8:29 AM, 33ºF, Centennial Trail No. 89, Brush Creek trailhead –
Been awhile since we’ve been here, SPHP!
Yes, it has, Looper. We’re back because there’s a Lists of John peak that we’ve never visited before real close by. About time we had a look at it!
Oh, are we still doing the Lists of John mini-blitz?
Absolutely! That’s why we’re out in the hills again so soon – to let you work on your upcoming accomplishment! Onward! Puppy, ho!
Fabulous! Which way, though, SPHP?
S on Centennial Trail No. 89, Loop.
The trail started out among some aspens by Brush Creek, which was a mere trickle near the trailhead, and totally underground by the time the Carolina Dog had gone 100 feet. A steepish climb along a couple of short switchbacks, and the aspens were left behind, too. Centennial Trail No. 89 then led gradually up a pine-forested valley.
0.33 mile from the trailhead, Loopster reached a saddle where the trail crossed Victoria Lake Road (USFS Road No. 159). Abandoning the trail, Lupe took the road NE. It soon curved SE, and reached a high point.
OK, Loop! We’re pretty close already. All we have to do is climb the ridge N of us. Once we’re up there, the high point should be toward the NW end.
Leaving the road, Lupe headed NE toward the lowest part of the ridge.
Upon reaching the ridge, Lupe turned NW. A short climb past small rock formations led to a narrower part of the ridgeline where the terrain was almost level. The forest up here was thick enough to effectively hide the views, so there wasn’t much to do except start tagging all the minor highpoints along the way. No doubt one of them would prove to be the true summit.
Almost immediately after passing the first high point, Lupe came to a hollow cairn. Beyond it, a pile of slash covered most of the ridgeline. A second high point was just past the slash.
The true summit was only a little farther. 250 feet from the cairn, Lupe came to a lichen-covered rock near the NW end of the ridge that was a little higher than the others around it.
9:21 AM, 40ºF –
Congratulations, Loopster! You have just climbed Peak 5180!
This is the top, already? Sure was easy, SPHP!
Not every peak has to be an ordeal, Loop.
Oh, I’m not complaining, SPHP! Just a little surprised. Guess it means we’re off to a good start on the Lists of John mini-blitz today, doesn’t it?
Yes, indeed! Of course, no guarantees on what the next peak might be like. We got off to a good start on Expedition No. 289, too, but then got bogged down on the second peak, remember?
I do! Seems like only yesterday! Or the day before.
That’s because it was the day before yesterday, Looper.
A break was taken at Peak 5180’s summit. No views due to the forest, and too soon to justify the demise of a chocolate coconut bar, so it was a short one. 10 minutes, and the American Dingo was ready to press on.
Returning by the same route, the highlight of the entire Peak 5180 trek occurred as Lupe reached the SE end of the summit ridge on the way down. Spotting a bunny among the rock formations, the Carolina Dog was off like a shot! The bunny was no slouch, either. Hopping away at lightning speed through its home territory, it vanished within seconds.
Panting hard, Loopster returned with nothing to show for her efforts, but a big grin on her face.
10:38 AM, 43ºF, junction of Battle Ax Road (USFS Road No. 386) & Campaign Hill Road (USFS Road No. 727) – It had been a bit of a drive to Lupe’s next starting point. After turning W onto Reno Gulch Road a mile S of Hill City, Peak 5960 had come into view shortly before a turn N onto Battle Axe Road. The RAV4 was now parked at the pass where Campaign Hill Road took off to the NE.
Heading W across Battle Ax Road, Lupe stayed toward the S (L) side of the first hill. No need to climb it. The plan was to head SW straight to the saddle N of Peak 5960. Progress was rapid at first, but as Loop got closer to the saddle, she began to encounter a fair amount of deadfall.
Taking the easiest route through the deadfall, Lupe gained a little more elevation than she really needed to, but soon the saddle N of Peak 5960 was in sight. Going down to it, Loop crossed the saddle heading SSW.
Beginning to climb, it wasn’t far to an initial rocky high point. Once there, a small hill was visible ahead. Upon arrival, Lupe found a line of boulders choked with deadfall along its crest.
Branches snapped and cracked as SPHP forced a way to the top. Beyond the line of boulders was a small open region containing more deadfall. Crossing this area, Lupe continued SSW along a forested ridge.
Lupe was still gaining elevation, but the situation was deteriorating. The ridgeline kept getting rockier, and the deadfall became really icky.
Once past the worst of the deadfall, the rocks along the ridgeline got so big that they slowed progress, too. However, things were looking up as Loop approached what appeared to be the last big rock formation.
Bet that’s the top, Loop!
It wasn’t. Instead, as Lupe reached what SPHP expected to be Peak 5960’s summit, a long, deadfall-infested descent along a narrow rocky ridge came into view. Would have been alright, it if weren’t for another higher region beyond the saddle that the rocky ridge led down to.
This is a false summit, SPHP!
Yeah, kind of looks that way, doesn’t it? Only one solution, Looper.
What’s that, SPHP?
Onward! Puppy, ho!
Once down to this next saddle, the situation improved again. Soon the American Dingo was getting close to what had to be Peak 5960’s summit. However, as the high point came into view, there was a new worry.
Sheesh! Don’t tell me we aren’t even going to be able to get up there!
Looking a little dicey, isn’t it, SPHP?
Peak 5960’s summit was comprised of two large knobs of rock practically right next to each other. As Lupe approached, it wasn’t clear if technical rock climbing skills would be required or not. The W side looked bad, so Loop swung around to the E.
Luck of the Dingo! The E side wasn’t bad at all. Loopster came up at a little gap between the N and S knobs. The N knob was clearly the true summit, but the S one had the best views, plus room enough to relax.
11:51 AM, 47ºF, Peak 5960 –
Must be chocolate coconut bar time by now, SPHP!
Yes, fair enough! Almost lunch time. You can have some Taste of the Wild, too, if you want it, Loop.
Views weren’t spectacular, even by Black Hills standards, but they were pretty nice. The N end of Zimmer Ridge (6,600 ft.), only a couple miles S, was the most impressive. Sylvan Hill (7,000 ft.) was visible to the SSE, and Peak 6600 was in sight to the SW. Lupe rested on SPHP’s lap facing a long snowy ridge to the W.
Although only 0.75 mile from the RAV4, getting to Peak 5960 had been much more difficult than Peak 5180 had been. With views to the S and W, Lupe was inclined to relax here awhile. 30 minutes drifted pleasantly away on the S knob, before the Carolina Dog finally stirred.
If we’re going to keep our Lists of John mini-blitz going, we better check out the N knob, then be on our way, SPHP!
Sad, but true, Loopster! Let’s do it!
The N knob was an easy little scramble. In nothing flat, Looper was on the highest rock, the true summit of Peak 5960, enjoying a nice view of Black Elk Peak (7,231 ft.). SPHP shook Lupe’s paw, congratulating her on another Lists of John peak climbed.
Before departing, just for fun, Lupe went back down to the S knob while SPHP remained at the true summit.
Oh, that looks good, Loop! Kind of an interesting perspective!
Then it was back to the RAV4 along roughly the same rocky, deadfall-laden route.
1:36 PM, 48ºF – Still time enough for one more peak! Wasn’t too far to the start of USFS Road No. 425, a little over 0.5 mile from the W end of Hwy 244. Saint Elmo Peak (6,458 ft.) was in sight back to the SSW as Lupe set out for Peak 5760.
Heading N on No. 425, Lupe went over a little rise. Beyond it, the road wound first E, then W, as it descended into a valley. Briefly turning NE again, the road started uphill. Loop quickly arrived at a junction with No. 425.1A.
Regaining all of the elevation lost on No. 425 and then some, No. 425.1A went NE up to a pass where there was a big green cattle guard. From here, the road turned E going downhill again, eventually curving N as the terrain started leveling out. A house was visible in the open forest off to the E (R).
Well beyond the house, the road curved NE again. Lupe did not make this turn, instead continuing N through the forest.
Wandering N through the forest, Lupe came to an ATV trail. After winding around a bit, it headed straight to where she needed to go, Pass 5420 between Peak 5760 and Peak 5709.
At the pass, the main ATV route continued NNW over a ramp. A rough use route split off here that started up Peak 5760’s S ridge. Following the use trail, Lupe climbed to a small level area. Beyond this point, the ATV trail curved SE, disappearing down a steep slope.
Abandoning the ATV trail, Lupe ducked under a rusty barbed wire fence, and kept going. A steady climb NE through the forest took her past some rock formations. Soon larger formations were visible at a high point a little way off to the E. Venturing over that way, Loop came to a couple of interesting viewpoints.
Leaving this S high point, the Carolina Dog sniffed N. After losing a little elevation, the terrain rose again. Surprisingly imposing rock formations appeared ahead. Scrambling up a rocky ramp, Loopster reached a small, relatively open, flat region.
This still wasn’t at the top yet, but it couldn’t be much farther. Staying toward the E, Lupe continued N. Gradually gaining elevation, she came to a series of small level areas.
Beyond a low wall of rock, the ridge narrowed. A little dip traveling N through the forest, and a rocky high point appeared ahead. Had to be it! Getting there wasn’t much of a climb.
3:06 PM, 48ºF – Not a bad summit! Although trees hid whatever was off to the E, the rocky top of Peak 5760 permitted some views to the W and N. SPHP shook Lupe’s paw, congratulating her on attaining her 3rd and final Lists of John peak of the day. Then it was time to sit down, curl up, and polish off the last chocolate coconut bar while watching traffic creep along like insects way down on Hwy 16.
Cloudy, but calm and comfortable for January. Zimmer Ridge (6,600 ft.) was off to the SW. Union Hill (6,120 ft.), False North Point (6,130 ft.), and Five Points (6,221 ft.) were all visible to the N. The hills and ridges directly W were less distinctive and harder to identify, even though Lupe had been to many of them at one time or another.
Three peaks, SPHP! Our Lists of John mini-blitz went better today!
Yeah, it did, Loop! That’s just because of the individual characteristics of the peaks we’ve climbed. Never know what we might run into! Although there may be many similarities, each mountain is unique, inhabiting its own special spot on the earth’s surface.
While Lupe relaxed, time marched on as relentlessly as ever. 40 minutes flew by, vanishing forever into the past. Once again, the American Dingo stood poised on the highest rock.
SPHP started down first.
Plenty of fun sniffing to do yet during the return to the RAV4! Then it would be home again to await the next adventure. Shouldn’t be too long before the Lists of John mini-blitz would resume. Although getting close to success, Lupe still hadn’t completed her achievement. (4:41 PM, 46ºF)
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