Palmer – The (Mostly) True Adventures of Lupe

Matanuska Peak, Chugach Range, Alaska (9-5-19)

Days 31 & 32 of Lupe’s Summer of 2019 Dingo Vacation to the Yukon & Alaska!

9-4-19, 1:45 PM, at a pullout along the Edgerton Highway –

About time, sleepyhead!

Heh, sorry about that Looper. How long have I been out?

An hour. Are you alright, SPHP?

Yes, much better, thank you. That Benadryl I took really did a number on me. Just couldn’t stay awake. Fine now. Ready to keep going?

Been ready! Onward! By the way, where are we off to, anyway?

Looks like it’s turned into a decent day again! Want to head back toward Anchorage? Take another shot at Wolverine Peak, or something else in that vicinity tomorrow? Been a few days. That hurricane ought to have died down by now. Last chance! Even if the weather stays good, won’t be too long before we really do need to leave Alaska.

Way back there again, SPHP? You sure aren’t going to win any prizes for efficient route planning! Whatever you want, though. I’m easy!

That was true, enough! As long as the Carolina Dog was on the road to adventure, she was never too particular about exactly which road that was. After the late, late return from the Root Glacier last night, an easy day spent just getting into position for the next big thing sounded good.

9-4-19, 4:31 PM, Glenn Highway, MP 123.3 – Time to stretch those Dingo legs! SPHP turned off the highway onto the road to Belanger Pass. Syncline Mountain (5,471 ft.) was in sight, looking beautiful out in the clear! Not smoky at all now like it had been when Lupe climbed it more than 2 weeks ago. That had been a fun day!

**Syncline Mountain** is looking great! Want to climb it again, SPHP? Photo looks NW.

Unfortunately, early afternoon’s sunshine had disappeared. Clouding up. Maybe heading back W had been the wrong thing to do? Wouldn’t be the first time.

W of Gunsight Mountain (6,441 ft.), the G6 ran into rain showers. By the time Lupe was in Palmer, the showers were over and done with. Merely partly cloudy here. Still, maybe Palmer was far enough? Why go clear to Anchorage, when the weather was iffy? Just more wasted miles, if tomorrow was a no-go. Besides, if it turned out to be a really nice day, maybe Loop could take a shot at Matanuska Peak (6,093 ft.) right here in Palmer?

9-5-19, 9:41 AM, Palmer, Huntley Road at the Lazy Mountain trailhead –

Doh!

What’s wrong, SPHP?

Nothing really, Looper. Just that I should have looked at the map before paying the parking fee is all. We’re at the wrong trailhead! Could have saved ourselves a mile on the Morgan Horse trail if we had parked at the end of Smith Road instead.

One measly mile won’t make much difference, will it?

No, except that Matanuska Peak is a huge climb. 5,400 ft. of elevation gain without counting any dips! We might not feel like doing this extra mile again on the way back.

Oh, piddle! Come on, let’s go!

Trail map posted at the **Lazy Mountain trailhead** in Palmer.

Start of the **Morgan Horse trail** at the Lazy Mountain trailhead. Photo looks SE.

The Morgan Horse trail left the Lazy Mountain trailhead winding SE through a forest full of Devil’s club. Minor ups and downs, but nothing serious. Little or no net elevation change. The morning was clear and bright, which had been key for the decision to stay here in Palmer to climb lofty Matanuska Peak (6,093 ft.), no trivial romp even by American Dingo standards.

Numbered brown wands appeared along the trail at regular intervals. The numbers apparently corresponded to distance in feet from the trailhead. The Carolina Dog saw few signs that horses ever actually used the Morgan Horse trail. Early on, she caught sight of the lower SW side of Lazy Mountain (3,740 ft.), the last Alaskan peak she’d climbed in 2016.

Lower part of **Lazy Mountain** (Center) from the **Morgan Horse trail**. Photo looks NE.

The Morgan Horse trail was easy going. Shady and comfortably cool!

After a mile, the trail turned S and became arrow straight. Off to the W (R), private homes could be glimpsed through the trees. Shortly after passing the 6,000 foot marker, Lupe came to an intersection with the McRoberts Creek trail, a nicely graveled jeep-sized road that went E/W.

The Morgan Horse trail continued S, but Looper turned E. This junction must have been about 700 feet W of the Smith Road trailhead. The first wand she came to after making the L turn onto the McRoberts Creek trail was numbered 800.

The McRoberts Creek trail was an uphill march, but the American Dingo didn’t stick with it very far at all. Soon a Matanuska Peak sign appeared next to a single track trail veering off to the L. The 1400 foot wand was in sight just a little beyond the sign.

Looper at the start of the **Matanuska Peak trail**. Photo looks ENE.

The Matanuska Peak trail climbed aggressively! Gradually it became a little easier. Lupe even came to a couple of tiny dips. Overall, though, this first portion of the trail was just plain steep. SPHP often paused to catch breath at the wands appearing at 200 foot intervals.

Approaching the 4,000 marker, the trail finally leveled out. Still 3 miles due E, Matanuska Peak (6,093 ft.) was in sight for the first time.

**Matanuska Peak** (Center) from the 4,000 foot wand. Photo looks E.

A nice level stretch between the 4,000 and 4,800 foot wands provided a welcome respite. The trail then climbed at an easier pace to about the 5,400 wand, where it steepened again. The sky had been crystal clear early this morning, but clouds were now starting to form. Felt humid, so that unfortunate trend might well continue. Definitely a concern, but Lupe carried on.

After another long, steep climb, an opening appeared in the forest along a short level stretch near the 7,000 foot wand. Lupe had a clear view of Bodenburg Butte (886 ft.) and the Matanuska River off to the SW. The top of Pioneer Peak (6,398 ft.) was already in the clouds.

**Bodenburg Butte** (Center) looks pretty small from the Matanuska Peak trail! **Pioneer Peak** (L). **Matanuska River** (R). Photo looks SW.

The climb resumed. Approaching the 8,400 foot marker, it looked like the trail was about to level out again. It did, but only as far as the 8,600 wand, beyond which there was a dip quickly followed by yet another steep stretch.

*Come on, SPHP! You can do it! Looks like the trail is about to level out.*

**Matanuska Peak** (Center) from the dip beyond the 8,600 foot marker. Photo looks E.

Shortly after passing the 9,200 marker, the Matanuska Peak trail topped out. Although Loopster was still far from Matanuska Peak, this was an intermediate high point as far as the trail was concerned. From here, a gradual descent began. The trail turned N along a ravine, then sharply SSE after crossing a tiny stream near the 10,800 wand. Shortly before reaching the 11,200 wand, Lupe had a clear view of the valley to the SE ahead.

At the intermediate high point of the Matanuska Peak trail a little beyond the 9,200 foot marker. **Peak** **4199** (straight up from Lupe). Photo looks NE.

**McRoberts Creek drainage** (foreground), **Pioneer Peak** (Center), and **Bodenburg Butte** (R) from close to the 9,600 wand. Photo looks S.

**Upper McRoberts Creek drainage** (Center) and **Matanuska Peak** (L) from the 11,200 foot wand. Photo looks SE.

By now, the top of Matanuska Peak was in the clouds. Not good, but there was still hope. Plenty of blue sky in some directions, and most of the mountain remained out in the clear. Progress was a lot faster as Lupe trotted along a gentle downhill slope.

This was gorgeous territory! Fields of pink fireweed and deep green bushes dominated the broad slopes ahead. Keeping watch over them were the light gray summits of a row of minor peaks.

Fields of fireweed decorated the slopes on this easy stretch of the Matanuska Peak trail. **Peak 4199** (Center). Photo looks NE.

At the 11,900 foot wand, a very faint trail joined in from the N. Perhaps it came from Lazy Mountain (3,740 ft.)? No signage, except a second wand also at this same spot. The second wand was numbered 14,000 and said “Trail” at the top. 5 minutes after passing these markers, Lupe actually could see Lazy Mountain back to the NW.

At the double wanded junction where an almost imperceptible trail came in from the N. Photo looks ENE.

**Lazy Mountain** (R in sunlight) comes into view. Photo looks NW.

**Lazy Mountain** with help from the telephoto lens. Photo looks NW.

A glance down the **McRoberts Creek valley**. **Pioneer Peak** (L) and **Bodenburg Butte** (Center) both only partially in view now. **Matanuska River** (R). Photo looks SW.

The super easy stretch was over. Shortly after passing this junction, the Matanuska Peak trail bottomed out. Lupe was going uphill again when she came to a couple of oddities. The first was a 13,950 foot wand, also marked “Trail” at the top. Perhaps the wand numbering system used earlier had ended? Seemed strange that this next wand was a lower number than the one before it.

Ahead, an orange flag atop a metal tripod stuck up above the fireweed N of the trail. Perhaps it would reveal something?

At the 13,950 wand. Orange flag (L). **Matanuska Peak** (R). Photo looks E.

Upon arriving at the orange flag, no significance could be discerned. No trail junction, no signs, no structures, not even a pile of rocks. Huh. Mysterious.

**Lazy Mountain** (Center) from the mysterious orange flag. Photo looks NW.

Oh, well! Lupe continued on. At a 14,750 marker, the trail entered a thicket of tall bushes. This was a low spot, some minor drainage. The American Dingo was soon through the thicket, and climbing up onto a little ridge.

The scene ahead was incredible! Brilliant fall colors painted the slopes. Beyond them loomed the dark summit of Matanuska Peak.

Up on the small ridge. **Matanuska Peak** (L of Center). Photo looks ESE.

The trail followed the little ridge steadily higher. This ridge eventually vanished as it merged into a larger slope. Lupe was heading SE toward a bench at the base of Matanuska Peak.

The trail heads for the flat bench seen above and to the L of Lupe at the base of the long slope leading up **Matanuska Peak** (L). Photo looks SE.

Other than a couple of dips crossing minor drainages, the trail climbed steadily. The second dip came at the 18,980 foot wand. At about 19,500, Lupe passed a ruined wreck of a picnic table. Beyond wand 19,600, the word “Trail” once again started appearing at the top of all the wands Loop was coming to, with a corresponding jump in numbers.

At wand 22,200, a much larger dry wash was just ahead. On the far (SE) side of this ravine was a ridge connected to the towering slope leading to the summit of Matanuska Peak. The trail went down into the ravine, climbed a little way within it, then wound up a short steep slope on the other side to reach the ridgeline.

Looking back from the 22,200 wand. **Lazy Mountain** (Center). Photo looks NW.

Approaching the 3rd dry wash. This one was by far the largest. Photo looks SE.

Down in the big ravine. Photo looks ENE.

Heading up the dry wash. The trail is about to climb up onto the ridge on the R. Photo looks ENE.

Shortly after climbing out of the ravine, Lupe came to a pile of white rocks not far from wand 22800. She was now about as high as Lazy Mountain. This seemed like a good spot for a longer breather.

**Lazy Mountain** (Center) from close to wand 22,800. Photo looks NW with help from the telephoto lens.

Clouds had been building and spreading all day. However, toward the end of SPHP’s rest break, they suddenly shifted. The top of Matanuska Peak was in sight for the first time in quite a while! A good omen!

**Matanuska Peak** (L) emerges from the clouds. Photo looks ENE.

**Summit of Matanuska Peak**. Photo looks NE with help from the telephoto lens.

Heh. A brief omen. Within minutes, the summit vanished again. In fact, much of the mountain disappeared as an even larger cloud swept in and devoured most of Matanuska Peak one gulp. Bad omen? Yeah, sort of. The weather still didn’t seem threatening, but if Lupe did manage to get all the way to the top of Matanuska Peak, it would sure be nice to be able to see something.

At the moment, Lupe wasn’t the least bit worried about that. High up on the far side of the big ravine she had just crossed, Loop saw something just below the fog of even more interest than the summit. Dahl sheep! 2 of them. No, make that 3! The Carolina Dog whined excitedly! These sheep were way too far away for any interaction. Nevertheless, Lupe kept a keen eye on them as she resumed her ascent.

Gazing at Dahl sheep way up on the far (L) side of the ravine. Photo looks ENE.

The fascinating **Dahl sheep** with help from the telephoto lens.

Lupe hadn’t seen anyone else for a long time now, but suddenly a voice was heard. Someone who had the lungs to chat on a cell phone while climbing mountains was coming up! A young man in superb condition soon overtook SPHP. He paused from his busy social life long enough for a brief chat, then disappeared into the fog now only slightly higher, still powering his way up the mountain.

By the time the young man had overtaken SPHP, a steepish short climb after the rest break had brought the American Dingo to a gently sloping bench, the last relatively flat area Lupe would come to. She had already come a long way, gaining over 3,000 feet of elevation in the process. Yet the real climb was just about to begin. One more mile, and in that mile, another 2,300 vertical feet to go! Perhaps it was a good thing clouds cloaked the enormous, steep slope ahead.

Onward! Puppy, ho!

And with that, Lupe started up into the fog.

On the relatively level bench at the bottom of Matanuska Peak’s SW slope. Photo looks ESE.

Part of the **upper end of the McRoberts Creek drainage**. The trail comes up along the R edge of this photo. Photo looks W.

The trail was good. Packed dirt with some scree. Looper climbed and climbed. Already tired, SPHP was super slow. Many breathers to gasp for air. Vegetation faded. Fewer wands. The endless slope got rockier and rockier. In the fog it was impossible to tell how much farther Loop still had to go, or how much progress she had made.

The slope was almost featureless. No big rock formations or cliffs. The angle of attack was gradually getting even steeper, but without readily discernable inflection points. Staring back down into the foggy abyss was a bit unnerving. Matanuska Peak was so steep!

Gritty sand disappeared. The trail became nothing but rocks covered with black lichens. Then the trail itself all but disappeared. SPHP kept losing it. There seemed to be many trails. Rocks that had been disturbed were lighter colored, and showed that at least a few others had come this way before. Wands were becoming scarce. Now and then Lupe saw unmarked wooden posts.

Approaching a couple of rare minor rock formations. Photo looks NE.

SPHP was surprised when the young man reappeared. It had been so long since Lupe had seen him, SPHP had assumed he must have taken a different route down. Sven had made it to the top. How much farther? Oh, not far, 0.5 mile or so. Another 0.5 mile of this? That was a long, long way! Sven offered encouragement. Only another 45 minutes at your current pace.

Sven was super friendly. He stayed and chatted cheerily much longer this time. Sven even suggested climbing another mountain together. Why not? Contact information exchanged, off he went.

45 minutes later, Lupe was still climbing.

The giant scramble continued, but things were starting to change. The broad slope Loopster was on was getting skinnier. The fog brightened. Clouds developed a bluish tinge. Suddenly, blue sky!

Soon it was possible to see! No sign of the top yet, but it couldn’t be too much farther, could it? Lupe reached a 29,200 wand.

At the 29,200 wand, the highest numbered wand Lupe came to during her ascent. Photo looks NE.

The next wand said 27,400. Sheesh! The scramble continued. A sense of excitement was growing. Big clouds in lots of directions, but it was easy enough to see that the Carolina Dog really was getting close. Talus slopes were narrowing fast.

No more wands. 27,400 was the last one. Suddenly it was over! Sure, the slope Lupe had come up was plenty steep, but the other side of Matanuska Peak was a precipice! A gray, craggy finger pointed N into thin air.

The craggy finger toward the lower W end of the summit region. Photo looks W.

Lupe passed an American flag wrapped around a horizontal aluminum pole. She had come up near the W end of a small summit region. The collection of boulders at the highest point off to the E was already close at paw. The tiptop boulder was an airy spot, but the American Dingo easily leapt up onto it.

No cairn, no registry. Lupe found only this American flag up on **Matanuska Peak**. Photo looks NW.

9-5-19, 5:42 PM, true summit of Matanuska Peak – Blue sky, but lots of clouds, too. From the summit boulder, Lupe had stunning cloud-broken views off to the N and E. Virtually nothing could be seen to the S or W, except for a towering cloud threatening to engulf the whole mountain. At unpredictable intervals, fog swirled by on a light, variable breeze.

Not at all stormy, but the early evening sunshine Lupe was enjoying might end at any moment. Better take a good look around, while the Luck of the Dingo held!

**Wolverine Creek valley** (L). A spire along **Matanuska Peak’s E ridge** is visible above Lupe’s back. Photo looks ENE.

The **E ridge spire** (Center). Photo looks ENE with help from the telephoto lens.

Matanuska Peak’s E ridge eventually curves N. This lower portion is the light-colored ridge in the foreground. The **Wolverine Creek valley** lies beyond it. Photo looks N.

A momentary glimpse down **Matanuska Peak’s S ridge** (L). Photo looks S.

Hideous cliffs were just to the N. Spires of dark rock were only a little lower along a short NW ridge. The snaky E ridge was thin and jagged. Not the scariest summit Looper had ever been to, but SPHP nervously cautioned the Carolina Dog not to move around too much. A small patch of dirt provided a comfortable spot where she could relax without being on the verge of some precipice.

Far to the ESE, a series of higher peaks strung out along a distant ridge was always at least partially enveloped by clouds. Sometimes glaciers were visible over that way. SPHP kept hoping for that ridge to clear, but it never did.

**Frontier Peak (6,250 ft.)** (R of Center). Glaciers were visible now and then along the distant ridge on the L. Photo looks SE from **Matanuska Peak’s true summit**.

Zoomed in a bit on the high ridges toward the ESE.

As the clouds shift, the glaciers come into view, especially toward the L. Photo looks ESE with even more help from the telephoto lens.

At first, Lupe was often in sunshine. That changed. Increasingly, her time was spent in shadow, but Matanuska Peak was so grand that all thoughts of leaving were banished as long as possible.

Bathed in sunshine at the **true summit**. Photo looks SE.

Hoped for glimpses of Lazy Mountain, Palmer, the Matanuska River and other points to the W or SW never materialized. A couple of times it looked like they might, but those hopes were always quickly dashed.

A temporarily promising moment. Photo looks WSW.

35 minutes after Lupe reached the summit, clouds came boiling up from the SW. Even the views to the N and E were closing off. The Luck of the Dingo was running out.

A glimpse of the distant **Talkeetna Range** as the clouds close in. Photo looks NNW.

Matanuska Peak had treated Lupe kindly. The Carolina Dog had been fortunate to see anything other than fog up here. Getting late, anyway. It was a long way back, and SPHP would be every bit as slow during the tremendously steep descent as coming up had been.

As the clouds swept in, Lupe returned to the boulder at the true summit. Her final moments atop mighty Matanuska Peak (6,093 ft.) had arrived.

Gazing down the SW slope (R) Lupe would soon have to descend. Photo looks S.

A pensive American Dingo atop **Matanuska Peak**. *It’s gonna take SPHP forever to get off this monster!*

45 minutes at the summit was all she wrote. Lupe began her descent. Down, down through the fog! Excruciatingly slow, but it all went well. By the time Loopster emerged from the murk, she was already close to the flattish bench at the bottom end of the SW slope. The sun had stayed up only long enough to say good-bye. Lupe didn’t even get to the big dry wash before it was gone.

Dusk deepened while traveling the little ridge. A few stars appeared. For a while, lights of Palmer could be seen. Then it was into the black forest. Still miles to go. SPHP sang to ward off bears or moose. Proven 100% effective yet again! Exhaustion. Sore paws. The dreary extra mile long hobble along the Morgan Horse trail finally came to an end.

Matanuska Peak! What a stupendous day! (9-6-19, 12:34 AM)

**Matanuska Peak**, Chugach Mountains, Alaska 9-5-19

Links:

Next Adventure Prior Adventure

Lazy Mountain, Chugach Range, Alaska 9-1-16

Bodenburg Butte near Palmer, Alaska 9-1-17

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Bodenburg Butte near Palmer, Alaska (9-1-17)

Part 2 of Day 33 of Lupe’s 2017 Dingo Vacation to the Yukon & Alaska!

The drive out of the Kenai Peninsula was lovely, but frustrating. Due to uncooperative weather, Lupe was leaving most of the great adventures she’d had planned here undone. Yet SPHP sensed that maybe conditions were actually starting to improve? Even as the Carolina Dog rode in comfort through a series of rain showers, she could always see patches of blue sky out the window of the G6, too.

The decision had been made, though. Lupe was leaving the rainy Kenai Peninsula. Loopster had limited time left for adventures on this Dingo Vacation. SPHP wasn’t willing to hang around the S Alaska coast any longer on no more than mere hope for a sunny day. No matter where Lupe had gone, she had faced rain virtually every day in Alaska. Seemingly bright prospects had been dashed too many times already.

After exiting the Kenai Peninsula, the drive along the Turnagain Arm was spectacularly beautiful. Rays of sunlight streamed dramatically through holes in the cloud cover to illuminate the sea. However, it was raining again by the time Lupe reached Anchorage.

Beyond Anchorage, the rain ended. The pavement on Glen Highway No. 1 was actually dry. Lupe was only going as far as Palmer this evening, and would arrive with several hours of daylight left. SPHP tried to think of something Loopster might be able to do in these few hours. Suddenly an answer sprang to mind. Why Bodenburg Butte (886 ft.), of course! It would be perfect!

SPHP took the exit for Old Glen Highway. A L turn onto Bodenburg Loop Road appeared 3 miles after crossing the bridge over the Knik River. 0.5 mile farther on the R was a gravel parking lot on the S side of Bodenburg Butte. A big, faded wooden sign confirmed that the American Dingo had arrived at the Bodenburg Butte trailhead.

0.5 mile W on Bodenburg Loop Road off Old Glen Highway SE of Palmer, this sign by a gravel parking lot confirmed that Lupe had reached the trailhead for Bodenburg Butte.

A wide, well-worn trail left the parking lot climbing aggressively through forest. Lupe and SPHP started up. (7:15 PM, 52°F) At this rate of climb, it wasn’t going to take long to gain the 770 feet of elevation necessary to reach the top.

Situated several miles SE of Palmer, Bodenburg Butte is a lone hill on otherwise flat ground near the junction of two broad river valleys. A few miles to the SW is the convoluted confluence of the Matanuska and Knik rivers. Bodenburg Butte is a mere bump compared to peaks of the nearby Chugach and Talkeetna Mountains, but was expected to provide Lupe some great views of the two rivers, surrounding mountains, and perhaps even the Knik Arm of the North Pacific Ocean off Cook Inlet.

The trail remained quite steep nearly the entire way. Bodenburg Butte is a locally popular hike. While pausing to catch breath, SPHP visited briefly with several people on their way down. When Lupe was more than halfway to the top, she emerged from the forest. The trail became braided here, offering Looper several paths to choose from. Which path she took hardly mattered. They were all going to the same place.

At the top of Bodenburg Butte, Lupe found a ridge of solid rock. This summit ridge looked like it had been scoured by glaciers once upon a time. In fact, Loop could still see the toe of the likely culprit to the SE.

Lupe reaches the summit of **Bodenburg Butte**. Photo looks W.

Looking up the **Knik River valley**. The **toe of the Knik Glacier** (Center) is seen at the far end of the valley. Photo looks SE.

Lupe checks out the view of the **Knik River valley** from **Bodenburg Butte**.

Zoomed in on the **toe of the Knik Glacier**.

Lupe instantly saw why the hike up Bodenburg Butte is popular. For the amount of effort expended to get to the summit, the visual rewards were fantastic. Looper had splendid views in all directions!

Wearing a wispy veil of clouds, Pioneer Peak (6,396 ft.) in the Western Chugach Mountains was the closest high peak. Between Bodenburg Butte and Pioneer Peak, Lupe gazed down upon forests and green fields in the Knik River valley.

**Pioneer Peak** (L) beyond the forests and green fields of the **Knik River valley**. Photo looks S.

Loop on **Bodenburg Butte** with **Pioneer Peak** wearing a wispy veil of clouds beyond her. Photo looks S with help from the telephoto lens.

Farther up the Knik River valley, Lupe saw what SPHP presumed were Hale-Bopp Peak (5,800 ft.) and Big Timber Peak (6,772 ft.).

SPHP believes the bare peak seen straight up from Lupe’s head is **Hale-Bopp Peak**. The higher white peak just to the R of Hale-Bopp is likely **Big Timber Peak**. The Knik River and toe of the Knik Glacier are on the L. Photo looks SE.

Another look with help from the telephoto lens. **Hale-Bopp Peak** is the bare peak on the L. The first white peak to the R of Hale-Bopp is **Big Timber Peak**. The even higher white mountain at Center is **Devils Club Peak (7,240 ft.)**.

To the W, the Matanuska River was in view. The Matanuska flows SW to join the Knik River shortly before reaching the Knik Arm of the North Pacific Ocean off Cook Inlet. The confluence of the two rivers was difficult to pick out, but Lupe could clearly see the Knik Arm.

Looking W toward the **Matanuska River**.

Another look at the **Matanuska River** with help from the telephoto lens. Photo looks W.

The **Matanuska River** (R) flows SW towards its confluence with the **Knik River** (L). The combined river then flows into the **Knik Arm** of the **North Pacific Ocean** (far R). Photo looks SW.

Another look with help from the telephoto lens. The **Matanuska River** is seen in the foreground, with the **Knik Arm** (L) beyond it. Photo looks SW.

Lupe could see the Talkeetna Mountains to the N and NW, where she had recently climbed Hatch Benchmark (4,811 ft.) and taken the Reed Lakes trail to Lynx Peak (6,536 ft.). The sky was quite cloudy in that direction, so the Talkeetnas didn’t show up as well this evening as the closer Chugach Mountains to the E.

Plumley Road (R) heads E from its intersection with Old Glen Highway toward the **Chugach Mountains**. Photo looks E.

The top of Bodenburg Butte included a fairly large area. Although Lupe had met people coming down on her way up, no one else was on top of Bodenburg Butte when Lupe arrived. An empty bench sat near a trail a little W of the true summit.

The top of **Bodenburg Butte** from the summit. A bench is seen beyond Lupe. Photo looks WNW.

The sun hadn’t set quite yet, but the sky was cloudy enough so the light was already beginning to fade. The trail to the bench continued W beyond it, and apparently went down from over there.

Lupe lingers at the summit of **Bodenburg Butte**. With all the clouds around, the light was already fading. Soon it would be time to go. Photo looks W.

Why not try an alternate route down? When Lupe and SPHP were done enjoying the views, the Carolina Dog proceeded over to the bench to see if the trail really did go down the W side of Bodenburg Butte from here?

Looking back at the true summit from the trail W of the bench. Photo looks ESE.

It did! In fact, the trail going down the W side of Bodenburg Butte was far better than the steep route Lupe had taken up from the S. The W route had steps where the trail was steepest and a cable railing. This was going to be easy!

The trail down the W side of Bodenburg Butte was far more developed than the steep dirt path Lupe had taken up the S side.

SPHP expected the W trail to loop back toward the S. It didn’t. Instead, it eventually turned N. The American Dingo arrived at a 2nd trailhead N of Bodenburg Butte. This one had a much larger parking lot.

Map of the W trail up Bodenburg Butte posted at the N trailhead. Directions on this map are reversed. N is down, and W is R.

Lupe had made it down, but was now on the wrong side of Bodenburg Butte. She had to follow roads circling around the E side of the butte to get back to the S trailhead. This added more than 2 miles to the return trip, making it a far longer loop than SPHP had envisioned. It was dark when Lupe finally arrived at the G6. (10:31 PM, 51°F)

Other than the assistant manager, who was in the process of getting ready to close, no one else was at Subway in Palmer when SPHP showed up at 10:55 PM. SPHP purchased a footlong sandwich, and was about to leave when the assistant manager offered SPHP unsold cookies that were about to be thrown out. For free! The price was certainly right. Sure, why not?

To Loopster’s delight, SPHP returned with a dozen large cookies. The Carolina Dog’s evening ended with an unexpected Subway cookie feast. A different kind of adventure, but a delicious one!

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Lazy Mountain, Chugach Range, Alaska (9-1-16)

Day 34 of Lupe’s Summer of 2016 Dingo Vacation to the Canadian Rockies, Yukon & Alaska

Pepper Peak (5,381 ft.) had been a stupendous day and a glorious summit, but Lupe and SPHP hadn’t really recovered yet from yesterday’s huge 4,500 feet of elevation gain. No matter. Feeling it or not, Lupe was climbing one more mountain today. The calendar now said September. After 3 fabulous, unforgettable weeks in Alaska, this was the American Dingo’s last full day in the Land of the Midnight Sun.

Lazy Mountain (3,740 ft.) was destined to be the last peak Lupe and SPHP would climb together in Alaska in 2016, or maybe forever. Tired or not, it was time to begin (9:55 AM, 48°F). At least Lupe had another clear, bright day. She was guaranteed some great views of Palmer, the Matanuska River valley all the way to the Knik Arm off Cook Inlet, and mountains in all directions.

Right away, Lupe had a choice to make. Two trails diverge near the trailhead parking lot. They both go about halfway up Lazy Mountain to where they meet again near a picnic table situated on a point with a view. A single combined trail goes the rest of the way to the summit. The old Lazy Mountain approach was supposed to be the steepest. The newer Lazy Moose trail is an easier climb, but winds around a bunch on switchbacks that add considerable distance.

Even though energy levels were low, Lupe and SPHP started straight up the Lazy Mountain trail. The reports were no joke. The trail started out steep. It didn’t stay that way long. It soon got steeper, and then stayed that way. Whoever named Lazy Mountain must have realized what they were in for, and decided they were too lazy to even attempt it. Otherwise, the name makes no sense at all.

As usual in most of Lupe’s Alaskan trail experiences, the Lazy Mountain trail started in a forest. Gradually the forest thinned, and tall bushes started to dominate. The forest had thinned out considerably, by the time Lupe reached the picnic table near the intersection with the Lazy Moose trail. It had been a long, hard climb with frequent rest breaks, but Lupe was halfway up the 3,000 feet of elevation gain needed to reach the summit.

At the picnic table, SPHP chatted for a little while with a guy who came running (yes, running!) up the same Lazy Mountain trail Lupe and SPHP had just staggered up. He said he lives in Palmer, and runs this far up Lazy Mountain 3 times a week. He plays in a Christian music band, and was very surprised to hear that Lupe lives in South Dakota.

Why he was flying to Sioux Falls, SD tomorrow to play in a big concert there! He had been with his band to South Dakota many times, including Pine Ridge and Lupe’s Black Hills. South Dakota was a hot spot for his kind of music. He wished Lupe and SPHP well, before running off down the longer Lazy Moose trail.

Small world. Sort of. Lupe still had another 1,500 feet of mountain climbing left to do in Alaska. Somehow it still loomed large, not small. Lupe’s trek resumed. Still steep, but perhaps not quite as steep as before. Tall bushes dominated, but most of the trees were gone. On and on. Up and up, for a while longer.

Finally, Lupe was past the bushes. She was up in the tundra zone. Some places were devoid even of the tough, beautiful, little tundra plants. Bare dirt and small rocks were exposed. Lupe had made a lot of progress up the mountain by now. For a while, the trail leveled out. There was even a completely flat section! A high point that might be the summit was in view ahead.

Getting there! Lupe climbing Lazy Mountain. She’s already up above tree line here. Only scattered clumps of bushes and tundra remain. Photo looks NE.

For a while, SPHP wasn’t sure which high point might be the true summit of Lazy Mountain. It turned out to be the one on the L that the trail is heading for. Photo looks NE.

The trail soon started climbing again, but never as steeply as earlier on. Below a ridge, Lupe passed a second picnic table. The built-in benches were in good shape, but nearly all the boards forming the table part were missing. Lupe did not stop. She kept on going. Her final climb in Alaska was dead ahead.

Lupe on her final climb in Alaska. The top of Lazy Mountain is in view only a short way ahead. Photo looks NE.

Lupe gained the summit ridge. It wasn’t terribly long, maybe 100 feet. At the far NE end, was a smaller ridge of solid lumpy-looking rock. The true summit of Lazy Mountain was perched at the far end of the little ridge, perhaps an extra 20 feet above the main ridge.

Lupe rests in the shade at the base of the lumpy rock ridge at the far NE end of Lazy Mountain’s main summit ridge. Matanuska Peak is the high point in the background. Photo looks SE.

Lupe scrambled up to the highest point at the far end of the lumpy rock ridge. She was done mountain climbing in Alaska! This was it, the true summit of Lazy Mountain (3,740 ft.)!

Lupe perched at the true summit of Lazy Mountain, having just completed all of her mountain climbing in Alaska in 2016. Photo looks NNE.

Lupe could not be persuaded to stay up at the highest point on Lazy Mountain when SPHP tried to back down off the lumpy ridge for a more distant shot of her at the summit. There was quite a bit of exposure up there, and not a lot of room to maneuver.

It was OK, she had made it to the top for a good close up. Not to mention all the many other dramatic peaks she had climbed on her Summer of 2016 Dingo Vacation! If the Carolina Dog felt better a little lower down, she had certainly earned a reprieve from posing at the top of precipices.

Lupe on the lumpy rock ridge. The true summit of Lazy Mountain is on the L. Lupe couldn’t be persuaded to remain at the high point long enough for SPHP to scramble back down for a more distant photo of her up there. The high point had a lot of exposure and not a lot of room. Photo looks ENE.

Matanuska Peak from Lazy Mountain. Photo looks SE.

Mountain climbing in Alaska was over. Time to take a look around at what Lupe could see from her last Alaskan mountain. Unlike most of the mountains Loop had climbed, where the most impressive views were of other mountains, Lazy Mountain’s most dramatic views were down toward the Matanuska River valley.

More than 3,000 feet below Lazy Mountain, the braided confluence of the Matanuska River and Knik River could be seen to the SW near the start of the Knik Arm of the North Pacific Ocean off Cook Inlet. Bodenburg Butte (886 ft.) rising more than 600 feet above immediately surrounding terrain, looked like a little hill.

The Matanuska River (Center) flows toward the Knik River (L). They have a braided confluence near the Knik Arm seen on the upper R. Bodenburg Butte(L) looks like a little hill from Lazy Mountain. Photo looks SW.

The most dramatic mountains Lupe could see from Lazy Mountain were very far away to WSW, in the direction of Mount Susitna (4,396 ft.), also known as Sleeping Lady. (The Legend of Sleeping Lady) Well beyond Mount Susitna were impressive white mountains on the edge of vision.

Mount Susitna (Sleeping Lady) is the long blue ridge, subject of a local legend. Photo looks WSW from Lazy Mountain using the telephoto lens.

High, white mountains could be seen faintly very far away beyond Mount Susitna. Photo looks W using the telephoto lens.

Considerably closer, it was possible to see several smaller peaks with snow and ice on them in other directions.

Unknown peak with snow in view from Lazy Mountain. Taken using the telephoto lens.

Matanuska Peak (6,093 ft.) to the SE was easily the most impressive of the nearby mountains.

Matanuska Peak (L) was easily the most impressive of the mountains nearby. Photo looks SE.

Matanuska Peak through the telephoto lens.

Even including the larger summit ridge, and not just the small, final lumpy rock part leading to the true summit, there wasn’t much exploring to be done up on Lazy Mountain. Lupe could see virtually the entire summit area at a glance. However, there was plenty of room to move around some from one end to the other, gaining slightly different vantage points.

Except for the highest lumpy rock part where the true summit is, most of Lazy Mountain’s summit area is in view here. The town of Palmer is below, mostly on the far side of the Matanuska River. Mount Susitna can be made out on the far horizon. Part of the Talkeetna Range is seen on the R. Photo looks W.

Lupe found a shady spot close to the lumpy rock ridge where she could doze a bit. SPHP relaxed gazing off first in one direction, then another, seeing dazzlingly beautiful Alaska, possibly for the last time, from the top of a mountain Lupe had climbed.

Lupe dozes a little below the true summit. Photo looks NE.

Lupe stayed up on Lazy Mountain for 45 minutes. The time came to start thinking about moving on. Despite the rigors of the steep trail up, the perfect day and wonderful views at the top had made Lupe’s final climb in Alaska a lovely, memorable experience. Now only the return trip down the mountain remained.

Looking down on the town of Palmer, situated mostly on the far side of the Matanuska River. Photo looks WSW.

The Matanuska flows away toward the Knik Arm. Photo looks SW.

Starting down the trail. Several peaks of interest are seen along the far ridge. Straight up from Bodenburg Butte, the little hill in the valley at (Center), are 3 dark wavy peaks. The two on the L are **East Twin Peak (5,840 ft.)**(L) and **West Twin Peak (5,472 ft.)**(R). To their L across a gentle saddle is a seemingly unimpressive hill in sunlight. That hill is actually **Pepper Peak (5,381 ft.)** where Lupe had such a tremendous adventure only a day earlier. The high point of the dark peaks to the L of Pepper Peak is **Pioneer Peak (6,398 ft.)**. Photo looks SW.

When Lupe got down close to the first picnic table, she took the Lazy Moose trail instead of the Lazy Mountain trail. The Lazy Moose trail was considerably longer, but not nearly so steep. The trail had markers along it, which seemed to represent feet traveled along the trail, starting from the lower end.

The first marker Lupe came to said 15,800, implying that Lupe was about 3 miles from the trailhead. The markers were about 1,000 feet apart on the higher part of the trail. Lower down, they were consistently 200 feet apart. The Lazy Moose trail had lots of switchbacks and general winding around. The markers told the story of Lupe’s progress down her last Alaskan mountain.

Lupe enjoyed trotting and sniffing along the easier trail. Late afternoon on the first day of September was comfortably sunny and warm. Lupe led SPHP down Lazy Mountain, exploring for only a little longer the fabled Land of the Midnight Sun (4:23 PM, 72°F).

Loop on the Lazy Moose trail, Lazy Mountain, Chugach Range, Alaska.

Directions to the Lazy Mountain Recreation Area trailhead: From the Glenn Hwy in Palmer, go E on Arctic Road (Old Glenn Highway) for 2.5 miles. Take a L on Clark-Wolverine Road, 0.5 mile after crossing the Matanuska River. Proceed 0.5 mile to a T intersection. Take a R on Huntley Road, following it to the end. Stay to the R going down to the trailhead parking lot.

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Matanuska Peak, Chugach Range, Alaska (9-5-19)

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