{"id":16988,"date":"2018-11-16T08:10:23","date_gmt":"2018-11-16T15:10:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/?p=16988"},"modified":"2019-02-18T17:22:54","modified_gmt":"2019-02-19T00:22:54","slug":"prospect-benchmark-bighorn-mountains-wyoming-6-9-18","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/?p=16988","title":{"rendered":"Prospect Benchmark, Bighorn Mountains, Wyoming (6-9-18)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Day 1 of Lupe’s 2018 Dingo Vacation to the Bighorn Mountains of Wyoming & Beyond!<\/em><\/p>\n

6-9-18<\/em> – Early afternoon found Lupe streaking across the border into Wyoming riding high in air-conditioned comfort upon her pile of gear, pillows and blankets.\u00a0 The G6, all shined up for the occasion, raced W on I-90.\u00a0 Oh, yeah!\u00a0 It was on!\u00a0 The glorious Summer of 2018 was officially underway!<\/p>\n

Lupe was thrilled!\u00a0 After nearly 9 long months spent close to home in the Black Hills of South Dakota, it seemed like forever since she’d headed off to new adventures in faraway places.\u00a0 Yet the American Dingo clearly remembered exactly what Dingo Vacations are all about.<\/p>\n

Furious barking, mostly – at least en route!\u00a0 Loopster eagerly scanned the fields along I-90 for the next herd of cows or horses she was rapidly bearing down upon.\u00a0 Barking at cows, horses, sheep, antelope, barns, outbuildings and suspicious haystacks is a joyous game that never gets old!\u00a0 The decibel level in the G6 seldom meets safety standards while in cattle country.<\/p>\n

The first respite from the din came at the Moorcroft, WY rest area.\u00a0 Loop and SPHP both got out to stretch.\u00a0 Lupe sniffed about the grounds, which featured big, shady cottonwood trees.\u00a0 Sadly, no cows or horses were right here today, but SPHP read an interesting true story to Lupe about some mighty fine days long ago in the Old West when there had been plenty of cows in Moorcroft.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Oh, what a wonderful day! I can hardly believe it’s really summer again and we’re setting off on another Dingo Vacation!<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Lupe liked this true story about thousands of cows and sheep! SPHP said the cowboys must have had a bunch of horses, too. Those were the days!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Bighorn Mountains of N central Wyoming were Lupe’s destination for most of this first Dingo Vacation of 2018.\u00a0 The Bighorns are only a few hours from the Black Hills.\u00a0 Despite an afternoon start, Lupe would easily arrive by evening.<\/p>\n

Even before getting to the Bighorns, though, Loopster had one quick peakbagging possibility SPHP wanted her to check out along the way.\u00a0 At Gillette, SPHP turned S on Hwy 59.\u00a0 Antelope Butte<\/span><\/a> (5,073 ft.)<\/span><\/strong>, a hill with 30 miles of isolation (minimum distance to a higher point) was only 6 or 7 miles S of I-90.\u00a0 Curiously, it was seldom climbed according to statistics on Peakbagger.com<\/strong><\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n

The map showed Antelope Butte was situated only a mile W of Hwy 59.\u00a0 A side road went to towers on top of it.\u00a0 If hardly anyone was getting to the summit of a hill so close to town with a road to it, access issues were likely.\u00a0 A long shot, perhaps, but maybe it was worth a short side trip to check it out?\u00a0 Lupe liked the notion that there might be antelopes.<\/p>\n

Antelope Butte was easily spotted before Loop was even out of Gillette.\u00a0 It wasn’t anything too impressive, just a grassy hill with towers on it.\u00a0 Disappointingly, not a single antelope was in sight, either.\u00a0 The Carolina Dog would still climb it, though, if she could.\u00a0 Why not?<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Antelope Butte<\/strong> from Hwy 59. Photo looks WSW with help from the telephoto lens.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

SPHP turned W on a promisingly located side road SE of Antelope Butte.\u00a0 A 0.5 mile drive past a couple of businesses brought Lupe to a locked gate.\u00a0 Looked like this was the right place, alright.\u00a0 It wouldn’t have taken Looper long to get to Antelope Butte and back from here.\u00a0 However, in addition to the locked gate there were other subtle hints that maybe it was best not to.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Hmm. This was the road to Antelope Butte. Photo looks WSW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Frustrating! Antelope Butte<\/strong> was right over there! Photo looks NW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Zoomed in on Antelope Butte<\/strong>. Photo looks NW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A lot of equipment was stacked around, apparently related to the energy industry.\u00a0 Lupe had passed some sort of Halliburton shop on the way in from Hwy 59.\u00a0 SPHP drove back to see if Lupe might be able to obtain permission to climb Antelope Butte.<\/p>\n

Saturday afternoon.\u00a0 The Halliburton shop was closed.\u00a0 No one at all around.\u00a0 Posted signs weren’t the least bit encouraging.\u00a0 The gist of them was that if you weren’t an employee or officially invited, just go away.\u00a0 OK.\u00a0 Whatever.\u00a0 Antelope Butte wasn’t happening.\u00a0 Not today.\u00a0 Lupe and SPHP returned to I-90 and headed W.<\/p>\n

3 hours later, Lupe was at the Sand Turn overlook along Hwy 14 on her way up into the Bighorn Mountains.\u00a0 Lupe could see the town of Dayton in the distance and a long way out onto the prairie.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Looking NNE from the Sand Turn overlook.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

At Burgess Junction SPHP veered S staying on Hwy 14.\u00a0 Another 9 or 10 miles brought Lupe to road construction at Prospect Creek.\u00a0 Here SPHP turned W on USFS Road No. 10.<\/p>\n

No. 10 climbed steadily and wound around quite a bit.\u00a0 After a couple of miles, Lupe had her first look at Prospect Benchmark<\/span><\/a> (9,774 ft.)<\/strong><\/span>.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Prospect Benchmark<\/strong> (Center) from USFS Road No. 10. Photo looks WNW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Even though Antelope Butte hadn’t worked out, Lupe was still going to get to log a peakbagging success on her first day of this Dingo Vacation.\u00a0 Prospect Benchmark looked like a snap!<\/p>\n

So far, most of USFS Road No. 10 had been fairly rough.\u00a0 It deteriorated further as SPHP drove on.\u00a0 The last stretch of road leading to a cattle guard was deeply rutted, and would have been impassible if wet.\u00a0 Nevertheless, the G6 managed to make it up to a broad, gentle saddle 4 miles from Hwy 14.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Lupe on USFS Road No. 10. The last stretch of road to get to this cattle guard had been the worst, and would have been impassible for the G6 if wet. Photo looks SE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After crossing the cattle guard, SPHP parked the G6 by a barbed wire fence.\u00a0 Prospect Benchmark was now only a ridiculously easy 0.33 mile away to the S.\u00a0 This was going to be cake!<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
This is it? Looks like you’re starting us out mighty easy on this Dingo Vacation, SPHP!<\/em> Loop standing by USFS Road No. 217 ready to start for Prospect Benchmark<\/strong>, the ridge in sight beyond the snowbank. Photo looks SSW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Although the temperature had hit 95\u00b0F while traveling across the Wyoming plains on I-90, the evening was pleasantly cool way up here in the Bighorns as Lupe set off for Prospect Benchmark.\u00a0 (7:19 PM, 62\u00b0F)<\/em>\u00a0 Loop started out following USFS Road No. 217, a simple dirt road which headed SW up a long, gentle incline.<\/p>\n

Once beyond a large snowdrift, Lupe abandoned No. 217 near the road’s high point just N of the summit area.\u00a0 She scampered S up the remaining grassy slope to a partially broken down escarpment.\u00a0 A mere 5 or 10 foot scramble among the rocks brought Loop up onto the N edge of Prospect Benchmark’s vast, flat, barren summit area.<\/p>\n

That had been easy!\u00a0 All Lupe had to do now was find the actual survey benchmark.\u00a0 A cairn of white rocks not too far away along the edge of the escarpment seemed like a logical place to begin.\u00a0 The Carolina Dog found nothing near the cairn, however, except a nice view back toward the saddle where the G6 was parked.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Lupe reaches a cairn near the N edge of Prospect Benchmark<\/strong>‘s summit area. The G6 is parked down at the intersection seen in the saddle. USFS Road No. 10 crosses the saddle, while USFS Road No. 217 is seen heading this general direction, and No. 220 winds away up the distant hill. Photo looks NE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A check of the topo map<\/strong><\/span><\/a> showed that the survey benchmark ought to be located toward the SE end of Prospect Benchmark’s huge summit area.\u00a0 Loop and SPHP traveled SE along the escarpment forming the NE edge of the summit keeping a lookout for the benchmark.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Looking SE along the minor escarpment forming the NE edge of Prospect Benchmark’s summit area.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Lupe found nothing of interest until she got close to the end.\u00a0 A 2nd cairn of white rocks sat perched upon a high spot right along the escarpment’s edge, but the survey benchmark wasn’t here, either.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Loop reaches a 2nd cairn near the SE end of the escarpment. Photo looks NE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

However, Loop could see a metal rod sticking up from a smaller 3rd cairn 20 feet to the SW.\u00a0 That seemed promising!\u00a0 Lupe went to check it out.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Nothing here, either, SPHP!<\/em> Lupe checks out the 3rd cairn with the metal rod sticking out of it. Still no luck. Photo looks SW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Still nothing!\u00a0 Hmm.<\/p>\n

The far SE end of the summit area was now quite close, so Lupe went to it.\u00a0 Again nice views, including a distant view of Cloud Peak<\/span><\/a> (13,167 ft.)<\/span><\/strong><\/span>, the highest mountain in the Bighorn Range, but no survey benchmark.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
A distant view of Cloud Peak<\/strong> from the SE end of the Prospect Benchmark summit. Photo looks SE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Looper at the SE end of the Prospect Benchmark<\/strong> summit area. Photo looks NE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Cedar Mountain<\/span><\/a> (9,813 ft.)<\/span><\/strong> (L) from Prospect Benchmark. Photo looks SW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Lupe and SPHP wandered back toward the NW still looking for the benchmark.\u00a0 Even though the terrain was flat and exposed, if the survey benchmark really wasn’t somewhere close to this SE end, it was going to be hard to find.\u00a0 The summit area was just that big.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Could you be a little more specific, SPHP? “It’s gotta be up here somewhere!<\/strong>” isn’t much of a clue!<\/em> Photo looks WNW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Maybe Lupe wasn’t going to be able to find the benchmark?\u00a0 Maybe it wasn’t even up here anymore?\u00a0 Even if it was, finding the benchmark might be like looking for a needle in a haystack.\u00a0 Then suddenly, there it was, right in the general vicinity shown on the topo map.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Prospect survey benchmark.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The benchmark was on exposed rock, which made it easy to spot.\u00a0 The marker was only 20 feet NW of the 3rd cairn Lupe had come to, the one with the metal rod sticking up out of it.\u00a0 A fair number of loose white rocks were nearby.\u00a0 SPHP used them to build a cairn.\u00a0 The largest rock had a stiff wire wrapped around it.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
The survey benchmark is seen right in front of the big cairn SPHP built. The smaller 3rd cairn with the metal rod is beyond it. Cloud Peak<\/strong> (Center) is on the distant horizon. Photo looks SE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Well, that was that!\u00a0 SPHP congratulated Lupe on her now completely successful ascent of Prospect Benchmark<\/span><\/a> (9,774 ft.)<\/span><\/strong>.\u00a0 It was an easy start to her Dingo Vacation, but this was just the beginning.<\/p>\n

At any rate, the sun wouldn’t be down for a little while yet.\u00a0 Lupe could spend this extra time exploring the area.\u00a0 Just for fun, the Carolina Dog and SPHP wandered 0.33 mile off to the W and SW.\u00a0 The temperature was dropping, but it was a pleasant trek on a beautiful evening with mostly clear skies and only a light SW breeze.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Lupe at the endpoint of her wanderings W of the Prospect Benchmark summit. Photo looks WSW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Looking NE back toward Prospect Benchmark<\/strong>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Sweet Lupe on a beautiful evening in the Bighorns.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The sun sank toward the horizon.\u00a0 Time to head back to the G6.\u00a0 Lupe had fun sniffing and exploring along the way.\u00a0 She crossed snowbanks, and returned to Prospect Benchmark once more.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Crossing a snowbank near sunset. Photo looks ENE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Lupe back at Prospect Benchmark<\/strong> next to the cairn SPHP built. The actual survey benchmark is hidden behind the cairn. Photo looks NW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Here it is!<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Cloud Peak<\/strong> (Center) from Prospect Benchmark late in the day. Photo looks SE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Crossing a snowbank on the way back to the G6. Photo looks SSE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
A look back at the escarpment. Photo looks S.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

As Lupe’s adventures go, Prospect Benchmark had been a pretty short one –<\/em>\u00a0 less than 2 hours, even including wandering off to the W.\u00a0 Loopster arrived back at the G6 still all corked up and full of Dingo energy.\u00a0 (End – 9:00 PM, 54\u00b0F)<\/em><\/p>\n

As twilight faded, SPHP threw a tennis ball for Lupe to chase, then joined in the fun chasing her back and forth around the G6.\u00a0 As far as Lupe was concerned, this exciting game of chase was the highlight of the whole day!\u00a0 She got to show off how fast, agile, and tricky she is, while making a complete fool of SPHP.<\/p>\n

Thankfully, it was getting dark.\u00a0 SPHP can only put up with so much abuse.\u00a0 Yet seeing Lupe having so much fun really was the best part of the day, a great finish to the first day of her 2018 summer adventures way up here in the beautiful Bighorn Mountains at almost 10,000 feet by Prospect Benchmark.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Sunset from Prospect Benchmark, Bighorn Mountains of Wyoming, 6-9-18<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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

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

Want more Lupe adventures?\u00a0\u00a0Choose\u00a0from\u00a0Lupe’s 2018 Dingo Vacation to the Bighorn Mountains of Wyoming & Beyond 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><\/span><\/a><\/em>.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Day 1 of Lupe’s 2018 Dingo Vacation to the Bighorn Mountains of Wyoming & Beyond! 6-9-18 – Early afternoon found Lupe streaking across the border into Wyoming riding high in air-conditioned comfort upon her pile of gear, pillows and blankets.\u00a0 The G6, all shined up for the occasion, raced W on I-90.\u00a0 Oh, yeah!\u00a0 It … Continue reading Prospect Benchmark, Bighorn Mountains, Wyoming (6-9-18)<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":16968,"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":[1003],"tags":[105,1002,185,106,26,104,11,1001,275],"class_list":["post-16988","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-2018-bighorn-mountains-wyoming-beyond","tag-american-dingo","tag-antelope-butte","tag-bighorn-mountains","tag-carolina-dog","tag-dingo-vacations","tag-lupe","tag-peakbagging","tag-prospect-benchmark","tag-wyoming"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventuresoflupe.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/IMG_9251.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\/16988","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=16988"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16988\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":19712,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16988\/revisions\/19712"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/16968"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=16988"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=16988"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=16988"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}