Day 2 of Lupe’s 2018 Dingo Vacation to the Bighorn Mountains & Beyond!
The wee hours – The Carolina Dog couldn’t sleep. Loop shifted around repeatedly trying to get comfortable. Nothing worked. Her sunset trek to Prospect Benchmark (9,774 ft.) hadn’t been long enough to tucker her out. This was the first night of the first Dingo Vacation in nearly 9 months. Lupe was on an adventure high, excited beyond words.
All choked up and needing to take some allergy medicine, SPHP stepped out of the G6. Lupe shot out into the night. At 9,600 feet, a zillion stars blazed with incredible intensity in a limitless, moonless void.
SPHP drank the medicine, then rearranged Lupe’s blankets for her. She would be back soon enough. For the moment she was off checking out whatever wafted on the chilly SW breeze. Adjusting to being back on a Dingo Vacation can take a few days. Even SPHP had dozed fitfully.
Before long, Lupe returned.
The next time SPHP stirred, the stars were gone. The American Dingo was awake and alertly watching a gray pre-dawn world. Had she slept at all? Who knew? SPHP rolled over. Still too early. Back to sleep. The anti-histamine helped.
(Start – 7:16 AM, 47°F) The sun had been shining just a little while ago, but in the brief time it took for Loop and SPHP to share some chicken for breakfast, it had disappeared behind a line of clouds. Not that cold out, but the SW breeze had picked up to 20 mph, making it feel chilly.
Loopster didn’t care for the wind, but was anxious to get going anyway. Prospect Benchmark (9,774 ft.) was only 0.33 mile SW, an easy stroll up a grassy slope. Wouldn’t take long to tag the summit again and get back. The day’s main event would come soon after.
The Carolina Dog made it up to Prospect Benchmark in a flash. The wind had lost its punch just as quickly. Only a light W breeze up here. Sweet! Lots of high thin clouds around, but otherwise a promising June morning in the Bighorns.
The mood was far different from what it had been yesterday evening. The same sweeping panoramas from the barren summit that had invited Lupe to linger until sunset were now an inspiring call to action!
Of course, Lupe had been primed for action all along. Now SPHP was chomping at the bit, too! Loopster had an ambitious day of adventures ahead. Time to get with the program! After a brief survey of the sights from Prospect Benchmark, Looper and SPHP hurried back to the G6. (End – 7:51 AM, 46°F)
A mere 2 miles winding SE on USFS Road No. 10 brought Lupe to a view of the first part of her playground for the day, an area SPHP knew as the Dolomites (Dolo-Mighties!).
Another mile on No. 10 got Lupe down to the junction with USFS Road No. 216. The Dolomites were just up the hill to the S. Loop and SPHP set off at once, following No. 216 part of the way before leaving it to climb toward the first escarpment.
Dolomite is a type of sedimentary rock, but whether or not what Lupe was heading for truly consisted of actual dolomite SPHP didn’t really know. The Bighorn Mountains feature many big outcroppings of the same sort of rock. SPHP had simply guessed and given the name The Dolomites to the formations in this particular location years ago.
These Dolomites are clearly some sort of sedimentary stone, white to light tan in color, but otherwise don’t resemble the limestones or sandstones found in Lupe’s home territory back in the Black Hills at all. The rock is hard, not crumbly, and pockmarked with small, sharp-edged, rounded depressions.
Whatever type of rock The Dolomites really are, they form a narrow band of distinctive formations featuring high points separated by deep vertical-sided passageways that are fun to explore. Lupe had been here once before, long ago on the first day of her very first Dingo Vacation ever way back in 2012 when she had gone clear to the West Coast with Lanis.
When Lupe reached the first high points at the N end of The Dolomites she had a fabulous view back toward Prospect Benchmark (9,774 ft.) where she had started her day.
Roaming SSE along the escarpment, Lupe sniffed and explored among The Dolomites as fancy struck her. Many brightly colored wildflowers were in bloom. Most were tiny.
The best of The Dolomites started right where Lupe first reached the N end of the escarpment and ran SSE. It didn’t take Loop long to wander past the most dramatic and interesting formations. However, there was a special “must see” feature yet to come. Lupe continued SSE looking for the Giant Mushroom.
The Carolina Dog crossed a field of crocuses along the way.
It was farther to the Giant Mushroom than SPHP remembered. Even so, Lupe only had to search 10 or 15 minutes before coming across it. Loop had been only a bit over 1.5 years old when she was last here with Lanis in August, 2012. That day seemed like a long time ago, but the Giant Mushroom still looked the same.
No trip to the Dolomites is truly complete without going all the way to the narrow ridge extending E from the far S end. The E ridge is a great viewpoint, and visiting it is a tradition. Precisely how far E one wants to follow the ridge as it narrows is a matter of personal choice, however.
Naturally, Looper continued SE to explore the E ridge and wrap up her Dolomites tour.
Lupe had explored The Dolomites. She had found the Giant Mushroom and seen the views from the E ridge. In short, she had done all the easy preliminary stuff on today’s adventure action plan, but she still hadn’t gotten very far. Loop wasn’t more than a mile from the G6.
That was about to change. Cedar Mountain (9,813 ft.), a good 3 miles W of her current position at The Dolomites, was the American Dingo’s next objective. SPHP even had visions of Loopster going another 3 or 4 miles beyond Cedar Mountain all the way to Copmans Tomb. From the edge of Copmans Tomb she would have a giant view down into Shell Canyon, and might even see Shell Falls more than 2,500 feet below.
Looper was all for this plan! She would get to see a lot of new territory, much of which was open ground offering views and endless room to run. The Dolomites are located on the NE side of High Point 9702. To put this plan into action, Lupe’s first task was to cross this hill heading SW for the saddle leading to Cedar Mountain.
Lupe and SPHP left The Dolomites. The Carolina Dog was soon out of the pines traveling SW across a sunny meadow. Crocuses bloomed here in magnificent profusion. A barbed wire fence had to be crossed. Lupe snuck under it. She gained minor elevation, less than 100 feet, passing N of High Point 9702.
Slightly higher ground dotted with stands of pines and long, narrow snowbanks came into view a good 0.5 mile away. That ridge would lead Lupe to Cedar Mountain.
Lupe lost 100 feet of elevation crossing the wide saddle leading to Cedar Mountain. She was already regaining it by the time she reached USFS Road No. 216 heading SW up the far side.
The topo map showed that Lupe could simply follow No. 216 all the way to a point 0.25 mile directly S of the Cedar Mountain summit. However, exploring the ridge N of the road seemed like more fun. Shortly before reaching Pass 9721, Lupe abandoned No. 216 heading NW toward the top of the ridge.
This climb didn’t amount to much at all, mere 10’s of feet, not hundreds. After cresting a minor escarpment, Lupe traveled NW up a gentle open slope. The terrain soon leveled out. Stands of stunted pines grew along the N rim of the ridge. Meadows were to the S.
As long as the pines and occasional snowdrifts weren’t too troublesome, Lupe sniffed her way W along the N rim. She had sweeping views from the edge of a long dolomite cliff. Prospect Benchmark (9,774 ft.) was again in sight 2 miles away beyond huge Cedar Creek canyon. The cliff grew in height as Loop got farther W.
Eventually the pines and snowdrifts became harder to push past. Lupe and SPHP abandoned the fabulous views along the N rim for meadows a short distance S. Loop continued W, staying a bit N of a line of orange metal fence posts. The original barbed wire fence was laying flat upon the ground, all the wooden posts and strands of barbed wire still intact.
Whether the fence had fallen over, or had been toppled on purpose wasn’t clear. Whatever the case, the horizontal rows of barbed wire inches above the ground were a hazard for Lupe. SPHP made certain she didn’t try to cross them by herself.
Another slightly higher, mostly forested ridge could be seen off to the SW. The summit of Cedar Mountain had to be somewhere up there.
While still N of the fence, Lupe discovered a shallow depression with a snow bank in it. Sinkholes like this are fairly common in the dolomite. This one wasn’t deep at all compared to some.
Eventually Lupe needed to get S of the dangerous fence. SPHP picked her up and carried her over the barbed wire. Loopster had followed the fence for so long that the higher ground to the SW wasn’t much farther. Unfortunately, the most direct route higher was heavily forested.
The American Dingo didn’t mind being in the forest at all. She quickly reached a high point buried in deadfall and standing timber. Was this the true summit of Cedar Mountain? Maybe. The terrain was almost flat, but seemed to drop at least slightly in all directions. Hard to tell for certain, though, since absolutely nothing else could be seen from here.
Lupe leapt up onto the deadfall above the high point to claim a possible Cedar Mountain peakbagging success!
Whether Lupe had found the top of Cedar Mountain or not, maybe it was time for a break? As it turned out, the edge of the forest was only 30 feet S of the high point. A nice opening provided a grand, but distant view of Cloud Peak (13,167) and Black Tooth Mountain (13,005 ft.) many miles beyond Antelope Butte (9,935 ft.). Not a bad spot to relax!
The rest break featured a veritable feast compared to the normal paltry fare. SPHP had fried chicken and a Coke. However, even though it was now noon, Lupe wasn’t the least bit hungry. SPHP tried offering her a chicken skin, but the Carolina Dog decided to save it for later, spending several minutes burying it with her nose.
A look at the topo map led SPHP to suspect that Lupe hadn’t made it to the top of Cedar Mountain yet. The terrain here didn’t look right. The true summit was likely farther W. So after 20 minutes, Loop and SPHP continued WSW through the forest.
Loopster was having a blast looking for squirrels! She found two in quick succession. The forest rang with her shrill barking. Good times, for sure, but she was gradually losing elevation. After 10 minutes, though, a partially bare hillside came into sight. The top was forested and couldn’t be seen, but this hill was definitely higher than the prior high point amid all the deadfall.
A short climb brought Lupe to the top of Cedar Mountain (9,813 ft.). No doubt about it this time around! The summit area was divided between open ground and forest, with the highest spot right along the edge of the trees. Forest dominated to the N, while a much larger area covered only by white stones and sparse vegetation lay to the S.
The best views from Cedar Mountain were once again off to the SE.
Going 50 feet down the forested slope NW of the true summit brought Lupe to a clearing from which she also had impressive views to the N.
Copmans Tomb, still 3.5 miles to the SW, was Lupe’s final objective for the day. She would lose 1,000 feet of elevation going there that would have to be regained on the return trip. Since going to Copmans Tomb and back would add 7 total miles to today’s adventure, Loop clearly couldn’t stay too long at Cedar Mountain. She needed to get going. It was already early afternoon.
Lupe and SPHP went far enough W to get beyond the trees blocking the view to the SW. For hours the sky had been clouding up, but so slowly that the deterioration drew hardly any attention. To the SW, though, the weather looked particularly hazy, gray, and dark. Not threatening, but suspect. Loop could see a vast territory in this indistinct murk, but SPHP couldn’t pick out Copmans Tomb.
According to the map, it ought to be a cinch to follow Cedar Mountain’s giant W ridge to Copmans Tomb. Piece of cake. Yet the scene gave SPHP pause. The air felt colder than before. Maybe Copmans Tomb was being overly ambitious? Being caught out in bad weather is rarely much fun. Perhaps that was in the cards if Lupe kept going?
So you coming, SPHP? What’s the holdup?
Oh, I don’t know, Looper. Suddenly I’m not feeling it. Copmans Tomb looks like a long way. Not sure about this weather, either.
We don’t have to go, if you don’t want to. Are you sick?
No, I’m fine. I’d really like to see Shell Falls from Copmans Tomb, but it seemed like a better idea when everything was flowers and sunshine. Maybe I’m just being lazy?
Well, then. We could just relax here a bit and see how things develop.
Alright, maybe for a few minutes. We need to make a decision soon, though, if we are actually going on.
The best place to relax was back at the SE edge of the summit area where those splendid views toward Cloud Peak were. When Lupe got there, she curled up on a grassy slope dotted with little flowers. SPHP sat beside her. Yes, this was lovely!
15 peaceful minutes alone together just watching this beautiful piece of the world. SPHP stroked Lupe’s soft ears and talked to her. She listened carefully to every word. Not much changed. The sky remained cloudy and gray. Ambitions drained away. Cedar Mountain was enough.
Sadly, Copmans Tomb wasn’t happening. Whether due to nature’s mood swing or SPHP’s own laziness wasn’t clear. What was clear was that Lupe could enjoy a leisurely return to the G6. Plenty of time for that.
If Loopster was disappointed, she never let on. After returning briefly to Cedar Mountain’s true summit and NW viewpoint, the Carolina Dog made a real show of having a great time heading back through the forest looking for a second shot at those always entertaining squirrels.
Lupe’s route back was essentially the same as the one she had taken to Cedar Mountain. At her insistence, more rest breaks came along the N rim of the long E ridge. Minus squirrel-inspired adrenaline, her energy level seemed to drop, too.
After leaving Cedar Mountain’s E ridge, Lupe followed USFS Road No. 216 down into the wide saddle and up the other side. She stayed on the road all the way to its high point at Pass 9623.
Scattered raindrops fell. Patches of fog drifted along some of the ridges. The G6 was less than a mile away now by the road. No. Not yet. Lupe and SPHP left the road heading E well N of High Point 9702.
Lupe returned to The Dolomites. Still time for a quick reverse tour! Still time to see the Giant Mushroom once more!
A light rain fell as Lupe explored the intricacies of The Dolomites again. This morning a camper had been in view among trees not far from the G6. On the way back, Loop slunk by to see who or what occupied it. The answer: no one. It was abandoned, full of trash and debris. A tattered tarp flapped forlornly in the breeze.
Someone’s wilderness dream gone bad. Creepy. A haunted camper.
The fog rolled in 5 minutes after Lupe got back to the G6. (4:14 PM, 57°F) Never too thick, it sailed wispily by on a W breeze. Half an hour later came a 5 minute deluge of pea-sized hail. Another 30 minutes brought a second dose.
For a couple of hours, patches of blue sky reappeared. Lupe and SPHP played with a tennis ball. By 7:00 PM, though, the G6 was socked in by dense fog. Coyotes howled eerily from somewhere near The Dolomites beyond the haunted camper.
Note: USFS Road No. 10 leaves the W (R) side of Highway 14 roughly 9 or 10 miles S of Burgess Junction. No. 10’s intersection with USFS Road No. 216 is a mile W of the highway. The saddle 0.33 mile N of Prospect Benchmark is another 3 miles NW on No. 10.
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