Tag: Last Mile North

Day 16 of Lupe’s Summer of 2016 Dingo Vacation to the Canadian Rockies, Yukon & Alaska.

Lupe barely stirred.  SPHP woke briefly several times.  Eventually, it was light out, a beautiful bright Arctic day, but weariness still overcame.  SPHP could hardly move.  The sandman prevailed.

After yesterday’s amazing, and ultimately triumphant, climb of Sukakpak Mountain (4,459 ft.), Lupe and SPHP had returned to the G6 a little after midnight, the N sky still aglow with twilight.  Lupe had been exceptionally lively on the return trip, but once back at the G6, she devoured an entire can of Alpo and promptly passed out, exhausted.

12:18 PM!  Good grief, it was afternoon already!  Both Lupe and SPHP felt better.  Time to get going.  SPHP drove N a mile or two from the pullout W of Sukakpak Mountain near milepost 203 to a rest stop on the E side of the Dalton Highway.

Lupe explored the bushes and forest nearby, while SPHP straightened up the G6 and picked up trash scattered around the rest stop.  Lupe was surprisingly energetic.  She acted like she could climb Sukakpak Mountain again, today!  SPHP didn’t feel ready for that, but it was a gorgeous day in the Arctic – pale blue skies, puffy white clouds and temperatures in the 60’s °F – something ought to be done with it!

Content with her investigations of the nearby forest, Lupe returned to rest in the shade of the G6.  Now it was SPHP’s turn to feel energetic.  Maybe another mountain ascent was possible?  Only 3 or 4 miles NNE of Sukakpak Mountain, was Dillon Mountain.  SPHP had brought along a Peakbagger.com trip report by Richard Carey, who had climbed not only Sukakpak, but Dillon Mountain, too.

That was it!  Lupe was going to climb Dillon Mountain (4,820 ft.)!  Lupe and SPHP piled back into the G6.  SPHP drove N another 2 or 3 miles, crossing the bridge over the Dietrich River before parking the G6 again at a little pullout a short distance beyond milepost 207.  At 1:42 PM (70°F), Lupe and SPHP set off to the SE for Dillon Mountain.

According to Carey’s trip report, Lupe’s first objective was to cross a swampy low plain for more than a mile while aiming for a low saddle N of High Point 2003, where Lupe might be able to find an old road.  High Point 2003 was in view from the Dalton Highway, so it was easy to see which way to go.

The first part of the low plain was open forest, and an easy march over dry land.  Lupe followed an old road a little way.  When the road faded away, there were animal trails to follow.  The forest was soon left behind.  Lupe had reached the swampy part of the plain.

In the middle of August, the swampy plain really wasn’t all that swampy, but it was surprisingly difficult to traverse.  The entire area was full of tussocks, each one surrounded by partially hidden narrow channels, normally full of water.  The channels were up to 2 feet deep, and some of them still did contain water, or were at least muddy.

Walking on top of the tussocks was hard.  Most of them leaned, or collapsed, in unpredictable directions as soon as stepped on.  Walking in the narrow, partially hidden channels between them wasn’t any good either, due to frequent wet or muddy surprises.  Although the plain looked flat as a pancake, progress across it was ridiculously slow and tiring.

A stunted forest could be seen ahead, on the opposite side of the plain where the terrain started rising toward High Point 2003.  The plain became wetter and muddier as Lupe got closer to the forest.  Small ponds appeared.  Finding a dry route became tricky.

Lupe and SPHP found a way around the ponds and wet areas.  Lupe reached the forest.  She was about to start the gradual climb toward the saddle N of High Point 2003.  She never got there.  A little way into the forest, SPHP decided to take a breather, and sat down for a short rest.  Lupe laid down to rest, too.

The forest floor was thickly covered with beautiful plants of the tundra.  The ground was spongy, soft and inviting.  Wild blueberries grew everywhere.  SPHP tried a few.  They were much smaller than blueberries sold in stores, but were an exquisite combination of sweetness and tartness.

SPHP fell into the blueberry trap.  The wild blueberries were small, but oh, so delicious!  They hung on delicate low bushes so closely together that sometimes it was possible to pick 4 or 5 of them at a time.  They grew everywhere.  SPHP sat picking and consuming wild blueberries.  Lupe dozed nearby on the soft, comfy tundra.

Crossing the low plain was supposed to have been the very easy start to the difficult climb up Dillon Mountain.  Instead, it had been much more of a struggle than anticipated.  Neither Lupe nor SPHP had really recovered from Sukakpak Mountain yesterday.

As SPHP consumed blueberries, all ambition drained away.  Time slipped by.  Lupe was happy snoozing.  Soon it was apparent that Dillon Mountain wasn’t happening.  It was too late in the day to try it anyway.  Forget about it!  Maybe tomorrow.

The sky started clouding up.  Soon, raindrops sprinkled over the tundra.  It didn’t look serious, but maybe it was time to head back.  SPHP had noticed a small lake to the N on the way here.  Lupe might as well check it out on her way back to the G6.

Staying farther N helped avoid the worst of the tussocks.  Lupe did find the small lake, which proved to be quite close to the Dalton Highway.  The shore of the lake was swampy.  Lupe and SPHP passed SW of the lake, eventually reaching the dry ground and animal trails leading to the faint old road to the highway.

The rain showers hadn’t amounted to much, but about the time Lupe arrived back at the G6 (4:08 PM), she heard thunder.  The rain started in again.  This time it rained harder.  Lupe and SPHP took shelter in the G6, having a meal and then another nap, while the rain fell outside.

Two or three hours later, SPHP woke up to the sound of Lupe panting.  She was warm in the G6.  Outside it was a cool, comfortable 57°F.  The rain showers had passed on by.  Lupe and SPHP got out of the G6 for an evening stroll.  At first there was no plan.  Lupe and SPHP went N in the ditch on the E side of the Dalton Highway.  Machinery had recently churned the ground up, so it was a little rough.

Soon the small lake was visible again.  It was much closer to the Dalton Highway here, and bigger than SPHP had realized before.  The W shore was also swampy, but Lupe didn’t care.  She ran down into the lake for a drink, and to lay down and cool off.  In a couple of minutes, she came running back.

Lupe and SPHP wandered N in a band of trees W of the lake.  SPHP picked a few more blueberries.  The American Dingo sniffed the exotic unfamiliar smells of the Alaskan tundra.  It was still hard to believe Lupe was really here, 90 miles N of the Arctic Circle along the Dalton Highway in the Brooks Range of the Alaskan Arctic.  Slowly, a simple plan came to mind.

Before ever coming on this Dingo Vacation, SPHP had read online about the Dalton Highway.  It goes 414 miles N to Prudhoe Bay on the Arctic Ocean.  Right now, Lupe was almost exactly halfway there.  The G6 was parked just N of milepost 207.

If it had been possible to simply drive on to the Arctic Ocean, Lupe and SPHP would have done it.  However, access to the ocean is fenced off 8 miles short of the ocean.  Oil companies control the land near the shore.  Since arriving in Alaska, SPHP had heard there were tours reaching the Arctic Ocean from Deadhorse, but had no clue what they might cost, or whether a Carolina Dog would be allowed on them.

No, Lupe wasn’t going on to the Arctic Ocean.  In fact, on this gorgeous evening in the beautiful, remote Brooks Range of Alaska, maybe it was time for Lupe’s last mile N.  It seemed fitting to do it on paw and foot.  Lupe and SPHP returned to the ditch E of the Dalton Highway, and started N.  The torn up ground was rough and unappealing.  Lupe went up on the highway.

Traffic was light, so it would have been easy enough to just walk N along the Dalton Highway.  After 5 minutes, though, SPHP realized there was a dirt road following the Alaska pipeline about 200 or 300 yards off to the W.  Wouldn’t that be more fun?  Of course, it would!  Lupe and SPHP left the highway and headed for the Alaska pipeline.

It was the right decision.  A broad swath of vegetation had been cleared beneath the pipeline, and along the dirt road just W of it.  Lupe had a ton of fun racing into and out of the forest on both sides of the pipeline.  There was no traffic at all.  The pipeline itself was no nuisance, just kind of a dramatic reminder of where Lupe was, as close to the top of the world as she had ever been, or likely ever will be.

A raven appeared, and landed on the Alaska pipeline.  It was curious about what a Carolina Dog was doing way up here in Alaska?  The raven was joined by a few friends.  They seemed to like watching Lupe, and hopping along on top of the pipeline.  Sometimes they flew for short stretches, but they always landed on the pipeline again.  Four ravens flew and hopped, following Lupe on her way N.

The easy stroll N along the pipeline was a wonderful way to spend the evening.  When Lupe had gone about a mile, she came to a clear, rushing stream.  It was flowing W from the valley N of Dillon Mountain toward the Dietrich River.  The water was incredibly clear, and must have been cold, but Lupe waded right in for a taste of the pure water.

For Lupe to go any significant distance farther N, SPHP would have had to ford the stream, or gone E back to the Dalton Highway.  SPHP decided against it.

Lupe had already gone a mile N.  The stream was low this time of year.  Lupe could follow the mostly exposed streambed, which angled NW before reaching the stream’s confluence with the Dietrich River.  That confluence could be her point of farthest advance N.  For some reason, the idea appealed to SPHP.  Lupe had no objections.

It only took 10 or 12 minutes for Lupe to reach the clear stream’s confluence with the Dietrich River.  Lupe’s last mile N was complete.  She was as far N as she had ever been in her life.  So was SPHP.  Lupe and SPHP sat together for a while on the bank above the river, close to 90 miles N of the Arctic Circle in the Brooks Range of Alaska.

There’s a last time for everything.  Usually though, one doesn’t think about it at the time.  There’s a last day you will ever be in school, a last time you will ever leave the place where you work, or go out the front door of a house you’ve lived in for many years.

There is a last time you will see favorite places you’ve been to hundreds of time, or visit special friends.  There’s a last time you will say good-bye to your parents, your children, your spouse, your pets, and to everyone and everything you have known and loved, and perhaps too often taken for granted.  And there are some points beyond which you will never go.

SPHP stroked Lupe’s fur and praised her.  Lupe listened carefully.  Still farther N, were more beautiful mountains seen through the mist of more rain showers.  Lupe and SPHP had a conversation.  This was an important moment.

Well, Loopster, this is it.  This is as far N as we are ever likely to be in our entire lives.  We are only a little more than 200 miles S of the Arctic Ocean.  Perhaps less, as those ravens on the pipeline fly.  Once we leave this place, we will probably never, ever be this far N again.  Kind of sad to think about, but this is a gorgeous spot, isn’t it?

Yes, this place is fantastic, but why aren’t we going adventuring all the way to the Arctic Ocean?  Is there something wrong with it?

Well, I don’t know if they will let you on a tour to the Arctic Ocean.  Access is restricted.  It’s still a long way to go just to find out if they will take you.  Probably not worth it.  Remember the Lu-Lu Belle in Valdez?  You couldn’t go on the Lu-Lu Belle, and I doubt you can go to the Arctic Ocean.  Don’t worry, though, you have lots of other adventures lined up ahead of you in Alaska, but they are all farther S than this place.  Besides, I kind of like the idea of stopping here.

Unfair!  Sounds like discrimination against Carolina Dogs to me!  I’d like to see the Arctic Ocean!  Itch my belly would you?  Ahh, better.  Why do you want to stop here, anyway?  We are having such a great time going N!

Yeah, we are having a great time, the best ever maybe.  Perhaps it’s silly, but I guess I’m thinking of calling it good here for several reasons.  First, I don’t know if you can go all the way to the Arctic Ocean.  It doesn’t make any sense to me to drive way up to within 8 miles of it, only to get turned back.  It would be too frustrating, not to mention an unnecessary expense.

Second, even though I doubt we will ever be here again, I kind of want to leave a reason to come back.  See that cool mountain a few miles off to the N?

The dark blue one on the right where it’s raining now?

Yeah, that’s the one.  I like that mountain.  It looks mysterious.  We saw it from the top of Sukakpak yesterday, remember?  Something about me doesn’t want to see the end of the mountains.  Let’s not go all the way to the end of the Brooks Range, or any farther than we are right now.  That way we can still imagine that the mountains continue on forever, that there’s no end to them.

Oh, yeah, that sounds like human logic to me!  Can I interest you in some sweet swampland in Carolina?  The tooth fairy invested down there, you know!

Loop, I’ve been thinking about giving that mysterious mountain a private name.  We can always remember how beautiful it is, and still dream that someday we will return to climb it.  What do you think?

Geez, SPHP!  I think you have whole flights of bats in your belfry.  We are almost to it!  If you want to go climb that mountain, we can do it tomorrow!  Why leave and dream about it till the day you die, when you don’t think we will ever be back?

Well, because it leaves us a goal, a reason to return.  That way we can always tell ourselves we are coming back.  Who knows?  The future isn’t set in stone.  Maybe someday we actually will return.  Besides, we are in the Arctic.  I haven’t done any research on that mountain.  Maybe there’s no way we could climb it.  We might get ourselves in trouble wandering off into unknown territory without so much as a topo map.

Oh, I suppose that makes a little tiny amount of sense, SPHP.  If it makes you happy, whatever.  I still think we could go there tomorrow, and see if we could climb it without any harm done.  So what’s the real name of that mountain, and what name were you thinking of giving it?  By the way, keep petting me, don’t stop!  Dingoes love getting love.  We give lots of love, and expect a little in return, you know.

Of course, sweet puppy!  Let me kiss you on your furry nose.  All better?

Yes, that’s the idea!  Don’t stop!

OK, about that mysterious mountain.  I have no clue what its real name is.  At first I was thinking we could call it Northern Lights Mountain, but I’ve kind of settled on Mountain of the Midnight Sun.  We haven’t actually seen the northern lights by it, but we did see it in twilight last night at midnight on the way back from Sukakpak.

Twilight isn’t the same as seeing the midnight sun.

Well, we would have seen the midnight sun if we’d been here in June instead of August.

Yeah, but who knows how many nights of the year we might be able to see the Northern Lights, here?  Maybe most of them?

Perhaps.  Do you want it to be Northern Lights Mountain, then?

Doesn’t matter to me.  Mountain of the Midnight Sun is fine.  Just saying there wouldn’t have been anything wrong with Northern Lights Mountain.  If you leave it up to me, we’re calling it Squirrel Mountain – now that’s a mountain worth coming back to!  Speaking of the Midnight Sun, do you intend to wait for it right here?  I’d kind of like to go see if there are any squirrels in that forest S of here along the river.

OK, fine.  You can go look for squirrels, but it’s Mountain of the Midnight Sun, not Squirrel Mountain.  You can name the next mountain.  On this one, I’m calling the shots.

Lupe and SPHP left the end of Lupe’s last mile N forever, heading S along the Dietrich River.  At first Lupe stuck with SPHP out on the rocks and sand exposed on the riverbed.  She wasn’t the least bit disappointed, though, when the river swung over the E bank, forcing SPHP up into the forest.

The forest was so exciting, Lupe took off running.  SPHP saw her dashing here and there, but soon she was out of sight.  When she didn’t return for a few minutes, SPHP started calling her before she got so far away she became disoriented and lost.  Lupe didn’t return.

Suddenly, there was shrill American Dingo yelping going on a long way off to the SE, followed by a chattering.  That crazy Carolina Dog actually had found a squirrel in the Arctic!  SPHP pressed on through the forest toward all the commotion.

The forest was dense and jungley.  As is often the case, SPHP made slow progress.  Before SPHP reached the squirrel tree, Lupe had given up on the alarmed and annoyed squirrel.  Most inconsiderately, the squirrel had refused to come down out of the tree to be devoured.  That’s squirrels, for you!  They’re a stubborn lot!  Lupe returned searching for SPHP.  She tracked that slowpoke down in nothing flat.

If the Dietrich River had stayed over by its W bank, it would have been fun to follow the river all the way S to its confluence with the Bettles River near the Dalton Highway, but SPHP had already seen that wasn’t going to work.  Best to just head E back to the Alaska oil pipeline.

Going E, Lupe and SPHP quickly arrived at an open area normally flooded when the Dietrich River ran high.  Ahead was a wide channel of nearly stagnant water.  This sluggish stream looked deep and mucky.  It must have surfaced from underground somewhere back upstream.  Clearly, there wouldn’t be any way to cross it to the S.  Lupe and SPHP turned N again.

45 minutes after Lupe and SPHP headed S forever from the confluence of the clear-running stream and the Dietrich River, Lupe was back!  Funny how things go.  Once again, Lupe and SPHP paused to enjoy this fateful spot.  Finally, it was time to start up the dry streambed of the clear-running stream, heading SE toward the Alaska pipeline.  Like a giant gold nugget, Dillon Mountain glowed in the late evening sunlight.

Lupe reached the Alaska oil pipeline again.  The ravens had flown away.  Lupe and SPHP turned S, following the pipeline.  The evening was gorgeous.  Straight ahead was spectacular Sukakpak Mountain.  Only yesterday, Lupe and SPHP had been at the very top, looking down from a great height.

Lupe romped around in the forests near the pipeline.  As far as she was concerned, this hike was as fabulous as climbing any mountain.  With Sukakpak to admire, it was hard to disagree.

Lupe and SPHP followed the Alaska oil pipeline all the way S to where it crossed the Dietrich River.  The Dalton Highway and the G6 weren’t far away now.  Lupe postponed going back to the G6.  The evening was simply too wonderful.  For a little while, Lupe and SPHP wandered NW along rocks and sandbars exposed along the river.

Lupe and SPHP went as far along the exposed riverbed as the river permitted, before it flowed right up against the forested bank.  Well, this was it.  It really was time to go back to the G6.  Sadly, the evening of Lupe’s last mile N was almost over.  On the bright side, at least tomorrow was another adventure!

In fact, Lupe wasn’t going any farther S tomorrow than where she was right now.  She was staying here, spending another full day in the far N.  Her ascent of Dillon Mountain was still to come!

Links:

Next Adventure                                Prior Adventure

Sukakpak Mountain, Brooks Range, Alaska (8-13-16)

Dillon Mountain, Brooks Range, Alaska (8-15-16)

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