The morning of Day 6 of Lupe’s great Summer of 2015 Dingo Vacation found Lupe and SPHP at the dispersed camping site at the intersection of USFS Roads No. 100 & 215 in the Medicine Bow Mountains of Wyoming. Lupe had climbed Kennaday Peak (10,810 ft.) the day before, and despite getting back rather late, she was full of energy. She sniff excitedly around in the forest nearby and was successful in finding a squirrel to bark at. The squirrel returned insults from the safety of a big pine tree.
While all this excitement was going on, SPHP sat in the G6 catching up the trip journal. Suddenly, a yellowish hummingbird was flitting around the G6 – kind of a bright, cheerful, living drone. The hummingbird was a good omen. Soon it was time to go. Lupe and SPHP paid a quick visit to the South Brush Creek Campground to get water, and then headed W on Hwy 130 to the town of Saratoga.
The first thing on the agenda in Saratoga was to check out the Saratoga Hot Springs. In addition to two hot pools, there is a regular cool swimming pool, too. SPHP was disappointed to learn that the swimming pool ($4.00 admission) wouldn’t open until noon, which was still hours away. However, the hot springs were open 24/7 and free, which was an amazing and unbeatable deal. SPHP looked forward to getting clean again!
One rather unusual feature of Saratoga Hot Springs, is that it is situated right next to a small side channel of the North Platte River. More hot water bubbles up into the side channel from underground. SPHP was able to leave the hot spring, walk over to the hot bubbling water at the side channel, and wade a considerable distance upstream.
There were little fish and quite a number of crayfish in the side channel. SPHP surprised a fawn grazing along the banks. If SPHP had waded downstream instead of upstream, it would easily have been possible to wade right on down all the way to the North Platte River itself.
SPHP returned to Lupe in the G6 from the Saratoga Hot Springs refreshed and clean. Lupe agreed that SPHP sniffed a lot better. SPHP had learned from a local oil refinery worker, and sometimes Medicine Bow Mountains hunting guide, where there was a city park. Lupe and SPHP went to the park for a picnic. Lupe wasn’t too hungry yet. She mostly rested on the nice green grass in the shade of some trees. It was a peaceful time, since the trees didn’t seem to harbor any squirrels.
After the picnic, Lupe and SPHP headed S on Hwy 130 to Encampment, WY. Along the way, SPHP took a picture of Kennaday Peak (10,810 ft.), which Lupe had climbed the evening before to enjoy the sunset.
From Encampment, Hwy 70 went W up to Battle Pass in the Sierra Madre mountain range. There was a big parking area for the 3,100 mile Continental Divide National Scenic Trail near the highway. Only one other vehicle was parked there, a pickup truck with a big horse trailer. No one was around.
Lupe had two peakbagging goals in the area. One was Red Mountain (10,508 ft.), located no more than 1.5 miles to the S, and which involved less than 600 feet of elevation gain from the trailhead. The other was Bridger Peak (11,004 ft.), which was about 5 miles away to the NW, and a more significant climb. Lupe was going to visit Red Mountain first.
A broken sign was propped up at the S end of the parking lot where a small road led up into the forest. It said “Dead End Road, Private Property 100 Feet Ahead, Horse & Foot Traffic Only On Posted Trail.” Not terribly welcoming, but Lupe and SPHP started going S following this road. It was 12:55 PM, and 70°F.
Right away Lupe reached the private property. The dirt road serving as the Continental Divide Trail continued through it. As Lupe progressed, various dirt side roads headed off in different directions into the forest. These were either chained off, had “No Trespassing” signs, or both. Occasionally there were big rock cairns with posts sticking out of them showing the correct way to go.
Less than 0.5 mile NW of Doane Peak, the private property ended close to a “T” intersection with another dirt road. Lupe went to the right heading SW over a small ridge and then down to a meadow. Red Mountain could be seen ahead across the meadow.
Lupe left the road and Continental Divide Trail. She headed across the meadow straight up into the trees directly toward Red Mountain. There wasn’t too much deadfall timber to contend with, and the summit of Red Mountain was only a few hundred feet higher than the meadow. The way wasn’t too steep, either. Lupe enjoyed a pretty nice romp in the shady forest. SPHP followed her on up the mountain.
At the top of Red Mountain, Lupe came to a cairn about 3′ high made, appropriately enough, of red rocks. The cairn was about 30′ W of what looked like the actual highest natural point on the mountain. SPHP wasn’t really expecting much in the way of views from Red Mountain. The forested ridge might very well not offer views of anything at all other than the forest. Red Mountain surprised, though. There were some very nice open views to the S.
From the summit cairn, it looked like there was some pretty high ground still off to the W on Red Mountain. Since it was possible there might even be a higher point over there, Lupe and SPHP headed W, going far enough to be satisfied Lupe had already reached the true summit. Along the way, Lupe discovered a clearing with a good view of Bridger Peak off to the NW – her next peakbagging goal for the day.
The meadow with the view of Bridger Peak was less than 100′ from the summit cairn. Lupe and SPHP returned to the summit. SPHP took one last look at the great view to the S, while Lupe tried to hide from the sun.
On the way back down Red Mountain, Lupe stayed more to the E along the ridgeline than the way she’d come up. Before she lost much elevation, there were some openings in the forest with pretty good distant views all the way E to Medicine Bow Peak.
Lupe and SPHP were back at the G6 again at 3:10 PM. It was still 70°F. There was actually quite a nice clear view of Bridger Peak from Highway 70 close to the Continental Divide Trail trailhead where the G6 was parked. Lupe and SPHP walked down to the highway for a couple of shots of Bridger Peak.
The maps showed that there was a Battle Site and Battle Cemetery at two separate places up on Battle Pass. The Battle Cemetery road was shown a half mile farther N and closer to Bridger Peak, so SPHP decided to move the G6 over there. Lupe and SPHP had hardly left the Continental Divide Trail trailhead parking lot when there was a right turn off Highway 70 where the Battle Site was supposed to be. Why not find out something about the battle the place was named after?
SPHP pulled off the highway. A very short paved road led to another big empty parking lot. There were views from Battle Pass and signs about wildlife, but nothing about the battle that Battle Pass must be named after. Lupe and SPHP didn’t even get out of the G6. SPHP drove back to Highway 70 and continued N. Just before the highway turned W, there was a gravel road heading E into the forest towards where the map said Battle Cemetery was supposed to be.
A short drive on the gravel road led to a big parking area with dirt roads radiating out from it. This parking area was full of dust. There were lots of vehicles parked at various points near the surrounding forest. Campers could be seen back in the trees. People were around. From the dirt road to the NW, several ATV’s roared into view. The drivers skidded into the parking area purposely stirring up an impressive choking cloud of dust. Oh, yay, people!
SPHP parked the G6 in the dust cloud. The road to the NW the ATV’s had come from was probably the road to Bridger Peak. Lupe and SPHP left the G6 for Bridger Peak at 3:29 PM. (Still 70°F!) Lupe headed for the dirt road to the NW. SPHP was surprised and happy to see a little signpost for the Continental Divide Trail practically right next to the road. Lupe and SPHP could follow a single track trail leading N into the forest instead of the dusty road.
The Continental Divide Trail climbed steeply to gain 150 – 200′ of elevation and then leveled out. It went up and down some, but was pretty easy going. The trail didn’t look like it got much use, but was in good enough condition so it wasn’t hard to follow, except in a couple of short sections. After about a mile, the trail reached a dirt road. There was no sign of the trail anywhere on the other side of the road. Apparently the road was the Continental Divide Trail from here on, because Lupe never saw a sign for it again the rest of the way to Bridger Peak. It’s quite likely this was the same NW road the ATV’s had arrived from back at the parking lot.
Lupe and SPHP followed the road all the way up to Bridger Peak. There was almost no traffic. Just a few vehicles and ATV’s came by. This was another road trek through the forest sort of like the one Lupe and SPHP had made the prior day up to Kennaday Peak. The road up to Bridger Peak did feature more openings in the forest, and more opportunities to see some views along the way.
The sky had been mostly sunny, with puffy clouds when Lupe left the big dusty parking lot. As time went by, the weather started deteriorating. Scattered thunderstorms appeared here and there not too far away. They weren’t big, but still worrisome. Eventually, a threatening cloud appeared over Bridger Peak and kept growing. It started sprinkling rain on and off. When the thunder started, Lupe really didn’t want to go on. She wanted to stop and hide.
SPHP allowed the concerned Carolina Dog periodic short stops, even though the need to hurry was growing. Thunder sounded closer and closer as the summit came into view. It was looking rather stormy by the time Lupe reached the top of Bridger Peak, but the storm hadn’t really hit yet. SPHP started taking a few pictures fast. Lupe wasn’t going to be willing to stay up on the summit very long. After about 10 minutes, suddenly there was a crack and thunder boomed very loud nearby. A gusty wind and cold rain hit Bridger Peak almost immediately.
SPHP hadn’t seen the lightning, but Lupe left no doubt about what she wanted to do. SPHP was in full agreement. The American Dingo and SPHP both fled, scrambling downhill fast. Naturally, within 5 minutes the worst of the storm was over. The rain became just a sprinkle, the wind died down, and the thunder pealed from farther away. None of these storms were really very big. The Dingo was not reassured. Thunder rumbled a little ways off several times every minute. Although the thunder gradually diminished, Lupe begged SPHP again and again to stop and hide.
Lupe and SPHP did stop many times. Lupe liked hiding in the forest. Even though it was now all downhill, progress back down Bridger Peak was as slow or slower than coming up. By the time Lupe got back to where the Continental Divide Trail separated from the road, the sun had set and light was fading fast. Lupe was doing much better, though. The thunder had quit as the storms all moved off to the E. The sky was clearing again. Lupe actually had a lot of fun racing around in the woods along the Continental Divide Trail on the way back.
It was almost dark when Lupe reached the G6 again at 8:43 PM (59°F). Stars were already coming out. Lupe and SPHP left the dusty parking lot, and drove back up to the Continental Divide Trail trailhead closer to Red Mountain. Not a soul was around, nor any other vehicle. Lupe and SPHP had sardines for dinner right on the parking lot. It was getting so dark SPHP could hardly see to eat them, but Lupe really loved the sardines.
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