{"id":15697,"date":"2018-06-29T08:10:24","date_gmt":"2018-06-29T14:10:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/?p=15697"},"modified":"2020-09-24T12:36:01","modified_gmt":"2020-09-24T18:36:01","slug":"black-hills-sd-expedition-no-225-roundtop-hill-4-9-18","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/?p=15697","title":{"rendered":"Black Hills, SD Expedition No. 225 – Roundtop Hill (4-9-18)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Start – Cascade Springs picnic ground at J. H. Keith Memorial Park along Hwy 71, 10:02 AM, 34\u00b0F
\n<\/em><\/p>\n

Blue sky!\u00a0 A welcome sight!\u00a0 This day was going to be fine after all.<\/p>\n

Good thing, too.\u00a0 It had been a while, and Lupe was anxious to get back out in the hills.\u00a0 The forecast was for the first near normal temperature day since March, a vast improvement over April’s chilly start.\u00a0 However, on the way here SPHP had begun to wonder.\u00a0 The sky had been so darkly overcast and the clouds so low, that SPHP had driven through stretches of fog with the headlights on.\u00a0 The temperature had sunk to a pathetic 14\u00b0F.\u00a0 Mighty brisk for nearly a third of the way into April!<\/p>\n

It was 20\u00b0F warmer here at the Cascade Springs picnic ground, though.\u00a0 Not a particularly bright day, but Looper was at least going to get some sunshine.\u00a0 She was eager to get going, and was soon happily sniffing her way along Hwy 71.<\/p>\n

Loop left Hwy 71 at USFS Road No. 328.\u00a0 The dirt road followed Cascade Creek SW for 0.33 mile before turning N to climb out of the creek valley.\u00a0 The road brought the Carolina Dog up onto the low end of a long ridge.\u00a0 Devil’s Slide Mountain<\/span><\/a> (3,965 ft.)<\/span><\/strong> was in view to the SE.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Near Cascade Creek<\/strong>. Photo looks S.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Devil’s Slide Mountain<\/strong> (L) from the start of the ridge. Photo looks SE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Once up on the toe of the ridge, USFS Road No. 328 turned NW following the ridge higher.\u00a0 Lupe was gaining elevation steadily at an easy pace.\u00a0 The broad ridge was mostly grassland, but pine trees were never far away.\u00a0 The views back to the S kept improving as Looper went higher.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
The views were gradually improving as Lupe followed the ridge higher. Photo looks S.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Loopster was excited to see a small herd of deer.\u00a0 The deer noticed the Carolina Dog, too, but weren’t as thrilled to see Lupe as she was to see them.\u00a0 After a moment’s hesitation, they retreated to a nearby forest.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Lupe was excited to see this small herd of deer. When the deer saw Lupe, they decided to head for a nearby stand of pines.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This was dry country at the far S end of the Black Hills.\u00a0 SPHP could see cactus hidden among the grass.\u00a0 The cacti weren’t super abundant, but were definitely a clear and present danger for Lupe.\u00a0 Loop must have sensed that cactus was around.\u00a0 Without any prompting from SPHP, she played it safe and stayed right on the road.<\/p>\n

After the deer, Lupe didn’t see much else of interest until she had been on the ridge for nearly 0.75 mile.\u00a0 Here she passed between a couple of low hills, and came to a tiny reedy pond.\u00a0 The pond didn’t have much open water at all, but frogs were singing merrily.\u00a0 When Loop got close, they suddenly went silent.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
After following the ridge nearly 0.75 mile, Lupe came to this reedy pond where frogs were singing. Photo looks NW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
The pond didn’t have much open water, but the frogs seemed happy enough with it. Photo looks S.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Lupe kept going.\u00a0 0.25 mile beyond the frog pond, the ridge narrowed down substantially.\u00a0 This area was forested, but didn’t extend far.\u00a0 Soon Lupe was emerging from the trees again.\u00a0 Ahead the road went up a very broad grassy slope.<\/p>\n

When Loop was nearly 2 miles past the frog pond, the road crested.\u00a0 Past this point, No. 328 dipped slightly and bent N.\u00a0 From the crest, Lupe could see Horse Trap Mountain<\/span><\/a> (4,682 ft.)<\/span><\/strong> 3 miles to the NW.\u00a0 She had been to Horse Trap Mountain once, more than a year ago.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Why, SPHP, look! There’s Horse Trap Mountain (R) up ahead. Remember being there? …. Sure do, Looper! It was a pretty cool spot.<\/em> Photo looks NW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Returning to Horse Trap Mountain was tempting, but not the plan.\u00a0 Lupe’s actual peakbagging objective was in sight from here.\u00a0 From the little crest, the road curved N toward Roundtop Hill<\/span><\/a> (4,469 ft.)<\/span><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Mighty Roundtop Hill<\/strong> (R of Center) was today’s peakbagging objective. Photo looks N.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Lupe and SPHP had first seen Roundtop Hill from Horse Trap Mountain on Expedition No. 197<\/strong><\/span><\/a>.\u00a0 However, there hadn’t been time enough to get over to Roundtop then.\u00a0 Loopster was going to get there today, though!<\/p>\n

Before continuing on to Roundtop Hill, Lupe and SPHP took a break at a stand of pines W of the crest in the road.\u00a0 Along the SW edge of these trees was a grouping of yucca plants.\u00a0 The yuccas looked pretty snazzy, so Lupe thought she might like a photo.\u00a0 SPHP helped her watch out for the plentiful cacti growing nearby.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Lupe by the snazzy yucca plants W of the crest in the road. Photo looks SSW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Roundtop Hill was still 1.5 miles away as the crow flies.\u00a0 After a short break, Lupe and SPHP hit the road again.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Ready to hit the road again for Roundtop Hill<\/strong> (R). Photo looks N.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Roundtop Hill<\/strong> with help from the telephoto lens. Photo looks N.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

USFS Road No. 328 headed straight for Roundtop Hill until it got close.\u00a0 Then it swung around the W side of the hill.\u00a0 Instead of going directly to the summit, or at least the saddle W of it, Lupe stuck with the road.\u00a0 As she approached the W end of Roundtop Hill, the Carolina Dog had some nice views of Falls Canyon.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Nearing the W end of Roundtop Hill, Lupe could see Falls Canyon<\/strong>. Photo looks SSW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Looking WSW across an E branch of Falls Canyon<\/strong>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Circling the W end of Roundtop Hill the road became steeper.\u00a0 By the time Lupe was around to the N side, she had already gained almost all of the elevation she needed to in order to reach her objective.<\/p>\n

The summit of Roundtop Hill was now 0.5 mile ESE.\u00a0 Leaving the road, Lupe approached a deadfall strewn slope beyond a power line.\u00a0 The trees had all died in a wildfire a long time ago.\u00a0 Only one dead tree was still standing.\u00a0 A Devil Tree stood slightly below the top of the slope.\u00a0 Lupe headed for it.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Lupe reaches the Devil Tree at the WNW end of Roundtop Hill. Photo looks ESE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Past the Devil Tree, Lupe came upon a surprisingly flat grassy area.\u00a0 She could now see the summit of Roundtop Hill ahead.\u00a0 Getting there looked easy.\u00a0 As it turned out, there was virtually no cactus up here, either, which made the trek to the summit ridge both simple and fun.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Oh, we’re almost there, SPHP! Roundtop Hill (L) is in the bag!<\/em> Photo looks ESE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Loopster nearing the summit ridge. Photo looks ESE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Roundtop Hill’s summit ridge runs NW\/SE, and is hundreds of feet long.\u00a0 It’s quite narrow at the NW end where big boulders of pockmarked sandstone are prominent, and much wider toward the lower SE end.\u00a0 Lupe started her quest for the true summit by climbing up among the boulders at the NW end.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
It’s kind of interesting up here, SPHP. Come on up and see for yourself!<\/em> Lupe at the NW end of Roundtop Hill’s summit ridge. Photo looks SE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The top of Roundtop Hill used to be forested.\u00a0 However, a fire had killed every living tree.\u00a0 When Lupe reached the summit ridge, the bleached white trunks and branches of the small trees that used to live up here were scattered all over among the rocks.\u00a0 The jumble of dead wood made moving around more difficult than it should have been.<\/p>\n

The true summit of Roundtop Hill <\/span><\/a>(4,469 ft.)<\/span><\/strong> was a large flat boulder 40 feet from the big rocks at the NW end.\u00a0 A couple of other rocks along the SW edge were also in contention for the title.\u00a0 Lupe ultimately visited all of the highest rocks.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Lupe at the true summit of Roundtop Hill<\/strong>. A couple of other rocks nearly as high are seen to the R. Photo looks S.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
On a perfect Dingo display rock along the SW edge of the summit area. Photo looks W.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A chilly 20 mph NW breeze was blowing.\u00a0 The temperature couldn’t have been much more than the mid 40’s \u00b0F.\u00a0 After tagging the true summit, Lupe and SPHP went to the lower SE end of the summit area.\u00a0 This area was protected from the wind, so it was a good place to take a break.<\/p>\n

Pockmarked sandstone was plentiful.\u00a0 Standing water filled many of the holes in the rocks.\u00a0 Lupe and SPHP took a break at Lake Rock.\u00a0 Loopster enjoyed drinking freely from the tiny lakes.\u00a0 SPHP supplied her with Taste of the Wild.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Loopster at Lake Rock. She took a break here, sampling the water from several of the lakes. Photo looks WNW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
What a great spot! Help yourself SPHP! There’s plenty of water to go around.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The best views from Roundtop Hill were generally toward the S.\u00a0 Lupe could see a number of peaks she had been to before.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
This was one of the best views from Roundtop Hill<\/strong>. Flagpole Mountain<\/span><\/a> (4,320 ft.)<\/span><\/strong> is at Center far beyond Lupe. Photo looks SE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Three peaks Lupe had been to before are lined up in the distance. The ridge L of Center is Seven Sisters Range<\/strong><\/span><\/a> (4,420 ft.)<\/span><\/strong>. At Center above Loop’s rump is Peak<\/span> 4371<\/span><\/a><\/strong>. Straight up from her head is Peak 4310<\/span><\/a><\/strong><\/span>. Photo looks E.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
The long ridge beyond Lupe is Horse Trap Mountain<\/span><\/a> (4,682 ft.)<\/span><\/strong>. The smaller ridge in the distance at far R is Parker Peak<\/span><\/a> (4,848 ft.)<\/span><\/strong>. Photo looks WNW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It would have been fun to go back to Horse Trap Mountain, but a check of the maps showed that it was probably best to just stay here and enjoy Roundtop Hill.\u00a0 Getting past Falls Canyon would take too much time.\u00a0 So Loop and SPHP lingered up on Roundtop Hill for well over an hour just chillin’ and enjoying the views.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Looking N along the summit area. The dead trees were kind of a mess.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Looper at one of the highest rocks along the SW edge. She could see a long way from here! That had to be Nebraska on the horizon. Photo looks SSW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Same spot with help from the telephoto lens. On the way to the Roundtop Hill area, Loop had come up from the L along the grassy slope beyond her. Photo looks SSW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Lupe’s final approach to Roundtop Hill’s summit ridge had been from this direction. Horse Trap Mountain<\/strong> is in the distance on the L. Photo looks NW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Among the big boulders at the NW end of the summit area. Photo looks WNW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Up on one of the more dramatic rocks. Photo looks SE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
This was kind of a cool rock formation, too. On her way back to the G6, Lupe would go to the pines (L) seen beyond her, then on to the Devil Tree, which is out of sight over the near ridge a little to Lupe’s R. Photo looks WNW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Lupe and SPHP wandered slowly along the SW edge of Roundtop Hill gazing at the views.\u00a0 When Loop reached the last big boulder up at the NW end, it was time for a final dramatic Dingo pose.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Lupe at the last big boulder at the NW end of the summit. Photo looks SSE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
View to the N before the final descent.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

On the way back to the G6, Lupe simply retraced her original route to Roundtop Hill.\u00a0 She returned to USFS Road No. 328 near the Devil Tree, then just followed the road back.\u00a0 Getting back to the Cascade Springs picnic ground was close to a 5 mile trek, but it was a pleasant, easy stroll.\u00a0 Lupe had gained nearly 1,100 feet of elevation on the way to Roundtop Hill.\u00a0 She now had gravity on her side.<\/p>\n

Roundtop Hill had been fun!\u00a0 The views had been impressive for no higher than it was, and this far S end of the Black Hills is an area Lupe had only explored occasionally before.\u00a0 Now she’d seen another piece of the puzzle.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Roundtop Hill worked out pretty well, didn’t it, SPHP? When I first saw how little it was, it didn’t seem like much, but we could see clear to Nebraska!<\/em> Photo looks SE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Plenty of daylight remained when the American Dingo reached the G6.\u00a0 (4:20 PM, 57\u00b0F)<\/em>\u00a0 Cascade Falls, one of her favorite places in this part of the Black Hills was only a few miles from here.\u00a0 So SPHP drove Loop to Cascade Falls for a little while to sniff around and see the clear water tumble into the swimming hole.\u00a0 No one else was around.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
A quick visit to Cascade Falls<\/strong> was an end of the day treat.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In an over-crowded world, that just made it seem that much better.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
On Roundtop Hill<\/strong>, Black Hills of South Dakota, 4-9-18<\/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 Prior Black Hills Expedition<\/span><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Want more Lupe adventures?\u00a0\u00a0Choose\u00a0from\u00a0Lupe’s Black Hills Expeditions Adventure Index<\/strong><\/span><\/a> or Master Adventure Index<\/strong><\/span><\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0Or subscribe free\u00a0to\u00a0new Lupe Adventures<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/em>.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Start – Cascade Springs picnic ground at J. H. Keith Memorial Park along Hwy 71, 10:02 AM, 34\u00b0F Blue sky!\u00a0 A welcome sight!\u00a0 This day was going to be fine after all. Good thing, too.\u00a0 It had been a while, and Lupe was anxious to get back out in the hills.\u00a0 The forecast was for … Continue reading Black Hills, SD Expedition No. 225 – Roundtop Hill (4-9-18)<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":15688,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[105,9,106,104,976,304],"class_list":["post-15697","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-black-hills","tag-american-dingo","tag-black-hills-expeditions","tag-carolina-dog","tag-lupe","tag-roundtop-hill","tag-south-dakota"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventuresoflupe.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/IMG_8864.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\/15697","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=15697"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15697\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":28417,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15697\/revisions\/28417"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/15688"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=15697"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=15697"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=15697"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}