Lupe’s luck was about to change! Five long days of unrelenting Dingo boredom while SPHP helped clean out the house in Laramie, Wyoming were over. Lupe was in the G6, speeding SE on I-80 toward The Summit for her first taste of peakbagging fun on this whole trip. She was finally going to get to play in the mountains, and the excited Carolina Dog could hardly wait.
At Exit 323, SPHP turned off I-80. A few minutes later, SPHP parked the G6 at a long pullout on the E side of Old Hwy 30, close to the start of USFS Road No. 724 (7:43 AM, 53°F). The hike up No. 724 to the top of The Summit (8,880 ft.) was trivial, less than 0.25 mile long with an elevation gain of only 70 feet.
Nevertheless, Lupe was joyous! Being outside exploring anything new was so much better than moping around being ignored back at the old house. SPHP was almost equally glad. SPHP had been allergic to the dusty air in the old house, which had been locked up for many years. Breathing easier already, SPHP was looking forward to several great days of freedom in the Laramie Mountains.
The top of The Summit was a huge, round, flat, forested area. A variety of small buildings and large towers were scattered across the landscape. No one was around. Lupe and SPHP wandered among the pines and towers looking for the highest point on the mountain. The trees hid the views for the most part, but there was a view of Turtle Rock (8,600 ft.) from the SE edge of the big hill.
There were also partial views to the S and SW where it was possible to see much higher snow-capped peaks. They were far away – probably in Colorado. SPHP looked around for a clear view of them, but couldn’t find one. Toward the E central part of the summit area, Lupe came across a big rock that appeared to be the highest point on The Summit.
Climbing The Summit was a quick and easy start to Lupe’s day, but just made Lupe and SPHP eager to explore more scenic, less developed peaks. Lupe headed back down USFS Road No. 724 to the G6.
As Lupe and SPHP neared the G6 again, SPHP decided to continue on past it up a dirt road on the E side of Old Hwy 30. The dirt road led straight to a big dirt parking lot. From the S end of the parking lot was a much better view of some of the distant snow-capped peaks Lupe had only glimpsed from up on The Summit.
The huge snowy mountains were gorgeous and inspiring, but they were far away. Besides, there was clearly still way too much snow up on the high peaks for Lupe adventures. In another 6 weeks, the story would be different, but not yet. Lupe and SPHP returned to the G6 (8:19 AM, 50°F).
SPHP had a couple of nearby peakbagging goals in mind for Lupe – the Leg Benchmark (9,055 ft.) and Pole Mountain (9,040 ft.). SPHP hoped Lupe could reach them from the Headquarters National Recreation Trail. The Summit trailhead at the W end of the trail was less than a mile away.
Lupe and SPHP hopped in the G6, crossed I-80, and drove to the trailhead. A sign said a fee was required to park there. Just over the hill, though, along I-80 was a huge rest stop with free parking. So SPHP drove to the rest stop to park the G6 (8:29 AM, 50°F). Lupe took up peakbagging interstate highways – a sign said this rest area was the highest point on I-80!
Lupe and SPHP headed for the Summit trailhead of the Headquarters National Recreation Trail, where Lupe started her quest to climb the Leg Benchmark and Pole Mountain.
Lupe hadn’t gone very far, when she made a great discovery. A huge, deliciously cold snowbank covered a fairly long stretch of the trail. Lupe frolicked on it, and got cooled off. Lupe eventually came to a few more scattered snowbanks along the trail, but none anywhere near the size of this first one.
The Headquarters National Recreation Trail was fun and easy. The trail headed generally E winding its way through a pine and aspen forest. There was some up and down along the way, but nothing too drastic. Lupe netted a few hundred feet of elevation gain, but that was about it.
After a little while, Lupe came to a sign where the trail divided. To the left was Cardiac Bypass. To the right was a Scenic Overlook. Lupe and SPHP took the Cardiac Bypass. Almost immediately it became clear that there was a viewpoint a little higher up a short distance off the trail. Lupe and SPHP left the trail to check out the view.
The view was splendid! The Summit, which Lupe had climbed only a short while ago, was visible to the W. Far beyond The Summit, Medicine Bow Peak (12,013 ft.) could be seen in the Snowy Range. Several other high snowy mountain ranges were spread out across the far S and SW horizons.
SPHP knew the Headquarters National Recreation Trail did not go directly to either of Lupe’s two peakbagging goals, the Leg Benchmark and Pole Mountain. The trail gets closest to the Leg Benchmark, but passes to the W of it.
After Lupe had followed the trail some distance, SPHP became anxious to figure out just where Lupe should leave the trail to start climbing the Leg Benchmark. When a rocky high point appeared on the N side of the trail, Lupe and SPHP climbed up to see what lay ahead.
The long high ridge of the Leg Benchmark was in view, but still a little way off. Lupe and SPHP returned to the Headquarters National Recreational Trail and continued E.
Before long, the trail started to gradually lose elevation. Lupe came to a three-way intersection. To the right (S), the National Headquarters Recreation Trail continued toward Browns Landing. To the left (NE) the Summit Loop Trail headed up a hill.
Lupe had come to several trail intersections before, including at least a couple that were marked as part of the Summit Loop Trail. SPHP didn’t really know where the Summit Loop Trail went, but Lupe did need to gain some elevation going NE up to the ridgeline, before turning SE toward the Leg Benchmark. Lupe and SPHP took the Summit Loop Trail.
The Summit Loop Trail climbed steadily. When it reached the ridgeline, there was a little open ground where the trail bent around to the NW. Lupe and SPHP left the trail heading SE and entered the forest again. Lupe went up and over one forested rise, down across a shallow saddle, and then began her ascent of the Leg Benchmark ridge from the NW. She soon reached another high rock formation where she could get a better view of what lay ahead.
Lupe reached a few false summits along the way, but SPHP knew she was getting close. When Lupe started coming to survey benchmarks, SPHP knew she had arrived. Lupe found four survey benchmarks altogether! The third one, which was on the very highest rock, actually said “Pole” instead of “Leg”.
Lupe had made it to the Leg Benchmark (9,055 ft.)! It hadn’t been nearly as hard as SPHP had feared. Lupe’s next goal, Pole Mountain, was in clear view to the ESE. There was a lot more to see from the Leg Benchmark, too. At least four distant snow-covered mountain ranges were visible on the far horizon from the S around to the W.
Lupe and SPHP stopped for a nice long break up at the Leg Benchmark. It was a great place to be! The Leg Benchmark seemed to be the dominant high point of these mountains.
When the leisurely rest break was over, Lupe and SPHP set off continuing SE along the Leg Benchmark ridgeline. The ridge went on for quite a distance, with only modest elevation loss. Gradually the forested slope to the NE became less steep, and it wasn’t as far down to the saddle between Leg Benchmark and Pole Mountain.
The saddle over to Pole Mountain had been clearly visible from up on top of Leg Benchmark. Most of it was flat, open terrain that would be easy to cross. Lupe followed the Leg Benchmark ridgeline down to where it looked like a straight shot over the saddle to Pole Mountain. Then Lupe and SPHP turned NE, leaving the ridge and plunging down into the forest.
The slope wasn’t bad going down off the ridge. Near the bottom, Lupe was delighted to encounter a wide band of snowdrifts 2 or 3 feet high still melting in the shade of the trees. Lupe had fun cooling off on the snow before leaving the forest. As soon as she left the trees, Pole Mountain was directly ahead to the ENE across the open ground of the saddle.
The W face of Pole Mountain features a long, massive rock outcropping. Clearly, Lupe and SPHP couldn’t climb that! In fact, SPHP wasn’t entirely certain Lupe would be able to find any way to the top. However, it did look like the situation would be more promising farther E along the S face. Lupe and SPHP crossed the flat, open saddle and started climbing. As Lupe climbed, she worked her way E across the S side of the mountain.
The top of Pole Mountain (9,040 ft.) was quite rocky, but Lupe did find an easy way up about midway along the S slope. The summit ridge extended 200 feet in a NW/SE direction. The highest point was toward the middle, but somewhat closer to the NW end, not far at all from where Lupe came up. Lupe and SPHP went to check out the true summit and NW end of the mountain first.
The view of the Leg Benchmark ridge from the NW end of Pole Mountain was great! After spending a little time there appreciating the fine view, Lupe went to check out the SE end of the summit ridge. Although a bit lower, the SE end of the summit featured a panoramic view of high plains extending far off to the E.
As beautiful as the panorama to the E was, it was hard not to focus on the distant snow-capped peaks of Colorado to the SW. Rain showers were starting to develop in that direction, too.
After a pleasant stay, the time came for Lupe to leave Pole Mountain. The Carolina Dog went back down the same S slope where she had come up, and crossed the grassy saddle over to the start of the forest covering the long Leg Benchmark ridge. She then climbed through the forest up to the ridgeline, and made a second ascent all the way to the true summit of Leg Benchmark.
Lupe and SPHP enjoyed one more rest break up on Leg Benchmark. It was a great place, and it seemed like a shame to leave it, but Lupe had plenty more to do in the Laramie Mountains before the day was done. Lupe and SPHP left Leg Benchmark for the final time, and began the trek back to the G6.
Lupe returned to the Headquarters National Recreation Trail. The American Dingo retraced her earlier route along it. She did make one change, however. Instead of taking the Cardiac Bypass, she took the trail to the Scenic Overlook. The Cardiac Bypass wasn’t all that much shorter, and the Scenic Overlook trail loops right back to it after providing some of the very best views Lupe found anywhere along the Headquarters National Recreation Trail.
By 1:58 PM (68°F), Lupe and SPHP were back at the G6. Lupe had already had a wonderful day in the Laramie Mountains, but it was still relatively early. A happy Carolina Dog jumped in the G6. Then Lupe and SPHP headed N looking for the next adventure.
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