Days 3-6 of Lupe’s 5th Summer of 2020 Dingo Vacation to Wyoming!
9-15-20, 7:27 AM, Atlantic Lake – Squirrels! A great way to start any day. An American Dingo’s shrill enthusiasm broke the tranquility of the mountain air.
Loopster! Hush! You’ll wake up the campers.
Well, lucky them! They’re missing out! Lots of squirrels here. No doubt they’ll want to get in on the action!
Yeah, keep that up, and I’m sure they’ll be coming over to thank you any minute now. Anyway, c’mon, we’re ready. You can look for more squirrels after we get sufficiently past their camp.
Smooth as silk! Scarcely a ripple disturbed the surface of Atlantic Lake. Such a beautiful spot! Unfortunately, no improvement in air quality. A little smokier than yesterday, if anything. Disappointing, but sadly not entirely unexpected.
The Carolina Dog set out heading W along the S shore, utilizing a mix of faint use trails. Soon turned out that there was a better trail a little off in the forest, away from the lake. As this region narrowed, Lupe traveled along the base of rock formations or slides. Big rocks sometimes created openings along the shoreline that provided viewpoints.
Near the W end of Atlantic Lake, Lupe came to a vacant campsite. Not a bad spot! If SPHP had known about it yesterday, Loop would have spent the night here. A rushing stream was just beyond the campsite. Leaving Atlantic Lake, Loopster followed the stream up a steep forested slope. Crossing the stream after the terrain leveled out to some degree quickly proved to be a mistake.
Returning to the S bank, Looper kept going, venturing through a region bounded by a steep rocky slope on the L (S), and the stream and forest on the R (N). She was often forced to scramble over talus at the base of rock slides. Only intermittent signs of any use trail now.
After a while, the stream disappeared in the forest. Lupe eventually came to the brink of a wide ravine. She needed to get across it, but was too high. A pond was visible 50 feet lower off to the N (R). This seemed like a decent landmark to check progress against, but the topo map didn’t show a pond in this region at all. Puzzling.
Retreating into the forest, Lupe found a way to get down close to pond level. The pond was actually a wide spot in the same stream she’d been following earlier. Crossing only a minor tributary, Loop made it over to the base of the rock formations W of the ravine. The American Dingo’s ascent of Atlantic Peak (12,490 ft.) was about to start in earnest.
Going around the S side of the first rock formation, Loop found herself on a rocky slope that would have been a slow trudge for SPHP, if not for exposed slabs providing excellent routes higher. The slabs were steep, but dry, so traction was good. Staying on the slabs as much as possible, Lupe and SPHP traipsed toward an increasingly blue sky.
All good things must come to an end, and the slabs did, too. Lupe came to two high spots densely covered with low evergreens. Reaching the top of the first one, a world of rock was visible beyond it. Looked like some pretty rough ground.
The evergreens were so thick, it was hard to push through them. Turned out to be easier to avoid them altogether by staying along the N edge of this hill. After getting past them, Lupe went SW toward the second high spot. She never quite got to the top of this next high point, again finding it easier to simply avoid the whole evergreen situation by staying NW.
Immediately beyond the second high spot was a ravine choked with talus. Fortunately, this ravine wasn’t terribly wide, enabling SPHP to rock hop through it all without losing too much time.
Lupe resumed her ascent. The slope ahead was rocky and steep, but she again came to a series of slabs creating easy routes higher. Between the slabs, she often found lanes of vegetation to follow. Progress was good. At about 11,000 feet, Loop could see a rock-free depression to the S that was somewhat lower. Maybe a tarn that had gradually filled in with sediment?
Comprising much of the enormous slope W of the depression was a huge expanse of exposed slabs. Looked steep at the upper end, and SPHP wasn’t eager to head that far S. Nevertheless, Lupe inched toward the slabs as she continued up the mountain. Soon a much smaller orange slab with a tiny meltwater stream appeared ahead.
Above the orange slab, a series of grassy benches existed among all the rocks. Various ramps connecting these benches enabled a winding route higher without having to do much scrambling. Lupe reached the N edge of the enormous slabby region far above the sediment-filled depression. A good chunk of Atlantic Lake was now in sight.
The slope Lupe was climbing was taking her W toward the ridge SSE of HP12261, Atlantic Peak’s eastern subpeak. The American Dingo was now getting close to the apparent top of this ridge, but SPHP realized that was merely an illusion. Fearing a long talus scramble ahead in the as yet unseen region above the slabs, reality ultimately proved to be much kinder. Far more vegetation and less rock than expected. Cake!
Before long, Lupe was approaching the genuine top of the ridge, a broad rock-strewn region between HP12261 and HP11801. The true summit of Atlantic Peak (12,490 ft.) was already coming into view.
Along the W side of the crest of this ridge sat a line of rock formations, several separate mounds of talus of varying size and shape.
Going to the rock formation at the S end of the line, Loop peered over the edge, getting her first look at a huge expanse of territory S of Atlantic Peak. Unfortunately, a grand panorama of Wyoming’s sagebrush plains beyond the Wind River Range was hazy and indistinct. Darn smoke!
The smoke was bad, but it wasn’t terrible. Lake 9590 was visible in the Blair Creek drainage, and so were the Sweetwater Needles (10,548 ft.) 1.5 miles beyond it.
After surveying this smoke-diminished scene, Loop headed N, passing E of the rest of the rock formations.
From the formation at the N end, Atlantic Peak’s summit was in sight less than 0.75 mile NW. So were the long slopes leading to it. Rocky and steep, but nothing intimidating. Merely a time-consuming grind. SPHP got things off to a poor start by leading Lupe angling higher, which soon put her in talus. Would have been better to have stayed lower where there was more vegetation.
Climbing was often easier than going straight ahead or back down, so Loop kept working her way higher. Trending NNW, the Carolina Dog gained a fair amount of elevation, but never reached the elusive top of the ridge above. None of these maneuvers provided significant relief from the talus.
A wretchedly slow traverse, but SPHP eventually got through the worst of it. A stretch of smaller rock and patches of vegetation allowed spurts of progress. More rock, including talus still ahead, but not as intense as what Lupe had just come through.
Upon reaching the big saddle between Atlantic Peak and HP12261, Loop had only 300 feet of elevation still to go. A long, icy snowbank provided a useful ramp up a good part of it. Above the snow was another talus climb that wasn’t too bad. Staying toward the N, Lupe skirted a minor subpeak and came to a large flat spot. Another 50 or 60 foot scramble and she’d be on top!
9-15-20, 1:22 PM, Atlantic Peak – Lupe came up at the E end of a 200 foot long E/W summit ridge. The whole thing was a collection of talus with a steep slope to the S, and an absolute cliff to the N, the highest rocks mostly right along that fearsome N edge.
Although not quite to the true summit yet, the views were tremendous! Due to the smoke’s interference with the clarity of distant objects, the most interesting view was of the Saddlebag Lakes and another unnamed lake tucked below the vertical S face of Silas Peak (12,248 ft.) way down in Atlantic Canyon.
Despite the talus, it was relatively easy to maneuver W looking for the true summit. A white rock resting on a larger boulder, both on the brink of the precipice to the N, proved to be the high point, although another boulder 20 feet farther W appeared to be nearly as high.
The white rock was too small, sloped, and close to the edge for Lupe to get up on. However, she could easily touch the top with her paw, and stand on the boulder supporting it. She also visited that other boulder in contention to the W to complete her peakbagging success.
So much to see! Atlantic Peak’s long W ridge curled N to a high point that had to be West Atlantic Peak (12,430 ft.). Miles beyond it, partially obscured by the haze, were several recognizable giants of the SE Wind River Range. Temple Peak (12,972 ft.), East Temple Peak (12,600 ft.), and mighty Wind River Peak (13,192 ft.) were all dimly displayed.
To the SW was the view of Lake 9590 in the Blair Creek drainage and the Sweetwater Needles (10,548) that Lupe had seen before from the rock formations in the saddle between HP11801 and HP12261. However, she now saw them from a different perspective as she peered down Atlantic Peak’s SW ridge.
Lupe gazed down into Atlantic Canyon, she surveyed the route she’d taken up from the SE, and sat on many a boulder. After a good long while, though, it was time for a break.
With nowhere to rest close to the true summit, Lupe retreated back to the E, choosing shady spot where SPHP put sweatshirts and a jacket on a rock to provide some cushioning. Looper munched her Taste of the Wild and inhaled the beef jerky SPHP offered before trying to nap.
3rd time had been a charm! The American Dingo finally really was way up here on Atlantic Peak. SPHP drank a Coke, pondering the splendid scenes in all directions. A shame it had to be so smoky, but what a spot!
The melancholy moment arrived. Looper stood again at the summit of Atlantic Peak. All the planning, long anticipation, and effort to get here! Not just here, but to any big remote peak. The joy of success! Precious minutes savoring it all, the world at your paws! Then suddenly it’s on the verge of over and done with, a fabulous airy place almost certainly never to be seen again. An instant both wonderfully real and terrible.
9-15-20, 2:52 PM, Atlantic Peak – Well, no sense in brooding. Just the way things are, have always been, and always will be. Plenty of fun yet to come! 1.5 hours after arriving, Lupe left the summit of Atlantic Peak.
During the return, Lupe varied the route a bit. Instead of heading back to the saddle between HP12261 and HP11801, she stayed higher going through minor passes SE and SW of HP12261. After going through the second pass, an enormous long slope was in sight. Lots of rock. All the usual travails and little assists. And way down in the valley, a blue gem, Atlantic Lake!
The sun was down and light beginning to fade as Lupe headed E along the S shore of Atlantic Lake. Not much farther to the tiny house! SPHP was surprised to see a campfire. Sort of expected the campers might be gone by now. Two people! They hailed SPHP. Up to greet them.
So Lupe and SPHP met Peter and Meghan Cielenski, brother and sister, from Cincinnati, Ohio. Right away, a miracle! Peter and Meghan knew Lupe! What? Turned out Meghan’s boyfriend, Josh, had found The (Mostly) True Adventures of Lupe while researching a prior trip to Tayo and Coon lakes here in the Wind River Range. Tayo Lake was on the way to Wind River Peak, which Loop had climbed in 2017.
Astonishing! First time anyone had ever recognized Lupe from her blog! SPHP asked Meghan and Peter if they were planning on staying up for a while, and if it would be OK to join them? Answer – affirmative on both counts! A quick trip to the tiny house to ditch the backpack and feed Loop before heading back to the campfire.
Starting to get dark already, but maybe enough light for a photo?
Peter and Meghan were both very friendly, and a fun evening was spent with them. Unaccustomed to a campfire, Lupe mostly hung back in the shadows, listening to the conversation.
Peter had discovered the Wind River Range back in 2019. Already on his 3rd trip, he was a fan! Peter’s main interest was in fly fishing. He showed SPHP photos of brilliantly colored Golden Trout he’d caught when he and Meghan had gone all the way up Atlantic Canyon to the Saddlebag Lakes yesterday.
Meghan was a runner. She sometimes runs marathons, and was more into exploring than fishing. Meghan was hoping to see some shooting stars. Wyoming wish granted! The Milky Way appeared in the heavens as the night turned black. A zillion stars glittered overhead. A few fell, as sparks from the campfire’s embers sailed skyward in brief, doomed efforts to meet them.
The Cielenskis offered SPHP a Snickers bar, peanut M&M’s, and Babybel cheeses wrapped in cellophane and red wax so they’ll keep. SPHP had never seen Babybel cheeses before, but they were good, and a really big hit with Lupe! When the Cielenskis declined beef jerky offered by SPHP, the Carolina Dog made sure none of that went to waste, either.
Good times with Kevin and Meghan! But the evening wore on, the fire faded to embers, and it got late. A fabulous, long day in the mountains. Eventually everyone was ready to say good-night.
9-16-20, 8:04 AM, Atlantic Lake – Ready to go! If anything, Atlantic Lake was even smoother this morning when Lupe appeared to bid a final farewell to Atlantic Peak. A few moments to reflect, and it was nearly Puppy, ho! time. Before departing, the American Dingo ventured back to Peter and Meghan’s camp to say good-bye. No activity. Maybe they were already out and about?
On the way back to the trailhead, several groups of Californians were met. All had fled the bonfire their drought-stricken home had become. Some described smoke so thick that day turned to night. Not good! Some Year of Perfect Vision this turned out to be!
9-16-20, 1:10 PM, Christina Lake trailhead – The Atlantic Peak adventure was over. A guy was changing a flat tire on his pickup truck when Lupe got back to the trailhead. Not especially happy about it, he blamed the sharp gray rock they’d repaired the access road with recently, which he claimed were cheap tailings from an iron mine. He had relatives that had suffered 8 flats on this road in the past 2 months.
Fortunately, the G6’s tires were fine. No damage on the way in. Now all they had to do was survive the trip out. Still looking good upon reaching pavement on Hwy 28 at the SE end of the Winds. SPHP turned S.
Lots more to do in the Wind River Range on this Dingo Vacation, if the weather and sky would co-operate! Looper had a blast barking at cows along the Lander Cutoff. Wind out of the WSW, though. The mountains were barely visible when the G6 pulled into Pinedale. Discouraging.
9-17-20, 2:30 PM, 80ºF, New Fork Lake – Chilly this morning, but the day had warmed up nicely. Lupe had seen a moose and been entertained for hours by a squirrel in a big spruce tree at the dispersed camping site. Trip journal caught up, it was time for a last stroll down to the beach.
A hint of fall, aspens on the hillsides were suddenly yellow. Beautiful! Not a problem, but the smoke obscuring the mountains was. No change overnight, or during the day thus far. Apparently not much chance that the smoke was going to dissipate anytime soon, either.
Might as well face it. Further delay wasn’t going to help. Atlantic Peak was it, a one mountain Dingo Vacation! Terribly inefficient, but it had been great fun. No regrets!
The American Dingo headed for home. Normally a classic western scenic drive, but smoke was everywhere.
9-18-20, 6:53 AM, Wright, WY – Well, isn’t that special? The G6’s R rear tire was nearly flat. After airing it up at a gas station, SPHP asked the convenience store cashier where it might be possible to get it repaired? R & B Tire, a mile or two back along Hwy 387.
Stroke of luck! R & B Tire opened at 7:00 AM. No waiting. The tire was repaired and the G6 good to go in no time. $18.00. Say, by the way, had the mechanic found a nail in the tire, or what was the issue?
Nope, no nail. A small, sharp shard of gray rock.
Figured.
(End, 9-18-20, 11:10 AM, 66ºF, breezy, smoky)
Links:
Next Adventure Prior Adventure
Big Sandy to Jackass Pass & Cirque of the Towers, Wind River Range, Wyoming (9-1-15)
Wind River Peak, Wyoming – Part 1: Worthen Meadow to Tayo Park (7-8-17 & 7-9-17)
East Temple Peak, Wind River Range, Wyoming – Part 1: Big Sandy Opening to Clear Lake (7-18-20)
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