Days 5 & 6 of Lupe’s Summer of 2022 Dingo Vacation to Wyoming!
6-20-22, 8:57 AM, 17 miles in on Smiths Fork Road –
OK, we’re done. This is a fiasco! Never going to get there this way! Bark, or something, Looper, if it looks like we’re about to go over the edge.
Ahead the road was blocked with snow. A pickup could have gotten through easily enough, but there were still miles to go, road conditions were steadily deteriorating, and there hadn’t been a bit of traffic. SPHP had no intention of getting the RAV4 stuck way out here.
Backing down for over a mile to a decent spot to turn around, the RAV4’s rear camera was highly useful in preventing an inadvertent plunge over the cliff edge into the frigid waters of Smiths Fork.
Guess you’re going to get to visit Afton, after all, Loopster!
Driving N through town on Hwy 89, Afton’s main claim to fame was the World’s Largest Elkhorn Arch, complete with battling elk.
The whole purpose of trying to take Smiths Fork Road earlier had been to use it as a shortcut to Greys River Road and the Crow Creek trailhead providing access to Mount Fitzpatrick (10,907 ft.). SPHP kept driving N all the way to Alpine to reach Greys River Road there.
From Alpine, Greys River Road went E, then S up the Greys River valley. Lupe had a blast riding with her head out the window watching for wildlife. Plenty of deer, and a even a moose! A herd of black cattle elicited a furious response from the excited American Dingo. However, as beautiful as the mountains were, the views were a bit disconcerting.
First official day of summer tomorrow, Loop! Way more snow on some of these peaks than I was expecting.
We like the snow, don’t we, SPHP? Makes the mountains look so much more dramatic!
Yes, but more dramatic in reality, too, not just appearance, Loop. Having second thoughts about Mount Fitzpatrick.
Which one is Fitzpatrick, SPHP?
Oh, I don’t know. Wouldn’t recognize it if I saw it, but it’s one of these higher peaks.
You’re worried that it’s going to be too snowy, SPHP?
Yeah, I am. The last part of the climb is supposed to be a steep ascent up the N face. Might be a ton of snow on that side of the mountain.
Greys River Road went on and on. For some reason expecting to come to a pass at McDougal Gap Road before reaching the Crow Creek trailhead, SPHP got to daydreaming. Eventually, a pass was reached. SPHP parked the RAV4, and Lupe hopped out for a sniff.
Surprisingly cool out beneath a cloudy sky. A sign said Tri-Basin Divide.
6-20-22, 2:11 PM, Tri-Basin Divide, Wyoming Range –
Are we close to Mount Fitzpatrick yet, SPHP?
Not entirely sure, Loop. Doubt we’ll even be able to see Fitzpatrick from the road. We’ve come such a long way already, that I can’t image it being too much farther to the Crow Creek trailhead. Wonder what happened to McDougal Gap Road, anyway? Sure doesn’t seem to be here.
A check of the paper map SPHP had along shed no light on the mystery. Tri-Basin Divide wasn’t even shown on the map, which covered only a limited region.
Hmm, guess we’ll just have to keep an eye out for Crow Creek, Loopster. Hope there’s a sign. The trailhead isn’t a formal one. Should be on the R as we continue S.
Might be easy to miss, if there isn’t a sign, SPHP. What about your fancy new iPhone? Maybe you ought to check it, too? That peakbagger app helped us find Buck Mountain back in the Bighorns.
Oh, that’s right! Great idea, Loop! Might give us a good estimate on how much farther we need to go, if I can remember how to use it.
The iPhone and peakbagger app worked. The news was shocking.
Oh, good grief! Can this be right?
What does it say, SPHP? How much farther do we need to go?
No farther at all, Loop. We’re way too far S already! Mount Fitzpatrick is more than 18 miles NNW! Somehow I must have totally spaced out both McDougal Gap Road and Crow Creek.
Someone needs to pay more attention to what they’re doing, SPHP!
Heh. No denying that! Second fiasco of the day! No real harm done, though. The American Dingo enjoyed a 2nd long scenic drive, this time back N along Greys River Road. A Crow Creek sign was eventually seen at a bend in the road, just S of a small pullout with room enough for a few cars. That had to be the trailhead.
A mile S of the Crow Creek sign, a side road went into a big field with a lone picnic table. SPHP parked the RAV4 50 feet from the Greys River. Cold and damp! Afternoon high of 55ºF, and most of the time well below that, as brief periods of sunshine were interrupted by a series of rain showers. A respite an hour before sunset permitted an evening stroll to the Crow Creek sign and back.
6-21-22, 6:18 AM, 28ºF, Greys River 1 mile S of the Crow Creek trailhead –
SPHP turned on the defroster, then hopped out to scrape ice off the RAV4’s windshield. Meanwhile, Lupe sniffed among frosty sagebrush, exploring nearby. It had been a cold night, but the sky was clear this morning. Longest day of the year! Should warm up fast.
During the drive N, the RAV4 warmed up even faster. The warmth felt good. Exciting drive, too! The Carolina Dog saw lots of deer, that same moose, and a bunny.
You do realize that you’ve way overshot the Crow Creek trailhead again, right, SPHP? How come?
Change of plans, Looper. Fitzpatrick is out, at least for the time being. It’s a backpack trip, and from the amount of snow we’ve seen, I’m convinced it’s too soon to take on the N face of any of these higher peaks.
So, where are we going, SPHP?
Mount McDougal (10,780 ft.), Loop! It’s a much shorter trek, a mere day hike up an E slope, so probably a lot less snow. Our chances of success ought to be much better there. Even if McDougal turns out to be a fail, at least we’ll only have wasted one day instead of two.
6-21-22, 7:45 AM, 35ºF, McDougal Gap trailhead – The turn E off Greys River Road onto McDougal Gap Road had come 10 miles N of the Crow Creek sign. Small wonder SPHP missed it yesterday. The only sign at the turn said “Sheep Creek”. No mention of McDougal Gap. No pass there, either. Evidently that was a figment of SPHP’s imagination.
Other than a little easily avoided rockfall, McDougal Gap Road had been in great shape. Lupe now stood in bright sunshine in a stony trailhead parking lot at the top of McDougal Gap, which actually was a pass, with a great view of Triple Peak (11,127 ft.) beyond her.
A dazzling morning – crisp and bright beneath a super blue sky cleansed by yesterday’s rains. Other than the RAV4, the gigantic parking lot was empty. A lone deer stood grazing near the edge of the forest over by the W end. Going to be a glorious day!
6-21-22, 9:27 AM, 58ºF – With Mount McDougal already in sight less than 2 miles from the trailhead, a leisurely start had been possible. As Lupe finally hit the trail after breakfast, and SPHP’s other dilly-dallying delays, the morning was already comfortably warm. Crossing a meadow, the trail entered a forest, where it followed USFS Road No. 10148 NNE.
Before long, the road forked, more than once as it turned out. Always staying toward the L, Lupe continued NNE.
Still an easy trek, the road steepened. 0.75 mile from the trailhead, it narrowed back down to a single track trail. Lupe came to a clearing where Mount McDougal was in sight again. Crossing a tiny stream, she reached a larger opening where a mound of dark soil was exposed.
According to the map, the American Dingo had to be somewhere near the old Kleinstick Mine now. Was that black mound leftover tailings? Hard to say. Might have been natural, too. Lupe didn’t bother looking for the mine. Attention was focused on Mount McDougal’s upper E face. A surprising amount of snow up there! Seeing it, SPHP’s heart sank.
Continuing past the Kleinstick Mine region, Lupe crossed another tiny stream. The trail climbed steeply back into the forest, then got easier again. A Wyoming Range National Recreational Trail sign was nailed to a tree. Beyond it, the forest started giving way to large meadows.
0.25 mile N of the mine, the trail flattened out completely. Abandoning it, Lupe climbed NW toward stands of aspens bearing new leaves.
Once past the aspens, things really opened up. A long green slope, partly covered with sagebrush, rose hundreds of feet toward scattered stands of conifers, bands of gray rock, and snowfields above. Lupe had a riot roaming at will while SPHP trudged higher, often pausing to take in the views while gasping for air.
Beyond the last big stand of conifers, a steep, barren slope led toward the first large snowfield. Above it, bands of gray rock formed long lines of small cliffs. The cliffs were of less concern than the snow. As steep as this slope was, if the snow proved icy, Lupe wasn’t going to be able to climb Mount McDougal.
SPHP wasn’t equipped for an ice climb. Poles were it.
Postponing the inevitable, SPHP encouraged the Carolina Dog to avoid this first big snowfield as long as possible. Climbing on bare ground as far as she could, Lupe discovered the bones of someone who evidently hadn’t made it up Mount McDougal along the way.
Moment of truth, SPHP! We going any higher?
The steep snowfield looked daunting. 200 feet up just to reach the base of the cliffs, with no obvious route above them.
Be careful, but let’s give it a shot, Looper. Onward! Puppy, ho!
The snow was soft, not icy. SPHP sank in a foot or two with every step. Lupe had no problem, the snow supporting her weight. A little higher up, the snow was firm enough to better support SPHP, too. Poles were a huge help, adding confidence that a rocket slide to the bottom wouldn’t take place.
Cautious progress was made. Soon the cliffs weren’t much farther.
Right at the base of the cliffs, SPHP suddenly plunged mid-thigh deep into the snow. Took several minutes of struggle to get extracted again, while Lupe watched from the safety of the rocks.
Once SPHP was able to join her, it was time to look for a route through the cliff bands. Angling SSW, where the going looked easiest, Lupe led the way up a series of small ledges and ramps.
The cliff bands were taller than it initially appeared, perhaps 80 to 100 feet all told. Lupe managed to reach a fairly wide ramp below the tallest line of cliffs, which presented a continuous barrier 20 to 30 feet high.
There was a weakness a bit lower toward the S where the cliffs weren’t quite as high, but success appeared questionable even there. Turning N instead, following the ramp higher, Lupe searched for a better spot.
For a little way, the cliffs were impassable, but a cleft finally appeared that might work. The trickiest section was only 12 feet high, and had a few decent paw holds.
Too vertical! Lupe needed help! Very carefully, SPHP managed to boost Looper to where she could claw the rest of the way up to safety herself.
And that was the worst of it. Scrambling after Lupe, SPHP made it to the upper end of the cleft, too. The gray cliffs extended only a little higher, presenting no further problems.
The success experienced crossing this first snowfield, and getting past the gray cliff band, was encouraging, but more challenges lay ahead. Another steep stretch of dirt, scree, and scant vegetation led to a much larger snowfield. Way up along the E rim of the summit region, a long, continuous cornice curled out into space over the edge.
During the trudge up to this next snowfield, SPHP decided to aim toward a substantial region of bare ground slightly toward the S (L). Upon reaching the snowfield, Lupe started up.
This second steep snow climb seemed borderline foolish the entire way. Most of the snow was fairly soft, but this high up, there were a few icy sections, too, which absolutely had to be avoided. Lupe climbed several hundred feet up to the first rock outcropping. Happily, firm terrain was more frequent after that.
It all worked! Lupe reached the big barren area SPHP had been aiming for. To the N, the enormous snowfield extended unbroken ever more steeply all the way up to the cornice hanging over the mountain’s E rim. The American Dingo didn’t have to worry about that, though. The bare ground she was on provided steep, loose support, all the way up to Mount McDougal’s SE ridge.
Looper reached the SE ridge within 100 vertical feet of the summit. For the first time in a long while, there were a few small flat areas, so a rest break was in order. Beef jerky and water for all! Sitting together, Lupe and SPHP contemplated the incredible views, and final obstacle above.
The cornice overhanging the E edge of the mountain did not extend all the way to the SE ridge, but a huge near-vertical wall of snow did. How was Lupe ever going to get up that? The snow wall appeared to be 20 to 40 feet high. Even if the American Dingo did get up it, how would she ever get down again in one piece?
So close, and yet so far? Summoning what energy could be mustered, Lupe and SPHP went up for a closer look.
The wall of snow wasn’t truly vertical, only almost so. And it wasn’t 40 feet high, merely 20. However, it remained a formidable obstacle. No way around it, L or R. For poor Lupe, it was either straight on up right here, or Mount McDougal was a fail!
Failure, after coming all this way? Sheesh! Stay here, Looper. I’m going to see if I can kick-step my way to the top.
The snow wall was kind of hard. Kicking steps into it took quite a bit of kicking, but SPHP managed to inch most of the way up. Looking down to check on Lupe, SPHP was shocked. That crazy Carolina Dog was right below SPHP, also using the steps!
Silly, adorable, faithful Dingo! Loop might easily fall and get hurt! SPHP couldn’t back down now, either. Kicking a few more steps into the snow, SPHP’s head was just getting to where another 5 feet that wasn’t quite as steep came into view, when suddenly, somehow, Lupe was right there, standing on the super steep slope on the brink of destruction, calmly blinking in the sunlight.
Up, Loop, up! Don’t stop here, you’ll fall! Keep going! Get to the top!
Up the American Dingo went, smiling broadly as SPHP joined her atop Mount McDougal moments later.
6-21-22, 2:06 PM, 62ºF, Mount McDougal (10,780 ft.) – Fear to elation! Atop an enormous snowbank that undulated hundreds of feet SW, Lupe had no more mountain to climb.
Wow, Loop! Can’t believe you climbed that wall of snow! Astounding! What a dramatic finish!
So, this is the top, SPHP?
Absolutely! In fact, it appears you’ve climbed above Mount McDougal! This snowbank is temporarily the true summit.
That’s got to be a first for us, SPHP! Don’t think we’ve ever climbed above a mountain before have we?
Not anywhere near this extent that I can remember, Looper.
Greatly enhanced by the amount of snow lingering on the mountains on this crystal clear summer solstice day, the views were astonishing, too! SPHP hadn’t expected anything like this. Near and far, snowy peaks in almost every direction, except E toward the sagebrush prairie thousands of feet below.
The Wyoming and Salt River ranges to the S and SW were particularly awesome. Triple Peak (11,127 ft.) and Lander Peak (10,450 ft.) were easily identifiable only 4 or 5 miles S. SPHP didn’t recognize any other peaks, but Wyoming Peak (11,378 ft.), which Lupe had visited in 2015, might well have been on the S horizon. Mount Fitzpatrick (10,907 ft.), which she hadn’t been to yet, was likely in sight a dozen miles SW, too.
Mount McDougal technically extended another 3 miles NNW. Lupe had a grand view of several subpeaks strung out along the ridgeline, most notable of which was Peak 10742. Part of the Teton Range was visible far beyond it. More directly N, quite a bit closer than the Tetons, was an isolated snowy peak SPHP suspected might be Hoback Peak (10,862 ft.). Portions of the Gros Ventre Range were visible NNE well beyond it.
Far to the NE, the Wind River Range was in sight beyond a vast expanse of high sagebrush desert.
After an initial look around from Mount Dougal’s temporary snowbank summit, Lupe left the snow in search of the normal true summit, which was farther SW. An open lane of dirt near a line of stunted trees just N of the snowbank went that way.
Whether Lupe actually crossed Mount McDougal’s official true summit somewhere along the way, or whether it might have been hidden under the snow was never clear, but the Carolina Dog did go all the way to the SW end of the summit region, where a cairn sat perched near the edge.
The cairn was hollow. SPHP wasn’t the least bit surprised to find a small upside down coffee can painted maroon inside. Beneath it, a jar with a red lid contained a pink notebook serving as a registry. As expected, the first entries were by Richard Carey and Shelley Rogers.
For a long time, Lupe relaxed while SPHP read the registry, added her name to it, then munched an apple while gazing out upon the glorious mountain vistas. The tuckered out American Dingo even rolled over on her side for a while, dozing in the warm sun.
Beef jerky and Taste of the Wild eventually revived Lupe. She then took a turn roaming about, surveying the views herself.
The plucky Carolina Dog even wandered back to the snow summit for a while, before returning to the region near the cairn for another rest.
No wind, comfortably warm, tremendous clarity, spectacular views! Could it get any better? May it always be so! Lupe lingered, as time slipped away. Exactly 2 hours after arriving, Loop stood poised on the summit cairn for the last time.
SPHP was extraordinarily concerned as Lupe headed back to the snow summit. Following footsteps and clawing her way up was one thing, but how could Loop possibly get down the wall of snow without falling?
The mere thought was sickening. Looper was going to fall! SPHP was certain of it. Only one possible solution came to mind.
SPHP fastened her leash.
Stay right here, Loop! Don’t move a muscle until I tell you to!
Trusting eyes watched SPHP slide slowly backward over the edge until the support of the kick steps was reached. Keeping a tight grip on a short section of leash, SPHP urged Lupe to start down.
Lupe fell! More than once, but the leash almost immediately halted each free fall, allowing the dangling Carolina Dog to frantically dig in, regain her balance and a precarious grip on the wall of snow.
Down, down! SPHP descended the kick steps as quickly as caution would allow. The ordeal was over and done with very quickly. Made it! Removing the leash, the American Dingo was no worse for the wear.
Oh, there was more to come during the long descent! Having braved the snow fields once, though, they didn’t seem as daunting, and the views were spectacular facing down the mountain.
The final obstacle of real concern was the near-vertical notch in the gray cliffs. Seemed even trickier going down than coming up. SPHP started down first, certain Lupe was going to need help again. However, just as SPHP managed to get past the worst spot, there was a noise. Looking up, Loopster was gone!
I’m down here, SPHP!
Looking down, the crazy American Dingo stood smiling, safe and sound, on the wide ramp below.
Are you completely nuts, Loop? How did you do that? Did you sprout Dingo wings and fly?
The answer remained Lupe’s little secret, a mystery for the ages.
One more snowfield to go, and the rest would all be easy! Lupe happily led the way. Mount McDougal (10,780 ft.) had been a fabulous day! (End 6:46 PM)
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