I see! Yes, but we only have one left. Don’t you want to save it for the summit?
No.
Silly me. Asking questions I already know the answer to.
The last chocolate coconut bar helped to pass all of about 10 seconds, and that only because SPHP took 9 to tear it into bite-sized pieces rather than one great wolf-it-down gulp. Re-energized, Lupe returned to the road.
Although Cedar Mountain’s E summit region incorporated quite a large area, Lupe didn’t have much farther to go to get to the top. After passing W through another stretch of forest, the road climbed a small rise. Here, several more towers and sheds were scattered along a narrow ridge.
A small rock outcropping proved to be the high point. For the first time during her ascent, Lupe had a view to the W, quite a spectacular one overlooking the Shoshone River canyon and the N shore of Buffalo Bill Reservoir. Rattlesnake Mountain (9,116 ft.) was just across the canyon, and Trout Peak (12,244 ft.) was visible among others on the horizon.
Cedar Mountain’s true summit, still 0.75 mile off to the WSW, was now in sight, too.
The best view was from the E summit’s far W end, only a short distance past the high point. The road went right to it.
From this grand viewpoint, the road went S down a steep open slope, then turned WSW toward the W summit. Lupe lost 250 feet of elevation before the road bottomed out in yet another forest and began to climb again. At the very end, a shorter steep slope led to a collection of small antennas.
The true summit of Cedar Mountain (7,880 ft.) was a 12 foot diameter platform of rock just beyond the antennas. The views of Buffalo Bill Reservoir 2,500 feet below, and the mountainous territory beyond it were stupendous!
A 20-25 mph NW wind was sweeping over the exposed platform when Lupe arrived. Clouds raced by, but except for occasional stronger gusts, the weather never really threatened again. Loop didn’t care for the wind at all, and spent nearly her entire summit hour either hunched down on the rock, or curled up on SPHP’s lap. Most of the time she was in shadow, but there were moments of sunshine, too.
Cedar Mountain was an awesome vantage point, but the NW wind was relentless. Lupe was ready when it was time to go. The American Dingo had one more thing to do up here, though! She was all the way back at the fork in the road at the E summit, when SPHP had a surprise for her.
Loopster, want to see a buffalo?
A buffalo? Up here? Sure!
Taking the fork to the R (N) that Lupe hadn’t explored earlier on the way up, it was less than 0.2 mile to a tombstone near cliffs overlooking the Shoshone River canyon. Nearby, on a platform of rock at the brink of the precipice, a buffalo stood alone in a gale.
A white buffalo! You were right, SPHP!
Awe and a touch of trepidation soon turned to disappointment when the buffalo did nothing, and a cautious sniff test subsequently revealed it to be a mere statue, not the real thing. In fact, the poor buffalo was a little worse for the wear, missing its horns and in need of fresh paint. Still it was a pretty cool buffalo, and certainly enjoyed a magnificent view.
Next to the buffalo, at the base of the platform, was a green metal box. Opening it, SPHP found another box of orange plastic tucked into foam padding. This box contained an elegant leather bound registry. Due to the fierce wind, SPHP read only one or two entries before adding Lupe’s name, and putting it all away again.
So, who was Breck Moran, SPHP? Was he a friend of the buffalo?
Don’t really know much about Mr. Moran, Loop. Says here that he was a crusader for Wyoming’s development. The buffalo is actually in honor of Buffalo Bill, who founded the town of Cody among many other exploits during a long, adventurous life.
So, Buffalo Bill was a friend of the buffalo?
No, not really. He was a famous buffalo hunter who killed thousands of them to supply Kansas Pacific Railroad workers with meat in the late 1860’s. But he must have liked buffalo. His 1906 will said he wanted to be buried up here on Cedar Mountain with a statue of a buffalo. However, in 1917, Buffalo Bill died while on a trip to Colorado, and his wife had him buried on Lookout Mountain (7,374 ft.) in Golden instead.
So, Buffalo Bill liked buffalo, but killed thousands of them? That doesn’t make any sense, SPHP!
Humans can be funny that way, Loopster.
Funny peculiar, maybe, SPHP! Not funny haha, especially for the buffalo!
Think of Buffalo Bill and the buffalo like Dingoes and squirrels. You love squirrels, but if it weren’t for trees, you’d be known as Squirrel Loop!
Evidently the American Dingo wasn’t sure what to say to that. She made no response. Taking leave of the white buffalo on it’s windy platform with the spectacular view high on Cedar Mountain, perhaps it was food for thought as Lupe returned to the road and started the long, winding trek back down to the RAV4. (End 8:01 PM, 75ºF).
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