Xochitl flew in from Chicago to spend nearly a week in the Black Hills over Thanksgiving. Naturally, she wanted to spend a little time adventuring in the hills with Lupe. Steve had some time off, so he wanted to come along, too. So Lupe had quite a pack along with her when she set off on Black Hills, SD Expedition No. 146(a) on 11-22-15.
Since Xochitl needed a little time to acclimate to the elevation, Lupe started her off easy. Real easy – the first stop was at Cheyenne Crossing in Spearfish Canyon for buffalo burgers and dessert. Lupe got to sit waiting patiently in the G6 while Xochi, Steve & SPHP dined acclimated in cozy warm comfort.
The buffalo burgers disappeared, and there wasn’t much left of Steve’s mountain medley berry pie and ice cream when the meal was over. However, Xochi had ordered carrot cake for dessert. It arrived drizzled with caramel, which she doesn’t really care for, so about 2/3 of the carrot cake was left over. The patient American Dingo was in luck! A big piece of carrot cake went into a Dingo box for later on.
From Cheyenne Crossing, Lupe’s pack headed N for Savoy farther downstream in the heart of Spearfish Canyon. Savoy is the site of the Latchstring Inn & Restaurant. Near Savoy are two waterfalls. From opposite ends of the Latchstring Restaurant parking lot, there is a short (0.5 mile?) loop trail that goes down to Spearfish Falls. Little Spearfish Creek enters Spearfish Creek at the base of the falls.
Lupe wasn’t going to Spearfish Falls, though. Instead, Lupe and her pack of humans were taking the trail to Roughlock Falls. Roughlock Falls is up the side canyon Little Spearfish Creek flows through. The trailhead is near the Latchstring Inn parking lot.
The Roughlock Falls trail is no more than about a mile long, and involves very little elevation gain. It was going to be a nice stroll, with views of the creek and limestone cliffs along the way.
Lupe was just happy to be on a snowy trail again.
In the summer, the Roughlock Falls trail is popular and busy. On this cool day in late November, Lupe & company had the trail to themselves. When Lupe reached the falls, it was time for some pictures with Xochitl and Steve.
The Roughlock Falls trail continued on across a bridge over Little Spearfish Creek, and up to a picnic ground just above the falls. Various little walkways with railings led to a number of viewpoints along both sides of the falls and creek. Lupe, Xochi and Steve checked them out.
At the picnic grounds upstream of Roughlock Falls, a dramatic love scene was re-enacted starring Lupeo & Xochiet.
Lupe and Xochitl had two different impressions of the Roughlock Falls picnic grounds. To Lupe, the place was a frozen wilderness full of exciting smells, danger and mystery. Here she conveys a feeling of being lost and alone in the 1.2 million acre Black Hills National Forest:
Although Xochitl makes a good living as a computer engineer in Chicago, she is always ready to explore new opportunities. To her, the time spent in a different setting at Roughlock Falls along Little Spearfish Creek brought new possibilities to mind. She practiced auditioning for Vanna White’s job on Wheel of Fortune.
Down in the canyon, the sun disappears from view pretty early this time of year. Soon it was time for Lupe, Xochitl, Steve & SPHP to take the snowy trail back to the G6.
Much later, back at home, SPHP offered Xochitl’s uneaten Cheyenne Crossing carrot cake to Lupe. Turns out Carolina Dogs love carrot cake AND caramel! A few nanoseconds later, Lupe was licking the Dingo box clean of any remaining morsels.
Links:
Next Black Hills Expedition Prior Black Hills Expedition
Want more Lupe adventures? Choose from Lupe’s Black Hills Expeditions Adventure Index or Master Adventure Index. Or subscribe free to new Lupe adventures.