Day 40 of Lupe’s 2nd Summer of 2022 Dingo Vacation to Canada & Alaska!
7:27 AM, Warm Bay Road S of Atlin, Eldorado trailhead – A yellow pickup truck arrived, quickly followed by a bulldozer, which immediately began mucking around in McKee Creek, inexplicably prompting an attack by the were-puppy.
Ow! Dang it, Loopster! Do you have to bite me?
It’s just a love bite, SPHP!
Yeah, I know, but you’ve got fangs!
You’ll live, SPHP! Not misting any more. Are we going?
The sky was still nearly entirely overcast, but a patch of blue was off to the NE.
Yup! We’ll give it a shot, but first let’s have something to eat, Looper. If this weather holds, it’s going to be a mighty long day.
8:37 AM, 47ºF, Warm Bay Road, Eldorado trailhead –
Okie dokie, Loop! Think we’re about ready. I’m going to take a quick look at the posted trail information, then we’ll head out.
What does it say, SPHP?
Not an awful lot, Loop. Watch for yellow trail markers. Other than that, the most important part is that the Eldorado Trail is supposed to get us above treeline.
That’s all we really need, isn’t it, SPHP? We can take it from there.
Hope so! Onward! Puppy, ho!
Leaving the trailhead, a yellow sign pointed E along a dirt road. Within a few minutes, Lupe reached a fork where another yellow sign pointed L. The suggested route quickly led to another yellow marker. This one pointed R at a path leading into the forest.
20 feet beyond the path, a white sign with black and red lettering said “Active Mining Area – Other than an inspector, only persons authorized by the manager shall enter or be permitted to enter the mine”.
Taking the single track path, Lupe entered a dense forest full of bushes and moss. A beautiful trail, but SPHP was immediately concerned.
Wow, this is an amazing forest, SPHP!
Sure is, Loop! This trail worries me, though. Miles to treeline, and the path doesn’t look very well-traveled even here at the start, despite what the posted information said. Hope it doesn’t completely fade away on us.
Seemed like a distinct possibility, but nothing to be done about it, except to continue on. Winding through the forest only a little way, the trail soon brought Lupe to the edge of the McKee Creek valley, and views of the “active mine site”.
Looks none to active to me, SPHP. Or like much of a mine, either.
More like someone’s over-sized personal junkyard, Loop. Owners better hope an inspector never shows up.
Maybe one already did? Might explain why nothing is going on, SPHP.
Another distinct possibility.
Shortly after passing the lovely junkyard views, a cabin was visible back in the trees off to the R. Beyond this establishment, the trail intersected an old road or ATV route coming up from it. This wider route became the trail, which put an end to SPHP’s worries about it fading away.
Lupe came to occasional level sections, but most of the time the Eldorado trail climbed at a moderate pace. None of it was terribly steep. Yellow markers common near the start soon began appearing less frequently. Despite how dense the forest was, only 2 trees had fallen across the trail. Both were suspended so high that even SPHP barely had to duck to walk right under them.
The printed map SPHP had brought along showed the Eldorado trail heading generally NE to Eldorado Creek, a tributary of McKee Creek, where it would turn SE. However, despite making decent progress, Eldorado Creek refused to appear. The forest hid all views, making it hard to say how much farther Lupe had to go.
After gaining roughly 1,000 feet, the trail leveled out as Loopster finally reached a first opening in the forest. No distant views, but SPHP could see over tall yellow bushes toward more forest. The ATV route curved R here, and promptly led to a big mud puddle.
Thinking nothing of it, Lupe trotted straight into the puddle, promptly sinking into a black ooze up to her elbows. The Carolina Dog quickly backed out.
Determined not to get boots and socks full of black ooze, SPHP looked for a solution. Both sides of the ATV route were thickly hemmed in with tall bushes and young trees. However, a crude use trail existed around the R side of the puddle where others had forced a way through.
Unfortunately, once past the mud puddle, the use trail led right back to the Eldorado trail. Lupe soon encountered more muckiness, which went on for a considerable distance. A shallow stream existed along much of this sloppiness until the trail finally began climbing again at a good clip. By then, SPHP’s left boot was full of mud, despite best efforts to avoid it.
Yuck! I’ll have you know, Loopster, that the Atlin Alpine Society has fallen considerably in my estimation. They put up all the trail markers, and must know about this wretched stretch!
What do you expect them to do about it, SPHP? The trail just follows this old ATV route.
They could put in a single track that goes around this wet spot. Wouldn’t be that hard to do.
As the steady grind higher continued, the ATV trail became increasingly overgrown. Fortunately, it was wide enough so that the trees and bushes pressing in from both sides never really came close to blocking it.
3 miles from the trailhead, the Eldorado trail leveled out. The American Dingo was getting close to treeline now, enjoying her first views of the mountains. Tall bushes sporting beautiful fall colors filled the openings among scattered evergreens beneath a mostly blue sky.
The next 0.75 mile was super easy. More and more of the impressive Eldorado Creek valley could be seen ahead.
11:14 AM – The official Eldorado trail ended at a small clearing among the bushes 200 feet from Eldorado Creek. A stone campfire ring and a decaying log were the only amenities. Break time, but first the Carolina Dog followed what remained of the ATV route down to the creek.
Eldorado Creek was too wide to leap over, but only a foot deep. 150 feet downstream, a narrow log was suspended over a small waterfall. On the opposite bank, a remnant of the ATV trail disappeared into the colorful tall bushes. Lupe helped herself to a long drink from the lovely stream.
Returning to the end of the Eldorado trail, the Carolina Dog curled up next to the stone fire ring.
Beef jerky, Loop?
Yes, please, SPHP! So this is the official end of the Eldorado trail?
Believe so, Loopster.
Certainly a beautiful spot, SPHP! Where to from here?
That’s what we need to decide, Looper. Have our choice of West Sentinel Mountain (6,316 ft.), or Sentinel Mountain (6,316 ft.). Would actually like to visit both, but that’s a long way. Furthermore, they’re separated by a nearly 3 km long ridge that we might not be able to negotiate. If we can’t, no way we’ll get to both.
Which of these mountains are they, SPHP?
I think that’s Sentinel Mountain at the far end of the valley, Loop. Not sure we can see West Sentinel Mountain from here, although it’s actually closer.
And they’re both exactly the same elevation, SPHP?
According to the topo map they are, Loop. The map looks like Sentinel Mountain might be the easiest to climb, and what we can see of it from here certainly looks doable. West Sentinel Mountain might be another matter entirely. We’d approach it from its mammoth NW ridge, but the upper end is skinny, and may be treacherous.
Maybe we should go for our best bet, SPHP. Is there any reason not to hit Sentinel Mountain first, other than that West Sentinel Mountain is closer?
Yes, actually there is, Loopster. West Sentinel Mountain is also closer to Atlin Lake. Ought to have a tremendous view of it, plus Birch Mountain and the Llewellyn Glacier.
Oh, that would be fabulous, SPHP! Why didn’t you say so from the start? It’s a no brainer! Let’s go for West Sentinel Mountain first.
Can’t guarantee we’ll make it to the summit, Loop. You OK with that?
Can we at least get to where we’ll see Atlin Lake from on high, SPHP?
Yep. I’m sure we can get that far, sweet puppy.
Onward then, SPHP! Let’s do it!
Appeared others had made the same choice. From the official end of the Eldorado trail, an unmarked single track use trail wound W through a sea of colorful bushes toward a big hill.
Near the top of this first hill, the use trail faded away, as Lupe reached a shallow, rocky gash. Finishing the climb, she came to a flat region. A big stretch of Atlin Lake was already in sight to the NW. There was also a great view of the Eldorado Creek valley back to the E.
The most important view, of course, was of the terrain ahead. Toward the SW, a broad, but minor, dip led to a series of higher, rockier hills. Bushes growing on this first hill were already a lot smaller than the ones down in the valley. Lupe was able to avoid most of them as she trotted toward the dip, which proved to be grassy.
Crossing the dip was quick and easy. A tougher climb was now ahead. Dodging low bushes as much as possible, the American Dingo started up, aiming for the highest grassy region visible on the E side of this next hill.
The slope got pretty steep. SPHP huffed and puffed. Atlin Lake was no longer in sight, but views across the Eldorado Creek valley were getting better and better. Lupe could see several ponds far below. Maybe there were beavers down there?
The enormous ridge across the valley all looked like super easy terrain, and bore a number of interesting little peaks. Peak 6200, highest of all, was a massive hill that was clearly a mere walk up. Would be a blast to explore that region some day!
Lupe made it to the grassy area. Going any higher meant a rocky climb toward a couple of 5600+ foot high points, but there was no reason to do that. Shortly after getting up there, the Carolina Dog would just have to lose much of that hard won elevation gain.
Turning SE, Lupe simply maintained her elevation as she crossed the grassy region. This quickly led to a traverse of the N slope of HP5600+(E). The intent was to get around to the big gap between HP5800+ and HP5600+(E). The first part wasn’t hard at all, but as Lupe got to where she could start angling S, the slope steepened and became all rock.
We’re too high, SPHP! We should have stayed lower, and headed straight for HP5800+!
Yeah, I see than now, Looper. Live and learn!
Gradually losing elevation, as SPHP picked a way across the rocky slope, Lupe finally made it to the gap between HP5600+(E) and HP5800+. The high point of this saddle was now SW, but the American Dingo didn’t go all the way to it. When a grassy slope on HP5800+ appeared only a little higher, Lupe turned SE, and headed up.
This was quite a steep climb at first, but once Lupe made it to the grassy part of the slope, it really wasn’t difficult at all. The Carolina Dog had fun roaming at will, the rate of climb gradually diminishing as SPHP trudged after her. Atlin Lake was back in view again.
When Lupe got high enough to see over the top of HP5600+(E), the rate of climb diminished quite a bit. A big rock served as an excellent Dingo platform and viewpoint. Nearly the entire S end of Atlin Lake was in sight now, including the Llewellyn Glacier. SPHP could pick out The Cathedral (6,965 ft.) beyond Teresa Island, too.
With no reason to go all the way to the top of HP5800+, Lupe passed W of it. Beyond a minor dip leading to a level, obstacle-free plain of grass, West Sentinel Mountain (6,316 ft.) was finally in view. Several big knobs were visible along the dark, rocky spine of the upper NW ridge leading to it.
How difficult it might be to get past those knobs wasn’t clear yet.
Lupe had just passed another, smaller knob. A bit down HP5800+‘s W slope, it would clearly be a superb viewpoint.
About time for another break, isn’t it, SPHP? Let’s go over there!
A splendid idea, Loopster!
2:02 PM – The scenic, rocky knob was an easy scramble. A spectacular panorama of Atlin Lake greeted Lupe, stretching all the way from the Llewellyn Glacier at the S end, clear to Mount Minto (6,913 ft.) and Mount Hitchcock (5,886 ft.) many miles away near the N end.
A lot to ponder and enjoy while sharing beef jerky!
A very pleasant half an hour shot by.
Just think, SPHP! Less than a month ago we were on Birch Mountain!
Yes, Birch was a terrific adventure, Loop! This reminds me so much of it. If views were all we came for, we really wouldn’t have to go any farther today.
Oh, but we are going farther, SPHP! West Sentinel Mountain awaits! Not that far away now. The views will be even more scintillating there!
I suppose we better get with it then, Loopster.
Break time over, Lupe scrambled down off the fabulous viewpoint, then headed SE across the grassy plain.
Hoping for more easy terrain S of the dark knobs along the spine of the upper NW ridge Lupe was approaching, SPHP encouraged her to head for a minor pass at the spine’s lower end.
Reaching the pass, the view was disappointing. A whole lot of rock was ahead, some of it quite large and steep.
Keep going, SPHP? Or stay on the N side?
Hmm. Don’t think it matters much, Loop. Go through, I guess. Doubt the N side is any better.
Climbing steadily as she crossed a tedious stretch of talus, Lupe finally reached a broad region with a bit of grass that wasn’t as steep. Progress was much better here. A couple of knobs along the narrowest part of the upper NW ridge were still ahead. Getting past these knobs was the key to the entire West Sentinel Mountain ascent. The summit was only a short distance beyond them.
Approaching the first knob, Lupe went right up to it. A pass was now visible W of the summit region. Exactly what it led to wasn’t clear yet.
The American Dingo scrambled right on over the top of the first knob. Beyond it, SPHP was surprised to see that instead of just one, two more still remained ahead. However, it now appeared likely that Lupe had it made! The pass after the last knob connected to a decent slope leading to the S side of the summit region.
The middle knob was too gnarly to go directly over it. Downclimbing the steep N slope, Lupe reached suitable terrain where she could complete the rocky traverse required below both remaining knobs to reach the pass beyond them.
Sweeping up and around to the S side of the summit block from this final pass, a ridge several hundred feet long was in view. A cairn sat 60 feet higher not far from the middle.
3:55 PM, 53ºF, West Sentinel Mountain (6,316 ft.) – An easy stroll up a rock-strewn grassy slope got Lupe to the cairn.
Hah! Congratulations, Loopster! Really wasn’t much to this was there? Just enough to make it interesting.
West Sentinel Mountain has been a great adventure, SPHP! A pretty long one, though. Did you create a GPS track with our new iPhone? What does it say?
I did, Loopster, but the GPS track messed up for some reason, and quit recording a little while after we left the end of the Eldorado trail. I started a second GPS track, but there’s a gap between them, since I didn’t notice the failure of the first one right away, so we don’t have complete data.
Oh, that’s too bad, SPHP! Would have been nice to know how far we went to get here.
Hard to say even if the GPS track hadn’t messed up, Loop. I’ve noticed that the distances shown are often overstated. Can tell you that we’ve gained over 3,750 feet of elevation, if that helps.
That’s a big day for us, SPHP! Worthy of a chocolate coconut bar, I’d say.
So, that’s what you’re driving at, aye, sweet-tooth puppy? You’ll be happy to know I brought 2 of them. I’ll even throw in the last of the beef jerky.
The views from West Sentinel Mountain were tremendous! Naturally, Atlin Lake remained the big attraction, with the Llewellyn Glacier and others surrounded by snow-capped peaks at its S end, Birch Mountain on Teresa Island directly W, and Mount Minto visible far to the N.
Of course, there were other fabulous scenes, too. Much of Lupe’s route up West Sentinel Mountain’s NW ridge was in sight. The rocky knob where she’d taken her scenic break near HP5800+ was now more than 500 feet lower, and looked very small from here. Directly N, a pond was visible down in the giant Eldorado Creek valley.
Mountains in a vast region to the S and SE were all much lower than West Sentinel Mountain, but that wasn’t true on the indistinct horizon where snow was visible on a long range sporting distant glimpses of mighty summits. Several lakes were scattered among the lowlands.
There was another view, too, a tantalizing one. Beyond a dark knob at the E end of West Sentinel Mountain’s summit ridge, Sentinel Mountain was in sight. Much of the N side of the ridge leading to it was a line of sheer cliffs, but the S side looked doable.
Would Lupe ever get there? Doubtful. Sentinel Mountain was clearly a long, rocky march from here, and the American Dingo and SPHP were both about played out just getting to West Sentinel Mountain.
During her traditional summit hour, Lupe relaxed, alternately resting near the cairn, or roaming the summit ridge while enjoying the splendid views. SPHP split the second and last chocolate coconut bar with her, since Sentinel Mountain wasn’t in the cards. A light breeze eventually sprang up out of the W.
4:49 PM, West Sentinel Mountain – Gazing E, SPHP knew it was now or never. Somewhat surprisingly, after an hour’s rest, now did seem the better choice.
Time’s up, Loop. You ready?
Hate to leave such a fabulous peak, SPHP! The views are nearly as good here as they were from Birch Mountain.
I hate to leave, too, but that’s life in the mountains. Evening is upon us, Looper, and we’re taking the long way back, so we better get with it.
We’re actually going to Sentinel Mountain, SPHP? The E one?
Yeah. May as well. Think we can manage it. Onward! Puppy ho, time!
Heading back down the S slope to where she’d first come up it, Lupe turned ENE, beginning the trek to Sentinel Mountain. Progress was fairly decent at first, but became rockier than SPHP expected. Half an hour after leaving West Sentinel Mountain’s summit, the Carolina Dog was staring down on the hidden lake W of HP6200+.
SE of HP6200+, even SPHP sped along on a short stretch of good ground. However, Lupe was soon losing considerable elevation while crossing a gigantic boulder field that was very slow going. As the ridge narrowed, SPHP feared she might have to lose a lot more, the sinking sun becoming a worry, too. Time was relentlessly ticking away.
Never complaining, Lupe was a trooper, leaping endlessly from rock to rock. The last part of the descent was the worst. The S side of the ridge steepened, and a series of knobs along the ridgeline threatened to force either a complete retreat, or a giant detour far below them.
Each time Lupe crested a knob, SPHP feared an impassable drop beyond it. Fortunately, the Luck of the Dingo held! In every case, a manageable downclimb always provided a way forward. Near the low point, SPHP’s latest GPS track read 5,900 feet. Only 400+ feet to go, as the Carolina Dog started up Sentinel Mountain.
Gonna make it!
Other than being just plain tired, the scramble wasn’t bad at all. Near the end, the slope diminished, the last part of the ascent a mere stroll to a cairn visible at the top.
6:58 PM, 46ºF, Sentinel Mountain (6,316 ft.) – It had taken 2 hours to go 3 km. The 10 mph W wind now felt quite chilly, but Lupe had made it!
Double congratulations, Loop! Both West Sentinel Mountain and Sentinel Mountain in a single day. Can’t be many Dingoes that have ever done that!
Thank you, SPHP, but we’ve already eaten the last chocolate coconut bar, haven’t we?
Afraid so, Loopster. I was so tired when we first reached West Sentinel Mountain, that I didn’t think we’d ever actually do this.
Well, I’m tired now, SPHP, and this summit is all rock. Mind letting me curl up on your lap?
Sentinel Mountain’s summit wasn’t all that big, but there was enough room to move around, with another area 10 or 15 feet lower to the NE with additional space. Sitting near the cairn facing W, SPHP let Lupe get comfortable. The sun was still up, but behind a bank of clouds. Parts of Atlin Lake remained in view. Sadly, Birch Mountain wasn’t, now hidden by West Sentinel Mountain.
The sun reappeared, beautifully illuminating the upper Eldorado Creek valley and the vast rolling highlands near Peak 6200. To the SE, a much lower range of hills was capped by a series of ridges of light gray rock.
Lupe didn’t feel like moving. Neither did SPHP. However, Loop couldn’t linger up here too long, if she wanted to preserve enough light to at least get off Sentinel Mountain. Half an hour was going to have to suffice.
Over all too quickly, of course! The last few minutes were spent up and about, taking a final look around.
Leaving Sentinel Mountain, Lupe headed down its N ridge. Steep and rocky, it was a long descent, but not a particularly difficult one, before things leveled out enough for SPHP to pick up the pace. The race was now on to get as far as possible before darkness fell upon the land.
Wanting to avoid any swampiness or beaver ponds near the bottom of the Eldorado Creek valley, SPHP encouraged Lupe to remain on higher, drier ground farther N. The Carolina Dog crossed several tributaries of Eldorado Creek, but they were all small.
Although Lupe had made great progress, she was still a km away from the Eldorado trail when the flashlight had to come out. By then she’d reached a giant thicket of tall bushes, and had about exhausted all the decent open lanes among them.
Bounding through bushes chest high on SPHP was no easy matter. Lupe couldn’t see a thing, and in the dark, SPHP wasn’t much better off, even with the flashlight. Every now and then a small opening or game trail permitted a spurt ahead, but most of the time, a miserable bushwhack had to be endured.
Lupe was within 0.5 km of the Eldorado trail when she suddenly reached a wider open lane.
The ATV trail, SPHP! We found it again!
It was true, and a blessed relief. Lupe was soon back at Eldorado Creek. After fording the stream, while SPHP used the log over the waterfall to cross, only the downhill march along the Eldorado trail remained.
Fabulous to be on a trail again, but with exhaustion setting in, the pitch black forest trek still felt long. The return was uneventful, except for one thing. The yellow trail markers were super easy to spot now, since they brightly reflected the light of the flashlight. When Lupe got back to the muddy stretch, it turned out that the Atlin Alpine Society actually had created a nice single track trail around it.
So, has the Atlin Alpine Society redeemed itself, SPHP?
Absolutely, Loop! Our earlier mud adventure was entirely my fault for not paying closer attention to their trail markers.
9-8-22, 12:01 AM, Eldorado trailhead, Warm Bay Road – Exhausted, Lupe leapt back up onto her pink blanket in the RAV4. The Carolina Dog still had enough strength to gobble an entire can of Ol’ Roy, and help SPHP polish off the rest of the roasted chicken, plus a packet of Ritz crackers before calling it a night. What a glorious day West Sentinel Mountain and Sentinel Mountain had been!
Links:
Next Adventure Prior Adventure
Lupe’s West Sentinel Mountain GPS track (ascent, partial)
Lupe’s Sentinel Mountain GPS track (descent)
Monarch Mountain near Atlin, British Columbia, Canada (8-12-18)
The Crocus Trail to Pine Creek Falls, Atlin, British Columbia, Canada (8-11-18)
Want more Lupe adventures? Choose from Lupe’s Summer of 2022 Dingo Vacations to Wyoming, Canada & Alaska Adventure Index, Dingo Vacations Adventure Index or Master Adventure Index. Or subscribe free to new Lupe adventures.