{"id":13701,"date":"2018-07-03T08:10:00","date_gmt":"2018-07-03T14:10:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/?p=13701"},"modified":"2018-08-01T22:09:13","modified_gmt":"2018-08-02T04:09:13","slug":"caribou-mountain-alaska-8-16-17","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/?p=13701","title":{"rendered":"Caribou Mountain, Alaska (8-16-17)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Day 17 of Lupe’s 2017 Dingo Vacation to the Yukon & Alaska!<\/em><\/p>\n

4:20 AM<\/em> – Light rain.\u00a0 The sky showed no improvement.\u00a0 Lupe wanted out.\u00a0 SPHP let her go.\u00a0 She sniffed around in the ditch next to the Dalton Highway on Finger Mountain<\/span><\/a> (2,202 ft.)<\/span><\/strong>.\u00a0 It was still dark out, but not completely.\u00a0 The first faint hint of dawn made it possible to see Loop dimly as she trotted this way and that conducting her investigations.<\/p>\n

Suddenly there was movement in the air!\u00a0 A large bird swooped out of the night to hover directly over Lupe, perhaps 15 or 20 feet above her.\u00a0 The bird hovered only a few seconds before flying off, but returned a moment later.\u00a0 It appeared to be some kind of an owl.\u00a0 An owl intent on Dingo for breakfast!<\/p>\n

Lupe took no notice of the owl swooping and hovering above her.\u00a0 The owl made 7 or 8 different passes before wisely flying off into the gloom, no doubt deeply disappointed that the American Dingo hadn’t been half as big.\u00a0 Apparently a 30+ pound Dingo was beyond its capabilities.<\/p>\n

The Carolina Dog returned to the G6 completely oblivious to the fact that her first and last red eye flight over Finger Mountain’s tundra had been fortuitously cancelled.\u00a0 Loop curled up and went back to sleep.<\/p>\n

7:52 AM<\/em> – Oh, joy!\u00a0 SPHP woke to find the rain had ended.\u00a0 Half the sky was blue!\u00a0 It was going to be a great day.\u00a0 Lupe was going to get to climb Caribou Mountain<\/span><\/a> (3,179 ft.)<\/span><\/strong> after all!<\/p>\n

Before heading for Caribou Mountain, though, Loopster ought to climb Finger Mountain again.\u00a0 The summit was only 100 yards from the Dalton Highway.\u00a0 Lupe had been up there yesterday afternoon, but conditions were much better now.\u00a0 A second journey up Finger Mountain would take hardly any time at all.<\/p>\n

In only a few minutes, the Carolina Dog was standing on the summit rocks once again.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
On the way to the summit of Finger Mountain<\/strong>. Blue sky had been hard to come by in recent days. It was exciting to see it again! Photo looks NNE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Lupe back on the highest rock on Finger Mountain<\/strong>. She’d been here yesterday afternoon and in August, 2016, too!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Although half the sky was blue, SPHP soon realized there was fog around, too, some of which can be seen in the background beyond where Lupe is poised dramatically atop Finger Mountain<\/strong>. Photo looks SSW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Loopster did need a boost from SPHP to get up there. From the other side, it’s not as difficult as it looks from here. Photo looks SSW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Owls? What owls? I don’t see any owls. Why would I want to keep an eye out for big owls up here? You aren’t making a lick of sense, SPHP!<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Back at the G6, SPHP needed to get a few things ready before Lupe left Finger Mountain to look for a place from which to begin her ascent of Caribou Mountain.\u00a0 After hearing SPHP’s tale about a giant owl that had been ready to swoop down and carry her off into the night to be devoured, Loop decided she would wait inside the G6.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Lupe rests in the G6 while waiting for SPHP to get ready for Caribou Mountain. She pondered the crazy, scary tale SPHP told her about an owl swooping down out of the night sky wanting to devour her. What is an owl, anyway? How big are they really? Are we talking chickadees or pterodactyls here?<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Caribou Mountain is only 7 miles WNW of Finger Mountain.\u00a0 Lupe was going to head a few miles N on the Dalton Highway to see if she could find a place to start closer to it, but the mountain was already in view.\u00a0 Did Loop want to have a look at Caribou Mountain from Finger Mountain before heading out?<\/p>\n

Yes, she did!\u00a0 No owl would dare swoop down on a fully grown ferocious American Dingo in broad daylight!\u00a0 If it did, it would be that owl’s last swoop ever.\u00a0 We’d see just who would devour who.\u00a0 SPHP was full of it.\u00a0 Maybe it was August Fool’s Day or something?<\/p>\n

Lupe crossed over to the W side of the Dalton Highway.\u00a0 She climbed up on the same rock formation she had visited yesterday over here.\u00a0 Sure enough, there was Caribou Mountain<\/span><\/a> (3,179 ft.)<\/span><\/strong> off to the WNW.\u00a0 It looked easy!\u00a0 Just a miles long, gentle ridge.\u00a0 Why, Lupe would have a blast up there!\u00a0 Running around exploring open tundra was one of her favorite things.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Caribou Mountain<\/strong> (R in the distance) from Finger Mountain<\/strong>. Photo looks WNW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Loop on the Dalton Highway near the G6 before leaving for Caribou Mountain. The summit of Finger Mountain<\/strong> is the knob of rock on the R. Photo looks NE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After taking a gander at Caribou Mountain from Finger Mountain, Lupe and SPHP took off in the G6 heading N on the Dalton Highway.\u00a0 The idea was to find a place along the highway where the G6 could be stashed somewhere close to the end of Caribou Mountain’s miles long NE ridge.<\/p>\n

SPHP was surprised to see buildings W of the Dalton Highway where the best place to start an ascent of Caribou Mountain seemed to be.\u00a0 There was no sign of anyone around.\u00a0 The place looked like an abandoned homestead, but maybe not, too.\u00a0 The buildings didn’t look old enough to be certain.<\/p>\n

Buildings way out here?\u00a0 A lone house 15 miles from the Arctic Circle?\u00a0 Was this area private property?\u00a0 SPHP had no clue.\u00a0 It seemed unlikely to say the least.\u00a0 Hmm.\u00a0 SPHP drove on to see what other possibilities might exist.<\/p>\n

After driving back and forth over the same few miles several times, SPHP finally parked the G6 along the edge of a wide gravel road 30 feet from where it left the W side of the Dalton Highway.\u00a0 Lupe was a little farther N than SPHP would have liked, about a mile S of the Kanuti River, but the chances of an angry landowner suddenly appearing here seemed remote.<\/p>\n

The short road was blocked by a large red metal gate.\u00a0 This road was a link to the Alaska oil pipeline service road only a short distance from the highway.\u00a0 The G6 was parked leaving plenty of room so service vehicles needing to get by could easily do so.<\/p>\n

When Lupe set out (9:39 AM, 50\u00b0F)<\/em>, the summit of Caribou Mountain<\/span><\/a> (3,179 ft.)<\/span><\/strong> was about 4 miles away as the crow or evil owl flies, perhaps 5 following the NE ridge.\u00a0 A line of trees blocked views of the ridge from the G6.\u00a0 Loop and SPHP went around the red gate, which was chained shut, and followed the gravel road.\u00a0 A short stroll brought Lupe beyond the stand of trees.<\/p>\n

Ahead was a mixed deciduous forest of small trees and tall bushes.\u00a0 Beyond the forest was a big hill, part of a rounded ridge leading higher and farther S.\u00a0 A conifer forest was present on lower portions of the big hill, but the upper slopes looked like a mostly barren region of alpine tundra.<\/p>\n

Lupe’s first mission was clear.\u00a0 She needed to get beyond the forests and bushes.\u00a0 If the Carolina Dog could reach the alpine tundra, she should have an easy obstacle-free climb the rest of the way up the big hill.\u00a0 From there she could proceed to the ridge beyond it.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Only a few minutes after leaving the G6 and bypassing the red metal gate, Lupe came to this view of a big hill she would need to climb. Beyond the hill, she could continue up Caribou Mountain’s NE ridge. Photo looks SSW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Loop followed the road as far as it went toward the big hill, which wasn’t far at all.\u00a0 Directly ahead was an area that looked like flat, easy terrain.\u00a0 However, it proved to be full of tussocks and boggy.\u00a0 A tremendously thick layer of spongy vegetation gave way at each step.<\/p>\n

It soon became clear that Lupe was heading for a pond.\u00a0 There seemed to be somewhat higher ground on the N side of the pond, which proved to be true.\u00a0 The ground here was much firmer and drier.\u00a0 Lupe managed to circle around the N and W sides of the pond without further difficulties.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Lupe on drier ground along the N side of the pond. The pond had a small island (Center) in it. The hill Lupe is headed for is on the R. Photo looks S.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Looking back at the pond after getting past it. Photo looks NE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Once around the pond, Lupe was almost immediately confronted with an area dominated by a dense tangle of bushes higher than SPHP’s head.\u00a0 The terrain was beginning to rise here, but was rough and uneven.\u00a0 Low spots were filled with water, in some places several feet deep.<\/p>\n

This region was a real jungle for Lupe.\u00a0 Even SPHP couldn’t see a thing.\u00a0 At least Looper could maneuver through it reasonably well, but for SPHP it was a tough slog trying to force a way through.\u00a0 Fortunately the dense jungle trek wasn’t terribly long.\u00a0 The Carolina Dog eventually stumbled upon a little hill about 10 feet high.\u00a0 Beyond it was a more open slope of scattered conifers and bushes.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Loop down in the jungle wondering why SPHP had led her to this place?<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Beyond the jungle of bushes, Lupe came to more open ground where scattered pines and bushes were plentiful. These bushes were not nearly so large as those comprising the jungle had been. Photo looks SW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The terrain was now rising at a steady clip.\u00a0 It wasn’t steep, but going up the long slope was harder than anticipated.\u00a0 The scattered forest was surprisingly wet and boggy.\u00a0 Small pools of water, often connected by little streams, were all over the place.\u00a0 Tussocks were present, making footing unreliable.\u00a0 Deadfall timber was scattered about, but wasn’t too much of a problem since the trees here were stunted.\u00a0 A fair number of dead trees were still standing.<\/p>\n

Lupe and SPHP forged ahead, trying to aim for whatever seemed to be the driest part of the slope.\u00a0 Gradually the trees and bushes thinned out and disappeared.\u00a0 The pools of water and little streams faded away, too.\u00a0 Lupe had made it to the mostly barren upper slopes of the big hill.\u00a0 Underpaw were small rocks and sparse tundra vegetation.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Lupe reaches the barren upper slopes of the hill she’s been climbing. The trees, bushes and wet terrain have all been left behind down below. The pond Lupe had passed by is now seen beyond Lupe way down at the base of the hill. The Dalton Highway is in view, too. Photo looks NNE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The climb was steeper up here, but the terrain was great.\u00a0 No obstacles at all!\u00a0 Somewhere along the way, Lupe reached the top of the big hill she’d been aiming for, but it was hard to say exactly where.\u00a0 It was all part of a broad, rounded ridge continuing higher.\u00a0 The American Dingo just kept climbing.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
On the way up to Caribou Mountain’s main NE ridgeline. Steeper here than down below, but this was obstacle-free terrain far easier than what Lupe had dealt with earlier. Photo looks SW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Getting closer to the main ridgeline. Things are starting to level out quite a bit. If SPHP had been able to park the G6 farther S where originally planned, Lupe would have been coming up the ridge seen in the distance on the L. Photo looks SE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Lupe reached Caribou Mountain’s main NE ridgeline at a particularly barren point.\u00a0 Hardly any vegetation was present here.\u00a0 Small reddish rocks covered the ground.\u00a0 The area was quite flat, having only a slightly rounded aspect to it.\u00a0 A couple hundred yards ahead was a cluster of rocks perhaps 25 or 30 feet high.\u00a0 To the SE was a bigger hill along the ridgeline, High Point 2355<\/span><\/strong> on the topo map<\/strong><\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n

If SPHP had been able to park the G6 farther S as originally intended, Lupe would have arrived here from the direction of High Point 2355.\u00a0 As it was, the Carolina Dog had effectively bypassed it.<\/p>\n

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Lupe reaches Caribou Mountain’s main NE ridgeline. Ahead on the R is a cluster of rocks she would go explore. On the L is High Point 2355<\/span><\/strong>. Photo looks S.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Olsons Lake<\/strong> is one of the large ponds in the distance beyond Lupe. Photo looks E.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

For the first time, the summit of Caribou Mountain was now in view, about 3 miles to the SW.\u00a0 Lupe could see much of the very wide, gently rounded NE ridge leading to it.\u00a0 A number of high points were visible along the way.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
The summit of Caribou Mountain<\/strong> is on the L. A huge part of Caribou Mountain’s NE ridge is in view here. After exploring the cluster of rocks nearby (not pictured off the L edge), Loop would next continue on to the closest, but lower, high point seen in shadow on the R. Photo looks SW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Before continuing on toward the summit, Lupe went to check out the nearby cluster of rocks.\u00a0 She climbed partway up, getting quite close to the top.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Caribou Mountain<\/strong> from the N end of the cluster of rocks. Photo looks SW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Lupe up on the cluster of rocks. Photo looks NW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Intrepid Carolina Dog, Lupe, on her way to Caribou Mountain.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After finishing her fun little scramble on the cluster of rocks, all Lupe had to do was keep following Caribou Mountain’s vast NE ridge toward the summit.\u00a0 The next high point along the way was a small rocky ridge about 15 minutes away off to the W.\u00a0 Loopster would actually lose a little elevation going over to it.<\/p>\n

As Lupe neared this next high point, the terrain changed a bit.\u00a0 Medium size rocks were strewn around the area near the ridge.\u00a0 Small trees and bushes grew here.\u00a0 The ridge itself was 40 or 50 feet high, consisting of rough rock and assorted large boulders.\u00a0 A short easy rock hopping scramble would get Loop to the top.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Approaching the next high point along Caribou Mountain’s NE ridge. This rocky little ridge would be a quick, easy scramble for the Carolina Dog. Photo looks WNW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
On the highest rocks. High Point 2355<\/span><\/strong> is in the distance R of Center. Photo looks E.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Still on the highest rocks, but looking NE now.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Lupe had approached this small ridge from the E, which turned out to be its highest and most dramatic side.\u00a0 Beyond the boulders at the top, the ridge was more like a relatively level hilltop.\u00a0 Medium size rocks and small bushes covered this area.\u00a0 Several more large boulders were here, too.\u00a0 Lupe got up on one of the biggest.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Loop up on another big rock. On the L are some of the bushes and medium size rocks that cover the flat hilltop on the W side of this little ridge. In the distance on the L are several high points leading to the summit of Caribou Mountain<\/strong>. Photo looks SW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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The sky was starting to cloud up, but the weather wasn’t an issue yet. The summit of Caribou Mountain<\/strong> is in the distance on the L. Photo looks SW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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I can see for miles from up here in every direction, but still haven’t seen a single owl, SPHP! You sure you didn’t make that scary owl story up? Hey, isn’t this Caribou Mountain? Come to think of it, I haven’t seen any caribou yet, either! What’s up with that?<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Continuing on, Lupe scrambled down the W side of the rocky hilltop.\u00a0 Two much bigger high points were now ahead to the SW.\u00a0 The summit of Caribou Mountain was in view beyond them.<\/p>\n

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After a short scramble down off the rocky hill, two much larger high points are ahead. The summit of Caribou Mountain<\/strong> is beyond them in the distance. Photo looks SW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

These next two high points were not collections of medium to large rocks and boulders, like the two high points Looper had just visited.\u00a0 They were big, rounded hills covered with alpine tundra and mostly smaller rocks.<\/p>\n

Loop did not go clear to the top of either of these next two high points.\u00a0 Expending the extra energy required to do so was unnecessary.\u00a0 The smooth, steadily rising slope made it easier to simply skirt around the NW side of each hill, although Lupe did pass fairly close to the summits in both cases.<\/p>\n

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Loop beyond the first of the big hills. She would go around the NW (R) side of the next hill seen on the R, too. Photo looks SW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Nearing the second of the big hills, Lupe came to another cluster of big rocks and boulders that formed a small prominent point perhaps 20 to 25 feet high.\u00a0 SPHP was well beyond this prominence, before realizing that the American Dingo was still back there.<\/p>\n

Lupe had discovered some sort of squirrel or pika or something similar that apparently made this cluster of rocks its home.\u00a0 The Carolina Dog was in hot pursuit of the lively squirrel, which was extraordinarily quick and agile.\u00a0 The squirrel leapt confidently boulder to boulder, circling the cluster of rocks, suddenly appearing as if by magic first one place then another.<\/p>\n

The squirrel had the advantage of being able to scramble way up to the top of the spire where Lupe couldn’t possibly reach it.\u00a0 However, the squirrel didn’t seem to realize it was completely safe up there, and kept darting down among the lower rocks hoping to get out of sight.<\/p>\n

For Lupe this was an exhilarating game of chase!\u00a0 When it came to speed and agility, she was no slouch either.\u00a0 She bounded around circling the whole rock cluster at such an enthusiastic, single-minded pace, that SPHP feared Loop might break a leg, if this game wasn’t brought to a speedy end.\u00a0 SPHP had to call her twice before she reluctantly left the squirrel unharmed, still lord and master of its rock cluster.<\/p>\n

Lupe returned to SPHP breathless, panting hard, with an enormous grin on her face.\u00a0 For the next little while, she roamed far and wide searching diligently for another squirrel, but her efforts were disappointed.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Continuing up toward the second big high point (R). Photo looks SW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Looking back down Caribou Mountain’s NE ridge. The closest high point (L of Center) is the first of the big hills, which Loop is now well above. The small rocky ridge she had been to before that is beyond it on the L. Photo looks NE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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On rocky ground not too far from where the lively squirrel was. Lupe is already beyond that little adventure. The second big hill is dead ahead.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Looper on her way around the second big hill. She’s fairly high on its upper NW slope, standing on one of a series of minor rock outcroppings in this area. Photo looks WNW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Still along a line of minor rock outcroppings on the way around the second hill’s NW slope. Caribou Mountain’s summit is ahead on the L. Photo looks SSW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

When Lupe made it beyond the second big hill, she found herself in a moderately sloping area.\u00a0 This region had a fair amount of small to medium size rock, and was surprisingly boggy.\u00a0 The water supply made the tundra more lush here.\u00a0 Ahead, a long ridge slanted steadily up from the N toward the NE end of a dark hill.<\/p>\n

The summit of Caribou Mountain was somewhere up on that hill.\u00a0 From a distance, the summit had appeared heavily forested.\u00a0 By now, though, Lupe could clearly see that it wasn’t.\u00a0 The hill consisted of exposed dark colored rocks and boulders.<\/p>\n

Lupe traipsed through the boggy area, angling WSW toward the ridge slanting up to the NE base of the summit hill.<\/p>\n

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Beyond the second big hill, Lupe reaches a surprisingly boggy area full of pools and trickling streams. She headed WSW (R) to get up on the ridge sloping up to the base of Caribou Mountain’s summit hill (Center). Photo looks SSW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The boggy area was more extensive than anticipated.\u00a0 It took longer than expected to get through it, and make the trek up the ridge.\u00a0 Eventually, though, Lupe was approaching the hill of dark rock at the top of Caribou Mountain.\u00a0 It was maybe 125 to 150 feet high, and would be a pretty steep scramble the entire way up.<\/p>\n

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Loop approaches Caribou Mountain’s big summit hill comprised of dark rocks. A steep scramble up the NE face awaits her. This hill was perhaps 125 to 150 feet high. Photo looks SW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Looper could have scrambled up the E end of the summit hill. This route would have been longer, but not as steep. Instead of taking this E route, Loop went right up the NE face. Photo looks S.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The scramble up the NE face of the big summit hill was fun and actually quite easy.\u00a0 It went quickly.\u00a0 Most of the rocks were stable, and it wasn’t hard to find routes avoiding the biggest boulders and other impassable spots.\u00a0 Many rocks were covered with bright orange lichens.<\/p>\n

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Loop pauses to check out the views on the way up the NE face of the big summit hill. She had plenty of time to look around while pokey SPHP tried to keep up.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Bright orange lichens grew on many rocks.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

At the end of the scramble, Lupe reached a gently sloping region.\u00a0 The top of the summit hill was a vast area many acres in size. The ground was covered with scattered patches of alpine tundra.\u00a0 Between the patches were ditches full of rocks.\u00a0 Each patch of tundra was sort of like an island, surrounded by these rock-filled ditches.<\/p>\n

From a great distance, a little dark knob had been visible up on top of Caribou Mountain.\u00a0 As it turned out, Lupe had scrambled up quite near it.\u00a0 She could now see that the dark knob was actually a hill of rock about 75 feet high superimposed upon the vast general summit region she had just reached.\u00a0 Unless something higher was hidden beyond it, the true summit of Caribou Mountain had to be up on this final rocky hill.<\/p>\n

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Lupe reaches Caribou Mountain’s general summit region. The 75 foot high hill ahead is the dark knob she had seen from miles away. Photo looks SW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The N face of the smaller hill was another fun scramble.\u00a0 Lupe came up right between the two highest rocks.\u00a0 It was instantly clear Loop had made it to the true summit of Caribou Mountain<\/span><\/a> (3,179 ft.)<\/span><\/strong>!<\/p>\n

On the highest rock was a survey benchmark.\u00a0 It even said Caribou.<\/p>\n

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To SPHP’s surprise, Lupe found this Caribou survey benchmark on the highest rock on Caribou Mountain.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Lupe reaches the true summit of Caribou Mountain<\/strong>. The survey benchmark is next to and slightly behind Loop on the L. Much of the long NE ridge Lupe had followed to get here is seen beyond her in the distance. Photo looks NE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
View to the NW from the true summit. The deep valley beyond the barren light green territory in the foreground is the Kanuti River<\/strong> valley.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After an initial look around, Lupe found a bigger surprise 25 feet SW of the true summit.\u00a0 Among the rocks was another survey marker.\u00a0 Next to the marker were two plaques in memory of Jamie & Jason Burroughs.<\/p>\n

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25 feet SW of the true summit, Lupe discovered another survey marker and two plaques in memory of Jamie & Jason Burroughs.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Were Jamie and Jason siblings? It seemed likely. They were born within a few years of each other. Both died young. Jamie lived only 18 years. Jason passed away 2 days after his 34th birthday.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Stashed among the rocks near the plaques were a clear plastic jar and a thermos with the Big Dipper and North Star on it.\u00a0 The jar contained only a plastic bag with a pen and two pencils in it.\u00a0 The thermos was tightly stuffed with two plastic bags containing more pens, registries, and some other papers.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Stashed among the rocks near the commemorative plaques were a clear plastic jar and a thermos with the Big Dipper and North Star on it.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The registries contained so few entries, SPHP read them all.\u00a0 One entry of particular interest was by Jason Burroughs dated 2008 or 2009.\u00a0 Jason had written that he had lived at the base of Caribou Mountain for 2 years.\u00a0 Some of the additional papers revealed that Jason ran a resort – Old Man Alaska Bed & Breakfast.\u00a0 There was even a photo of Jason and his two daughters.<\/p>\n

Nothing indicated how or why either Jason or Jamie had died so young.\u00a0 Those buildings Lupe had seen this morning on the W side of the Dalton Highway while SPHP had been looking for a place to park the G6 must have been where Jason had lived.\u00a0 It was probably the former site of Old Man Alaska Bed & Breakfast.\u00a0 Absolutely nothing else was around here way out in the Alaskan wilderness.<\/p>\n

SPHP signed Lupe into the registry, then put everything back in place.\u00a0 Time to check out the views from Caribou Mountain.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Looking down from the knob where the true summit of Caribou Mountain is located on the much larger general summit area below. The striking pattern of patches of tundra scattered among a network of rock-filled ditches is evident. Photo looks S.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
All the major high points Lupe came to along Caribou Mountain’s NE ridge are in view here. Photo looks NE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Lupe in sunshine on Caribou Mountain<\/strong>. Photo looks NE with help from the telephoto lens.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
The pattern made by the tundra and rocks on Caribou Mountain<\/strong> was so cool to look down upon! Photo looks SSW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The sky had been totally overcast when Lupe arrived at the true summit of Caribou Mountain. Since then, holes had appeared in the clouds once or twice.\u00a0 Lupe basked briefly in bright sunshine.\u00a0 However, as time wore on, it was becoming clear the Carolina Dog was leading a charmed existence.\u00a0 Rain showers could be seen in every direction.<\/p>\n

The showers to the N and E were quite a long way off.\u00a0 The ones to the W were closer, but weren’t headed this way.\u00a0 The real threat was from the S.\u00a0 A long line of showers was advancing toward Caribou Mountain, driven by a steady S breeze.<\/p>\n

Lupe had arrived early enough in the day so she should have been able to spend a long time at the summit.\u00a0 Sadly, it wasn’t going to work out that way.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Rain showers are seen off to the W.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Looking W with help from the telephoto lens.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Looking N with help from the telephoto lens.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Lupe and SPHP spent 45 minutes up on the rocky summit of Caribou Mountain.\u00a0 Then, with rain showers approaching, it was time to get going.\u00a0 Before departing glorious Caribou Mountain, Lupe returned to the highest rocks at the true summit.<\/p>\n

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Lupe on Caribou Mountain’s highest rocks. The survey benchmark (near her rear paw) and long NE ridge are both in view. Photo looks NE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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An American Dingo at the true summit of Caribou Mountain<\/strong>. Looking NE with help from the telephoto lens.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Another look with less help from the telephoto lens. Photo looks NE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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A better look at the NE ridge. Lupe has moved slightly. The Caribou survey benchmark is a few feet beyond her at Center. Photo looks NE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Final look NE from the true summit.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Lupe remained briefly up at the summit while SPHP started down.<\/p>\n

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Lupe along the N edge of the knob at the top of Caribou Mountain.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Be there in a minute, SPHP. Keep going! I’m a much faster scrambler than you are.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The return trip was a race against deteriorating weather.\u00a0 Loop followed the same general route back down the NE ridge.\u00a0 For a long way, the return trip was a great deal of fun.\u00a0 Lupe never saw the sun again, but the views were so awesome!\u00a0 The strengthening S breeze and encroaching clouds created a wild, gloomy, menacing mood enhanced by the knowledge that Lupe and SPHP were alone in northern Alaska.<\/p>\n

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Looking back toward the summit of Caribou Mountain<\/strong>. Lupe is almost back down to the second big hill she’d come to on the way up. Photo looks SW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

On the way back, Lupe tagged the summits of both the big hills she had skirted on the way up.\u00a0 Between them, a rain shower caught her.\u00a0 SPHP had stopped to put on the rain poncho only minutes before.\u00a0 The S wind drove the rain so hard the raindrops stung a little.\u00a0 This first shower lasted only 10 minutes.\u00a0 Lupe got wet, but SPHP hadn’t fared too badly.<\/p>\n

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Looper now between the first and second big hills she’d passed by on the way up. The first rain shower would catch up with her in only a few minutes. She still had miles to go to get to the G6. Photo looks NE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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The first big hill is the closest one on the L. Beyond it at far L is the little rock ridge. High Point 2355<\/span><\/strong> is near Center. The cluster of rocks Loop came to first on the way up is the little dark knob to the L of High Point 2355<\/span><\/strong>. Photo looks NE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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On a scenic knob along the way to the first big hill. Photo looks NE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Little tundra plants can be so incredibly colorful and beautiful!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Lupe was doing great!\u00a0 She was making excellent progress.\u00a0 Rain was all around, but except for that one 10 minute shower, the Carolina Dog was lucky.\u00a0 She made it all the way back to the area where she had first reached the main NE ridgeline.\u00a0 SPHP wasn’t eager to go back down the boggy lower slope Lupe had originally come up to get here, however.\u00a0 It would be nice to avoid that jungle of bushes down near the bottom, too.<\/p>\n

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Lupe makes it back to the area where she’d originally reached Caribou Mountain’s main NE ridgeline. Photo looks SW back toward the summit.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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The original route Loop had taken up to reach the main NE ridgeline is below on the R. SPHP wasn’t eager to repeat a long boggy trek down the lower slope and through the jungle of bushes waiting at the bottom. The Dalton Highway is finally back in sight here. Photo looks NNE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Instead of taking the same route down that she had come up in the morning, Lupe stuck with the main NE ridge longer.\u00a0 This time she passed only a little N of High Point 2355<\/span><\/strong>.\u00a0 The Carolina Dog went to the far E end of Caribou Mountain’s NE ridge before turning N.<\/p>\n

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Turning N near the far E end of Caribou Mountain’s long NE ridge. The Dalton Highway crosses the Kanuti River in the distance on the R. Photo looks NNW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Lupe needed only another half hour to get back to the Dalton Highway and the G6 from here, but her luck was about to run out. Photo looks E.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The G6 was only half an hour away when Lupe’s luck ran out.\u00a0 A second rain shower finally caught her.\u00a0 This time it was no mere 10 minute affair.\u00a0 Rain poured down twice as long and twice as hard as the first time.<\/p>\n

Lupe had avoided the boggy terrain and the jungle of bushes, but it hardly mattered.\u00a0 Coming down off the ridge, she had to go through a forest with deadfall, meadows of high grass, and stands of tall bushes.\u00a0 Everything was soaking wet.\u00a0 By the time Loop and SPHP reached the service road along the buried Alaska oil pipeline, both were drenched.\u00a0 May as well have gone swimming!\u00a0 (7:30 PM)<\/em><\/p>\n

No matter.\u00a0 The G6 wasn’t far away now.\u00a0 SPHP would make everything alright there.\u00a0 The important thing was Lupe had made it to the top of Caribou Mountain today.<\/p>\n

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Lupe returning from Caribou Mountain, Alaska 8-16-17<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Want more Lupe adventures?\u00a0\u00a0Choose\u00a0from\u00a0Lupe’s 2017 Dingo Vacation to the Yukon & Alaska Adventure Index<\/strong><\/span><\/a>,\u00a0Dingo Vacations Adventure Index<\/strong><\/span><\/a> or Master Adventure Index<\/strong><\/span><\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0Or subscribe free\u00a0to\u00a0new Lupe adventures<\/strong><\/a><\/span><\/em>.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Day 17 of Lupe’s 2017 Dingo Vacation to the Yukon & Alaska! 4:20 AM – Light rain.\u00a0 The sky showed no improvement.\u00a0 Lupe wanted out.\u00a0 SPHP let her go.\u00a0 She sniffed around in the ditch next to the Dalton Highway on Finger Mountain (2,202 ft.).\u00a0 It was still dark out, but not completely.\u00a0 The first … Continue reading Caribou Mountain, Alaska (8-16-17)<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":13682,"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":[835],"tags":[8,704,105,916,106,26,104,11],"class_list":["post-13701","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-2017-yukon-alaska","tag-omniten","tag-alaska","tag-american-dingo","tag-caribou-mountain","tag-carolina-dog","tag-dingo-vacations","tag-lupe","tag-peakbagging"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventuresoflupe.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/IMG_6665.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\/13701","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=13701"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13701\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":16357,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13701\/revisions\/16357"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/13682"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=13701"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=13701"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=13701"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}