{"id":10772,"date":"2017-10-24T08:10:17","date_gmt":"2017-10-24T14:10:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/?p=10772"},"modified":"2021-12-16T11:05:20","modified_gmt":"2021-12-16T18:05:20","slug":"black-hills-sd-expedition-no-209-white-tail-peak-10-1-17","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/?p=10772","title":{"rendered":"Black Hills, SD Expedition No. 209 – White Tail Peak (10-1-17)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Start – 10:57 AM, 52\u00b0F, intersection of South Rapid Creek Road (USFS Road No. 231) & USFS Road No. 191.<\/em><\/p>\n

Lupe’s summer of 2017 adventures were over.\u00a0 Her friend, Australian adventurer Luke Hall, who had recently paid her a visit here in the Black Hills, was gone.\u00a0 Things were finally back to normal!\u00a0 For the first time since early June, it was just Loopster and SPHP setting out on a Black Hills, SD expedition.<\/p>\n

This expedition was looking promising, too!\u00a0 Cows, so many beautiful cows, were right here near the start!\u00a0 Lupe was thrilled.\u00a0 The cows less so.\u00a0 In fact, they looked on with deep concern.\u00a0 Wasn’t that one of those ferocious American Dingoes?!<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Expedition No. 209 was getting off to a promising start. Look at all those beautiful cows! Lupe was thrilled! Photo looks E.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Looking the opposite direction from the cows up the valley of the South Fork of Rapid Creek. USFS Road No. 231 is seen on the R. Photo looks W.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The cattle needn’t have worried.\u00a0 They didn’t get chased, barked at, or devoured.\u00a0 Instead, SPHP started SSW on USFS Road No. 191, leading Lupe up Long Draw.\u00a0 When Lupe reached an intersection 0.5 mile later, she turned W on No. 191.1A.<\/p>\n

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At the start of USFS Road No. 191.1A in Long Draw. Photo looks W.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In the next 0.5 mile, No. 191.1A curved S, then W again.\u00a0 Lupe reached another junction.\u00a0 She had been this far once before over 2 years ago on Expedition No. 138.\u00a0 That time she’d stayed in Long Draw, continuing W on No. 191.1A.\u00a0 This time, just for something different, she turned SSW up Lessering Draw on No. 191.1C.<\/p>\n

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Near the start of Lessering Draw. Looper yawns waiting for SPHP to get on with it and snap the shot! Photo looks SSW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Lupe had seen a small stream in Long Draw.\u00a0 A tiny, trickling tributary of it was here in the lower end of Lessering Draw.\u00a0 When the road entered a pine forest, Lupe spotted an abandoned cabin near the tiny stream.\u00a0 The Carolina Dog went to investigate.<\/p>\n

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Checking out the old cabin in Lessering Draw. Photo looks SSW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

SPHP wouldn’t let Looper go inside the old cabin for fear of rusty nails or broken glass, but she did peer in to see what it was like.\u00a0 “Dilapidated” pretty much sums it up.\u00a0 Clearly, many years had passed since this cabin was inhabitable, even in the most rustic sense of the word.<\/p>\n

Lupe returned to No. 191.1C continuing SSW.<\/p>\n

Not far from the old cabin, Lupe re-emerged from the forest.\u00a0 The road curved W passing through a lovely large meadow surrounded by low forested hills.\u00a0 Aspen trees, greatly in the minority along the edge of the pines, were showing a bit of fall color.<\/p>\n

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Beyond the old cabin, Lupe reaches a large meadow. Aspen trees were beginning to show a little fall color. Photo looks SW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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A bit farther on, another view of the same meadow. Photo looks ESE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

As Lupe proceeded through the meadow, No. 191.1C faded away to little more than a grassy track.\u00a0 At the far end was a barbed wire fence.\u00a0 An opening in the fence brought Lupe to USFS Road No. 125.<\/p>\n

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Lupe reaches USFS Road No. 125. The big meadow she had come through in Lessering Draw is still in view on the L. Photo looks ESE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Carolina Dog and SPHP continued W on No. 125.\u00a0 The road passed through a narrow, forested part of upper Lessering Draw, which soon divided.\u00a0 Lupe stuck with No. 125, as it curved N up one of the ravines to a minor pass.<\/p>\n

Right at the pass was a barbed wire fence running roughly SW\/NE.\u00a0 Lupe went over a cattle guard to get past it.\u00a0 (American Dingoes are highly skilled at crossing cattle guards!)\u00a0 From here, No. 125 went N down the other side of the pass.\u00a0 SPHP surmised it was heading for Maitland Draw.<\/p>\n

Lupe needed to go more W than N.\u00a0 White Tail Peak<\/span><\/a> (6,962 ft.)<\/span><\/strong>, her objective for the day, was 1.5 miles WNW of the pass.\u00a0 Lupe left the road to follow the fence line WSW up a forested slope.\u00a0 Upon reaching a ridge, she abandoned the fence to follow the ridge NW toward High Point 6346.\u00a0 On the way, White Tail Peak came into view.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Nearing High Point 6346<\/strong>, Lupe gets her first view of White Tail Peak<\/strong> on Expedition No. 209. The summit is on the R. The mountain’s long SE ridge extends all the way to the L. Photo looks WNW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Loopster astride High Point 6346<\/strong>. Peak<\/span><\/a> 6962<\/span><\/strong> is seen in the distance. Photo looks SW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Loop easily leapt up onto the rock formation at the top of the ridge.\u00a0 She stood astride High Point 6346.\u00a0 That done, she pressed on to the NW toward White Tail Peak.\u00a0 She was looking for the easiest way to get there with minimal elevation loss.\u00a0 As it turned out, she could soon turn W toward the mountain without having to lose much at all.\u00a0 She even came across a road leading W.\u00a0 The road soon forked at Point 6424.<\/p>\n

The road Lupe had been following was USFS Road No. 190, which angled NNW from here.\u00a0 A side road going SW was marked No. 190.1A.\u00a0 Lupe and SPHP had been on No. 190 before on prior expeditions to White Tail Peak.\u00a0 Lupe could eventually work up and around to the summit that way.\u00a0 A more direct route, though, would be to scale the mountain’s SE slope.\u00a0 Today, Lupe had a special reason for doing so.<\/p>\n

It looked feasible.\u00a0 Lupe and SPHP left both roads behind, heading NW up a grassy slope of open forest.\u00a0 Scattered deadfall provided the only obstacles.\u00a0 The Carolina Dog purposely headed for the area between the mountain’s short and long SE ridges.\u00a0 After traveling some distance, Lupe arrived at the edge of a golden forest.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Lupe arrives at the golden forest SE of White Tail Peak.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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At the edge of the golden forest (R). The ridge beyond Lupe is part of White Tail Peak’s long SE ridge. Photo looks W.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Happy Lupe in the forest of gold.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Lupe happily sniffed her way through the magical forest of gold.\u00a0 Above the golden forest, her climb steepened.\u00a0 Would she would encounter a blocking line of limestone cliffs?\u00a0 SPHP knew cliffs rimmed large portions of the upper E and S sides of White Tail Peak.<\/p>\n

No cliffs appeared.\u00a0 The American Dingo’s ascent didn’t even get all that steep before the terrain started leveling out again.\u00a0 Lupe came to a faint road.\u00a0 She followed it a little S, reaching a line of ragged limestone outcroppings.\u00a0 This had to be it!\u00a0 The spine of White Tail Peak’s long SE ridge.<\/p>\n

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Lupe reaches the limestone spine of White Tail Peak’s long SE ridge. Photo looks S.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This was Lupe’s 4th Black Hills, SD Expedition to White Tail Peak.\u00a0 Yet to SPHP there had always been something lacking on her prior visits.\u00a0 Long ago, so long ago it had been before there was a Carolina Dog, SPHP had been here alone.\u00a0 Tattered, cobwebbed memories existed of a grand viewpoint at the end of a long march S.<\/p>\n

To SPHP those memories were the essence of White Tail Peak.\u00a0 SPHP had always wanted Lupe to see those sweeping views, but she had never run across them again.\u00a0 Were the memories real, dreams, or confused with some other place?<\/p>\n

On all of her prior expeditions here, Lupe had visited a limestone ledge SE of the summit where she’d enjoyed some very nice views.\u00a0 However, they had never seemed as dramatic as SPHP’s old memories of White Tail Peak.\u00a0 A sense of disappointment always lingered.<\/p>\n

On one occasion, Lupe had specifically gone looking for the site of SPHP’s old memories. \u00a0 Somewhere W of her usual limestone ledge, she’d found a much longer ridge going S.\u00a0 Her exploration of it revealed some different vantage points.\u00a0 However, none seemed familiar or measured up to SPHP’s expectations.\u00a0 This wasn’t the place, either.<\/p>\n

Today the plan was for Lupe to find out the truth.\u00a0 SPHP had never allowed her to do a truly thorough search before.\u00a0 And most helpfully, for the first time, SPHP had brought along a topo map.<\/p>\n

The topo map revealed that White Tail Peak has 3 ridges protruding to the S – a short SE ridge, a long SE ridge, and a long SW ridge.\u00a0 Studying it had convinced SPHP that Lupe had never been to White Tail Peak’s long SE ridge.\u00a0 The long ridge she had<\/em> visited must have been the long SW ridge.\u00a0 The other times she had only been to the limestone platform near the end of the short SE ridge.<\/p>\n

Her successful ascent from the SE up a visible gap between ridges made SPHP confident Lupe now stood on the long SE ridge’s limestone spine right at this very moment!\u00a0 All that remained was to follow the ridge however far S or SE it went.<\/p>\n

It was exciting to think Lupe was on the verge of discovery!\u00a0 First, though, SPHP thought it best to go find White Tail Peak’s non-descript summit.\u00a0 May as well make certain of locking in a successful full ascent before doing anything else.\u00a0 Peakbaggers think like that.\u00a0 Instead of going S, Lupe followed the faint road N.<\/p>\n

Within minutes, the American Dingo reached a junction.\u00a0 Ahh, so this was the turn SPHP had always missed or dismissed before!\u00a0 Lupe was practically at the summit, it was only 100 feet to the NW.\u00a0 She went up to claim her peakbagging success.<\/p>\n

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Lupe reaches the flat, non-descript true summit of White Tail Peak. It’s possible to drive right to it from the N on an ATV. Photo looks N.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Lupe had visited the short SE ridge every other time she’d come to White Tail Peak.\u00a0 Though the views didn’t completely measure up to SPHP’s old memories, they were still impressive for the Black Hills.\u00a0 It wasn’t far away.\u00a0 Lupe might as well go take another look at them while she was here.\u00a0 It was tradition now!<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
On the winding road leading from the summit to the viewpoint at the end of the short SE ridge.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Looper and SPHP followed a familiar winding road SE through an immature pine forest.\u00a0 A few minutes brought Lupe to her usual White Tail Peak viewpoint.\u00a0 Time for a break and a look around.\u00a0 This was still a favorite place!<\/p>\n

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The view to the NE from the short SE ridge.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

SPHP relaxed munching an apple.\u00a0 Lupe devoured Taste of the Wild.\u00a0 Water for all, though it wasn’t much needed.\u00a0 The day had gone from mostly cloudy to overcast and noticeably cooler than before.\u00a0 While Lupe and SPHP watched, even lower clouds streamed in from the NW.\u00a0 A chill breeze blew way up here.\u00a0 The incoming clouds were low enough so wisps of fog sailed by.<\/p>\n

The low gray clouds were all part of one huge one.\u00a0 The monstrous cloud fanned out rapidly, spreading gloom across the Black Hills.\u00a0 Sunshine fled its influence, retreating far to the SE.\u00a0 The apple gone and Lupe satisfied, it was time for a few photos.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Looking N from the short SE ridge.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Looking SW. Lupe had come up somewhere over on the now somewhat foggy ridge seen here, which had to be part of White Tail Peak’s long SE ridge.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Lupe stands on a narrow rock pathway leading to the last limestone platform at the end of White Tail Peak’s short SE ridge. Photo looks SE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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At the very end of the short SE ridge. Photo looks SE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Same view with a little help from the telephoto lens.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The photo session over, Lupe and SPHP left the short SE ridge, retreating NW back to White Tail Peak’s summit.\u00a0 Enveloped in a thickening fog, the mountain was growing colder and gloomier by the minute.<\/p>\n

Good grief!\u00a0 After coming all this way, suddenly there wasn’t any point in exploring the mountain’s long SE ridge.\u00a0 Even if it led to the views SPHP remembered, Lupe wasn’t going to be able to see a thing.\u00a0 Disappointment reigned.<\/p>\n

Nothing could be done about it.\u00a0 May as well forget about the whole thing.\u00a0 Another time.\u00a0 Would have had some nice fall colors, too.\u00a0 Should have gone there first!\u00a0 Sigh.<\/p>\n

Reluctantly, SPHP led Lupe on the road N, away from the still unexplored long SE ridge.\u00a0 May as well head for USFS Road No. 190.\u00a0 It would take her E down off the mountain.\u00a0 Maybe Lupe could explore some sort of an interesting loop on the way back to the G6?<\/p>\n

Lupe went all the way N to No. 190, and began following it E.\u00a0 She’d already lost some elevation, and was about to lose a bunch more, when suddenly the sky brightened.\u00a0 Uncertain, Lupe and SPHP paused.\u00a0 The trend continued.<\/p>\n

Apparently conditions weren’t going to continue deteriorating after all.\u00a0 It wasn’t going to be so bad.\u00a0 The monstrous cloud wasn’t as dark or low as before.\u00a0 The breeze was dying down and the air felt warmer.\u00a0 Maybe Lupe could see something from the long SE ridge after all?<\/p>\n

Worth a shot.\u00a0 Back Lupe went.\u00a0 To the summit again and beyond.\u00a0 Lupe made the turn onto the faint road, which wasn’t so faint near the intersection.\u00a0 She reached the limestone spine of the long SE ridge where she’d been before.<\/p>\n

OK, this was it!\u00a0 The moment of discovery was at hand.\u00a0 Lupe explored S.\u00a0 Up and down, onto and off of the discontinuous limestone spine.\u00a0 Multiple times.\u00a0 For a while, the forest hid everything.\u00a0 Lupe went on, now heading SE.\u00a0 She lost elevation, but not too fast.\u00a0 Didn’t this have to be it?<\/p>\n

Then there it was.\u00a0 A first small limestone ledge with a view to the SW, a view worthy of what SPHP remembered.\u00a0 Lupe was on the right track!\u00a0 Naturally, she went over to see this glorious sight.<\/p>\n

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Lupe reaches the first small limestone ledge along the long SE ridge with a view like SPHP remembered from long ago.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

To the SW, Lupe saw a broad canyon, created over eons by the North Fork of Castle Creek.\u00a0 The creek wasn’t visible, but far below aspen trees glowed with the fleeting glory of early autumn.<\/p>\n

Across the gaping canyon was Peak<\/span> 6962<\/span><\/a><\/strong>, a remote mountain so alike to White Tail Peak<\/span><\/a> (6,962 ft.)<\/span><\/strong>, the summit was even the exact same elevation.\u00a0 Just below its forested upper reaches, limestone cliffs extended around the N and E edges of the mountain.\u00a0 Cliffs like those Lupe now perched above.<\/p>\n

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Peak 6962<\/strong> (L) is the long, forested cliff-rimmed ridge on the far side of the gaping canyon of the North Fork of Castle Creek. Far below Lupe’s perch, millions of dying aspen leaves go out in a blaze of glory. Photo looks SW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Looking SE along the edge of the long ridge Lupe was on revealed a series of similar viewpoints nearby.<\/p>\n

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Looking along the SW edge of White Tail Peak’s long SE ridge. Plenty more viewpoints were ahead for Lupe to check out before she would reach the end! Photo looks SE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Traveling onward, Lupe checked out viewpoints along both sides of the long SE ridge.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
At another viewpoint a little farther SE. Same basic view with Peak 6962<\/strong> on the L. Photo looks SW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Another look from farther back at Lupe’s vantage point. Photo looks SW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Now out at the very end of the same vantage point. Photo looks WSW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Still there with Peak 6962<\/strong> on display across the entire background. Photo looks SW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Now on the opposite (NE) side of the long SE ridge. White Tail Peak’s<\/strong> short SE ridge, which Lupe had always gone to before, is in view. Photo looks N.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Looking NE toward Custer Peak<\/span><\/a> (6,804 ft.)<\/span><\/strong> (Center).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Custer Peak<\/strong> with help from the telephoto lens. Photo looks NE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

At the far SE end of the long ridge, Lupe finally found the big, nearly flat, open viewpoint SPHP remembered.\u00a0 Even on an overcast day, the panoramic views were fabulous!<\/p>\n

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Out at the very end of the long SE ridge. Reynolds Prairie<\/strong> is the large grassland far beyond Lupe. Black Elk Peak<\/span><\/a> (7,231 ft.)<\/span><\/strong> (L), Green Mountain<\/span><\/a> (7,164 ft.)<\/span><\/strong> (R), and many other mountains Lupe has been to are seen on the horizon. Photo looks SSE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Black Elk Peak<\/strong> (L) on the horizon. Photo looks SE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Flag Mountain<\/span><\/a> (6,937 ft.)<\/span><\/strong> (L) and Peak 6962<\/strong> (R). Photo looks S.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Canyon of the North Fork of Castle Creek. Photo looks SW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Looking NW along the ridge.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Perhaps on some bright sunny day, Lupe will return to White Tail Peak for a 5th time to see it all again beneath crystal blue skies.\u00a0 For now, though, SPHP was content.\u00a0 Lupe had rediscovered this glorious vantage point overlooking a vast portion of the central Black Hills.\u00a0 White Tail Peak was everything dim memory had credited and cherished it as.<\/p>\n

A cool breeze still blew.\u00a0 Hours had flown by.\u00a0 Time for the intrepid Carolina Dog to move on.\u00a0 Puppy ho!\u00a0 Lupe headed NW, back the way she had come.<\/p>\n

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On the way back, still on the long SE ridge. Green Mountain<\/strong> (L) is far on the horizon. Flag Mountain<\/strong> (Center) and Peak 6962<\/strong> (R) in view closer by. Photo looks S.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

As soon as practical, SPHP looked for a way for Lupe to get down off the long SE ridge.\u00a0 She soon came to one.\u00a0 Safely down, Lupe roamed the long slope to the SE, passing the same golden forest on her way back to the junction of USFS Roads No. 190 & 190.1A.<\/p>\n

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Heading down.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Passing the golden forest again.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Lupe had fun on the way back to the G6.\u00a0 SPHP led her N on USFS Road No. 190 hoping to make a nice loop.\u00a0 The American Dingo wound up going much farther N than anticipated.\u00a0 A trail or road shown on the topo map failed to materialize.\u00a0 An unmarked side road SPHP did try did not turn E as hoped.\u00a0 Instead it began to fade away somewhere W of High Point 6217.<\/p>\n

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Enjoying the colorful woodlands.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Heading NNW on USFS Road No. 190. A road or trail shown on the topo map that SPHP was counting on to go E failed to materialize. Photo looks NNW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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A side road off No. 190 that SPHP did have Lupe try kept going N. Here it threatens to fade away completely. Photo looks N.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The failing road had to be abandoned.\u00a0 Lupe bushwhacked E a long way.\u00a0 Deadfall slowed progress considerably.\u00a0 The sun must have set or was close to it.\u00a0 Light was fading.\u00a0 Hurry, hurry!<\/p>\n

Yes!\u00a0 A road!\u00a0 Good deal, and none too soon.\u00a0 SPHP quickly figured out that it was leading toward Long Draw.\u00a0 Immediately overconfident again, SPHP had Lupe take a turn into Maitland Draw instead.<\/p>\n

In the dim light, Lupe saw, sniffed, or otherwise sensed a presence before SPHP realized it was there.\u00a0 Cows!\u00a0 Way out here.\u00a0 Enthusiastic Lupe streaked off barking.<\/p>\n

The American Dingo returned before long, panting hard and apparently well satisfied with her romp.\u00a0 Certainly more pleased than the annoyed cows had been.<\/p>\n

No more of that, Loopster!\u00a0 It’s getting dark anyway.\u00a0 Better stay close.<\/em><\/p>\n

Just grand.\u00a0 The road didn’t go all the way through Maitland Draw like the map showed!\u00a0 It turned S instead of staying E.\u00a0 Maybe that wasn’t so bad?\u00a0 SPHP suspected Lupe was on USFS Road No. 125.\u00a0 Sure enough, she reached the cattle guard back up at the minor pass.\u00a0 The rest of the way to the G6 was known.\u00a0 Lupe had come this way earlier.\u00a0 She would soon be back in Lessering Draw.<\/p>\n

A curious, and perhaps very sad thing had happened shortly before Lupe reached the minor pass.\u00a0 At first it seemed simply strange and unexpected.\u00a0 Lupe had quit barking at the cows some time ago, when suddenly there was an answer!\u00a0 A wild barking or howling, from off to the NW.<\/p>\n

A coyote?\u00a0 Maybe.\u00a0 Lupe listened, but showed little interest and did not respond.\u00a0 After a few minutes, it was not heard any more.\u00a0 On the long dark trudge back to the G6, SPHP reflected, and eventually felt guilty and sad.\u00a0 Glittering stars in an ink black sky shone down with a cold, cruel light.<\/p>\n

Maybe an answer should have been made?<\/p>\n

The more SPHP thought about it, the more that wild sound had seemed desperate.\u00a0 Perhaps desperately searching.\u00a0 What if it hadn’t been a coyote?\u00a0 A poor lost or abandoned dog way out here?\u00a0 Maybe it had heard Lupe and thinking salvation was at hand, had come running a great distance with soaring hopes looking for her?\u00a0 If so, the disappointment at not hearing a response, and not knowing which way to turn, must have been crushing.<\/p>\n

White Tail Peak had been a great and successful day for Lupe, but the accusatory thought persisted.\u00a0 Perhaps the day had also needlessly ended as a bitterly cruel one for an innocent, lonely creature in need of help?\u00a0 The uncertain truth remained somewhere out there, shivering alone in darkness, now miles away beneath eternally uncaring silvery stars.\u00a0 (End – 7:40 PM, 35\u00b0F)<\/em><\/p>\n

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On White Tail Peak’s long SE ridge, 10-1-17<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Links:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Next Black Hills Expedition<\/span><\/a>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Prior Black Hills Expedition<\/span><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Black Hills, SD Expedition No. 283 – White Tail Peak (11-6-21)<\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

Black Hills, SD Expedition No. 138 – White Tail Peak (9-19-15)<\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

Want more Lupe adventures?\u00a0 Check out her Black Hills, SD & WY\u00a0Expeditions\u00a0Adventure Index<\/span><\/a>, Master Adventure Index<\/span><\/a>, or subscribe free to new Lupe adventures<\/a><\/span>!<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Start – 10:57 AM, 52\u00b0F, intersection of South Rapid Creek Road (USFS Road No. 231) & USFS Road No. 191. Lupe’s summer of 2017 adventures were over.\u00a0 Her friend, Australian adventurer Luke Hall, who had recently paid her a visit here in the Black Hills, was gone.\u00a0 Things were finally back to normal!\u00a0 For the … Continue reading Black Hills, SD Expedition No. 209 – White Tail Peak (10-1-17)<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":10748,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[105,9,106,104,304,281],"class_list":["post-10772","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-black-hills","tag-american-dingo","tag-black-hills-expeditions","tag-carolina-dog","tag-lupe","tag-south-dakota","tag-white-tail-peak"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventuresoflupe.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/IMG_7897.jpg?fit=1651%2C1238&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10772","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=10772"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10772\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":35927,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10772\/revisions\/35927"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/10748"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=10772"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=10772"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=10772"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}