Coast Range – The (Mostly) True Adventures of Lupe

Brandy Peak, Coast Range & King Mountain, Cascade Range, Oregon (9-2-21)

Day 28 of Lupe’s 3rd Summer of 2021 Dingo Vacation to the West Coast!

9:05 AM, SW Oregon, near Agnes – Lupe stood on a bank overlooking the Rogue River.

The river is beautiful, SPHP, but look at how smoky the air is getting now that we’ve left the coast!

Yeah, was afraid of this, Loop. Never, ever rains anymore!

A woman came jogging along the winding paved road that passed for a highway in these parts. SPHP spoke to her.

Hey, are you local? She was.

Can you tell us how to get to Grants Pass from here?

Yes. There’s a bridge around the next bend. Cross it and you’ll find a road to the R. Get on that road and just keep going! Don’t turn off it.

SPHP thanked her, and Lupe was on her way.

10:20 AM – USFS Road No. 23 climbed up onto the steep upper slopes of a very long ridge, sometimes winding along right up on top. Paved, with occasional short gravel stretches, the road was exceptionally narrow, more of a one plus lane affair than two. SPHP drove slowly to prevent occasional oncoming traffic from making life too interesting.

16 miles later, 0.5 mile E of Bear Camp Overlook, SPHP parked the RAV4 at a saddle where a couple of side roads left No. 23.

Let’s have a look, Loop! This might be our turn.

The side road going NE was signed as No. 2300-079. Going S, a better road was marked CBCH17, whatever that meant. A broken yellow gate stood open 100 feet from where this road left No. 23.

Broken yellow gate at the start of CBCH17 *(actually USFS Road No. 2308)*. Photo looks S.

So, is this the road you were looking for, SPHP?

Not entirely sure, Loopster, but I think so. Let’s try it. Back to the RAV4! If this is the way to Brandy Peak (5,298 ft.), 3.5 miles should get us to a trailhead.

11:16 AM, 64ºF – After winding first uphill, then down, CBCH17, which was actually USFS Road No. 2308, widened out where there were views on both sides of Bear Camp Ridge. A hill with a bald summit was visible 0.5 mile NW. To the SE, the terrain dropped away toward a mostly burnt forest. Smoke obscured details of more distant hills and ridges.

No signage, but a dirt path climbed up onto a 10 foot high bank where Lupe found a wooden post. Maybe there had been a sign at one time?

In any case, SPHP was now virtually certain that Lupe really was at the trailhead for Brandy Peak, and that the dirt path was Trail No. 1147.

**Brandy Peak trailhead** along USFS Road No. 2308. Photo looks NW.

Start of Trail No. 1147. Photo looks SW.

Trailhead and USFS Road No. 2308 from the post. Photo looks NE.

Trail No. 1147 climbed at an easy to moderate pace as Loopster set out, going WSW along a ridge. Easy to follow, the trail looked seldom used, covered with sticks, small branches, and occasional deadfall. Sometimes Loop was right up on the ridgeline, but often the trail was a bit down the S slope. A couple of times switchbacks returned the Carolina Dog to the ridgeline again.

The whole region was thickly forested, but early on Lupe did come to a view of the same hill along Brandy Peak’s N ridge that had been visible from the trailhead.

A glimpse of **Brandy Peak’s N ridge**. Photo looks NW.

The trail eventually strayed farther from the ridgeline, again staying S. Lupe came to a flat region that went on for a little way before No. 1147 resumed its climb, this time more steeply than before.

The American Dingo passed 2 small cairns shortly before reaching the ridge again. Here, the trail divided. One route apparently followed the ridgeline the rest of the way up the mountain. Lupe took the other route, which climbed more gradually along the S slope.

Before long, the trail broke out of the forest. Brandy Peak’s summit was soon visible less than 150 feet up an open slope. Lupe went right for it.

Out of the trees, already high on the mountain. Photo looks SW.

11:57 AM, 70ºF, Brandy Peak (5,298 ft.) – Not a cloud in the sky, which was a lovely blue overhead, but a dirty gray brown toward all horizons, as Lupe stood atop the highest rock formations near the SW end of a 60 foot long, 15 foot wide, summit ridge running NE/SW. The smoke wasn’t horrible, but definitely bad enough to mar the views.

Atop **Brandy Peak**, the Curry County, Oregon high point. Photo looks NW.

**Brandy Peak true summit**. Photo looks NE.

Congratulations, Loopster! You’ve reached the Curry County, Oregon high point!

Brandy Peak was easy, SPHP. I like it!

Yeah, well, less than a mile to get here, and no significant obstacles made earning your chocolate coconut bar a cinch, didn’t it?

Chocolate coconut bar? Bring it on, SPHP!

The SE end of the summit ridge was rocky, the NE end densely covered with low bushes. Brandy Peak wasn’t as comfortable as it might have been. Lupe tried several spots, while SPHP examined a plaque attached to the side of the highest rock. A glass jar with a red lid and a rusty wire loosely wrapped around it rested below the plaque.

Relaxing on **Brandy Peak**. Photo looks NE.

Huh. Thought there was supposed to be one of Richard Carey’s signature red cans containing a registry up here, Loop, but I don’t see one. Looks like there might be one in the jar, though.

Well, sign me in, SPHP!

Opening the jar, it did contain a registry, a small spiral notebook with a green cover that had been sliced in half.

Wow! Look at this, Looper. There is a registry!

Not all that amazing, SPHP. You were expecting one, weren’t you?

Yeah, but I didn’t expect that you knew who put it here! Your friend Jobe Wymore placed it on 5-25-15.

Jobe has been to all the county high points out W, SPHP. Every, single, one.

Richard Carey’s red can wasn’t the only thing missing on Brandy Peak. SPHP had read that there was a Squirrel survey benchmark up here, and had been excited about showing it to Lupe, but couldn’t find it. Maybe it was hidden among the bushes? In any case, no sense even mentioning it to the Carolina Dog only to disappoint her.

No views to the E due to the forest, but to the extent permitted by the smoke, Lupe could see in all other directions. Brandy Peak was clearly higher than anything else in sight, but some of the other hills and ridges weren’t all that much lower. Sugarloaf Mountain (5,034 ft.) stood out to the SSW.

Interestingly, the topo map actually did show a Squirrel Peak a little over 2 miles SW. However, SPHP didn’t realize it at the time, or Lupe would have been climbing it, too. A crying shame to have been so close to fabled Squirrel Peak and not have gone there!

**Sugarloaf Mountain** (L), **Squirrel Peak** (R). Photo looks SSW.

Zoomed in on **Sugarloaf Mountain** (Center). Photo looks SSW.

Since Squirrel Peak wasn’t happening, Lupe had plenty of time to enjoy her traditional full summit hour on Brandy Peak. Relaxing most of the time, she also sniffed back and forth along the summit ridge multiple times from one end to the other.

On the rocky **SE end of the ridge** where the true summit is. **Sugarloaf Mountain** (R). Photo looks S.

At the bushy NE end. **HP5137** (far L). Photo looks NE.

Taking it easy near the **true summit** (R). Photo looks NE.

Exactly an hour after arriving, Lupe stood again on the true summit. A couple of photos and she was on her way back to the RAV4. This time she followed the ridgeline route back down to the little cairns. The rest of the return was identical. (1:39 PM, 71ºF)

Back on the **true summit**. Photo looks NE.

Final moments on **Brandy Peak**. Photo looks WNW.

Brandy Peak wasn’t it for the day. SPHP drove back to USFS Road No. 23, and the long winding drive E along the ridge continued. Lupe reached the Rogue River again near Galice where No. 23 ended. From here No. 2400 went SE through Merlin to I-5 where SPHP turned N.

4:16 PM, a gravel pit –

Huh. I don’t know, Loop. Pretty certain we were on track when we passed that pond a little way back, but this doesn’t seem right. Maybe I missed a turn?

After leaving I-5 at Exit 76 near Wolf Creek, SPHP had followed a service road NE for 1.5 miles to a R (E) turn onto Speaker Road. 4.1 miles of pavement led to a good gravel road that wound crazily and steeply SE past a bewildering series of side roads.

Everything had been fine. King Mountain (5,264 ft.) was supposed to be a gimmie. Just a drive up, and the turns had all matched up with the map. Until now. Instead of an expected fork in the road, which seemed overdue, Lupe was at a gravel pit.

Well, how much farther is it to King Mountain, SPHP? Can we get there on paw from here?

Don’t think it’s all that much farther, Loopster. No more than 1.5 miles as the crow flies. Of course, actually somewhat more, if we follow the ridge around to it. On the other paw, we ought to be able to pick up the right road again before too long, once we can confirm our position.

Let’s do that then, SPHP!

A jeep trail entered the gravel pit from a bank at the E end, but a better road continued NE past the pit. Hoping the better road might wind its way up King Mountain, although the initial direction seemed dubious, SPHP led the American Dingo that way.

Went well, at first. The tree-lined road climbed steadily at an easy pace. Lupe occasionally enjoyed smoke-impaired glimpses of hills and ridges off to the NW. SPHP began to think a road shown on the map that went almost up to the ridgeline might be the one Lupe was on, but after going 0.5 mile, she came to a fork not shown on the map.

Heading up the mystery road. Photo looks NE.

No matter! The R branch continuing uphill had to be the right choice, didn’t it? Lupe went that way. However, the road soon began to narrow, becoming less substantial before leveling out. The Carolina Dog went a bit further, but the road stayed flat. Hmm.

Hang on, Loop. This can’t be right. No telling where this road is going. We’re way over on the NW side of the mountain, which is the wrong side. The road we ought to be on must be on the other side of this ridge.

Don’t we need to be climbing then, SPHP? We’ll never even get up onto the ridge at this pace.

Yup, guess we’re just going to have to go up and over it, Looper.

Easier said than done. The bank along the SE side of the road was so steep that it wasn’t even possible to climb up into the forest. Lupe had to backtrack a little way before finding a spot SPHP was able to manage.

Even the mountainside above the bank was quite steep. Fortunately, Lupe came to no significant obstacles as she climbed through the forest. Blue sky seen between the trees made it look like the top of the ridge might be only 100 feet higher, but that proved to be an illusion.

A big rock is only an obstacle if you can’t easily go around it.

Farther than it looked, but Lupe got there. Surprisingly, the top of the ridge was not forested, but broad and open. King Mountain’s summit, where 3 towers protruded above a densely forested hill, was in sight a mile SE. A lone tower stood off to the ESE.

**King Mountain summit** (R). Photo looks SE with help from the telephoto lens.

The map showed that the road Lupe was looking for shouldn’t be too far down the other side of the ridge. The plan had been to continue on over to it. However, Lupe had reached the ridgeline at a rocky spot where low, scratchy bushes grew near the rocks. These could be dealt with, but the slope going down to the road, which wasn’t even in sight yet, turned out to be thickly covered with tightly-packed bushes waist high on SPHP.

To the NE, the ridge rose toward a high point. Some bushes that way, too, but not as many.

Let’s go that way, SPHP!

Did seem like the better choice.

Staying on bare ground where possible, or utilizing openings among the bushes presenting the path of least resistance, Lupe wound her way up to a rocky crest at HP5033.

**Saint Paul Mountain (4,280 ft.)** (R). Photo looks SW.

HP5033 really wasn’t much closer to King Mountain than where Loop had reached the ridgeline, but she was now in position to continue E down to the saddle leading to it. Coming to HP5033 quickly proved to have been beneficial. Upon departure, Lupe discovered a trail neatly bordered by stones that got her past all remaining bushes into another stretch of forest.

**King Mountain** (R) from **HP5033**. Photo looks SE.

On the nifty stone-lined path. Photo looks E.

Didn’t take long at all to reach the saddle, where a large dusty parking lot was bordered by boulders. Happily, the road Lupe had been trying to get to went right by it. There was also a sign.

So, what does the sign say, SPHP?

Says King Mountain Rock Garden, area of critical environmental concern.

Rock garden! Rocks don’t grow, SPHP. You mean to tell me that humans think they can grow rocks?

We can under laboratory conditions, Loop. I’m more than a little skeptical out here, myself.

So, where is this Rock Garden? The only rocks I’m seeing are the boulders around the parking lot, but they don’t look like anything too special to me. Hate to say it, SPHP, but they look as cold stone dead as any other rock, and we’re supposed to believe that they’re growing?

Actually, Loop, I think a rock garden is more like a collection of beautiful, exotic flowers and plants merely decorated with rocks. Everyone just sort of understands that the rocks aren’t alive, and that it’s the plants that do all the growing.

Oh, I get it now, SPHP. Like this lovely arrangement of scraggly bushes and dry grass around a central dusty parking lot. Simply superb! What exquisite landscaping skills on display! But I do wish the King Mountain Rock Garden managers were here, because I’ve got a secret gardening tip that might improve their results.

You do? Like what, Looper?

I know this is an odd concept, SPHP, but watering a garden can often work wonders. Might want to try it here next season! See this yellow grass? It’s dead, because it died of thirst. Some of these bushes appear about to kick an apparently empty bucket, too. The current managers can stop worrying about any critical environmental concerns, since they’ve already let everything die. Is it absolutely necessary to have the dry, dead husk of a withered, brown thumb to be made a manager here?

Hmm. Hard to say. As the American Dingo left the rock garden parking lot to take the road the rest of the way up King Mountain, environmental concerns beyond dead grass glinted under nearly every tree and bush.

Well, maybe they’ll catch on to your watering suggestion, Loopster. Looks like plenty of people who come here enjoy a liberal self-administered dose of liquid themselves. Beer drinkers. Lots of Lupe treasures laying around.

Aren’t you going to collect them, SPHP?

Yes, we will, Loop, but not until we’re on the way back.

Heading E, the road climbed at a moderate pace, the grade diminishing once it curved S. Soon Lupe was approaching the lone tower.

Approaching the first tower. Photo looks S.

Dipping slightly after Lupe passed the first tower, the road then started uphill again, going past many smaller towers that hadn’t been visible from a distance. Wasn’t much of a climb. The road flattened out as the Carolina Dog reached a collection of towers and buildings.

A group of towers passed near the top. Photo looks N.

Entering the **summit region**. Photo looks SSW.

6:44 PM, 62ºF, King Mountain (5,264 ft.) – The sun was low by the time Lupe reached a pancake flat summit region a good acre or two in size. Any former natural relief had been leveled to accommodate a bunch of towers, including the 3 big ones that had been seen from a distance, plus several good-sized buildings. The road ended making a loop around all the buildings.

The N and E sides of the summit region were all heavily forested. Lupe should have enjoyed sweeping views to the S and W, but wildfire smoke was now uniformly bad in an otherwise cloudless sky. Reaching the S edge of the mountain, Lupe listened to a blower noisily exhausting air from a building, while gazing out at a dirty sea of smoke.

By the buildings where the blower was operating.

Searching for whatever passed for the true summit now, Lupe wandered W, finding the marginally highest ground in this direction. SPHP also discovered an “Onion 2” directional survey mark embedded in the SW corner of a concrete pad serving as part of a tower foundation.

Out toward the W end at about the highest spot. Photo looks NE.

Taking a seat on the Onion 2 cement pad, SPHP shook the Carolina Dog’s paw, congratulating Lupe on a needlessly long, yet successful ascent of King Mountain. Once the second and final chocolate coconut bar of the day had been consumed, there really wasn’t much reason to stay. Nevertheless, Lupe lingered a little while, bathed in evening sunlight.

Relaxing on **King Mountain**. “Onion 2” (R).

Shadows were long by the time Lupe trotted past the lone tower again. On the way down to the King Mountain Rock Garden, SPHP collected 57 Lupe treasures, stuffing them after compression into a plastic grocery sack at the end of a pole held over the shoulder like a hobo.

Plenty more where those 57 came from, but the bag was full. Trudging past the rock garden, Lupe and SPHP stuck with the road, confident it would somehow lead back to the RAV4.

Approaching the lone tower again on the way back. Photo looks N.

Downhill all the way! The road ahead was getting steeper, stretching endlessly down into an increasingly dim forest, when SPHP suddenly snapped out of a reverie. Nearly dark!

How long have we been going, Loop? Seems like we ought to be there by now.

Sorry, SPHP, I haven’t been paying any attention. You’re the one with the map, and this is just a road hike.

Yeah. Maybe I ought to take a peek at it. Hang on.

The map provided little comfort. Ought to have come to a fork by now. If it had somehow been missed, this road led down into a maze of others that never would lead to the RAV4.

Hmm. Let’s go a little farther, Looper. If there’s no change, we better go back to make certain we didn’t miss a turn.

Going farther didn’t help. Better turn around! Lupe regained hundreds of feet of elevation before finding a couple of fainter side roads. Taking the one that shot off to what would have been the R on the way down, Loopster explored it W through an inky blackness now broken only by the faint, flickering beam of the tiny flashlight.

The side road lost elevation, too, but at a slower pace. It went on and on. When Lupe passed a spot where frogs were croaking, SPHP began to worry. Was Loop already way back down to the pond that had been passed in the RAV4 en route to the gravel pit? How was that possible?

It wasn’t. Everything was fine. Suddenly there was a reflection off to the L, and there was the RAV4, all alone, patiently waiting.

For a drive up, King Mountain was quite the adventure, SPHP! Can’t remember the last time I was so glad to see a gravel pit! (8:53 PM, 52ºF)

Atop **Brandy Peak**, the Curry County, Oregon high point, Coast Range 9-2-21

Links:

Next Adventure Prior Adventure

Brandy Peak GPS Track by Ryan Frome (8-7-20)

Want more Lupe adventures? Choose from Lupe’s Summer of 2021 Dingo Vacations to New Mexico, Wyoming & the West Coast Adventure Index, Dingo Vacations Adventure Index or Master Adventure Index. Or subscribe free to new Lupe adventures.

Humbug Mountain, Coast Range & Ophir Beach (9-1-21)

Day 27 of Lupe’s 3rd Summer of 2021 Dingo Vacation to the West Coast!

10:17 AM, 66ºF, Humbug Mountain (1,761 ft.) trailhead off Hwy 101 – 5 miles S of Port Orford, almost immediately after Hwy 101 swung inland away the Oregon coast, a big empty gravel parking area appeared on the R. Joy of joys! SPHP had been hoping there might be a way Lupe could climb Humbug Mountain, and there was! Parking the RAV4, a posted sign, complete with a map, confirmed the existence of a Humbug Mountain trail that went all the way to the summit!

Oh, we gotta do this one, SPHP! Humbug Mountain is practically right on the Pacific Ocean. Just think what we might be able to see from up top!

No argument from SPHP there! Within minutes, the American Dingo was on her way.

Humbug Mountain trailhead. Photo looks SW.

In case there was the least bit of doubt, a few pawsteps into the forest a Humbug Mtn Trail sign directed Lupe L. 3 miles to the top! Actually that was a slight exaggeration, no matter which part of a loop Lupe took. No need to even think about that yet, though. The trail wouldn’t divide into E and W routes until the first mile was about over and done with.

A second sign almost right at the start.

The trail headed SE a short distance into a ferny forest before trending NE, winding its way higher at an easy to moderate pace along the N side of the mountain. Lupe began coming to posts marking each 0.25 mile. Progress was good. The trail was in great shape!

Before reaching the 0.5 mile mark, the trail curved into a little valley. At the far E end, Lupe crossed a tiny, clear-running stream, the only water she would come to on the whole route.

After crossing the stream, the trail reversed direction, going W or S most of the time. Lupe passed a 0.75 mile post. Shortly before reaching a 1.0 mile post, she came to a bench. This was where the trail divided into E and W routes.

Decision time! At the bench where the trail divides.

Which way, SPHP? E or W?

Hardly matters, Loop. The E route is 0.2 mile longer, but both routes will meet again a little below the summit. The map shows that the W route has 3 viewpoints, while the E route only has 1. If you don’t mind, I’d rather go W, so we can check out the views on the way up. We can do the E half of the loop on the way down.

Sounds good to me, SPHP!

The W route started out going WSW, before turning S. The Carolina Dog soon reached the first viewpoint, a narrow opening through the forest featuring a glimpse of the Oregon Coast over by Port Orford. The air was rather hazy. Looked more like smoke than humidity.

**Port Orford** (Center) from the first viewpoint. Photo looks NNW.

Cool to see the Oregon Coast from elevation, SPHP!

Marvelous, Loop! A little discouraging, though, that we’re practically in the drink, and there’s still all this wildfire smoke hanging around.

Nothing we can do about it, SPHP. Let’s keep going.

The trail continued S, then turned W again. Less than 5 minutes from the first viewpoint, Lupe came to a second bench. This bench was also the location of a second viewpoint, although the view was almost exactly the same, another look at Port Orford from a little higher up.

**Port Orford** (R of Center) again. Photo looks NNW.

Beyond the second bench, the trail soon turned SW, but that didn’t last. Before long, the Humbug Mountain Trail was snaking it’s way SE, then E. The forest was amazing, but was all Lupe could see.

At least the posts the American Dingo continued to pass every 0.25 mile provided encouragement that progress really was being made.

Lupe kept climbing. If there actually was a third viewpoint along the W route, SPHP never saw it. 1.6 miles from the first bench, the trail crossed part of a tree trunk had been hewn away. Immediately beyond this spot, the E and W routes of the Humbug Mountain Trail merged again. An arrow on the final post pointed up a short spur leading to the summit.

Next to the post where the E and W routes meet up again. Photo looks E.

11:53 AM, 63ºF, Humbug Mountain (1,761 ft.) – The short spur quickly brought Lupe up to the W end of a 125 foot long summit ridge. Running NW/SE, this ridge was roughly 20 feet wide. The RAV4 had been alone at the big gravel trailhead down by Hwy 101, and Loop had seen no one at all on the way up the mountain, so SPHP was surprised to see 3 couples basking in sunshine on benches strung out along the ridgeline.

Several log slice benches were near a big stump where Lupe came up. Two normal benches were farther SE. A battered metal container full of cement was 10 feet W of the middle bench, which was stationed at the true summit. Inspection of the container revealed a survey benchmark.

**Humbug Mountain true summit**. Survey benchmark container (L). Photo looks NW.

Everyone was friendly! Turned out they had all spent the night over at a campground N of Hwy 101 directly across from the trailhead, explaining why no vehicles had been at the trailhead.

Humbug Mountain had been entirely forested on the way up. However, that wasn’t true here! A good-sized clearing on the upper SW slope let the sun shine in, and provided a stunning view of the Oregon coast. A fair amount of smoke was visible, but mostly near the horizon. Closer by, the smoke wasn’t bad enough to seriously mar the scene.

**Oregon Coast** from **Humbug Mountain**. Photo looks SSE.

**Sisters Rocks** (Center). Photo looks SSE with help from the telephoto lens.

The main view was S along the coastline, but Lupe could see SW out over the Pacific Ocean, too. A surprising amount of smoke was drifting way out beyond the coast, limiting visibility, but it still felt incredible to be looking down on the ocean from such a height.

**Pacific Ocean** from **Humbug Mountain**. Photo looks SW.

Wow! Bet there are some amazing sunsets from up here, SPHP!

No doubt about that, Loop! Maybe we should have come later in the day?

That would have been sweet, SPHP, but we should be happy we’ve got a view at all. So much forest on the way up, I wasn’t really expecting to see much of anything. This is awesome!

Trees did block the views both E and W, and only the same limited view of Port Orford was available to the N, although more ocean and coastline could be seen from this height.

Lupe sniffed while SPHP chatted with the other hikers. None stayed all that long. Once they all departed, Loop took possession of the bench at the high point. Peace and quiet reigned, but eventually a steady stream of people began appearing again.

**Summit ridge** from the SE bench. Photo looks NW.

Hikers came and went. The Carolina Dog remained. As the day warmed up, Loop hid in the shade of the summit bench while SPHP admired the spectacular coastline and ocean panorama. Humbug Mountain was an incredible vantage point!

Relaxing on **Humbug Mountain**. Photo looks ESE.

By the time Loopster’s traditional summit hour drew to a close, a small crowd was present. Getting mighty busy! Surrendering the highest bench, Lupe wandered down to the lower end of the clearing for a last glance at the splendid scene before her.

On the way back, Lupe explored the E half of the Humbug Mountain loop. Marginally longer, but barely noticeable, since it was nearly all downhill. The only disappointment was that the one viewpoint the map showed along the E route didn’t seem to exist. Forest all the way!

1:56 PM, 68ºF, Hwy 101, Humbug Mountain trailhead – It was still early when Lupe got back to the RAV4. After a bite to eat, the Carolina Dog headed S on Hwy 101. A dozen miles from Humbug Mountain, SPHP spotted a sign for the Ophir Safety Rest Area. Making the turn, a short road led to a large, paved parking lot.

A restroom and picnic tables on a low grassy plateau overlooked an enormous expanse of the Pacific Ocean. Off to the N, there was a great view of Humbug Mountain.

Driven by a fierce wind coming off the Pacific, big waves were crashing ashore. The RAV4 was much more pleasant. Sunny and warm, enough of a chilly breeze flowed through with the windows cracked open to keep Lupe from getting hot.

What do you think, Loop? This is a cool spot! Want to hang out here for a while? You can snooze, or watch seagulls and waves, while I catch up the trip journal.

A snooze sounds good, SPHP! Wake me up, if the wind stops blowing.

It wasn’t long before both Lupe and SPHP were in Dingo Dreamland. Must have snoozed a while. By the time SPHP regained consciousness, the sun was noticeably farther W.

Hey, sleepyhead! I’m starving! What do we have to eat, SPHP?

A box of chocolate coconut bars was handy. To the sweet-toothed Dingo’s enormous delight, SPHP shared 3 of them with her.

Just being lazy, Loop. Don’t count on more evil feasts like this anytime soon!

The trend was encouraging! Not quite as windy now. SPHP went back to work on the trip journal.

6:50 PM, 66ºF, Ophir Beach – Caught up. Time for a romp! There’d only been a light breeze at Humbug Mountain, but down here, even though it was dying, the wind was still 15 to 20 mph out of the NW as Lupe and SPHP both headed bare-pawed down a sandy path to the ocean.

Heading down to **Ophir Beach**. Photo looks WNW.

Along the shore, someone had built a little wall out of driftwood next to a log, for what purpose wasn’t clear. Humbug Mountain (1,761 ft.) was in sight off to the N. Much too far away to get to, but it seemed like the way to go. After checking out the impressive wave action up close, the Carolina Dog led the way N along the wet sand of the deserted beach.

**Humbug Mountain** (L of Center) from **Ophir Beach**. Photo looks N.

Checking out the waves. **Humbug Mountain** (R), **Sisters Rocks** (far R). Photo looks N.

Ophir Beach slanted more steeply into the ocean than the other beaches Lupe had been to along the Oregon Coast. With the waves as big as they were, seemed a bit dangerous to get too close. SPHP walked on the wet sand along the edge where the waves played out. Loopster preferred staying a even a little farther out of reach.

The wind was cool, the sand gritty and loose. Seemed incredible that such a large expanse of beach could be so deserted. No complaints about that at all! For a long way, Lupe trotted along happily sniffing the odd scents on the salted breeze, but there was something in the wild wind and foaming roar of the ocean that struck a primal nerve.

Pausing to examine the wonderfully rippled dry sand beyond wave’s reach, SPHP looked up after a moment and recognized a feral gleam in Looper’s eyes.

In the grip of a sudden evil thought! Photo looks S.

The were-puppy was here! Sick and tired of the long, featureless sandy trudge, spurred on by wind and waves, the were-puppy wanted to play! Only one game that the were-puppy likes – predator and prey! As usual, SPHP got to play the prey role, as the were-puppy launched a ferocious barking, snarling, leaping attack.

The were-puppy, about to spring into action!

SPHP danced around, fending off the were-puppy’s determined assault, sustaining only a couple of nips in the process. A few exciting minutes, then the were-puppy vanished. Mild-mannered Lupe returned. Point made, though. Soon getting to be time to turn back.

During the return, SPHP noticed two white pebbles sitting up on a sandy bank. One had a black spot at one end. Since this was likely Lupe’s last stroll of her Summer of 2021 Dingo Vacation to the West Coast along the Pacific Ocean, SPHP picked them up. They’d become part of Loopster’s rock collection.

**Humbug Mountain** (L), **Sisters Rocks** (Center) during the return. Photo looks N.

8:01 PM, 58ºF, Ophir Beach – The sun was nearly down by the time Lupe got back to where she’d have to leave the beach to return to the RAV4. A yellow-orange sky, slightly blurred by smoke, illuminated gray waves.

Savor the moment, Looper! Think we’ll be heading inland tomorrow.

My Dingo Vacation isn’t over already, is it, SPHP?

September now, Loop. We’ll keep it going, if we can, but depends on what we find when we head E. Smoky even along the ocean the last couple of days. We’ve been at it nearly a month now, yet it never rains enough to even put a dent in the wildfires.

Always hard to leave the ocean. Lupe watched as the sun sank into a watery gray grave. Gone! By tomorrow morning, Lupe would be, too.

Sunset from **Ophir Beach**, Oregon Coast 9-1-21

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Roman Nose Mountain, Coast Range & Sunset Bay, Oregon (8-31-21)

Part 2 of Day 26 of Lupe’s 3rd Summer of 2021 Dingo Vacation to the West Coast!

3:34 PM, 65ºF, near Dunn Ridge Road – Yup, a pond here alright.

I know where we are now, Loop! Back to the RAV4! We’re real close to the top, but there was a better place to park just a little way back.

Only 0.1 mile NE, SPHP parked the RAV4 again at a large flat spot on the N side of Dunn Ridge Road. A primitive side road headed off into the trees. Not the way to Roman Nose Mountain (2,840 ft.), but blue sky was visible between the tree trunks.

Didn’t you say that we aren’t likely to see much from Roman Nose, SPHP? Want to check out this side road? Maybe we can see something right here!

Fine with me, Loop. Lead on!

A short distance in along the side road, the amount of sunlight streaming through seemed to confirm that there really ought to be some kind of a view. However, before even taking a look, an oddity was noticed ahead at the base of a moss-covered tree. At first, SPHP mistook it for trash, but upon closer inspection, a sign was next to a 3 foot long stick wrapped at both ends with duct tape.

Venturing in along the side road. **Oddity** (L of Center) directly ahead. Photo looks N.

What does the sign say, SPHP?

The Holy Shell Ball Bat “From whence you came, you shall remain …”

Holy Shell Ball Bat! Is that what this stick is, SPHP?

Does appear likely that’s exactly what we’re looking at, Looper.

And what is a shell ball, SPHP?

No clue, Loop! Never heard of a shell ball or bat before. Must be an Oregon thing.

“From whence you came you shall remain” sounds like a prophecy, or a threat, SPHP. Do you think this shell ball bat is magical, like some kind of an enchanted weapon?

Hmm. Well, hard to say. To tell you the truth, Loopster, it doesn’t look all that marvelous to me, but the sign does say it’s “Holy”, so it might be blessed, or sacred.

Or cursed, SPHP! Could a shell ball bat be like a type of wizard’s wand? Those are really rare! Maybe we’ve found a powerful artifact! Any idea how it might work? Conjure me up a few squirrels, or a T-bone steak! Even summoning a shell ball might give us an idea on what it all means. A shell ball might be like a crystal ball, and we could see into the future!

Wizard’s wand? Maybe, but if so, it’s a well-disguised one. Rather unusual for powerful artifacts to be associated with duct tape, I’d say. Sorry, but I don’t know how it works, Loop. Doesn’t appear to have an on/off switch, or any place to swap out batteries. Gotta admit, a crystal ball could come in pretty handy, though. Hold my beer, Warren Buffett, Elon Musk! My Dingo and her shell ball are gonna show ya how it’s done! We’d be rich!

For a powerful artifact, it does look pretty plain, SPHP, although you might be right about it being disguised. Maybe that’s so it can be left around like this in plain sight without having to worry about it being stolen? Kind of dangerous to do that, though. If shell ball is a game, and we were players, we’d just grab it and go! The wizard would be flat out of luck!

Well, cry me a river, holy or evil wizard! That’s what you get for leaving your powerful artifacts cluttering up the forest! A place for everything, and everything in it’s place! That’s what I say, Loopster!

So are we going to take it, SPHP?

No, I don’t think so. Let’s just leave it. Says Holy, but maybe it is cursed, Loop. It’s already preventing us from getting to Roman Nose Mountain. C’mon, let’s have a look at the view, and get out of here!

Alright, SPHP! But let’s remember this place. Never know when having a Holy Shell Ball Bat might come in handy!

Despite all the sunlight streaming in, the view from the Holy Shell Ball Bat proved merely a tree-broken one of low hills beyond the Kentucky Creek valley.

**Kentucky Creek valley**. Photo looks NNW.

Returning to Dunn Ridge Road, Lupe followed it SW back up to the pond N of Roman Nose Mountain. Small, yet scenic, the pond was green and still. SPHP collected several Lupe treasures strewn about. Dang messy wizards! The American Dingo then pressed on, following the road W.

At the **pond 0.1 mile N of Roman Nose Mountain’s summit**. Photo looks SSE.

A short distance beyond the pond, there was a much more open view than the one to be had back at the Holy Shell Ball Bat. Rumpled green hills featuring a patchwork of clear cuts stretched away to the N. Lupe might have been seeing the backside of some of the same mountains she’d seen only yesterday from Marys Peak (4,097 ft.), but SPHP couldn’t positively identify any of them.

Just beyond the viewpoint, Dunn Ridge Road curved SW, starting down into a dark forest. A side road climbed toward a similarly dark opening where a sign was visible on a gate.

Dunn Ridge Road (R), road to Roman Nose Mountain summit (L). Photo looks SSW.

Lupe went up to the gate. The green pond was visible from here, looking quite nice, but the sign attached to the closed gate was of more interest at the moment.

The pond as seen from the gate. Photo looks ESE.

A no trespassing sign, SPHP? That would be disappointing!

Hah! Not at all, Loopster! Says “Dingos Welcome! Surveillance provided for your protection. Enjoy your stay on Roman Nose Mountain!”

Dingos welcome? Wow! I like Roman Nose Mountain already!

Beyond the gate, the gravel road went through a short stretch of forest, soon leading to a field of tall yellow grass. A couple of big towers were already visible up on top of the mountain.

Summit from the edge of the field. Photo looks ESE.

Why, we’ll be there in no time, SPHP! Nothing to this mountain!

That’s because we parked so close to the summit, Loop.

Might want to remember that technique in the future, SPHP. Some of these mountains we’ve been climbing on this Dingo Vacation have been doozies!

3:58 PM, 73ºF, Roman Nose Mountain (2,840 ft.) – An impressive array of towers, antennas, and small buildings were contained within a chain link fence. Unfortunately, the true summit of Roman Nose Mountain was part of the complex as well, and Sherlock SPHP cleverly detected several faint clues that maybe even American Dingos weren’t entirely welcome inside the fence.

Arriving at the summit region. Photo looks SE.

The highest ground outside the fence was maybe 3 to 5 feet lower than the true summit, but the Carolina Dog insisted this was close enough for Dingo work, enabling her to claim a peakbagging success. Discovering a “Roman 2” survey benchmark attached to the top of a square concrete block W of most of the complex helped make it all official.

On the concrete block the survey benchmark was attached to. Photo looks SE.

The highest ground Lupe could actually get to was along a cliff at the SW corner of the fenced-in area, where a couple of electronic doodads were actually outside the fence. Despite what SPHP had read online, Roman Nose Mountain actually had sweeping views to the S from here.

No towering peaks in sight, but a vast expanse of lower hills and ridges was on display.

However, this viewpoint was cramped for space. Loop found a roomier one farther W. A bit lower, but the view was just as nice, and this was a better spot to relax for a while.

Sunny and pleasantly warm! Not a cloud in the sky, although definitely some of the usual smoky haze present. After checking out the views, Lupe and SPHP sat together in the tall yellow grass, soaking in the Dingo friendly Roman Nose Mountain ambiance. Beautiful trees ringing the mountain’s W, N, and E perimeter completely obscured whatever views might have been in those directions.

Lupe’s traditional summit hour was only half gone when SPHP made an unexpected announcement.

Hate to cut and run, Loopster, especially from a mountain harboring a Holy Shell Ball Bat, but maybe we should? Thought on the way in that we might easily find a decent road going S from here, but didn’t see anything from Dunn Ridge Road that I’d really trust not to wind around forever.

Why is that a problem, SPHP? Are we in a rush to get somewhere?

Yeah, sort of. Thought we’d visit Sunset Bay near Coos Bay and Charleston along the Oregon Coast this evening. Maybe scramble around on some rocks, and enjoy another sunset at the beach. That sort of thing. Would that interest you, Loop? It’s a bit of a drive. Might be lucky to get there in time for sunset, even if we leave now, but I think it’s still possible.

Glad you spoke up, SPHP! Been enjoying Roman Nose Mountain, and I also hate to leave a place that’s so Dingo friendly, but Sunset Bay? Yes, that sounds awesome!

Time to wrap things up here! After a final appreciative glance at the view to the S, RAV4 bound, Lupe bid farewell to Roman Nose Mountain.

In the tall yellow grass field. Photo looks N.

7:18 PM, Oregon Coast, Sunset Bay – Got here in time! Sun was still up, but conditions weren’t what SPHP had envisioned.

Hmm, too bad, Loop!

What’s wrong, SPHP?

Was here with Xochi a long time ago, Looper. We went around the S side of the bay out to the open ocean where there were a bunch of awesome big rocks to scramble around on. Can’t do that now, though.

Why not, SPHP?

Xoch and I went while the tide was out, Loop. Had to race the tide when it came surging back in to avoid getting submerged. But it’s already up now, so we can’t get over there. The route is underwater. Probably too late in the day, anyway.

So we don’t get to be swept out to sea and drowned? Gee, what a shame! Guess we’ll just have to enjoy the sunset, SPHP.

Lupe wasn’t alone in her plan. A small crowd was here, all waiting for day’s end. Sunset Bay wasn’t all that big, so there wasn’t an awful lot of exploring to be done. A few children were swimming in saltwater laden with dirty-looking black particles. Not terribly appealing, although the setting taken as a whole was fabulous.

Barepawed, Lupe and SPHP sauntered back and forth along the water’s edge in anticipation of the big event.

Wasn’t long before the display of glory ensued. Not a cloud in the sky, so a particularly wonderful result couldn’t be expected, but at least the sun wasn’t hidden, either. The ocean sunset was still exceedingly beautiful, and a rare treat for a Carolina Dog from South Dakota.

Through the camera lens, the scene was actually rather disturbing. Looked like the American Dingo was here to celebrate Doomsday as an enormous thermonuclear blast exploded over the Pacific Ocean.

Well, it wasn’t really the end of the world, merely the sublime end of yet another great day of Dingo adventures in Oregon! As the golden orb sank into the sea, the camera’s added thermonuclear effect diminished, revealing a more peaceful scene.

You know, SPHP, the sun actually is powered by thermonuclear energy!

True enough, Looper, I was just trying to say that the camera was … oh, well, never mind! Looks like the police and park personnel are here telling everyone to leave. Apparently this joint closes as soon as the sun goes down. They’ll be rolling up the sidewalk any minute now.

Banished from Sunset Bay as August, 2021 drew to a close, SPHP drove through the dark maze of unfamiliar streets of Charleston and Coos Bay. Took a while to find it, but soon enough the American Dingo was back on Hwy 101 heading S, searching for a place to spend the night.

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Sunset Bay State Park