{"id":16283,"date":"2018-06-13T08:10:07","date_gmt":"2018-06-13T14:10:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/?p=16283"},"modified":"2020-09-24T14:54:40","modified_gmt":"2020-09-24T20:54:40","slug":"black-hills-sd-expedition-no-232-flag-mountain-the-dragon-caves-with-cousin-dusty-uncle-joe-5-26-18","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/?p=16283","title":{"rendered":"Black Hills, SD Expedition No. 232 – Flag Mountain & the Dragon Caves with Cousin Dusty & Uncle Joe (5-26-18)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Bright and early Lupe was all corked up.\u00a0 The lucky American Dingo’s enthusiasm soared higher yet when she realized another outing with Cousin Dusty and Uncle Joe was in the works.\u00a0 Flag Mountain<\/span><\/a> (6,937 ft.)<\/span><\/strong> along the E edge of the western Black Hills limestone plateau country was today’s destination.<\/p>\n

By 9:00 AM, Joe was parking the G6 at the start of a spur road off USFS Road No. 189.\u00a0 The spur road gains nearly 400 feet of elevation in a little less than a mile before ending near the summit of Flag Mountain.\u00a0 Lupe and Dusty could get a good romp in on the way to the top while Joe and SPHP chatted.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Nipple Butte<\/span> <\/a>(6,800 ft.)<\/span><\/strong> from the spur road leading up Flag Mountain. Photo looks S.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The trek up the spur road went by quickly.\u00a0 Before long the end was in sight.\u00a0 Leading the way, Dusty and Joe followed an old rock stairway to the top of Flag Mountain.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Approaching the end of the spur road. Photo looks NE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
A short flight of stairs at the end of the road winds up to the summit.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Dusty and Joe on top of Flag Mountain<\/strong>. Photo looks W.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
This was Lupe’s 6th ascent, but Dusty & Joe had never been to Flag Mountain before.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Flag Mountain<\/span><\/a> (6,937 ft.)<\/span><\/strong> used to sport a fire lookout tower at the E end of the summit ridge.\u00a0 Part of the old rock foundation wall still exists.\u00a0 Lupe got up on the wall for a look around.\u00a0 Off to the W, the limestone plateau country was about as high as Flag Mountain, but the views to the N, E and S were fabulous.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Loop up on the old lookout tower foundation. The ridge on the L is Peak<\/span> 6962<\/span><\/a><\/strong>. The more distant ridge beyond Lupe is White Tail Peak<\/span><\/a> (6,962 ft.)<\/span><\/strong>. Terry Peak<\/span><\/a> (7,064 ft.)<\/span><\/strong> is even farther away at far R. Photo looks N.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Looking S now. Castle Rock<\/span><\/a> (6,783 ft.)<\/span><\/strong>, South Castle Rock<\/span><\/a> (6,840 ft.)<\/span><\/strong> and Nipple Butte<\/span><\/a> (6,800 ft.)<\/span><\/strong> appear clustered together on the L.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

No one else was around when Dusty, Joe, Lupe and SPHP first arrived, but that didn’t last long at all.\u00a0 This was the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend.\u00a0 Within a few minutes the roar of engines could be heard.\u00a0 ATV’s appeared.\u00a0 People started coming and going.\u00a0 Dusty, Joe, Lupe and SPHP moved to the W end of the summit ridge to let others enjoy the views from the lookout point at the E end.<\/p>\n

While a steady stream of people came and went, Joe began setting up his portable Ham radio.\u00a0 A small pine tree provided good support for a 16.5 foot long antenna.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
The Flag survey benchmark is located on the limestone summit ridge W of the old fire lookout tower foundation.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Numerous ATV’s came and went. Several are seen below at the end of the spur road. Parts of Deerfield Reservoir are in sight beyond Reynolds Prairie<\/strong>. Photo looks SSE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The original plan had been for Joe to “activate” Flag Mountain using the Summits on the Air<\/strong><\/span><\/a> (SOTA) website.\u00a0 On prior trips to the Black Hills, Joe had activated Custer Peak, Boulder Hill and Silver Mountain.\u00a0 Joe had gotten a huge, essentially overwhelming response each time.\u00a0 Summits on the Air had been a blast!<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, when Joe tried to schedule an activation alert for Flag Mountain on the SOTA website yesterday evening, there no longer seemed to be a way to do it.\u00a0 Something had changed.\u00a0 Despite best efforts, neither Joe nor SPHP could figure out the problem.\u00a0 The system now seemed to require a second password and wouldn’t take anything Joe submitted.\u00a0 Phooey!<\/p>\n

Summits on the Air or not, Joe was planning on transmitting Morse Code from Flag Mountain.\u00a0 Of course, without an activation alert scheduled, whether anyone would pick it up was uncertain.\u00a0 Another potential problem was that the 11 year sunspot cycle is at its low point during 2018.\u00a0 Conditions for transmitting radio waves tend to be poor.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Joe getting ready to transmit from Flag Mountain<\/strong> with American Dingo Lupe standing by ready for action! Photo looks NE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
A small pine tree provided support for a 16.5 foot antenna. The setup also included 4 lateral wires running out from the center.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Dusty relaxed in the shade of the pine tree supporting the antenna.\u00a0 Lupe, however, stayed on alert near Joe.\u00a0 She knew how this worked.\u00a0 Her job was to bark a warning if anyone showed up and started getting too close to the thin lateral wires strung out from the antenna.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Lupe on the alert for intruders. Her job was to bark if anyone else showed up and got too close to any of the wires.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Dusty relaxing happily in the shade.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

So he could hear better and wouldn’t get too many questions about what was going on, Joe waited until a quiet period when all the people and ATV’s had left before beginning to transmit.<\/p>\n

Right away Joe had good news!\u00a0 Some sort of amateur radio contest was going on.\u00a0 Hundreds of people were on the airwaves!\u00a0 And despite the unfavorable sunspot cycle, the atmospheric conditions were excellent.\u00a0 Joe stayed busy making contacts from around the nation.\u00a0 He could even hear stronger stations in Europe and South America.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Joe & Lupe broadcasting live from Flag Mountain!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Joe’s portable radio.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Despite not being able to set up a Summits on the Air alert this time, Joe stayed plenty busy making successful contacts with other Ham radio operators. Photo looks N toward White Tail Peak<\/strong>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After a good half hour of Ham radio fun, Joe was satisfied.\u00a0 Time to pack it all up, and think about heading back down the mountain.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Joe and lateral wire defender, Lupe, after the Ham radio fun was over. Defending the wires had been a cinch. No one had come along to threaten them. Photo looks ENE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Lupe, Joe & Dusty ready to depart. Photo looks E.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Heading back down. Photo looks SW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

On the way back to the G6, there was some discussion about possibly climbing nearby Nipple Butte<\/span><\/a> (6,800)<\/span><\/strong>, too.\u00a0 However, the day was warm beneath a cloudless sky.\u00a0 Cooler activities sounded like more fun.\u00a0 Joe drove while SPHP gave directions on how to get to the Dragon Caves.<\/p>\n

About 3 miles SW of Deerfield Reservoir on USFS Road No. 291 is a turn to the W onto a bridge over Ditch Creek.\u00a0 This is the start of USFS Road No. 385.\u00a0 Immediately past the bridge a dusty side road goes straight on up a little hill.\u00a0 The Dragon Caves are right around a bend to the R (N).<\/p>\n

Apparently the Dragon Caves are no great secret.\u00a0 Hordes of ATV’s were coming down the hill when Dusty, Joe, Lupe and SPHP arrived.\u00a0 While the dust they stirred up settled, Dusty and Lupe gladly took advantage of this opportunity to cool off in Ditch Creek.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Lupe in Ditch Creek. Cooling off in the creek was way better than a hot climb up another mountain.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Dusty takes a turn in Ditch Creek<\/strong>, too.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

When the last of the ATV’s left, everyone headed up to the Dragon Caves.\u00a0 SPHP wasn’t sure what Joe was expecting of “Dragon Caves”, but he may have been surprised to see 3 huge horizontal shafts disappearing into the mountainside.\u00a0 The openings really were large enough for dragons!<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Dusty, Joe and Lupe arrive at the Dragon Caves.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

No one else was around when Dusty, Joe, Lupe and SPHP walked into the middle cave.\u00a0 The air was much cooler than out in the sunshine only a few feet away.\u00a0 A vast dimly lit corridor led into the mountain.<\/p>\n

Perhaps 100 feet in, the corridor met up with similar corridors coming from the other two cave openings.\u00a0 Several more passages went off in other directions.\u00a0 Despite the size of the openings, it was rather dark this far from the entrance.\u00a0 SPHP brought out a small flashlight.\u00a0 It helped, but the batteries were low.\u00a0 The huge caverns remained dimly lit.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Joe at the end of the middle cave looking toward other passages.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Dusty and Joe head farther in.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Joe doesn’t really believe much in dragons.\u00a0 As a geologist, he puzzled over why anyone would go to such expense as to mine out huge passages like this in sedimentary rock?\u00a0 Lupe, however, wasn’t so sanguine.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
SPHP, don’t you think we better get out of here before the dragons return? Those ATV’ers probably stole all the dragon’s treasures while they are away. The dragons are going to be mighty unhappy when they get back and find us here instead of their piles of loot!<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

None of the passages seemed to go much farther into the mountain.\u00a0 A few looked like they had caved in.\u00a0 The only clue to Joe’s question about why anyone would mine out a place like this was an odd discontinuity in the rock.\u00a0 A smooth, vertical wall of rock of a different color completely blocked one passage.<\/p>\n

Lupe immediately suspected a magical door, but didn’t say so to avoid unnerving everyone else.\u00a0 What if the dragons were still actually at home just beyond it?\u00a0 Joe wondered out loud about that apparent fault line, too, but the notion of a magical door isn’t the sort of conclusion an experienced geologist is apt to leap to at first blush.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Joe takes a picture while Dusty sniffs for clues.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Fortunately, the magical door never did open.\u00a0 Although the outside world seemed very bright and hotter than ever, the American Dingo was relieved when the exploratory tour of the mysterious Dragon Caves was finally over.\u00a0 Joe wanted to go up on top of the hill over the Dragon Caves to see if any clues about the local geology could be discovered.\u00a0 Everyone made a brief foray up into the forest above the caves.<\/p>\n

Disappointingly, nothing of geological note was really to be seen above, although stands of lovely wild irises were blooming on the way there.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Wild iris.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Back down below, Joe noticed a pile of big brown rocks some distance from the front of the Dragon Caves.\u00a0 These large rocks showed signs of mineralization, but nothing significant enough to justify the amount of excavation evident here.\u00a0 The Dragon Caves remained a mystery.<\/p>\n

As far as the Carolina Dog was concerned, that was fine with her.\u00a0 At least the dragons hadn’t returned to explain it all in fiery detail.<\/p>\n

After visiting the Dragon Caves, enough time remained in the day for a couple more quick sightseeing excursions.\u00a0 Ditch Creek campground was only a mile S of the Dragon Caves.\u00a0 Maybe Dusty and Joe would like to see it?\u00a0 The whole place was packed with people when Dusty, Joe, Lupe & SPHP arrived, but Loop and Dusty managed to sneak in another quick plunge into clear, cold Ditch Creek.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Looper and Dusty at Ditch Creek again, this time near the Ditch Creek campground a mile S of the Dragon Caves.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Staying cool had become a theme on this warm day.\u00a0 The final stop was at Deerfield Reservoir.\u00a0 Dusty and Joe had seen Deerfield Lake for the first time only yesterday during Expedition No. 231 to Hat Mountain<\/span><\/a> (6,779 ft.)<\/span><\/strong>.\u00a0 The lake had been a hit then, and Cousin Dusty was looking forward to another refreshing swim while fetching sticks.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
W end of Deerfield Reservoir<\/strong>. Photo looks W.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Oh, yeah! What a great way to end the day!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Dusty and her prized stick du jour.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The afternoon wore on.\u00a0 The time came to return to Grandma’s house for dinner, and an evening of fun and relaxation.\u00a0 Tomorrow, Cousin Dusty and Uncle Joe were going with Aunt Andrea down to David & Mush’s 40 acre ranch in the southern Black Hills.\u00a0 Lupe wouldn’t see them again before they all left for home in Arvada, Colorado.<\/p>\n

Lupe’s adventures with Cousin Dusty and Uncle Joe were over for now.\u00a0 Dull days laying around resting up at home were ahead, but not too many of them.\u00a0 June was almost here!\u00a0 The Carolina Dog didn’t know it yet, but soon she would be setting off on her first big Summer of 2018 Dingo Vacation to the Bighorn Mountains of Wyoming and beyond!<\/p>\n

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Cousin Dusty & Uncle Joe in the Dragon Caves, Black Hills, SD 5-26-18<\/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\u00a0\u00a0 Prior Black Hills Expedition<\/span><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

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

Bright and early Lupe was all corked up.\u00a0 The lucky American Dingo’s enthusiasm soared higher yet when she realized another outing with Cousin Dusty and Uncle Joe was in the works.\u00a0 Flag Mountain (6,937 ft.) along the E edge of the western Black Hills limestone plateau country was today’s destination. By 9:00 AM, Joe was … Continue reading Black Hills, SD Expedition No. 232 – Flag Mountain & the Dragon Caves with Cousin Dusty & Uncle Joe (5-26-18)<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":16265,"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":[105,9,106,192,146,177,451,104,304],"class_list":["post-16283","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-dragon-caves","tag-dusty","tag-flag-mountain","tag-joe","tag-lupe","tag-south-dakota"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventuresoflupe.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/IMG_9209.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\/16283","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=16283"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16283\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":22516,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16283\/revisions\/22516"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/16265"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=16283"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=16283"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=16283"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}