Day 12 of Lupe’s 2017 Dingo Vacation to the Laramie Range in Wyoming & Beyond!
Lupe could hardly believe her big soft Dingo ears! Her spine tingled with excitement. She stared at SPHP in wide-eyed wonder and disbelief. Was it true? Was she really on her way to fabled Squirrel Mountain? Oh, joy!
Not Squirrel Mountain, Loop – Jack Squirrel Peak.
Mountain, peak, what difference did it make? Loop didn’t know and didn’t care. She was certain Squirrel Peak would be every bit as fabulous as Squirrel Mountain. How could it not be? In fact, the notion that there might be both a Squirrel Mountain and a Squirrel Peak was an exciting idea she’d never even thought of before.
I’m not even certain what a jack squirrel is, Looper. Maybe a jack squirrel is just larger than ordinary squirrels with a super long bushy tail? Kind of like a jack rabbit is bigger than ordinary rabbits and has longer ears and legs.
The American Dingo’s eyes grew even bigger. This was too good to be true!
Oh, I hope you’re right, SPHP! This is going to be the best mountain ever! I never should have doubted you. Your the best friend a Dingo ever had! This is going to make up for when you forgot the whiskey on Whiskey Peak, and then some.
Well, maybe it would, and maybe it wouldn’t. SPHP parked the G6 on the S side of County Road No. 710 where it turned W near Silver Tip Creek (10:43 AM, 62°F). Jack Squirrel Peak (8,942 ft.) was only 1.5 miles SSE from here at the S end of the long Eagle Mountain ridge.
Most of the territory E of here, including Jack Squirrel Peak, was all national forest land. However, by far the easiest way to the mountain was to head S across a big field N of the confluence of Silver Tip and Bear Creeks. Though this field was private property, signs on the fence said this land was open to the public for hunting.
We’re hunting jack squirrels, right Loop?
Of course! We’ll be back soon with passels of ’em! We’re entirely legit.
I’m not even sure if it’s jack squirrel season. You’ll vouch for me if anyone objects?
Don’t be ridiculous, SPHP! It’s always squirrel season, jack or not. We Dingoes are experts on the subject. Carry on! Just point me to Squirrel Peak!
As excited as she could be, Lupe crossed the big field sniffing madly trying to pick up a scent. Nearing Silver Tip Creek, she found a dirt road that got her over to the E side of the creek. Once across, Loop followed the road S beyond Silver Tip’s confluence with Bear Creek.
A low hill was up ahead. Loop left the road to climb it. Reaching the top, she had a view of Hidden Gulch.
Hidden Gulch was part of the planned ascent route up Jack Squirrel Peak. Lupe left the low hill heading E. She stayed N of a tributary of Bear Creek flowing down the valley. The intention was for Loop to go all the way up Hidden Gulch to the main N/S ridgeline at a saddle just S of High Point 8608. At the saddle she would turn SW and follow the ridgeline to the summit.
Things started out OK, but Lupe soon came to a thick forest down by the stream. The valley was already increasingly rocky, full of boulders and deadfall timber. The forest appeared impenetrable. It looked far easier to avoid the forest entirely. Lupe and SPHP crossed over to the S side of the stream, and began climbing.
The forest had burned on the S side of the valley. The slope was fairly steep and quite rocky, but the rocks were good-sized and mostly stable. It wasn’t hard scrambling up among them.
The new plan was to keep proceeding ESE up Hidden Gulch as Lupe gained elevation. She might not have to go all the way to the main ridgeline S of High Point 8608. Maybe she could manage a more direct route up Jack Squirrel Peak from the N or NW.
The American Dingo climbed and climbed. The mountain kept getting steeper. Despite what the topo map showed, the easiest way up always seemed to be more toward the W slope. Lupe was already quite high by the time SPHP realized how far around to the W she’d gotten.
Lupe started coming to massive rock formations separated by wide chutes of loose rock and boulders. She went around the first one or two staying toward the SW. However, the SW side of the mountain was becoming more intense. Lupe was finally forced to climb NE up a long chute full of boulders. Near the top she reached less difficult terrain.
Lupe was certainly getting up in the world! Off to the NNE she now had a tremendous view of Eagle Peak (9,167 ft.) at the opposite end of the long Eagle Mountain ridge. Only 10 days ago, Loop had nearly made it to the top of Eagle Peak, but had failed to find a route up onto a vertical rock wall at the top of the mountain.
Unfortunately, the American Dingo’s ability to get to the top of Jack Squirrel Peak was fast becoming a concern, too. Although most of the terrain ahead was much easier than where Lupe had just been, a rock formation higher than anything else in sight sat perched high above the opposite side of the long chute she’d just come up.
Was that rock formation Jack Squirrel’s summit? SPHP hoped not, but feared it might be. The formation wasn’t all that large, but was at least 20 or 30 feet high. The part of it in view from here had nearly vertical sides. Unless the unseen side was a lot easier to climb, Lupe didn’t stand a chance of getting to the top.
Loop and SPHP headed for the rock formation. When Loop got there, it turned out that the knob of rock was actually more like a narrow ridge. It was long and skinny, not round. The E side looked virtually the same as the W side Lupe had seen first. Loop got up within 20 or 25 feet of the top, but that was as far as she could go.
Fortunately, Looper didn’t need to get to the top of this rock formation. It was only a false summit. Beyond it, not too far away, was even higher ground. The Carolina Dog could keep climbing!
The higher ground nearby was it! Just like that, Lupe was at the summit of Jack Squirrel Peak (8,942 ft.). It hadn’t been all that hard to get here after all. The last part of the climb had been easy!
SPHP was ecstatic. Loop seemed shocked by the news. This was it? The summit of Jack Squirrel Peak? She got up on the highest rock for a photo as requested, but her heart didn’t seem to be in it.
The views were enormous, but the first to capture SPHP’s attention was an impressive wall of rock SSE of the summit. It towered hundreds of feet above surrounding terrain, and looked virtually as high as the summit where Lupe stood. In fact, parts of the wall appeared slightly higher. Wasn’t Loop at the true summit of Jack Squirrel Peak?
SPHP checked the topo map. Lupe was at the point where a site elevation of 8,942 ft. was shown within the larger of two 8,940 foot contours, the smaller contour being located along part of the rock wall to the SSE. No site elevation was shown in that contour.
Well, Loop, I could convince myself there are parts of that gigantic rock wall that are higher than we are here, if I wanted to. It kind of looks that way. On the other hand, having terrain at some distance falsely appear higher is a pretty common optical illusion, too, as we’ve seen on other peaks. The highest elevation shown on the topo map is right where you are now.
In any case, we’re claiming a peakbagging success for you! If some purist wants to risk their neck to possibly gain 6″ or 2 feet more, or whatever it may actually be over on that rock wall, they are welcome to it. It’s way too dangerous over there for us. It may not be any higher anyway. So this is it! Good enough for Dingo work! Congratulations, Looper on reaching the top of Jack Squirrel Peak!
SPHP shook Lupe’s freckled paw. She smiled weakly, but said nothing. She looked despondent.
Time for a break. Lupe got down off the summit rock, and curled up near the backpack. SPHP munched an apple, but Looper refused her Taste of the Wild. She drank only a little water.
You OK, Loop? What’s wrong?
Lupe stood up, gazed sadly at SPHP, then lowered her head.
Loop?
SPHP gave her a pat.
It’s terrible! Simply awful, SPHP! Just ….. sickening!
What is, Loop?
Lupe puked. Three times. It took her a moment to recover.
Jack Squirrel Peak! Don’t you pay any attention, at all, SPHP? Practically the whole mountain has burned. The forest is ashes. All the jack squirrels are dead and gone. We haven’t seen a single one! It’s horrible! I thought we were coming to a squirrel paradise, but everything’s in ruins. We’ve come all the way to the top, and it’s clear we aren’t ever going to see a jack squirrel. My hopes are nothing but ashes now, too!
SPHP hugged Lupe, then sat with her stroking her soft fur.
Oh, Loop! I’m sorry you feel so bad! You’re right, the forest has all burned. We haven’t seen any squirrels, jack or otherwise, at all. It must be terribly disappointing to you. You know what, though? Since there weren’t any jack squirrels here, I’ll take you to some other mountains where there will be plenty of squirrels. They may not be jack squirrels, but you’ll still have fun!
Really? I thought we were just going home after this. Isn’t my Dingo Vacation almost over now?
Yes, we are going home after this. Only for a little while, though. Your Dingo Vacation to the Laramie Mountains is about done, but in July you’re going on another Dingo Vacation to even bigger mountains. You’ll see lots of squirrels, and other animals, too! Plus I’ll have a big surprise for you before it’s over!
Really? Promise?
Promise! You can count on it. You’re going to be one busy, lucky Dingo this summer! Say, you’re looking a little better. Listen, now. The forest and the jack squirrels may be gone, but Jack Squirrel Peak is still quite a mountain. The views are stupendous here. Let’s look around a bit, get some photos, then we can head down. Whad’dya say?
OK, sure. I do feel a little better. Thanks, SPHP!
Lupe got up on several different high rocks for photos. Then she curled up to rest a bit longer, while SPHP took a few more pictures.
On the way back, Lupe took a much different route. Instead of going down the W slope, she tried heading NNE to the saddle near High Point 8608, but it was tough going and Loop didn’t stay the course very long. She ended up descending the N face of Jack Squirrel Peak. It was steep with lots of rocks, deadfall timber, and some live trees as well. For a while, SPHP was afraid the Carolina Dog might cliff out, but she didn’t.
It took a long time for Loop to work her way down to the upper reaches of Hidden Gulch. The forest had all burned here, but the forest floor sported a grand profusion of green plants with showy yellow flowers. Lupe was feeling better by now.
Lupe made her way to the tributary of Bear Creek. Staying to the N, she followed it W down Hidden Gulch. When Loop finally got out of Hidden Gulch, the rest was easy. Soon she could see the G6 parked across the green meadow near County Road No. 710. On the other side of the road, the old wooden barns and outbuildings sat quietly at the foot of Jaybird Peak.
This was it. The final stroll of Lupe’s 2017 Dingo Vacation to the Laramie Range in Wyoming & Beyond lay before her. She’d had a great time on this trip, and more Dingo Vacations and adventures would be coming soon, but they didn’t matter yet. It was still June, and a gorgeous evening.
The Carolina Dog ran down to Silver Tip Creek for a drink of cold water, then trotted into the big green field. Sniffing and exploring happily, she played a little longer in the evening’s glow before heading home (7:03 PM, 65°F).
Related Links:
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This Dingo Vacation Prior Dingo Vacation
Eagle Peak, Laramie Range, Wyoming (6-9-17)
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