{"id":11232,"date":"2017-11-25T08:10:41","date_gmt":"2017-11-25T15:10:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/?p=11232"},"modified":"2020-09-24T11:40:58","modified_gmt":"2020-09-24T17:40:58","slug":"black-hills-sd-expedition-no-213-crows-nest-peak-10-29-17","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/?p=11232","title":{"rendered":"Black Hills, SD Expedition No. 213 – Crows Nest Peak (10-29-17)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Start: 8:35 AM, 42\u00b0F, at the first pullout SE of USFS Road No. 157 along West Deerfield Road near Castle Creek<\/em><\/p>\n

A week shot by.\u00a0 The American Dingo was back!\u00a0 The G6 was parked no more than a mile NW of where it had been at the start of Expedition No. 212 only 7 days ago.\u00a0 Back then Lupe had gone N visiting 4 peaks along the E edge of the limestone plateau.\u00a0 Today she would be going mostly W farther into the high country.<\/p>\n

A short walk NW along West Deerfield Road brought Loop to the start of USFS Road No. 157.\u00a0 Close to the intersection, a bridge went over Castle Creek.\u00a0 Lupe had started off Expedition No. 212 by checking out Castle Creek.\u00a0 May as well make it a tradition!\u00a0 Before crossing the bridge, Lupe went down near the stream.\u00a0 As always, Castle Creek was looking good!<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Just like on Expedition No. 212 a week ago, Lupe started off Expedition No. 213 with a quick visit to Castle Creek<\/strong>. The creek was looking good, and a cheery American Dingo was expecting another great day exploring the Black Hills.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Returning to No. 157, Lupe crossed the bridge.\u00a0 The road went past a house over to the SW side of the Castle Creek valley, before turning SE for 0.5 mile.\u00a0 Lupe could still see the G6.\u00a0 Beyond it was a forested ridge featuring an impressive limestone cap.\u00a0 This late October morning was cool and bright.\u00a0 Everything was bathed in sunlight.\u00a0 What a beautiful day!<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Lupe on USFS Road No. 157. The red G6 is in view parked near West Deerfield Road on the other side of the Castle Creek valley<\/strong>. Photo looks NNE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The first part of the plan for the day was to take No. 157 from the Castle Creek valley up into the limestone plateau country.\u00a0 Lupe didn’t start gaining elevation until she was getting close to a big bend where No. 157 makes a nearly 180\u00b0 turn going around the SE end of a forested ridge.\u00a0 After making the turn, the road climbed steadily heading WNW high on the SW side of the ridge.\u00a0 Private property down in the Silver Creek valley could be seen below.<\/p>\n

About 0.33 mile from the big bend, Lupe reached an intersection with USFS Road No. 157.1A.\u00a0 Loop had followed No. 157 up the Silver Creek valley at least a couple of times on previous Black Hills expeditions, but she’d never been on No. 157.1A before.\u00a0 The topo map showed that No. 157.1A stayed higher up near the spine of the ridge, and would eventually feed back into No. 157 again in a couple of miles.<\/p>\n

Why not?\u00a0 Exploring a new route is usually fun.\u00a0 Lupe took No. 157.1A.<\/p>\n

No. 157.1A went NW for a while.\u00a0 Low juniper bushes provided scattered ground cover beneath a pine forest.\u00a0 The terrain sloped moderately up to the NE.\u00a0 The road stayed within a few hundred feet of the top of the ridge.<\/p>\n

Lupe gained a fair amount of elevation.\u00a0 However, the day’s early sunshine seemed to have vanished.\u00a0 It actually seemed colder now than when Lupe had started out.\u00a0 The mood of the day had really changed.\u00a0 Gone was the bright cheerfulness.\u00a0 Suddenly the forest felt quiet, remote, sullen – like late fall of a dying year, with more than a hint of winter.<\/p>\n

Lupe might get a decent look at the Castle Creek valley from the top of the ridge, if a place could be found where trees didn’t block the view.\u00a0 As she went on, a few rocks appeared near the ridgeline.\u00a0 Close to one of these rocks a narrow, gray opening could be seen between the pines.\u00a0 Might as well take a look!\u00a0 Lupe sniffed her way through the forest to the top of the ridge.<\/p>\n

No wonder the mood had turned grim and chill!\u00a0 Lupe could see Castle Creek valley alright, but the sky was completely overcast.\u00a0 Not a speck of blue anywhere.\u00a0 Mountaintops across the valley were shrouded in fog.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
At this little opening along the ridge near USFS Road No. 157.1A, Lupe could see Castle Creek valley<\/strong> below. However, the mountaintops were now cloaked in fog, and the day’s earlier cheerful, sunny mood had vanished. Photo looks N.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Lupe went NW through the forest a little way, then returned to the road.\u00a0 She reached it near a “Y” intersection.\u00a0 USFS Road No. 157.1C branched off to the N here, going over a small saddle.\u00a0 The maps showed it would eventually dead end.<\/p>\n

The American Dingo stuck with No. 157.1A, which headed more W than before.\u00a0 The road climbed more steeply for a little way before leveling out.\u00a0 Lupe had left the edge of Castle Creek valley behind now.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Continuing W on USFS Road No. 157.1A.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

As Loop traveled onward, it appeared as though there were high points off to the SW which might provide a view of Silver Creek valley.\u00a0 She didn’t bother going over there, though.\u00a0 Probably not worth the effort with low clouds and fog around.\u00a0 The Carolina Dog stayed on the road, which wound around still heading W.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Lupe continues W on USFS Road No. 157.1A. The scene varied somewhat along the way. Lupe saw high points off to the SW that she didn’t bother visiting that might have provided a view of the Silver Creek valley. Sometimes there were rock formations to the N or NE. This area had quite a bit of deadfall timber.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Suddenly, Lupe noticed a pickup truck ahead parked on the road.\u00a0 Two men dressed in camouflage were standing near it.\u00a0 Hunters!\u00a0 Lupe and SPHP had to go right by them.\u00a0 Neither looked or acted friendly.\u00a0 The younger one asked SPHP only where Lupe was going, and seemed suspicious of the answer – Crows Nest Peak.\u00a0 Meanwhile, the older man fiddled with a bow and ammunition.<\/p>\n

No doubt Crows Nest Peak<\/span><\/a> (7,048 ft.)<\/span><\/strong> was an unlikely response.\u00a0 Crows Nest Peak was still miles away.\u00a0 Furthermore, though one of the highest points in the Black Hills, Crows Nest Peak wasn’t much of a peak at all, just a spot in the woods nominally higher than the surrounding terrain.\u00a0 Why would anyone be going there?\u00a0 Wandering alone way out here on a gloomy day like this was probably suspicious enough itself.\u00a0 Crows Nest Peak must have seemed a doubly suspicious and evasive answer.<\/p>\n

Lupe went right on by the hunters.\u00a0 SPHP had no intention of stopping to explain.\u00a0 If the hunters were surprised to see Lupe, seeing them had been a surprise, too.\u00a0 Best to avoid any possibility of getting into a quarrel with armed strangers with unfriendly dispositions, especially in such a remote place.\u00a0 These guys were weird – in an unbalanced, slightly threatening way.<\/p>\n

That was it, though.\u00a0 Nothing happened.\u00a0 Lupe reached the end of USFS Road No. 157.1A where it met up with No. 157 again.\u00a0 This was familiar territory, although it had been 2 years since Looper had last been here.\u00a0 For more than a mile, she continued WNW on No. 157.\u00a0 She reached a junction with No. 157.1F, which headed N to Fulton Draw.<\/p>\n

Lupe didn’t need to go to Fulton Draw.\u00a0 It only led back down to Castle Creek.\u00a0 She stayed on No. 157, which gradually began curving SW.\u00a0 The terrain was flat along in here.\u00a0 Lupe had already gained most of the elevation she would need to on the way to Crows Nest Peak.<\/p>\n

More than 0.67 mile beyond No. 157.1F, Lupe reached another junction.\u00a0 An unmarked road branched off to the R.\u00a0 Just beyond this intersection, a barbed wire fence crossed No. 157.\u00a0 Lupe made a short foray along the unmarked road.\u00a0 She came to a place where ice rested in large, muddy ruts at a curve in the road.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
A short exploratory foray along the unmarked road brought Lupe to these ice-filled muddy ruts at a curve.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Hmm.\u00a0 If Lupe managed to make it to Crows Nest Peak today, it would be her 4th successful ascent.\u00a0 However, she had only reached it once before coming from this general\u00a0 direction.\u00a0 On that occasion, traveling through the forest, Lupe had come to a small pond with cattails.<\/p>\n

Was the cattail pond where this road was heading?\u00a0 It seemed likely.\u00a0 SPHP remembered a road near the pond, but Lupe hadn’t taken it.\u00a0 Instead, from the cattail pond she’d followed a barbed wire fence a long way N or NW through the woods.\u00a0 Although Lupe had ultimately made it to Crows Nest Peak, she’d gone a long way through a trackless stretch of forest with no real landmarks.\u00a0 Trying that again in this weather seemed unwise.<\/p>\n

Lupe returned to No. 157 and continued past the barbed wire fence.\u00a0 SPHP expected her to reach a road going to Procunter Spring pretty soon, but she didn’t.\u00a0 Odd.\u00a0 After more than 0.5 mile, Lupe reached a “Y”.\u00a0 Only the branch to the R could possibly be the way to Procunter Spring, but even it didn’t seem quite right.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Lupe reaches another road intersection. Did the road to the R lead to Procunter Spring? SPHP knew Lupe was near the N end of Coulsen Hughes Draw, but being here in the fog was disorienting, as though Lupe was in a dream.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Carolina Dog had been here before.\u00a0 Loop wasn’t far from Coulsen Hughes Draw.\u00a0 SPHP was certain of that.\u00a0 Yet it had been years since she had been at this exact spot.\u00a0 Being here now in the fog felt like a dream where things look familiar, yet are all jumbled up.\u00a0 Which way?<\/p>\n

SPHP checked the map.\u00a0 Somewhere around here, Loop was supposed to leave No. 157 and travel NW staying on high ground.\u00a0 The actual terrain didn’t seem to match up very well with what the map showed, though.\u00a0 Slightly higher ground was back the way Lupe had come to reach this intersection.\u00a0 Maybe it made sense to retrace her route a little before plunging into the forest?<\/p>\n

So that’s what Lupe did.\u00a0 She went back to a place where there was a bit of a hill off to the L.\u00a0 Despite misgivings, SPHP then followed her into the trees.\u00a0 In the fog, the forest seemed mysterious, abandoning the road faintly dangerous.\u00a0 The only real landmark Lupe would come to was a huge field 1.5 to 2 miles off to the NW.\u00a0 It might be terribly easy to get turned around and lost before ever getting there.<\/p>\n

Lupe hadn’t gone far before there was reason for concern.\u00a0 She’d climbed the small forested hill, but the high ground she was supposed to follow NW from here didn’t seem to exist.\u00a0 Instead, the forest sloped gradually down in every direction.\u00a0 Not far ahead, a meadow could be glimpsed through the trees, which didn’t seem right either.\u00a0 May as well check it out, though.<\/p>\n

Lupe reached the edge of the meadow.\u00a0 What she saw was surprising, almost shocking.\u00a0 The meadow was wide and very long, so long the end couldn’t be seen in either direction.\u00a0 It made no sense.\u00a0 How could Lupe have missed this huge meadow on her prior attempts to reach Crows Nest Peak from this direction?\u00a0 It seemed impossible, yet here it was.<\/p>\n

Which way?\u00a0 Lupe looked expectantly at SPHP.\u00a0 What was the holdup?\u00a0 SPHP stood staring at the meadow, pondering the view first in one direction, then the other.\u00a0 Not a clue.\u00a0 Everything looked wrong.\u00a0 Nothing made sense.\u00a0 There had to be an explanation, though.\u00a0 What was it?<\/p>\n

Confusion vanished.\u00a0 Certainty came flooding back.\u00a0 Oh, yeah, it all made sense now!\u00a0 This long meadow was the NW branch of Coulsen Hughes Draw.\u00a0 Had to be!\u00a0 SPHP had become disoriented in the fog, apparently even before Lupe had left the road.\u00a0 This meadow didn’t run E\/W like SPHP initially believed.\u00a0 Lupe had been traveling W, not N, going over the hill.\u00a0 This meadow went N\/S.<\/p>\n

Lupe turned N, gradually gaining elevation.\u00a0 As expected, the American Dingo soon came to an old wooden sign where the road to Procunter Spring crossed Coulsen Hughes Draw.\u00a0 Whew!\u00a0 Back on track.\u00a0 Simply amazing how easy it had been to get turned around in the fog!<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
When Lupe found this sign along USFS Road No. 157 in Coulsen Hughes Draw<\/strong>, SPHP was finally certain where she was again. It was amazing how easily disoriented SPHP had become in the fog! Photo looks NE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Puppy, ho!\u00a0 Lupe still had a long way to go to get to Crows Nest Peak.\u00a0 At least she knew which way to go now.\u00a0 From the sign, Loop followed No. 157 going NE.\u00a0 When the road curved E, she took a side road heading N through a gap in a fence.<\/p>\n

The side road had a lot of deadfall timber on it.\u00a0 Lupe soon left it heading WNW across the upper end of Coulsen Hughes Draw.\u00a0 Moderately higher ground was ahead.\u00a0 Lupe reached the top of a broad forested ridge.\u00a0 This was part of the high ground she had been supposed to take NW, though she was farther W on it than SPHP had intended.\u00a0 No matter, Lupe could get to Crows Nest Peak this way.\u00a0 Onward!<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
On the broad ridge NNW of Coulsen Hughes Draw<\/strong>. Photo looks N.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

For 0.75 mile, Lupe traveled N or NW on top of the broad ridge.\u00a0 It was still overcast, but not as foggy up here as it had been back at Coulsen Hughes Draw.\u00a0 Lupe ran and sniffed.\u00a0 There was no road or trail to follow.\u00a0 Lupe loved exploring, and things seemed to be going well.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Farther N on the ridge, Lupe came to this nice stand of white-barked aspens. Photo looks NW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

At the N end of the ridge, the terrain began sloping down.\u00a0 Lupe came to another road, which seemed vaguely familiar.\u00a0 Lupe had been here on one of her previous expeditions, hadn’t she?\u00a0 The American Dingo followed the road downhill to the W a short distance, before leaving it to continue N.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
More pretty white aspens seen on the way down off the ridge. Photo looks WNW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Lupe went over a small forested hill, and quickly arrived at the edge of a big field.\u00a0 Yes!\u00a0 Reaching this field meant Loop was less than a mile from Crows Nest Peak.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Finally at the big field. Reaching this point meant Loopster was less than a mile SE of Crows Nest Peak. Photo looks SW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

At the far side of the field, Lupe could see a road heading N into the forest.\u00a0 This might well be USFS Road No. 266.\u00a0 Lupe crossed the field.\u00a0 The road wasn’t marked, but it was going the right way.\u00a0 Loop and SPHP took the road.<\/p>\n

After passing through a stretch of forest, what looked like the level top of an earthen dam for a stock pond could be seen off in the woods.\u00a0 Lupe went over to check it out.\u00a0 Sure enough, a small iced-over shallow pond was on the other side.\u00a0 Not 15 feet away, down next to the pond, was the carcass of a deer.<\/p>\n

Something alive was feeding on the carcass!\u00a0 An instant after Lupe arrived on the scene, a head turned and fixed a beady yellow eye on her.\u00a0 Unhappy at being disturbed, a huge feathery eagle launched into the sky and flew off.\u00a0 It wasn’t a bald eagle, but the giant bird was still a sight to see.\u00a0 You would have had to been there, though.\u00a0 SPHP was way too slow to get a photo.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Lupe (L) at “Eagle Pond”. Photo looks SW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Another look at Eagle Pond. Lupe on the L again. Photo looks W.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
This deer carcass the eagle had been feeding on was only a couple feet from the frozen pond.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

From Eagle Pond, the road Lupe was following turned W or WNW.\u00a0 Loopster hadn’t gone too far on it when another road came in from the ENE.\u00a0 A marker showed this was USFS Road No. 377.1B.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
At the junction with USFS Road No. 377.1B. Finding No. 377.1B confirmed that Lupe had been following No. 266 since crossing the big field. Photo looks NE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Finding No. 377.1B confirmed that Lupe had been following USFS Road No. 266 since crossing the big field.\u00a0 Lupe took the road leading W from the junction.\u00a0 Crows Nest Peak was no more than 0.25 mile away now.\u00a0 In fact, Loop could soon see a hill N of the road.\u00a0 The summit had to be up there.<\/p>\n

Even though it was a slightly longer route, the Carolina Dog stuck with the road.\u00a0 When she reached a familiar meadow SW of the summit, she turned N on a spur road that would take her there.\u00a0 The spur is so seldom traveled that it didn’t even seem much like a road anymore.\u00a0 It was more like a single track trail.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Nearly there! This spur road, which is so infrequently traveled it now seems more like a single track trail, curls up to the top of Crows Nest Peak from the SW. Photo looks SSW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The spur road went N climbing a hill before leveling out.\u00a0 A little farther on it curved E.\u00a0 Lupe immediately arrived at the frozen remnant of a tiny pond.\u00a0 She climbed up on a mound of red dirt at the W end.\u00a0 She’d made it to Crows Nest Peak!\u00a0 This wasn’t the official summit, which was still a football field E, but had to be about as high, and was the landmark Lupe always went by.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
On the mound of red dirt at the W end of the tiny frozen pond. This pond is only a few hundred feet W of Crows Nest Peak’s summit. Photo looks SW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
The browns, pale blue, and white of the frozen pond were kind of pretty.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Looking E from the red mound on the W side of the frozen pond. The official summit of Crows Nest Peak<\/strong> is straight ahead a short distant into the trees slightly R of Center.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Lupe had come a long way.\u00a0 Time to claim her peakbagging success!\u00a0 The Carolina Dog left the frozen pond heading E.\u00a0 She crossed a small grassy area.\u00a0 There used to be a road here, but no trace of it remained.\u00a0 At a small opening in the forest maybe 60 or 70 feet back into the trees, Lupe came to a survey stake and benchmark.<\/p>\n

This was it!\u00a0 This flat place in the forest entirely lacking views in any direction, a total and complete mockery of its name, was one of the highest spots in the whole Black Hills.\u00a0 Lupe was at the official summit of Crows Nest Peak<\/strong><\/span><\/a> (7,048 ft.)<\/strong><\/span>.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Intrepid explorer and adventurer, Lupe the Carolina Dog, reaches the summit of Crows Nest Peak<\/strong> for the 4th time. Photo looks NE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
105 years have passed since this survey benchmark was placed on Crows Nest Peak<\/strong> in 1912. While much of the rest of the world has been transformed since then, Crows Nest Peak can’t have changed too much, at least not yet. Lupe and SPHP like it that way.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Crows Nest Peak<\/strong> summit. Some crow’s nest! This joint is flat as a pancake and devoid of views. Yet this remote high ground is still one of Lupe and SPHP’s favorite spots in the entire Black Hills. Photo looks E.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Yes, I made it! You didn’t really think a little fog was going to stop an American Dingo<\/strong>, did you?<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It had been a long, and occasionally confusing trek.\u00a0 Lupe and SPHP took a half hour break near the survey marker.\u00a0 Taste of the Wild, water, and an apple.\u00a0 Tiny snowflakes drifted down on a light swirling breeze.\u00a0 The temperature must have been at or below freezing, but the tiny flakes all melted as they hit.<\/p>\n

Cold, humid, quiet.\u00a0 SPHP sat on the ground petting Lupe’s soft fur.\u00a0 She liked that.\u00a0 Snowflakes filled the air.\u00a0 It felt again like winter was coming.\u00a0 Hidden in the remote high country, despite the absence of views, Crows Nest Peak was still a magical place.<\/p>\n

This foggy, overcast day had been the perfect day to come here.\u00a0 It didn’t matter that there weren’t any views.\u00a0 Lupe wouldn’t have been able to see them anyway, even if there had been some.\u00a0 Her journey here had felt more mysterious and adventurous beneath the close gray sky.<\/p>\n

It seemed like Lupe still had plenty of time; she’d gotten off to a fairly early start this morning.\u00a0 Hard to tell for certain, though, without being able to see the sun.\u00a0 It was one thing to wander around in the fog, entirely another to get caught in darkness away from any road on a cold, snowy night.\u00a0 Lupe at least better get back to No. 157 before it got dark.<\/p>\n

On the way back, Lupe had many more adventures.\u00a0 Although she was following the same basic route, she varied it enough to explore a fair amount of previously unseen territory along the way.\u00a0 The temperature slowly dropped.\u00a0 It didn’t snow all the time, but it did more and more often.\u00a0 Never too hard, and the snowflakes were never too big.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Starting back. Lupe near the tiny frozen pond toward the W end of Crows Nest Peak<\/strong>. Photo looks WSW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
At the junction of USFS Roads No. 266 & 377.1B, this unmarked road went S. Lupe explored it all the way back to the big field. Photo looks S.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Upon reaching the big field somewhere SW of where Lupe had crossed it before, the unmarked road went past this larger pond. Photo looks ENE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Back at the big field. Photo looks SSE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
On another road after crossing the big field. Loop is now heading for the start of the big trackless ridge leading back to Coulsen Hughes Draw<\/strong> and USFS Road No. 157. The N end of that ridge begins only a little SE of here. Photo looks NW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This seemed to be a big day for discovering frozen ponds.\u00a0 A little E of the ridge Lupe had followed N from Coulsen Hughes Draw earlier, Loop found yet another one in a shallow valley.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
On the way back, Lupe discovered this pond E of the big ridge she had followed N from Coulsen Hughes Draw<\/strong> earlier in the day. Photo looks S.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A faint road leading S from this pond ultimately proved to be the same one where she’d left USFS Road No. 157 hours ago.\u00a0 This proved that the pond was situated at the far, far N end of Coulsen Hughes Draw.<\/p>\n

Upon reaching No. 157 again, Lupe followed it E.\u00a0 She hadn’t gone too far, when she came to a barbed wire fence.\u00a0 Beyond it was the old cattail pond!<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Lupe reaches the cattail pond along USFS Road No. 157. Photo looks NE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The cattail pond was the last pond of the day.\u00a0 No. 157 turned S here, and quickly led Lupe past the muddy ruts with ice in them she had seen before.\u00a0 Another mystery solved!<\/p>\n

The Carolina Dog’s explorations were nearly over now.\u00a0 Lupe stuck to No. 157 going E.\u00a0 She passed by No. 157.1F again.\u00a0 She returned to No. 157.1A.\u00a0 The weird hunters were gone.\u00a0 Good!<\/p>\n

It snowed harder.\u00a0 In a few places, a little began to stick.\u00a0 A 15 minute off-road foray to a potential viewpoint revealed only snow and fog.\u00a0 OK, that was it.\u00a0 The rest of the way back was all business.\u00a0 Lupe watched, but didn’t even bark at a herd of cows grazing near the junction of USFS Roads No. 157.1A and No. 157.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Near the junction of USFS Roads No. 157.1A and No. 157. Lupe watched, but didn’t even bark at these cows. Photo looks S.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Heading down USFS Road No. 157. The Silver Creek Valley is below on the R. Photo looks SE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Lupe hopped into the G6 without hesitation (5:57 PM, 29\u00b0F)<\/em>.\u00a0 Moments later, a frigid wind came out of the NW blowing snow much harder than before down Castle Creek valley.<\/p>\n

During October, 2017, Lupe had visited many of the highest peaks in the Black Hills along the E edge of the limestone plateau.\u00a0 In most cases she hadn\u2019t been to these peaks in more than 2 years.\u00a0 Expedition No. 213 had been a fun day out, but suddenly it was looking like Crows Nest Peak would be the last the Carolina Dog would see of the high country this year.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
On USFS Road No. 157 back in the Castle Creek valley at the end of the day. Photo looks NW.<\/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\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Prior Black Hills Expedition<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

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

Start: 8:35 AM, 42\u00b0F, at the first pullout SE of USFS Road No. 157 along West Deerfield Road near Castle Creek A week shot by.\u00a0 The American Dingo was back!\u00a0 The G6 was parked no more than a mile NW of where it had been at the start of Expedition No. 212 only 7 days … Continue reading Black Hills, SD Expedition No. 213 – Crows Nest Peak (10-29-17)<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":11217,"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":[105,9,106,303,104,304],"class_list":["post-11232","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-crows-nest-peak","tag-lupe","tag-south-dakota"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventuresoflupe.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/IMG_8109.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\/11232","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=11232"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11232\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":28405,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11232\/revisions\/28405"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/11217"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=11232"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=11232"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=11232"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}