Days 29 – 33 of Lupe’s 3rd Summer of 2021 Dingo Vacation to the West Coast!
9-3-21, morning, Medford, Oregon –
I thought we were going to California, SPHP! I’ve never been to California.
Intended to, Loop, in fact, we’re almost there, but you see how it is. The smoke is worse than ever! I give up! We’ve been gone nearly a month, and have scarcely seen a drop of rain the entire time. Never gets any better. It’s over. Might as well go home!
Over! My Dingo Vacation is over?
Oh, I don’t know, Loopster. Maybe not, maybe Canada is shipping clean air into Wyoming or Montana? We might find blue skies somewhere along the way back. If we do, we’ll climb some more mountains.
Promise, SPHP?
Sure, but don’t get your hopes up, sweet puppy. The way this summer has gone, I’m really not all that optimistic. Might not be anything other than 1,500 miles of smoke between here and the Black Hills.
9-3-21, 10:57 AM, Diamond Lake –
What do you think, SPHP? Looks pretty good doesn’t it?
Standing on a dock along the E shore of Diamond Lake, the American Dingo was smiling. Beyond the big lake, Mount Bailey (8,368 ft.) was backed by a surprisingly blue sky. Not perfect, still some smoky haze present, but vastly improved from choking white sky not so far away back at Medford.
What can I say, Loop? I’m shocked, amazed! Who would have believed it just a couple of hours ago? Want to climb Mount Bailey?
Of course! Sky looks blue to me, SPHP! You promised we could!
9-3-22, 12:52 PM, Mount Bailey trailhead – After a lunch of chicken and dumplings shared with the Carolina Dog at the South Shore Picnic Area, SPHP had driven W along the loop road around Diamond Lake to a turn onto USFS Road No. 300 near the lake’s SW end. Less than 0.5 mile SW through the forest on the dusty, unmarked road got Lupe to the lower Mount Bailey trailhead.
Plenty of parking, but only one other vehicle, a white pickup, was here when SPHP parked the RAV4. No amenities, other than a sign for Mount Bailey Trail No. 1451, and another one prohibiting campfires.
Lupe had barely gotten started, when the trail dipped twice, the first time crossing a bridge over a minor bone-dry ravine. The trail then headed WNW climbing slowly through the forest.
For a long way, there was nothing to see except trees, which wouldn’t have been disappointing at all, except that there didn’t seem to be any squirrels. In excellent condition, No. 1451 eventually steepened, twice climbing more aggressively only to reach much flatter terrain again.
Switchbacks eased the way up to the second flat region. Upon reaching this area, Loopster enjoyed glimpses of Diamond Lake and the dramatic spire of Mount Thielsen (9,182 ft.) off to the NE. Both were quickly lost from sight as the trail continued NW.
The second flats went on for more than 0.5 mile. No. 1451 even dipped slightly. The sky still looked blue when Looper caught sight of Mount Bailey again.
The flats were incredibly easy going. Progress was great, but, of course, that couldn’t last. Not while climbing a mountain!
More than 2 miles from the lower trailhead, Lupe reached some old logs next to a sandy road that went by the upper trailhead. Once again, no amenities at all, other than plenty of parking here, too, but this time, not even a single vehicle around. The whole place was deserted.
After a short break, Lupe continued on. The upper trailhead marked the end of the last flat region. After leaving it, Trail No. 1451 climbed steeply for a little way, then eased up somewhat. That didn’t last, though. For the better part of an hour, SPHP trudged higher after Lupe before the best view yet of Mount Thielsen and Diamond Lake appeared.
The climb continued at a fairly aggressive pace. Every now and then, part of Mount Bailey’s NE ridge came back into sight. At first, it still looked a lot higher, but Lupe was steadily gaining on it.
Much more disturbing was a change in the smoke situation. Lupe had caught sight of Mount McLoughlin (9,495 ft.) far to the S, back when the forest first began thinning out. Should have taken a photo then, but didn’t. Suddenly, smoke was pouring in out of the SW. Half an hour, and the smoke obliterated not only Mount McLoughlin, but all distant views.
Just when things were getting interesting, too! With fewer and fewer trees around, Lupe should have enjoyed some wonderful views, but no. Mount Bailey was all the remained of the world. As the Carolina Dog pressed on, the terrain became increasingly rocky. Happily, the rocks weren’t large, and Trail No. 1451 remained in good shape.
The ding dong smoke was discouraging, dismaying, but nothing to be done about it. Loop was already 2/3 of the way up the mountain.
A high point came into view off to the NW. Instead of going directly to it, which appeared perfectly possible, No. 1451 turned W. Soon it became apparent that the trail was destined to sweep around the S and W sides of a huge crater.
Oh, I know where we are now, Looper! Read about this crater. It’s just S of Mount Bailey’s summit ridge. We’re only 0.5 mile from the top now!
0.5 mile to go? That’s great! We’ve made a lot of progress, SPHP!
Yup. Still a bit of a climb, though, sweet puppy. Say, want to go take a peek into the crater? It’s supposed to be full of snow.
Snow! You know I’d love a romp in the snow, SPHP!
Briefly leaving the trail, Lupe went over to the rim of the crater. Nada. Although the crater was a cool feature, not only was it not full of snow, there wasn’t even a flake. Loopster was crushed.
Fake news! Why am I not surprised, SPHP? Except for the coast, Oregon is a land of fire and smoke.
Land of global, or at least local, melting, Loop. Sorry about that. Guess a crater full of snow in early September is just too good to be true.
After getting around the W side of the crater, Trail No. 1451 turned NE, finally on its way up to the high point. Before Lupe even got there, the long ridge leading N to Mount Bailey’s summit came into view. A large chunk of the middle looked rugged enough to be a problem.
By the time Lupe reached the high point at the S end of the nearly 0.4 mile long ridge, a better break than SPHP’s usual short breathers was in order. After briefly getting up on the highest rocks, Lupe tried to doze on the gritty soil immediately below them.
Through the haze, Mount Bailey’s summit was now in view. Smoothly contoured, it appeared pretty much featureless, an easy walk-up, but getting that far might be an issue. From the S high point, Trail No. 1451 headed gradually down a gently rounded pumice ridge toward a jagged central volcanic section that Lupe would have to get past.
10 minutes, and the Carolina Dog was underway again. The cinder ridge was a fun, easy downhill stroll. Upon reaching the volcanic spine of the mountain, Loop passed through a break between rock formations.
Trail No. 1451 didn’t bottom out until after passing through the gap. By then, Lupe had lost nearly 100 feet of elevation. A short steep climb was now immediately ahead. Hugging the W side of the volcanic spine of the mountain, the trail became a steep trench worn in loose, gray soil.
Regaining at least half of the elevation she’d just lost, Lupe passed a big hole in the wall. Should have been a window with a spectacular view E toward Diamond Lake and Mount Thielsen, but the smoke was too bad see what was out there.
Beyond the window, the trail climbed a little more before leveling out. Still heading N right along the W side of the wall, Lupe traveled along a bit of a ledge that wasn’t quite as steep as the rest of the slope below.
For hundreds of feet, both the rocky spine of the mountain and the ledge below it were unbroken, but all the while, suspense was building.
So far, so good, SPHP!
Yes, most encouraging, but somewhere ahead there’s trouble waiting, Loop.
Trouble? What kind of trouble, SPHP?
I’ve read there’s some kind of a scramble move required. Not supposed to be all that big of a deal, and only at one critical spot, but who knows if it’s something we can manage, or not?
Loop was almost all the way to the N end of the wall when the ledge she was following and Trail No. 1451 both appeared to come to an abrupt end. This was it! The Mount Bailey moment of truth! Pass the scramble test, or be denied.
At the end of the ledge where the trail seemed to end, looking up, a notch was visible in the wall of rock. The moment SPHP saw it, the answer was clear.
I can’t see from down here, SPHP! What’s it look like? Can we get up there?
Can you leap 3 times your height? No way Lupe could make that jump. However, although the rock wall was still vertical, it was only 5 or 6 feet up to the bottom of the narrow notch. Plenty of decent pawholds, too!
Luck of the Dingo! You’re golden, sweet puppy!
Hoisting the Carolina Dog in a mighty Flying Dingo move, SPHP got Lupe up to the bottom of the notch, then scrambled up after her.
Once above the notch, it was clear that the rock wall had veered away from the ridgeline, but no matter. Trail No. 1451 continued higher from here. One complete switchback, and Lupe actually was up on the ridge.
And that was it! The worst was over. Still a bit of a trudge higher, but no more ledges, rock walls, or super rocky spine to contend with. The trail easily swung around, or went right over, scattered rock formations that presented no further difficulties at all.
5:09 PM, 70ºF, Mount Bailey (8,368 ft.) – A gently rounded summit 30 feet in diameter was as featureless as it had appeared from a distance. Small clumps of diminutive vegetation along the S and W rim scarcely broke the dusty monotony of gray pebbles and soil. Near the center of this forlorn region, Lupe stood on a flat rock at the base of a cairn.
All around her, the American Dingo enjoyed completely unobstructed 360 degree views of smoke. No distant views at all.
Sadly, the entire world still consisted of Mount Bailey, and little else. Lupe did have a hazy view of the high point she’d been to at the far end of the S ridge she’d come up. Toward the W, the mountain sloped more gently along a rounded bulge too short to be considered a ridge.
A much larger region extended NE toward a high point 0.25 mile away. In fact, that end of the mountain connected with grasslands sloping away to the NW that looked like an easier route up Mount Bailey than the way Lupe had come. The trail actually continued NE. Looked like it would be fun and easy to explore those relatively nearby highlands, too.
Lupe didn’t, though. Not under these conditions! Wouldn’t see much more even if she did. Besides, it had been a long trek up the mountain, with only a few short breaks. Time to rest! Attempting to relax on the barren ground, the Carolina Dog found it a bit rocky for true comfort.
In the meantime, while trying not to think about all the particulate being inhaled with every breath, SPHP had a look around. The cairn harbored a rusty cannister, which might well have contained a registry. Getting at it, though, would have required disassembling so much of the cairn that SPHP didn’t bother.
20 feet NE of the cairn, a bent metal rod stuck 6″ up above the ground. Only half of a survey benchmark attached to the top remained. The part that might have once been stamped “Bailey” was missing.
Unsurprisingly, that was about it for summit highlights. SPHP sat down next to Lupe, stroking her soft ears.
Too bad we didn’t get here a couple of hours earlier, Loop. Might have had a fabulous view of Diamond Lake, Mount Thielsen, Mount McLoughlin, and even Crater Lake.
Keeps happening, SPHP. Looks promising when we set out, but before we can get to the top, the wind shifts and we get smoked out. Remember how blue the sky was down by Diamond Lake?
Yup. Guess there are just too many big fires around, Looper. Wind needs to be perfect to avoid all this smoke.
A chocolate coconut bar had been shared as a morale booster on the way up the mountain. After congratulating Lupe on her successful ascent of Mount Bailey, SPHP now split the second and final one with her.
Despite the annoying smoke, Lupe remained on Mount Bailey for her traditional full summit hour. Mostly she wanted to rest, but whenever SPHP left her side to stroll about, Loop dutifully got up, too.
You know, Loop, there’s a good chance that this ascent of Mount Bailey will be the last summit of all your Summer of 2021 Dingo Vacations. Kind of a sad thought, isn’t it?
Hope there’s more to come, SPHP, but we’ve had a wonderful time, haven’t we? And we did find some blue sky along the West Coast, and a few other places as well!
True enough, but summit hour had fled. A last look around. It was time.
As Lupe started back down the S ridge, the smoke seemed a little better. A bluish tinge was discernable in the sky, and evening light piercing the haze began bringing out the colors of the rocks.
The return was fun! Especially the scenic trek down to the notch, and thence along the ledge next to the volcanic spine of the mountain on the way back to the pumice ridge and S high point.
By the time Lupe reached the window, its rocky frame was on fire with a diffuse smoke-enhanced orange alpenglow. Visibility really was better! Nothing so grand as a view of Diamond Lake or Mount Thielsen, but at least Loop could see Mount Bailey’s steep E slopes.
The sun set, light faded, and night arrived. At the upper trailhead, it was so dark that the little flashlight came out. Still 2 miles to go. No worries, though. Even at night the trail was easy to follow, but the smoke must have been getting worse again. By the time Lupe arrived back at the RAV4, the smell of burnt wood permeated the gloom. (8:53 PM, 52ºF)
9-4-21 – Mount Bailey was it, as far as Lupe’s 2021 adventures in Oregon were concerned. Morning dawned exceptionally smoky. Time to get out of here! Maybe skies were blue elsewhere?
If so, Lupe never saw them. Despite gradual improvement, smoke was everywhere on the long drive E. Mountain after mountain had to be dropped from the American Dingo’s list of peakbagging possibilities. At day’s end near Jerome, Idaho, a red sun sank into the murk before even reaching the horizon.
9-5-21, predawn, Hwy 34, Caribou Mountain pullout, E Idaho – Low in the E, Orion was shining brightly as Lupe headed W along the highway. The Carolina Dog was far more interested in cows heard mooing nervously, but otherwise still cloaked by darkness up the hillside to the N.
Those stars promised a clearer sky, and W of the Wyoming Range after daylight arrived, skies actually were blue. However, as SPHP drove on, it became apparent that this was only an isolated smoke-free pocket. Dense smoke visible both N and S. The blue skies weren’t likely to last long enough to climb any of these big peaks.
S of Bondurant, the Kilgore Creek trailhead near Hoback Peak turned out to be occupied. No hanging out here! At least bison seen along the way in had provided some excitement.
9-5-21, 2:00 PM, Lander city park – Relative clarity over the Wyoming Range had inspired hopes that air quality at the nearby Wind River Range might be even better, but those hopes had been quickly dashed. The Winds were entirely enveloped in smoke.
A stroll along Pine Creek in Pinedale had been a nice break, and after yet another long drive, Lupe was thrilled to be back at the Lander city park, long a favorite with its soft green grass and big shade trees harboring squirrels. She’d get to spend the rest of the day here, while SPHP caught up the trip journal and fretted over what few options remained.
9-6-21, 1:48 PM, 69ºF, High Park Lookout (9,477 ft.), Bighorn Mountains – The great debate was just about over. This is it, last chance! Either the Bighorns panned out, or Lupe’s grand Summer of 2021 Dingo Vacation to the West Coast was done.
W of the Bighorns, hope had pretty much been lost, but during the drive up Tensleep Canyon, air quality had improved. Lupe now stood on the highest rock gazing N toward the spine of the Bighorns.
Doesn’t look too bad, does it, SPHP?
Better than I expected, Looper. At least we can see the mountains! Still a long shot, though. Mather Peaks (12,400 ft.) is a 3-day backpacking trip for us. Not eager to take that on unless we’re pretty certain smoke won’t move in while we’re on our way up, and you saw how things were down on the prairie.
So, what are we going to do?
I don’t know, Loop. We should probably call it, but I guess we can wait and take another look this evening.
9-6-21, 6:43 PM, High Park Lookout – Back once more. Maybe a little smokier? Certainly no better. Situation still borderline, inconclusive.
Not much different, SPHP!
Nope. If I knew it wouldn’t get any worse, I’d be willing to try it, Loop.
Can we at least stay to see what things look like in the morning, SPHP?
Yeah. We can come back up and decide then. Going to be our absolutely last chance, though. Not going to stick around dithering forever.
9-7-21, 6:46 AM, High Park Lookout trailhead – Excited by a horse, Lupe wanted out of the RAV4 shortly before sunrise. No need to take the trail back up to High Park Lookout. Within minutes, a pink sun told the tale. Some things aren’t meant to be.
Definitely worse. It was over. Dragging the trip home out for 3 days hoping for a miracle hadn’t accomplished a thing. No truly blue skies since Lupe had left Ophir Beach along the Oregon coast.
Mount Bailey had been the last great peak of Lupe’s month long Summer of 2021 Dingo Vacation to the West Coast. What a terrific journey it had been! Yet it was time for the American Dingo to return to the Black Hills, and start dreaming of 2022.
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