7-28-23, 8:04 AM, 53ºF, Telkwa River, British Columbia – SPHP turned the key and the RAV4 sprang to life.
Finally get our trip journal caught up, SPHP?
I did, Loopster! Say good-bye to the beautiful Telkwa River, it’s time to make some tracks. You’ve got a couple of rest days ahead while I drive to recover from the long trek to Telkwa Microwave Mountain.
So what’s our next destination, SPHP?
Atlin Lake! Remember when we chartered a boat last summer to take us over to Teresa Island so you could climb Birch Mountain?
How could I ever forget that, SPHP? Birch Mountain was totally awesome!
Well, we’re going to do that again. Atlin Mountain(6,722 ft.) will be your objective this time around.
Wow! I can hardly wait, SPHP. Onward! SPHP, ho!
The drive back to Yellowhead Hwy No. 16 at Telkwa was mostly sunny, but SPHP drove into fog before getting to Smithers. After a quick stop at Safeway for supplies, skies were blue again with big cumulus clouds hanging over the mountains on the way to New Hazelton, but the air seemed oddly hazy. The mountains weren’t very clear at all.
At New Hazelton, SPHP fueled up the RAV4 in preparation for the 450 mile drive N on Cassiar Highway No. 37, and after that nothing notable happened. For hours, the Carolina Dog was happy snoozing on her pink blanket while SPHP drove.
Stops were few and far between. At the Bell I rest area after crossing the Bell-Irving River bridge, Lupe finally got a chance to get out and stretch her legs. She got a second chance to stretch and bark at squirrels after crossing the Stikine River. By early evening the American Dingo had reached the Cottonwood River, and SPHP was sick of driving.
At the Bell I rest area. Cassiar Hwy No. 37 km 188.3.Along the Stikine River, Cassiar Hwy No. 37 km 436.
We’re staying here tonight, Loopster.
The Cottonwood River was a gorgeous spot. However, the haziness first noticed after leaving Smithers had gradually grown worse all day. Well before getting this far, there had been no denying it – the air was full of smoke.
Evening at the Cottonwood River, Cassiar Hwy No. 37 km 582.2.
7-29-23, 7:50 AM, 54ºF, Cassiar Hwy No. 37, km 697 – Barking at 2 foxes and a bunny had gotten the Carolina Dog’s morning off to a great start during the smoky drive to the Blue Lakes. The lake next to the highway that Lupe trotted along the edge of was partially surrounded by burnt boreal forest, but this area had already burned before 2016 when Lupe had been here for the first time. Where the fires were now wasn’t clear.
Blue Lakes, Cassiar Hwy No. 37, km 697.
Gah! Can you believe this smoke, Loop? It’s worse than ever, and we’re practically to the Yukon border! Big fires in Alberta had been in the news since early May long before we ever left home, but I never dreamed that it would be so smoky way up here at the N end of British Columbia!
Me either, SPHP. The part of Alberta we saw wasn’t smoky at all, except for a little bit in Banff when we first got there. Maybe we’ll drive out of it once we turn W on the Alaska Highway?
Hope so. In fact, I’m counting on it, Looper.
7-29-23, 8:32 AM, 59ºF, Cassiar Hwy No. 37, km 720.1 – No farther than the Yukon Territory border was, conditions were just as smoky here as they had been at Blue Lakes. Lupe always got her picture taken here in front of the big Yukon Larger Than Life “Plus Grand Que Nature” sign. This time, SPHP first had to clear out a bunch of trash some numbskull had left beneath it.
At the British Columbia/Yukon Territory border, Cassiar Hwy No. 37, km 720.1.Cassiar Highway No. 37 map posted at the British Columbia/Yukon Territory border.At the Yukon Territory border!
Good grief! Who does this?
Does what, SPHP?
This plastic bag has two glass jars full of gray dust in them, Loopster. One of the jars is broken, and there’s a note here indicating that all this dust is somebody’s ashes. No doubt the poor deceased individual wanted their ashes spread in the Yukon, and this is as far as their dearly beloved friend or relative was willing to take them. Instead of actually spreading the ashes around and taking their plastic and jars with them, this genius left it all sitting here below the Yukon sign.
So are we going to spread the ashes around, SPHP?
No! I’m taking all this trash and stuffing it into the rest area trash bin across the road, ashes and all!
You wouldn’t, SPHP!
Oh, no? Watch me!
The Alaska Highway was only a couple of miles farther N, and in the few minutes it took to get there, SPHP had already gotten over any flicker of remorse due to not spreading the poor deceased soul’s ashes.
That’s just cold, SPHP!
We’re in the Yukon, Loop. Better get used to it!
7-29-23, 12:03 PM, 71ºF, Teslin, Yukon Territory – Even after a long drive W on the Alaska Highway, the air was still smoky when SPHP pulled into the gas station at the Yukon Motel.
Did you find out why the pumps aren’t working, SPHP?
Yup. Power is out all over town. Been out for 3 hours now, Looper. Next fuel is 30 miles away at Johnsons Crossing. Pretty sure we’ve got enough left to get there.
Chancing it wasn’t necessary. Moments later someone came running out of the Yukon Motel. Great news! The power was back on. Lupe was soon on her way to Johnsons Crossing, but with an already full tank.
7-29-23, 2:21 PM, 81ºF, Tagish Road No. 8 – Lupe waded around the boat ramp cooling her paws off in the Tagish River, occasionally lapping up some of the algae-filled water. The river was very wide here as it flowed N into Marsh Lake. Exiting the opposite NW end of the lake this river would have a different, much more famous name, for Marsh Lake was the source of the fabled Yukon River.
Near the Tagish Road No. 8 bridge over the Tagish River.S end of Marsh Lake from the boat ramp.
The sky wasn’t as smoky here, but that wasn’t as comforting as it might have been following the recent shock. After leaving the Alaska Highway at Jake’s Corner and going another mile to the turn-off onto Atlin Road No. 7, the news had been terrible. Miles S, Mount Minto(6,913 ft.) near the N end of Atlin Lake had been barely visible in thick smoke.
Very disappointing! Right then and there, Atlin Mountain was out. It was even farther S, lost somewhere in that thick blanket of smoke. SPHP wasn’t about to charter a boat to climb a peak in that much particulate and severely marred views. Not worth it. A new plan was in order.
Have you decided what we’re going to do yet, SPHP?
Think so. At least I’ve got something in mind, since the smoke isn’t all that bad over this way. There’s a peak that’s been on your list of possibilities for years that would have awesome views, if we can manage to climb it. We can scout out the trailhead on the way to Skagway, then give it a whirl tomorrow, if the smoke doesn’t get any worse.
Skagway! We’re going to Skagway, SPHP? Maybe we’ll see Bingc?
Heh. I’m pretty sure Bingc’s still back in China, Loopster. Even so, it’s about time for the Most High Exalted Dingo of the Arctic Sisterhood to make another appearance in Skagway, though, isn’t it?
Lupe was perfectly happy with the new plan, but then Carolina Dogs aren’t terribly picky about whatever the plan might be as long as they can be part of it. Before heading S to Skagway, Lupe had fun visiting Carcross at the junction with S Klondike Hwy No. 2.
Hordes of tourists were milling around the artsy Carcross shops, but SPHP was more intrigued by the sight of nearby Nares Mountain and Montana Mountain where Lupe had great adventures a few years ago.
Among the native art decorated shops in Carcross.Nares Mountain (R) visible between shops.By the cool Killer Whale totem pole.
7-29-23, 4:21 PM – 4 or 5 miles S of Canadian customs, SPHP parked the RAV4 at a pullout teeming with tourists on the E side of S Klondike Hwy No. 2. Lupe leapt out to join the throng. Down a boulder and bedrock-infested slope full of stunted evergreens, the turquoise blue waters of long, skinny Summit Lake beckoned.
Let’s go down there for a better look, SPHP!
Scrambling closer to the lake over the rough terrain, Lupe perched on a boulder with a view. The air was still hazy with smoke, but not too bad. Certainly better than the scene Mount Minto had presented back at Atlin Lake. Summit Lake was one of many in the Tormented Valley, a region once buried deep beneath and scoured by enormous glaciers.
Summit Lake in the Tormented Valley. Photo looks NE.White Pass (Center) at the S end of Summit Lake. Photo looks SSW.
As much fun as it was scrambling among the boulders and seeing lovely Summit Lake, unlike the other tourists doing the same thing, that wasn’t why Lupe was here. Glancing NW back across S Klondike Hwy No. 2, an impressive mountain loomed 3 miles away.
Awesome! Looks big, SPHP. Is that where we’re going tomorrow?
Yes. If the smoke doesn’t get any worse, we’ll give it a go, Looper. Before we head on to Skagway, though, we need to check out one more thing. If we’re at the right pullout to use as a trailhead, there’s supposed to be a bridge over a big creek just S of it. Let’s go see if there is one.
Sure enough, returning to the pullout, a highway bridge went over signed Summit Creek at the S end.
Taiya Peak (L of Center) from Summit Creek. Photo looks NW.
Satisfied, Lupe and SPHP piled back into the RAV4. The drive continued S over White Pass, then steeply down a giant valley through US Customs and on to major tourist and cruise ship destination Skagway, Alaska.
Going through US Customs S of White Pass, S Klondike Hwy No. 2.
7-29-23, 4:29 PM, ADT – Lupe had originally joined the Arctic Sisterhood way back in 2017 when she’d climbed AB Mountain starting from a little pullout along the road to Dyea where the famous Chilkoot Trail of gold rush days began. Naturally, the first thing the Most High Exalted Dingo of the Arctic Sisterhood wanted to do in Skagway was to visit the historic headquarters of the Arctic Brotherhood.
Back in Skagway again, the Most High Exalted Dingo of the Arctic Sisterhood returns to the Arctic Brotherhood Hall.
After announcing her presence at the Arctic Brotherhood Hall, the Most High Exalted Dingo wandered all around Skagway, hoping to run into friend Bingc Gu again, whom she had met here in 2018 up at the Devils Punchbowl at the end of the Dewey Lakes trail.
Keeping an eye and a nose out for Bingc while exploring Skagway.
Lupe searched for Bingc at all the most likely places she could think of – the Red Onion Saloon, the magnificent cruise ships berthed at the Taiya Inlet harbor, and the White Pass & Yukon Railroad train station.
At the Red Onion.AB Mountain (Center) from the Taiya Inlet harbor. Photo looks N.At the welcome sign first seen by cruise ship passengers.One of the cruise ships.More cruise ships.Near the White Pass & Yukon Route train station.A couple of the colorful locomotives.By the fellow explorers centennial statue.
Under a tent near the train station, a band was playing live music. They weren’t bad. The sly Carolina Dog mingled in, still hoping to see Bingc somewhere among the crowd. A sudden, ear-splitting blast from the horn of one of the locomotives put an end to her search.
The Most High Exalted Dingo of the Arctic Sisterhood fled.
Run, SPHP! Let’s get out of here! You were right, Bingc is in China.
7-29-23, 10:53 PM, PDT, S Klondike Hwy No. 2 – Parked at another pullout just N of White Pass, SPHP closed the trip journal and put down the pen. Still light out, but the highway was quiet now.
All caught up again, SPHP?
Yup. Better get some sleep, Loopster. Really big day ahead tomorrow.
Evening’s end, South Klondike Hwy No. 2, British Columbia, Canada 7-29-23
Days 37 & 38 of Lupe’s Summer of 2019 Dingo Vacation to the Yukon & Alaska!
9-10-19, 7:55 AM, 37ºF – Good-bye Donjek River! Lupe was heading S. Stars last night, but no sign of the northern lights. A beautiful, clear early fall morning today with no sign of yesterday’s smoky haze.
For a travel day, the morning got off to an exciting start. A grizzly bear! Now that was something worth barking about! The Carolina Dog gave it her foaming-at-the-mouth best.
Grizzly along the Alaska Highway 4 or 5 miles NW of Burwash Landing.
A little later, Lupe stopped at a favorite pullout at the S end of Kluane Lake, the largest lake entirely within the Yukon Territory. The water level still seemed to be dropping. The Slims River, once the lake’s main water source had largely dried up back in May, 2016, when most of its flow had been naturally diverted into the Kaskawulsh River due to the retreat of the Kaskawulsh Glacier.
At the S end of 50 mile long Kluane Lake. Photo looks W.Kluane Lake. Photo looks NE.Sheep Mountain(6,400 ft.) (R of Center), which Lupe climbed back in 2017, and Mount Wallace(7,700 ft.) (R). Photo looks NW.
On the way to Haines Junction, several more stops were made to enjoy the beauty of the St. Elias Mountains.
Possibly Mount Cairnes(9,186 ft.) (L). Photo looks SW.St. Elias Mountains from the Alaska Highway. Photo looks SW.
Miles rolled by. Hours passed away. By evening, the American Dingo was at the Mount Lorne(6,629 ft.) trailhead along the S Klondike Highway. Nearly a month since Lupe had ventured up Mount Lorne now. Already seemed like a long time ago.
Loop enjoyed two trips along the early easy portion of the trail. The first, a 0.5 mile romp looking for squirrels a little before sunset. Next, a second, longer foray at dusk as gloom spread through the forest. The Carolina Dog waded in Bear Creek, and spotted a deer wandering in the woods. Fun times! But the real action wouldn’t start until tomorrow.
On the Mount Loren trail near sunset. Photo looks W.Searching for squirrels.By Bear Creek.
9-11-19, 9:39 AM, 34ºF, S of Carcross, on Montana Mountain Road – Close enough! The G6 had done well to get this far. SPHP parked at a wide spot 200 yards beyond the last building. Lupe hopped out. The road wasn’t bad here, but had been stony, rough, and often steep most of the 4+ miles to this point. Somewhere not too far ahead, it was supposed to become impassable.
4+ miles up Montana Mountain Road a little beyond the last building (Center). Caribou Mountain(6,400 ft.) (R). Photo looks N.
Montana Mountain(7,233 ft.) located just S of Carcross is known for its awesome mountain biking trails. The Mountain Hero trail, designated as one of only 6 “epic” trails in Canada by the International Mountain Biking Association (IMBA), is especially popular. On the way up, SPHP had stopped for a quick look at posted maps of the trail system.
Montana Mountain lower trail map. S is up on this map.Part of the upper trail system.
Of course, Loop wasn’t here for the mountain biking. If possible, she was going to climb Montana Mountain. Maybe even Brute Mountain (7,000 ft.) or Mount Matheson (7,200 ft.), too, if she had time and they looked viable. As soon as SPHP was ready, Lupe started up the road.
Setting out for Montana Mountain. Photo looks SSW.
Within 10 minutes, the hills and ridges of Brute Mountain were already coming into sight. Another 5 minutes brought Looper to a spot where a small stream passed through a culvert. Half of the road had eroded into the V-shaped gully down by the stream. The G6 might have made it past this point, but SPHP never would have chanced it.
Brute Mountain (R). Photo looks SW.At the washed out spot. Photo looks S.
The road trek was a steady uphill grind. 20 minutes past the washout, Lupe reached an intersection with the McDonald Creek trail. Beyond this junction, the road curved SW. A small black bear was 100 yards ahead! However, by the time Lupe got there, the bear had vanished among the bushes.
At the McDonald Creek trail junction.
Before long Montana Mountain Road began curving back to the S again. From this bend, Lupe could see a sliver of Bennett Lake off to the W.
Bennett Lake (Center). Peak 4260 (far R). Mount Gray(6,083 ft.) beyond it. Photo looks WNW.Peering around the bend. The hills and ridges are all part of Brute Mountain which sports several areas within 7,000 ft. contours. Photo looks SW.
Continuing around the bend, Lupe’s ultimate destination, the summit of Montana Mountain(7,233 ft.), came into sight for the first time. Looked like there was a skiff of new snow up there!
Montana Mountain (L) comes into view! Photo looks S.
The road kept curving. Within a few minutes of turning SE, Lupe came to a landslide where the entire roadbed had collapsed into a deep valley. So much for Montana Mountain Road!
At the start of the landslide, the effective end of Montana Mountain Road as far as any vehicles are concerned. Photo looks NW.Looking down the collapsed slope. Brute Mountain in the distance. Photo looks SW.
A narrow, single track trail continued on from here. At first the path stayed on relatively firm terrain, but soon Lupe was traversing the worst of the landslide on loose sand and small rocks.
Crossing the landslide. Photo looks N.Near the end. Mount Gray (L). Photo looks NW.
Hundreds of feet of road were completely gone. Looper eventually did get past the landslide to where the road picked up again heading due S. The American Dingo was already close to treeline, but bushes remained abundant. Long abandoned, what remained of Montana Mountain Road was rough and partially overgrown.
Before long, the road appeared to dead-end. Yet, Lupe could still see it continuing S only modestly higher up the slope to the SE. A short trek on open ground following a faint path got her up there. Looking back, SPHP was under the impression that perhaps a thickly overgrown switchback had been missed. This was almost certainly all part of the same road.
Whatever! Lupe kept going. The road kept climbing. After a while, a better jeep trail came in from over the ridge to the NE.
Beyond the landslide, looking up the drainage separating the road Lupe was on from Brute Mountain. Photo looks SW.At the junction with the better jeep trail. Caribou Mountain (L), Mount Lansdowne (5,882 ft.) (Center), and Nares Mountain(5,833 ft.) (R). Photo looks NNE.
Following the jeep trail, Lupe soon came to a fork. One branch angled off toward the SW, descending into the valley between here and Brute Mountain. Seeing that this route went clear down to a creek ford before winding its way up lower slopes of Brute Mountain, Looper continued straight S instead. Another km on the jeep trail brought the Carolina Dog to the saddle between Brute Mountain and Sugarloaf Hill(6,106 ft.).
This saddle was a major intersection. Roads came in from all directions. A large post stuck up from a cairn. Beyond this cairn was a landscape incapable of supporting anything more than minimal tundra vegetation. Not a single tree or shrub dotted the barren expanse between here and Montana Mountain.
On the jeep trail. Photo looks S.At the saddle. Photo looks NE.The barren expanse between the saddle and Montana Mountain (R). Photo looks SE.
A good 5 km from the G6 now, Loopster was ready for a break. While she enjoyed water and Taste of the Wild, SPHP surveyed the situation. A tiny creek swept down the wide open basin between here and Montana Mountain. Off to the SW, a road led gradually higher along lower slopes of Brute Mountain. That appeared to be the way to go.
Brute Mountain (7,000 ft.) didn’t look like a difficult climb from here, although it was hard to tell which of several high points might actually be the true summit. Maybe Loop really could climb it later in the day?
Eh. Too soon to think about that! Montana Mountain was the American Dingo’s main objective. She appeared to have 2 choices on how to get there. The first, and most direct route, was to head up to an opening just W of the summit. The second, and likely easiest approach, was to go up the NW end of a big ridge W of that region. Following the ridge SE ought to get Lupe to high ground providing summit access.
Relaxing in the saddle. Lupe would take the road seen heading off to the L (SW) on her way to Montana Mountain. The three highest points of Brute Mountain are visible from here. Looked like maybe the middle one was highest, but hard to say for sure. Photo looks W.Montana Mountain summit (L, with snow). Two possible routes: (1) the saddle at Center, or (2) the big ridge on the R. Photo looks S.
Once underway again, Lupe took a road heading SW along the base of Brute Mountain, gaining only a little elevation before reaching another fork. At this fork she went L (SE) on a road that lost all the elevation she had just gained.
At the fork. From here Lupe took the road seen winding toward the gap at Center. Photo looks SE.
The road began to climb again, and a choice soon had to be made. Which way? SPHP was undecided. Cutting across the tundra up to the end of the big ridge, which wasn’t too far away, seemed like maybe the thing to do.
Off road now, heading for the NW (R) end of the big ridge. Photo looks S.
Some nut who had gotten a bulldozer in his Christmas stocking had been all over the place, scarring up the whole region. Lupe reached a spot where she could see roads going toward both the end of the big ridge, and the gap just W of Montana Mountain.
The road heading straight for the gap (R) was tempting. So direct! Montana Mountain (straight up from Lupe). Photo looks SE.Option 2: Follow the big ridge higher. Photo looks SW.Looking back. Sugarloaf Hill (R) beyond Lupe. The saddle with the cairn and post that Lupe had come up from is at the base of the hill in the foreground on the L. Nares Mountain (L) pokes up from behind this same hill. Photo looks NE.
A snowfield immediately below the gap looked suspiciously shiny even from a distance, but the temptation to try to save a bunch of time and distance proved to be too much. SPHP led Lupe toward the gap.
The road going that way started out merely rocky. From there it ramped up to very rocky, then extremely rocky, finally becoming a jagged jumble of huge stones even the bulldozer must had trouble with. Eventually all signs that a bulldozer might have made it this far vanished. Picking a way through all this rubble was distressingly time-consuming, but did let Loop get a look at a good-sized tarn nestled below a steep ridge to the E.
A lovely tarn comes into view on the way to the gap. Photo looks E.The “road” gets a bit rough approaching the gap (Center). Photo looks SE.
If the snowfield had actually been snow, Lupe wouldn’t have had much of a problem reaching the territory above the gap. However, she arrived at the edge of the snowfield to find not snow, but a thin, crystalline mini-glacier instead. Ice! Rocks were embedded in the ice, but in insufficient quantities to provide reliable support all the way up to the gap.
Close up of the crystalline ice of the mini-glacier.
The ice was hard, damp, and very slick. Even though the gap wasn’t all that far away now, any attempt to cross the steep mini-glacier looked like an invitation to an uncontrolled rocket slide to be dashed upon rocks waiting below. No way!
A line of small cliffs formed a wall a little above Lupe’s current position. A couple of breaks might have provided a reasonable scramble to better terrain higher up, but those breaks were full of ice, too.
At the edge of the thin, steep mini-glacier with the gap tantalizingly close, yet unobtainable. Montana Mountain (L of Center). Photo looks SE.A line of small cliffs a little higher up looked insurmountable, too. Photo looks S.
Hmm. Coming this way was starting to look like a mistake, but SPHP wasn’t ready to give up quite yet. Maybe Loop could go around the lower end of the mini-glacier? The rocky slopes on the opposite side might be negotiable.
So down the edge of the glacier the sure-footed American Dingo went. SPHP carefully picked a way lower using poles and ice-embedded rocks for support. Slow, but faster than trying to scramble amidst the boulder field next to the ice.
Heading down the edge of the mini-glacier. Photo looks NE.Looking up the mini-glacier toward the elusive gap. Photo looks SSE.
Once at the bottom of the glacier, Lupe turned E. She got only halfway along the toe before SPHP called a halt. The territory beyond the glacier looked less friendly than before. Looper could climb that hillside, but whether SPHP could seemed doubtful. Maybe yes, maybe no. The longer SPHP pondered, the stronger the “no” impression became.
The territory beyond the mini-glacier. Montana Mountain (L of Center). Photo looks SE.Zoomed in for a closer look. Maybe going up toward the R passing below the boulder near (Center) would work?
Well, it might have worked, might even have been easy, but this jaunt to the mini-glacier had already taken more than an hour. With prospects for success still uncertain, investing more time in what could prove to be a lost cause seemed a poor choice. Should have stuck with the big ridge! At least it had looked like an almost guaranteed success.
Before heading back to give the big ridge a shot, Lupe climbed up onto a small ridge overlooking the scenic tarn.
About as far as Lupe got around the mini-glacier (off the R edge). Photo looks E.Near the tarn. The ridge Lupe had to return to is on the L. Photo looks NW.On the field of stones leading back to the big ridge (L). Brute Mountain (Center). Photo looks WNW.
Once back on the road winding up to the lower NW end of the big ridge, Lupe followed it to a point overlooking the pass between the ridge and Brute Mountain. More of Bennett Lake and smoke from several small forest fires were in view beyond the pass. Loopster left the road here, starting up a moderately steep slope of white stones. Her ascent of Montana Mountain’s long NW ridge had begun.
Starting up Montana Mountain’s NW ridge. Photo looks SE.
Nothing to it! The ascent went well. Views improved. The nutcase with the bulldozer had been zig-zagging higher even up here. Every now and then, Lupe crossed the bulldozer’s path, little more than flattened zones of loose rock.
Sugarloaf Hill (L) and Tagish Lake. Photo looks NE with help from the telephoto lens.Montana Mountain (R) and the mini-glacier Lupe hadn’t gotten past (closest one straight up from her ears). Photo looks ESE.
The rocks eventually changed from white to tan or brown. After gaining 600 feet of elevation, Loop reached the first high point along the ridge. A cairn sat on a rocky knoll here, and a patch of tundra provided a good spot to take a break.
Approaching the first high point at 6,600 ft. (Center). Photo looks S.Brute Mountain from the 6,600 ft. high point. Photo looks NW.Looking down the Knob Creek drainage at smoke from forest fires on the lower slopes of Finger Mountain (5,500 ft.) (Center) across Bennett Lake. Photo looks WSW.Zoomed in on the smoldering E slopes of Finger Mountain. Photo looks W.Caribou Mountain(6,400 ft.) (Center). Photo looks N with help from the telephoto lens.
From this vantage point, the true summit of Brute Mountain appeared to be one of two closer, gentler high points rather than a much more jagged region farther NW. An ascent later on still looked feasible. However, a mere glance at Mount Matheson (7,200 ft.), which was now in view to the S, instantly dispelled any notion that Lupe might be able to climb it.
The forbidding N aspect of Mount Matheson (Center). Photo looks S.
20 minutes, and it was time to move on. A couple of successively higher points were visible farther SE along the ridge. Lupe set out for them on a trail that started out right up on the ridgeline, and never strayed too far from it. Soon she was getting views of the broad, moderately sloping region she had been unable to reach above the mini-glacier.
Montana Mountain was in sight, too, a striking peak of mottled dark and light grays, tans, and browns.
Loopster ready to get going again. Montana Mountain (L). Photo looks SE.Following the ridge SE.Looking down on the tarn Loop had visited below the mini-glacier. Sugarloaf Hill (L). Tagish Lake (Center) in the distance. Photo looks NE.Montana Mountain from its NW ridge. Photo looks E.
Upon reaching the 3rd high point along the ridgeline, Lupe could see that the ridge flattened out from here on. Instead of heading directly for Montana Mountain, which would have required substantial elevation loss, she kept following the ridge SE.
At the 3rd high point along the ridgeline. Photo looks SE.Glancing back at Brute Mountain from the 3rd high point. Photo looks NW.
The American Dingo stuck with the ridgeline until she was able to leave it with minimal elevation loss. Sweeping around the S end of the broad basin to the E, she headed for a minor ridge SW of Montana Mountain’s summit.
Sticking with the NW ridge all the way to the R. Montana Mountain (L). Photo looks E.Crossing the upper end of the rocky plain. Photo looks NE.
No trail led across the flat, rocky plain, but Lupe picked one up again as soon as she got to the SW ridge. Following the first part of this ridge was easy. The SE (R) side dropped sharply away, but the NW side was never difficult. Most of the time Looper could stay right up on the ridgeline.
Following the SW ridge. Photo looks NE.
Near the end, Lupe came to a minor pass of light brown sand and rock. This was easily crossed. Ahead was a much steeper climb, but not a long one. The summit was now only 200 or 300 feet higher!
Approaching the light brown pass. Photo looks NE.
A trail was visible going up from the W, the direction Lupe would have come from if she had made it past the mini-glacier. She reached this trail partway up. A bit of light scrambling was involved, but nothing at all daunting. Soon Loop was only a short stroll from the top.
Approaching the true summit. Photo looks N.
9-11-19, 4:45 PM, 38ºF, summit of Montana Mountain – Despite doubts during the final approach, it was immediately obvious that Lupe really had reached the true summit of Montana Mountain. Off to the NE, a high point with a tower was clearly somewhat lower.
The very top of Montana Mountain(7,233 ft.) was a rocky point. A small region almost as high extended a little way S. The N face was a cliff. No cairn, but a metal rod stuck up out of the rocks. A shiny metal plate shaped like a stop sign rested right below the true summit. SPHP picked it up expecting to find a registry, but found only rocks beneath.
Lupe at the true summit. Photo looks NE.On Montana Mountain. Photo looks NE.The small summit region. Photo looks W.Another view. Photo looks NNE.
With the fruitless mini-misadventure to the mini-glacier, it had taken a while to get here. The weather seemed to be deteriorating. Shortly after reaching the summit, Lupe was pelted with snow granules for 5 minutes, followed soon after by a series of cold, light rain showers. Any sunshine lingered in the distance in a few scattered spots.
Yet the gray clouds overhead were still above the mountaintops. Driven by a 10 to 15 mph S breeze, they sailed N in endless procession. The air below them was rather hazy, obscuring the most distant peaks, but Lupe could see plenty of closer mountains in all directions.
Mount Matheson loomed only a couple of km off to the SW. To the W, bits of Bennett Lake were visible, along with smoke still rising from the fires smoldering on Finger Mountain. Nearly the entire length of the long ridge Lupe had traveled to get here was in view, too.
Mount Matheson (L). Photo looks SW.The long dark ridge Lupe followed (from R to L) on her way here is in the foreground. Bennett Lake beyond. Mountain Matheson (L). Photo looks WSW.
Off to the NW, Brute Mountain still looked quite climbable. Sadly, it was clear by now that SPHP must have been nuts. The Carolina Dog wasn’t going to have anywhere close to enough time to do that, but it was still possible to admire the mountain from here.
Brute Mountain (Center). Photo looks NW.
Seen dimly through the haze to the N were a couple of friends! Two splendid peaks Lupe had been to – Mount Lorne(6,629 ft.), which she had climbed exactly a month ago, and Canyon Mountain(4,901 ft.) way up by Whitehorse.
Mount Lorne (Center) in the distance. Canyon Mountain (L) even farther away. Caribou Mountain (R). Photo looks N with help from the telephoto lens.
Another friend was in sight to the NNE. Nares Mountain(5,833 ft.), which Lupe had visited a year ago, was lined up almost directly beyond Sugarloaf Hill.
Nares Mountain (Center) is lined up behind Sugarloaf Hill in the foreground. Caribou Mountain (L). Photo looks NNE with help from the telephoto lens.
To the S, a couple of small green tarns nestled in a cirque. Far beyond them, the S end of Tutsi Lake was visible.
S end of Tutsi Lake (R). Photo looks SSW with lots of help from the telephoto lens.
Rocks everywhere! No place for the American Dingo to get comfortable except SPHP’s lap. For a good long while, Lupe curled up as SPHP sat petting her, and gazing at the wonders all around.
Might that not be Paddy Peak(7,238 ft.) way off to the SSW? And far to the ESE, that had to be Mount Minto(6,913 ft.)! So on and so forth, as Lupe’s precious minutes on fabulous Montana Mountain ticked away.
Paddy Peak(7,238 ft.) (L of Center)? Photo looks SSW.Mount Minto(6,913 ft.) (Center). Photo looks ESE.Tagish Lake. Photo looks NE with help from the telephoto lens.Mount Patterson (6,500 ft.) (Center), with Mount Conrad (5,800 ft.) in front of it. Ramshorn Creek valley (L). Photo looks SE.Looking S with help from the telephoto lens.
The weather was improving again. Nearly an hour gone by. Ready or not, soon time to leave. Lupe explored the little summit region again. She could have gone all the way on to the high point with the tower, but never did. Getting too late even for that.
Might have been fun to go over to that tower, SPHP! Photo looks NE.Brute Mountain (Center) from the N face of Montana Mountain. Photo looks NW.Summit view. Photo looks WSW.Lupe by the N face. Photo looks WNW.
All too soon, beneath a clearing sky in Canada’s fabled Yukon Territory, an American Dingo again stood at the summit of Montana Mountain. This was it. Time to say good-bye to the last incredible peak Lupe would climb on her grand Summer of 2019 Dingo Vacation. What a great choice Montana Mountain(7,233 ft.) had been!
Final moments at the summit. Photo looks N.
Onward! Puppy, ho!
The return was beautiful! Same route, minus the misadventure to the mini-glacier. No Mount Matheson, or even Brute Mountain, but it was an evening of solitude, breath-taking scenery, and joy.
Back down to the SW ridge. Mount Matheson (R). Photo looks SW.Heading back along the NW ridge. Photo looks NW.Montana Mountain. Photo looks E.A colorful bit of tundra in a gray world.Back at the first 6,600 ft. high point along the NW ridge. Photo looks SE.Same place, by the little cairn. Photo looks N.Farewell, Montana Mountain! Photo looks SSE.
By the time Lupe made it to the abandoned upper reaches of Montana Mountain Road on the way back to the landslide, trouble was brewing. The sun was long down, and it was getting too dark to see. Worse yet, the road was becoming way more overgrown than SPHP remembered.
The flashlight had to come out. Helpful, but not with orientation. The landslide couldn’t be too much farther, but the road vanished. Bushes everywhere. SPHP followed a faint trail N until it too, appeared to end. Confusion. Now what? SPHP wasn’t even certain whether Lupe was too high or too low. Too low would be a disaster.
The Carolina Dog made a sharp turn to the SW. Gradually descending, she went farther than SPHP thought could possibly be correct. Finally, Lupe turned W beginning a steeper descent. Not even the slightest sign of a trail! Better not go too far! She didn’t. A road appeared. Had Loopster saved the day? No telling. SPHP marked the middle of the road with a small cairn. Might have to find this spot again, and go back up.
No need. A short road trek N, and there was the landslide! Alright! Back on track! In the silent Yukon night, Lupe led the way back across the landslide along the skinny soft trail, the only sound made by pebbles tumbling down the steep slope.
Made it! Still a few weary km to go, but the G6 was sure to be waiting at the end. (9-11-19, 10:51 PM, 44ºF)
