{"id":14016,"date":"2018-07-27T08:10:16","date_gmt":"2018-07-27T14:10:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/?p=14016"},"modified":"2019-03-24T08:48:30","modified_gmt":"2019-03-24T14:48:30","slug":"lake-benchmark-mountain-brooks-range-alaska-8-19-17","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/?p=14016","title":{"rendered":"Lake Benchmark Mountain, Brooks Range, Alaska (8-19-17)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Day 20 of Lupe’s 2017 Dingo Vacation to the Yukon & Alaska!<\/em><\/p>\n

3:12 AM, 36\u00b0F<\/em> – Already seems like there’s a bit of light.\u00a0 Lupe was out of her blankie.\u00a0 Pulled it back over her.\u00a0 Keep the puppy warm!\u00a0 Too early.\u00a0 Back to sleep.<\/p>\n

4:18 AM, 35\u00b0F<\/em> – Definitely light out now, but the whole world is densely fogged over.\u00a0 Maybe a ground fog like the morning after Lupe climbed Caribou Mountain<\/span><\/a> (3,179 ft.)<\/span><\/strong>?\u00a0 If so, it may burn away, but the weak Arctic Sun will take hours to do so.\u00a0 Meanwhile, nothing to do but sleep.<\/p>\n

5:35 AM, 35\u00b0F<\/em> – Except for the patch of boreal tundra right here, the whole world is invisible.\u00a0 Misting lightly.\u00a0 Loop went out.\u00a0 Everything’s cold and wet.\u00a0 She’s back in the G6 licking herself off.\u00a0 Have to wait for the fog to lift.\u00a0 Maybe Lupe’s next Dingo Vacation should be to some place with palm trees?<\/p>\n

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Okay … so what are we thinking here, SPHP? Cause I’m thinking it’s back under the blankie time!<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

8:48 AM, 38\u00b0F<\/em> – The weakling sun has managed to make some progress against the fog.\u00a0 Can see 0.5 mile now.\u00a0 Shared a can of chili and a can of beef and barley soup with Looper.\u00a0 She’s back to dozing.<\/p>\n

10:18 AM, 39\u00b0F<\/em> – Sunshine on the hills.\u00a0 Visibility is a few miles.\u00a0 A patch of blue sky is off to the NW.\u00a0 Loopster still conked out!\u00a0 A small knoll exists out on the North Slope maybe 0.25 mile away.\u00a0 It’s lower than where the G6 is, but a bit higher than what’s around it.\u00a0 Should make a decent objective for Lupe’s farthest point N ever.\u00a0 Guess it’s time for her Stroll to the North Slope Knoll!<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
View of the first high ridge on the N side of the Brooks Range<\/strong> from the S edge of the North Slope<\/strong>. (Area near Dalton Highway milepost 278.) Photo looks SSE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Loopster still catching some Z’s in the G6. She must really have been tired!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Daylight in the swamps, Loop!<\/em><\/p>\n

Hmm?\u00a0 You mean get up?\u00a0 Can we even see the swamps yet, SPHP?<\/em><\/p>\n

Yes, we actually can.\u00a0 Time for your Stroll to the North Slope Knoll!<\/em><\/p>\n

Stroll to the North Slope Knoll?\u00a0 What’s that supposed to mean?<\/em><\/p>\n

Off to the N or NW from here, I see a little rise, a knoll, only slightly above the surrounding terrain.\u00a0 It’s not far at all.\u00a0 We’re going to start what’s left of this morning off with a quick stroll over there.\u00a0 The knoll isn’t even as high as where we are now.\u00a0 Super easy.\u00a0 We’ll be back before you know it.<\/em><\/p>\n

Oh!\u00a0 A little romp on the North Slope tundra?\u00a0 Sounds like fun to me!\u00a0 Any particular reason we’re doing this?\u00a0 It’s not much like you to want to go to a knoll, SPHP.<\/em><\/p>\n

Yes, there is a reason.\u00a0 There’s a good chance that knoll is going to wind up being as far N as you and I will ever be in our whole lives.\u00a0 Remember your 2016 Last Mile North<\/strong><\/span><\/a> trek, which we did again only yesterday?\u00a0 This is like that, except the updated 2017 version of it.\u00a0 Out here on the North Slope just beyond the Brooks Range, you are 71 miles farther N than last year’s record.<\/em><\/p>\n

So we aren’t going any farther N than this?\u00a0 Yesterday evening you were practically a nutcase about the North Slope!<\/em><\/p>\n

Oh, I’ve thought about it a lot.\u00a0 If you could take the Arctic Ocean tour, we’d go for sure, but Dingoes aren’t allowed.\u00a0 I don’t think there’s much in the way of mountains we could climb between here and the ocean either.\u00a0 At least I don’t know of any.\u00a0 So maybe it doesn’t make sense to go any farther than this, though I am curious.\u00a0 Galbraith Lake and Lake Benchmark Mountain are as far N as I’d planned for us to go, so this is probably it.\u00a0 We are already a few miles N of both of them.<\/em><\/p>\n

I see.\u00a0 So we’re just going to take this short Stroll to the North Slope Knoll, oooh and aaah a bit looking at whatever we can see of the North Slope from there, then turn around and come right back?<\/em><\/p>\n

Eh, yeah, guess that’s about the size of it.\u00a0 So, come on, let’s do it.\u00a0 We have bigger fish to fry after your Stroll to the North Slope Knoll, too.
\n<\/em><\/p>\n

The Stroll to the North Slope Knoll was a marvelous journey!\u00a0 Learned something right away.\u00a0 Where the tundra was yellow and gold, the ground was boggy and wet.\u00a0 Where reddish and pale green plants were dominant, small rocks and drier, firmer footing existed.\u00a0 The tundra had way more yellow and gold on offer than reds and pale greens, but SPHP found ways to link up the reds and greens sufficiently to avoid getting wet feet.\u00a0 Lupe sniffed and played wherever she pleased, unconcerned by such trifles as wet paws.<\/p>\n

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Lupe stands near the start of a long stretch of reds and pale greens leading toward the nearly imperceptible North Slope Knoll<\/strong> she was heading for. Photo looks NW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The tundra also harbored large mushrooms, many more than half a foot in diameter.\u00a0 They weren’t super common, but it wasn’t necessary to look long before finding one, either.<\/p>\n

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The tundra harbored large mushrooms, often half a foot in diameter.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The North Slope Knoll turned out to be more like 0.33 mile from the G6, not 0.25 mile.\u00a0 Even so, the strange, incredible sensation of walking as far N as one ever would was over all too soon.<\/p>\n

The knoll wasn’t all that perceptible even standing there right on it.\u00a0 The rise was almost a figment of SPHP’s imagination, amounting to little more than a short ridge only a few feet high.\u00a0 This was it, though.\u00a0 Likely as far N in the world as Lupe and SPHP would ever be.<\/p>\n

A patch of green next to a barely medium-sized rock seemed to be as high as anything else.\u00a0 That rock would do.\u00a0 It could be the official endpoint of the Stroll to the North Slope Knoll.\u00a0 Naturally, congratulations were in order.\u00a0 SPHP shook Lupe’s paw, praising her for reaching the North Slope of Alaska beyond the Brooks Range.<\/p>\n

The views of the North Slope were beautiful.\u00a0 Rolling tundra, small lakes, big hills.\u00a0 In the distance, small mountains.\u00a0 All empty and pristine, as if humanity’s teeming billions didn’t exist.\u00a0 The world looking as it always had for eons, yet for how much longer?\u00a0 A blink of an eye?\u00a0 A depressing thought, but only SPHP’s.\u00a0 To the American Dingo the world looked as it should, completely normal.<\/p>\n

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Completely normal? Oh, I don’t know about that, SPHP! The North Slope<\/strong> is pretty and vast and empty enough, but is in desperate need of more squirrels!<\/em> Photo looks N.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
On the patch of green at the end of the Stroll to the North Slope Knoll. Photo looks NW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Looper at the North Slope Knoll<\/strong>, as far N as she had ever been. She’s broken her old 2016 record by 71 miles here.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Looking back from the North Slope Knoll toward the Dalton Highway and Alaska oil pipeline. The G6 is a mere dark spec on the R. Photo looks SSE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Lupe and SPHP returned to the G6 energized and enthusiastic!\u00a0 (10:58 AM, 40\u00b0F)\u00a0 <\/em>The Stroll to the North Slope Knoll, though short, had been an amazing, fun experience to remember always.\u00a0 Now it was time for Lupe to make an attempt on Lake Benchmark Mountain, the mountain at the far N end of the Brooks Range she had come so far to climb.<\/p>\n

Feeling sad, SPHP drove S on the Dalton Highway.\u00a0 If the sky would clear up for a little while this afternoon, Lupe should have a tremendous view of Alaska’s North Slope from Lake Benchmark Mountain.\u00a0 However, she would never again actually be out on the North Slope, and as far N as she had just been at the little knoll.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Lupe on the Dalton Highway on her way S again. She hasn’t gotten far yet. Galbraith Lake<\/strong> is in view. Photo looks S.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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The Galbraith Lake airport is beyond Lake 2660<\/span><\/strong> on the L. Photo looks SW from the Dalton Highway.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After crossing the bridge over the Atigun River, SPHP parked the G6 at a large parking lot on the W side of the Dalton Highway.\u00a0 Lupe would start for Lake Benchmark Mountain<\/span><\/a> (5,000 ft.)<\/span><\/strong> from here.\u00a0 (11:32 AM, 42\u00b0F)<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Lupe at the parking lot on the W side of the Dalton Highway just S of the Atigun River. SPHP mistakenly believed Lake Benchmark Mountain was the high distant ridge seen straight up from Lupe. Photo looks N.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Lupe started out by crossing the Dalton Highway bridge back over to the N bank of the Atigun River.\u00a0 She continued N on the highway to a side road that went E to the Alaska oil pipeline service road.<\/p>\n

Following the oil pipeline service road is always fun and easy!\u00a0 Lupe had a good time racing around on the tundra nearby, while SPHP stuck to the road going N.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Looper on the Dalton Highway bridge over the Atigun River<\/strong>. Peak 5308<\/span><\/strong> is at Center. Photo looks E.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Loopster having a blast on the Alaska oil pipeline service road. Soon she would have to leave it to climb the big ridge on the R. Photo looks N.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
A crow wonders what a Carolina Dog is doing way up here at the N end of the Brooks Range?<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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The Dalton Highway and Alaska oil pipeline head off to the NW. Alaska’s North Slope is only a few miles away. Photo looks N.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A beautiful, high rounded ridge was NE of the Alaska oil pipeline.\u00a0 That ridge was the way to Lake Benchmark Mountain.\u00a0 After 0.5 mile, Lupe and SPHP left the pipeline service road to start climbing.\u00a0 The lower and upper slopes of the ridge were spongy, boggy, and full of tussocks.\u00a0 Only the steepest part of the ridge was relatively dry.\u00a0 Lupe followed a long ravine containing a small stream as she climbed NE.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Loop enjoys fresh bog water shortly after leaving the oil pipeline service road.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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At the base of the beautiful rounded ridge Lupe was about to climb. The ridge proved to be surprisingly wet territory except where it was steepest. Photo looks ENE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

SPHP marched steadily upward while Lupe ran happily exploring the wide open spaces.\u00a0 Once in a while, the Carolina Dog roamed so far away she was completely out of sight.\u00a0 SPHP had to call her back then lest she decide the life of the wild Dingo was for her.\u00a0 Meanwhile, the views of Galbraith Lake and the Atigun River back to the S and W were becoming increasingly impressive.<\/p>\n

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After a good climb, Lupe has a terrific view back toward the Atigun River valley<\/strong>. Photo looks S.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Lupe went on beyond the end of the stream.\u00a0 The slope of the ridge was gradually diminishing, but Lupe never came to any definite ridgeline.\u00a0 She was wandering up an enormous slope that kept going higher.\u00a0 The whole place was spongy, boggy tundra, full of tussocks.<\/p>\n

A big hill was ahead at the far N end of the ridge.\u00a0 SPHP believed this hill was either part of Lake Benchmark Mountain or would lead to it, but wanted to get a view of the territory E of here in order to confirm that opinion.\u00a0 Although Loop went NE for what seemed like a long way, she never did get to a viewpoint.\u00a0 She just kept going higher and higher.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Ahead was a big hill that SPHP believed was either part of Lake Benchmark Mountain or would lead to it. Efforts to get a view of what was E (R) of here failed. The slope just kept going gradually higher and higher that way. Photo looks N.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Before Lupe got high enough to see anything to the E, clouds and fog blew in out of the W.\u00a0 Hopefully they were temporary phenomena.\u00a0 Looper was looking forward to a glorious panoramic view of the North Slope from the top of Lake Benchmark Mountain.<\/p>\n

The fog made it certain Lupe wasn’t going to be able to get a view to the E now.\u00a0 She gave up on that idea, and headed straight for the big hill at the end of the ridge.<\/p>\n

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With fog starting to roll in, SPHP decided maybe Lupe ought to head straight for the big hill. Photo looks NNW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Fog completely took over.\u00a0 The hill Lupe was heading for disappeared.\u00a0 So did everything else except immediately surrounding terrain.\u00a0 SPHP used occasional large isolated boulders to help keep Loop aimed in the right direction, sighting along them to the next boulder the American Dingo should head for.<\/p>\n

Lupe reached the base of the hill, and began to climb more steeply.\u00a0 She went up a series of rocky ramps and benches.\u00a0 Although Lupe still came to patches of vegetation, overall this was much firmer ground free of the bogs and tussocks present lower down on the big ridge.\u00a0 SPHP had a far easier time here, despite the greater angle of ascent.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Loop keeps going up the rocky ramps despite the fog.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Fog is getting thicker, SPHP! … I see that Loop. It’s about the only thing I see besides you.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Partway up the hill, Lupe came to a level area where there was more vegetation again.\u00a0 By now a cold rain had started in.\u00a0 Suddenly Loop wasn’t having as much fun as before.<\/p>\n

SPHP started becoming concerned about what little could<\/em> be seen.\u00a0 A substantial cliff dropped into a gray abyss along the NE side of this level area.\u00a0 According to the topo map<\/strong><\/span><\/a>, it shouldn’t have been there.\u00a0 It most certainly was, though.\u00a0 To the NW, the hill went still higher, but nothing at all could be seen to the E except more fog.<\/p>\n

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Partway up, Lupe stumbles onto a flat spot with more vegetation again. To the NW, the hill rose still higher, but to the E there was a cliff on the NE side of the hill. According to the topo map, that cliff shouldn’t have been there. Photo looks NW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

That cliff was bothersome.\u00a0 It couldn’t be reconciled with the topo map at all, if Lupe was actually on her way up Lake Benchmark Mountain.\u00a0 SPHP was beginning to suspect maybe Lupe was too far W.\u00a0 Who could tell, though, in this rain and fog?<\/p>\n

May as well check out the rest of the hill to the NW.\u00a0 Lupe climbed two higher ridges.\u00a0 She wasn’t at the top of anything significant yet.\u00a0 All she could see was another two even higher ridges farther up the slope.\u00a0 The highest ridge was shaped vaguely like what Lake Benchmark Mountain’s summit ought to look like, but hardly any detail could be seen.\u00a0 How much higher was it?\u00a0 SPHP guessed maybe 500 or 600 vertical feet.<\/p>\n

The rain, which had slackened up for a little bit, now turned to snow.\u00a0 The snow wasn’t sticking yet, but added to SPHP’s growing sense of uneasiness.\u00a0 Lupe wasn’t uneasy.\u00a0 She was just getting plain old wet, cold and miserable.<\/p>\n

Wandering around up on mountains at the N end of Alaska’s Brooks Range in rain and snow with almost no visibility?\u00a0 Maybe this was getting just a little too stupid.\u00a0 SPHP asked Loopster if she wanted to go back to the G6?\u00a0 The American Dingo gave her most ecstatic, enthusiastic response possible.<\/p>\n

A bitter defeat, but there seemed to be no sensible alternative.\u00a0 Dang weather, anyway!\u00a0 How long had it been since Lupe had seen a truly sunny day now?\u00a0 Seemed like forever ago.\u00a0 Every day it was dodging clouds and rain.\u00a0 Lupe and SPHP headed WSW, starting back down.<\/p>\n

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Loop on a huge rock shortly after starting down. Photo looks NW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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I hate to give up, but we can’t see a thing. It’s raining or snowing all the time so I’m cold and soaking wet, and SPHP doesn’t seem to have a clue where we are. Under the circumstances a meal and a warm blankie back at the G6 is sounding mighty good to me! I mean, what would you do?<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Lupe hadn’t lost much elevation yet when suddenly a break appeared in the clouds.\u00a0 Galbraith Lake was in sight!\u00a0 Out came the topo map for comparison with the lake to try to get reoriented again.\u00a0 SPHP quickly became convinced Lupe wasn’t on Lake Benchmark Mountain at all.\u00a0 She was somewhere on the upper S slopes of Peak 4700<\/span><\/strong>!\u00a0 She was indeed a mile too far W, as SPHP had begun to suspect a while back.<\/p>\n

While SPHP was still pondering the implications of this discovery, the sky cleared off to the NW, too.\u00a0 Lupe could clearly see several high points over that way.\u00a0 Another review of the topo map convinced SPHP that Peak 4700<\/span><\/strong> was really the next peak over to the WNW.\u00a0 In that case, Lupe actually was somewhere on Lake Benchmark Mountain.<\/p>\n

The views disappeared again as another batch of clouds plunged the hill Lupe was on back into fog.\u00a0 Still, the brief break in the weather had been encouraging.\u00a0 Maybe conditions were beginning to improve?\u00a0 The hasty decision to return to the G6 was rescinded.\u00a0 Lupe and SPHP set off back up whatever hill or mountain this was.<\/p>\n

The climb to the top wasn’t nearly as far as the fog had made it seem.\u00a0 After gaining only 200 to 250 feet of elevation, Lupe was approaching a line of boulders on what appeared to be part of a summit ridge.\u00a0 Looper scrambled up a gap between boulders.\u00a0 A survey pin could be seen only 20 feet away to the E!\u00a0 Hopes soared that maybe Lupe had just stumbled upon Lake Benchmark?<\/p>\n

No, there wasn’t a benchmark, just a survey pin.\u00a0 Looper and SPHP searched the tops of the highest boulders along the ridgeline.\u00a0 Nothing.\u00a0 The top of the survey pin was clearly stamped “Coronary Apsoo No. 4”.\u00a0 Clear alright.\u00a0 Clear as mud.\u00a0 Meant absolutely nothing to SPHP.\u00a0 It may as well have been Chinese.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
“Coronary Apsoo No. 4”. Big help that.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Lupe relaxes near Coronary Apsoo No. 4 (Center), while SPHP draws a blank as to what it meant. The obvious next step was to go to the higher point seen through the fog. Photo looks NE?<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Oh, of course I know what Coronary Apsoo No. 4 means! Who doesn’t? I’m just seeing if you know, SPHP. Come on, figure it out!<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Apparently Coronary Apsoo No. 4 meant “Go to the obviously higher point so close by that you can even see it through the fog, dummy!”\u00a0 Nothing else really sprang to mind.\u00a0 So after drawing a blank by this first survey pin, Lupe and SPHP headed NE on a short easy ridge walk to a noticeably higher point nearby.<\/p>\n

The next high point appeared to be the top of the mountain.\u00a0 The summit area wasn’t huge but was plenty big enough to wander around a bit.\u00a0 No survey benchmark could be found up here, either, only another survey pin stamped with an equally cryptic message.<\/p>\n

Lupe must be at the top of either Lake Benchmark Mountain or Peak 4700, but which was it?\u00a0 Lupe stood in the rain while SPHP tried to work it out.\u00a0 A slightly lower narrow rock ridge was in view to the E or SE, but didn’t look nearly large enough or long enough to be Lake Benchmark Mountain’s E ridge.\u00a0 A short distance to the N was a subpeak nearly as high as where Lupe was.\u00a0 That didn’t look right either.<\/p>\n

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In mist and fog Lupe stands at the top of the mountain. The question was, which mountain was it? The narrow, slightly lower rock ridge seen in the fog beyond Loop didn’t appear nearly large or long enough to be Lake Benchmark Mountain’s E ridge. Photo looks ESE?<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Not too far to the N was a subpeak almost as high as where Lupe was. That didn’t match up with what the topo map showed for Lake Benchmark Mountain, either. Photo looks N.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

On a sunny day, there wouldn’t have been any question where Lupe was.\u00a0 It appeared more and more that she might well be at the top of Peak 4700<\/span><\/strong>.\u00a0 However, if this was actually Lake Benchmark Mountain, there ought to be a “Lake” survey benchmark back somewhere along the line of boulders near the first Coronary Apsoo No. 4 survey pin.\u00a0 Looper returned to the pin and once more searched diligently along the line of boulders.\u00a0 Nothing.<\/p>\n

One last thing to try.\u00a0 Loop and SPHP returned to the mountain’s summit, then continued over to the N subpeak.\u00a0 Nope.\u00a0 Not a thing here either.\u00a0 So this was almost certainly Peak 4700<\/span><\/strong>.\u00a0 Due to the fog, Lupe had climbed the wrong mountain!<\/p>\n

The heavy mist turned to snow.\u00a0 Sheesh!\u00a0 Better head down.<\/p>\n

Lupe lost 200 feet of elevation.\u00a0 The snow quit again.\u00a0 Already it wasn’t as foggy as higher up.\u00a0 Maybe Looper should angle SE hoping to catch a glimpse of Lake Benchmark Mountain?\u00a0 Seemed like a reasonable course of action.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
On the way down Peak 4700<\/span><\/strong>, the mountain Lupe had no intention of climbing, but did. Photo looks N.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Going down the ramps and benches, Lupe started to discern the faint foggy outline of some big hill off to the E.\u00a0 Lake Benchmark Mountain?\u00a0 Seemed like it had to be.\u00a0 The Carolina Dog reached the fairly level area she had been to on the way up Peak 4700.\u00a0 She headed E near the cliff to the NE.\u00a0 Yes!\u00a0 No mistake.\u00a0 Lake Benchmark Mountain was in view!<\/p>\n

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The big hill at Center is the W end of Lake Benchmark Mountain<\/strong>. Photo looks E.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Wow, there was still a pretty big elevation drop between here and there!\u00a0 At least it wasn’t as foggy out as earlier.\u00a0 The really good news was that what could be seen of Lake Benchmark Mountain looked climbable.\u00a0 Just a really big, fairly steep hill, but no worse than that.<\/p>\n

Now or never!\u00a0 By the time Looper had worked her way down Peak 4700’s long SE ridge to a wide boggy flats leading to Lake Benchmark Mountain, she had lost 600 feet of elevation.\u00a0 She would have to regain it all plus another 200 feet to reach Lake Benchmark’s summit.<\/p>\n

The climb was definitely steeper than Peak 4700 had been.\u00a0 The lower slope was easy.\u00a0 As things became steeper, lanes of vegetation leading up scree covered slopes helped.\u00a0 Lupe eventually reached areas of nothing but scree.\u00a0 Fortunately she had already regained a ton of elevation by then.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Starting up the W end of Lake Benchmark Mountain<\/strong>. Easy down here, just a big hill! Photo looks NE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Higher up on the scree slopes looking back at Peak 4700<\/span><\/strong>, which Lupe had just climbed in the fog by mistake. Photo looks W.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

By the time the slope of the mountain moderated, Lupe was pretty high.\u00a0 She was back into fog, and it was snowing.\u00a0 The snow was starting to stick.\u00a0 A series of wide, relatively level areas covered with vegetation ran roughly E\/W in long strips.\u00a0 These strips of land were separated by minor slopes or ridges, which presented walls of rock or lines of boulders in some areas, although it was always possible to go around them.<\/p>\n

Lupe followed each of these vegetated bands some distance E before turning N and climbing up to the next one.\u00a0 The climbs were short and never difficult.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Loopster fairly high up on the W end of Lake Benchmark Mountain now. She’s near the start of the E\/W bands of vegetation separated by ridges where there was more rock. The bands to the N were higher than those to the S. Photo looks NNE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Loop on another strip of vegetation with a typical rock wall providing separation from the next higher band beyond it. Photo looks NE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After crossing several of these vegetated bands and climbing to higher ones, Lupe was faced with a more formidable, longer wall of rock.\u00a0 Was that the summit ridge?\u00a0 It certainly seemed possible.\u00a0 The Carolina Dog traveled E below the wall of rock until she reached a place where it was possible to scramble up.\u00a0 Nope.\u00a0 Not the summit.\u00a0 Off to the NE was an even higher rounded hill.<\/p>\n

Lupe could get up on that rounded hill easily enough!\u00a0 She went right to it and was soon on top.\u00a0 Poking around a collection of rocks at the high point revealed nothing.\u00a0 Then suddenly, there it was!\u00a0 Lower down, a little farther E, some sort of survey marker was sticking up from a loosely assembled modest cairn.\u00a0 Was it true?\u00a0 Was that it?<\/p>\n

Oh, yeah!\u00a0 This was<\/em> it!\u00a0 Lupe had found the really, truly, genuine Lake Benchmark.\u00a0 Celebration time!<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
The really, truly, genuine Lake Benchmark.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
A wet Dingo stands next to the authentic Lake Benchmark.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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All I can say is, thank heavens it’s not stamped Coronary Apsoo No. 5!<\/em> Loop next to the Lake Benchmark (lower R). Photo looks W.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Although finding the Lake Benchmark was cause for joy and undeniable proof that Lupe was actually on the right mountain this time around, the survey benchmark was not quite at the top of the mountain.\u00a0 The topo map showed an elevation of 4,928 feet here.\u00a0 However, it also showed a small area within a 5,000 foot contour not too far away to the E.<\/p>\n

If Lupe wanted to claim a peakbagging success, she needed to go find that higher ground where the true summit of Lake Benchmark Mountain had to be.\u00a0 After going through all this miserable weather and climbing the wrong mountain, the Most High Exalted Dingo of the Arctic Sisterhood most certainly did want to claim a peakbagging success here, too!\u00a0 Whether she could see anything or not!<\/p>\n

So after congratulations and a brief celebration at the actual Lake survey benchmark, Lupe and SPHP headed E along a relatively narrow level ridge looking for the summit.<\/p>\n

Joy turned to dismay.\u00a0 Loop hadn’t gone far, when up ahead, ghostly rock formations appeared in the fog.\u00a0 They looked potentially unclimbable for the American Dingo.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Lupe hadn’t gone far from the Lake survey benchmark when she saw a potentially unclimbable rock formation ahead. No!!! Photo looks ENE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

SPHP’s fears were unjustified.\u00a0 Lupe reached the summit area to find massive boulders and a wall of rock, but open lanes existed providing her an easy scramble to the top.\u00a0 And just like that, Lupe was there, perched at the undeniable summit of Lake Benchmark Mountain<\/span><\/a> (5,000 ft.)<\/span><\/strong>!\u00a0 Oh, happy day!<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Ta da! Lupe stands at the true summit of Lake Benchmark Mountain<\/strong> at the N end of the Brooks Range<\/strong> in N Alaska. Photo looks WNW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Could maybe have picked a better day for this, SPHP! The mighty, spectacular, sweeping view of the North Slope from here isn’t all it’s been cracked up to be!<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The summit was a knob of rock perhaps 20 feet long and 5 feet wide.\u00a0 The S side of this knob was a solid rock wall 6 to 8 feet high next to a level patch of tundra.\u00a0 To the N, the knob sloped steeply away toward a chasm of undetermined depth.\u00a0 Of course, standing up there in light rain and fog, Lupe could see none of the glorious view of the North Slope that she had come so far to see, and would have had on a clear day.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Lupe astride the true summit. Most of the summit knob is seen here. Photo looks NW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Lake Benchmark Mountain was a grand peakbagging success for the Carolina Dog, but a complete scenic fail.\u00a0 That really was a shame, since Lake Benchmark Mountain was likely destined to be the northernmost peak Loopster would ever climb in her whole life, and the views ought to have been spectacular.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Lupe thinking deeply profound Dingo thoughts about the significance of being way up here in N Alaska at the top of this fabulous mountain in the Brooks Range.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Hey, SPHP! I was just thinking, since the views are a total bust, did you bring anything to eat?<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

At least Loop had gotten to see the North Slope this morning on her Stroll to the North Slope Knoll.\u00a0 Better yet, yesterday evening she had arrived at a fantastic, magical moment to see it for the first time ever when there was rain and sunshine and rainbows and a sea of gold out there.\u00a0 Still would have been fantastic to see the North Slope from up here, but that’s the way it goes.<\/p>\n

With no views, and no real hope of seeing them anytime today, there wasn’t much point in hanging around up here in the chilly rain for long.\u00a0 Shaking her cold, wet paw and trying to make her achievement sound as grand as possible, SPHP congratulated Lupe on her Dingo persistence and ultimate success in getting to the top of Lake Benchmark Mountain.\u00a0 Lupe loved the attention, but looked rather miserable.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Loop ready to begin the descent.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Lupe was ready to go.\u00a0 A mere 10 minutes after arriving, Lupe and SPHP began the descent.\u00a0 By the ghostly rocks, Loop paused for a final look back.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Looking back at the ghostly summit. Photo looks ENE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Leaving Lake Benchmark Mountain<\/strong>. Photo looks ENE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The rocky apparitions vanished from sight almost as soon as Lupe left them.\u00a0 She would never see them again.<\/p>\n

Going back down the bands again was pretty easy.\u00a0 SPHP had built a cairn on the way up to help mark the route, but Loop didn’t come across it.\u00a0 It started snowing again for a little while, but turned to rain lower down on the steeper scree slopes.<\/p>\n

For 10 minutes, the clouds lifted a bit.\u00a0 Lupe could see the Atigun River 2,000 feet lower at the bottom of a deep valley to the S.\u00a0 Off to the SW, where it was still foggy, the fog had a strange brownish tinge.\u00a0 It looked like smoke.\u00a0 Smoke?\u00a0 How could that possibly be?\u00a0 SPHP puzzled for a moment or two, before the fog thinned.<\/p>\n

That wasn’t smoke!\u00a0 That was the golden boggy tundra way down there on the big ridge Lupe had come up at the start.\u00a0 Loop was going the right way.\u00a0 She was heading straight for it.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Lupe reaches the low ground W of Lake Benchmark Mountain. Peak 4700<\/span><\/strong> is in fog ahead. Lupe wasn’t going there again. She went SSW (L) instead. Photo looks WNW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The fog returned.\u00a0 The big boggy ridge seemed endless.\u00a0 It rained the whole time.\u00a0 For a while, Lupe trudged along sopping wet and depressed at SPHP’s heels.\u00a0 Finally, something caught her interest.\u00a0 The Carolina Dog was off like a shot.\u00a0 Despite the rain, she ran great distances.\u00a0 Loop was having fun again!\u00a0 She ran and sniffed the rest of the way.<\/p>\n

At last, Lupe was far enough down to get below the clouds.\u00a0 Galbraith Lake came back into view.\u00a0 The Dalton Highway and Alaska oil pipeline were down there, too.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Near the end of a long wet march along the huge boggy ridge, Galbraith Lake<\/strong> came into view again. Photo looks SW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Getting there! The S end of Galbraith Lake<\/strong> is in view. Lupe still needed to get back down to the Atigun River<\/strong> (far L), but that wouldn’t take too long. Photo looks SSW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
N end of Galbraith Lake. Photo looks W.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Wouldn’t be too long now before Looper was warm and dry, snoozing snugly beneath her blankie with a full belly.\u00a0 Lupe never would see that glorious view of the North Slope from Lake Benchmark Mountain, but she had been up there.\u00a0 She had stood at the very top of a mountain at the N end of the Brooks Range in northern Alaska.\u00a0 Not many Dingoes can say that.\u00a0 (7:29 PM)<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
On Lake Benchmark Mountain, N end of the Brooks Range in Northern Alaska 8-19-17<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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

Next Adventure<\/span><\/a>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Prior Adventure<\/span><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Lupe in the SCREE! – the Mountaineering Club of Alaska’s monthly newsletter & the story of Henry Pinkham<\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/p>\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\u00a0<\/span>new Lupe adventures<\/span><\/strong><\/a><\/span><\/em>.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Day 20 of Lupe’s 2017 Dingo Vacation to the Yukon & Alaska! 3:12 AM, 36\u00b0F – Already seems like there’s a bit of light.\u00a0 Lupe was out of her blankie.\u00a0 Pulled it back over her.\u00a0 Keep the puppy warm!\u00a0 Too early.\u00a0 Back to sleep. 4:18 AM, 35\u00b0F – Definitely light out now, but the whole … Continue reading Lake Benchmark Mountain, Brooks Range, Alaska (8-19-17)<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":14004,"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":[704,105,723,106,26,922,104,919,921],"class_list":["post-14016","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-2017-yukon-alaska","tag-alaska","tag-american-dingo","tag-brooks-range","tag-carolina-dog","tag-dingo-vacations","tag-lake-benchmark-mountain","tag-lupe","tag-north-slope","tag-stroll-to-the-north-slope-knoll"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventuresoflupe.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/IMG_6889.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\/14016","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=14016"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14016\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":21052,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14016\/revisions\/21052"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/14004"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=14016"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=14016"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=14016"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}