{"id":37607,"date":"2022-03-19T08:10:38","date_gmt":"2022-03-19T14:10:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/?p=37607"},"modified":"2022-04-03T09:00:15","modified_gmt":"2022-04-03T15:00:15","slug":"northwest-peak-purcell-mountains-montana-8-10-21","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/?p=37607","title":{"rendered":"Northwest Peak, Purcell Mountains, Montana (8-10-21)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Day 5 of Lupe’s 3rd Summer of 2021 Dingo Vacation to the West Coast!<\/em><\/p>\n

Wee hours, Purcell Mountains<\/em> – A gentle paw woke SPHP up.\u00a0 Again?\u00a0 Yes, again.\u00a0 Lupe wanted out.\u00a0 Although still weary from yesterday’s ascent of Robinson Mountain, this time SPHP joined her.\u00a0 Must still be cloudy.\u00a0 The night was quiet and infinitely black, as SPHP directed the faint beam of the little flashlight.\u00a0 Meanwhile, the restless Carolina Dog sniffed her way both up and down USFS Road No. 7205.<\/p>\n

7:52 AM, 54\u00baF –<\/em> After being woken up half a dozen times during the night, small wonder that it was practically 8:00 AM when SPHP finally turned the key causing the RAV4 to spring to life.\u00a0 Sad to be leaving this place, but time waits for no Dingo!\u00a0 Funny how quickly one can become attached to a previously unknown spot.\u00a0 Pink Paradise was only a short hike away!\u00a0 Already, the Carolina Dog was leaving it behind.<\/p>\n

Upon reaching USFS Road No. 92, SPHP turned W.\u00a0 Paved, but stripeless and narrow, the road wound higher mile after mile before a similar long steady descent began to the Yaak River.\u00a0 After crossing the river, Lupe had a blast barking at deer congregating in a region of homes on small acreages that SPHP mistook for the town of Yaak.<\/p>\n

Confusion reigned.\u00a0 An hour got wasted driving back and forth due to poor signage and the absence of a decent map, but the Yaak Mercantile Store finally appeared, and from there it was only 3 miles W on No. 508 to a R turn N onto USFS Road No. 338.\u00a0 After that, the rest was easy.<\/p>\n

12:22 PM, 60\u00baF, USFS Road No. 338<\/em> – Already afternoon by the time Lupe reached the Northwest Peak trailhead, but that was alright.\u00a0 A new sign said it was only 2.3 miles to the lookout.\u00a0 Despite having been awake half the night, the American Dingo was rarin’ to go!\u00a0 Crossing the road, Lupe passed a few white boulders as Trail No. 169 curved up into the forest.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Miss Perky ready to set off for Northwest Peak. Photo looks NW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Start of Trail No. 169.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Heading S, a short climb led to an old roadbed which the trail followed W for a little way.\u00a0 Leaving the roadbed behind, a couple of sharp curves brought the Carolina Dog up onto a broad ridge.<\/p>\n

The forest had burned.\u00a0 Although there wasn’t as much here as at Pink Paradise on the way to Robinson Mountain yesterday, fireweed added splashes of pink to the scene.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Following the old roadbed. Photo looks W.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
On the broad, burnt ridge. Photo looks W.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

At first, the ridge was flat, but soon Trail No. 169 started climbing at an easy pace.\u00a0 The trail headed W near the S edge of the ridge then veered N.\u00a0 Almost as soon as Lupe made it over to the N side of the ridge, the trail doubled back to the SW.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Getting close to the N side of the ridge. Photo looks N.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Soon Loopster was back along the S side of the ridge again.\u00a0 No. 169 now ran WNW, staying well below the ridgeline.\u00a0 Northwest Peak<\/span><\/a> (7,705 ft.)<\/span><\/strong> was already in sight ahead.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Northwest Peak<\/strong> (Center). Photo looks WNW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

S of HP7326<\/span><\/strong>, the trail passed along the lower edge of a boulder field.\u00a0 Once beyond the boulders, it wasn’t much farther to the end of the burnt forest.\u00a0 Happy to have the shade of live trees, Lupe soon insisted upon taking a little break.\u00a0 Water and a chocolate coconut bar got shared.\u00a0 SPHP enjoyed a Mott’s blueberry applesauce, too.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Below the boulder field. Photo looks NW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
In the live forest. Photo looks WNW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Taking a shady break.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Continuing on, the rate of climb gradually increased.\u00a0 No. 169 went NW, eventually leading to more talus.\u00a0 By then, Loop was already almost as high as HP7326<\/span><\/strong>, which was now visible back to the E.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Setting off again. Photo looks WNW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Encountering the next field of talus. Photo looks WNW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
HP7326<\/span><\/strong> (Center). Photo looks E.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

As the American Dingo kept climbing, the forest thinned.\u00a0 Trail No. 169 wound through increasing amounts of rock.\u00a0 Occasional cairns helped mark the route.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Among the rocks. Photo looks W.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
On a grassy stretch. Photo looks WNW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Getting higher! Marmot Mountain (6,921 ft.<\/span>)<\/strong> (Center), HP7326<\/span><\/strong> (R). Photo looks ENE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Couldn’t be much farther!\u00a0 Near the end, the trail steepened and began trending SW.\u00a0 Few trees remained, until there were none at all.\u00a0 Nothing but talus the rest of the way.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Getting steeper. Photo looks SW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Despite all the rock, Trail No. 169 remained easy to follow. Photo looks SW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Close to the top. Photo looks WSW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Hardly any rock-hopping required!\u00a0 Good trail the entire way.\u00a0 Lupe was heading SW, when a lookout and a tall cairn came into view.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Approaching the summit. Photo looks SW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

2:31 PM, 50\u00baF, Northwest Peak<\/span><\/a> (7,705 ft.)<\/span><\/strong><\/em> – Next to a huge cairn, Lupe stood squinting into the sun, not really caring for the unexpected gusty 20 mph wind sweeping over the mountain.\u00a0 Hadn’t even been breezy on the way up!\u00a0 Tall as the cairn was, it could easily have been much larger.<\/p>\n

Enough rock up here to build a pyramid, SPHP!<\/em><\/p>\n

No doubt, but forget that!\u00a0 Building pyramids is a lot of work.\u00a0 Someone must have had an awful lot of time on their paws just to build that cairn.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
By the cairn. Photo looks NE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Northwest Peak’s summit plateau was a sea of talus.\u00a0 Not a tree, bush, or even a blade of grass, anywhere.\u00a0 The gigantic cairn was more than 100 feet NNE of the lookout cabin, which sat up at the true summit near the S end of the plateau.\u00a0 A flagless flagpole stood just S of the lookout, with a second, much smaller cairn nearby.<\/p>\n

Definitely break time again, but with all the rock, there was nowhere comfy for the Carolina Dog to curl up.<\/p>\n

Let’s check out the lookout cabin, SPHP!\u00a0 Maybe it’s unlocked like the one on Robinson Mountain<\/span><\/a> (7,321 ft.)<\/span><\/strong>?<\/em><\/p>\n

You just want to get out of the wind, don’t you!<\/em><\/p>\n

It’s the sensible thing to do, SPHP!<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Heading over to the lookout cabin. Photo looks SSW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
By the flagpole. Photo looks ENE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The door wasn’t locked.\u00a0 Lupe went right in.\u00a0 The lookout here was about the same size as the one on Robinson Mountain, but cleaner and better furnished.\u00a0 Almost everything was painted green.\u00a0 3 wooden beds were next to the walls.\u00a0 In the middle of the room stood a tall table.\u00a0 A deck of cards was on it.<\/p>\n

Sitting together on the bed closest to the door, SPHP shook Looper’s paw, congratulating her on her successful ascent of Northwest Peak.\u00a0 This feat, plus escaping the wind, was celebrated with the disappearance of the last chocolate coconut bar.<\/p>\n

All the windows were closed, just like at Robinson Mountain.\u00a0 In addition to the beds and table, there were two desks and a bench.\u00a0 A clear plastic bin with a blue cover was resting on one of the desks.\u00a0 Unsnapping the cover revealed a nicely folded American Flag plus instructions on how to fold it.\u00a0 There was also a registry.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
In the snug lookout cabin.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After entering Lupe’s name, SPHP read some of the other entries.<\/p>\n

Anything interesting, SPHP?<\/em><\/p>\n

Seems that most of these entries are by people hiking the PNT, Looper.\u00a0 Apparently Northwest Peak is part of it.<\/em><\/p>\n

The PNT?\u00a0 What’s that?<\/em><\/p>\n

The Pacific Northwest Trail<\/strong><\/span><\/a>.\u00a0 1,200 miles long running E\/W through Montana, Idaho, and Washington.\u00a0 Guess we should have brought the sleeping bags, Loopster!\u00a0 Quite a few people spend the night here.<\/em><\/p>\n

Oh, that would have been fun!<\/em><\/p>\n

After a bit, it was time to have a look at the views.\u00a0 Venturing outside again to brave the wind, Lupe first had a look S.\u00a0 The air was kind of hazy with smoke from distant forest fires, but it wasn’t too bad.\u00a0 From Northwest Peak, a long ridge extended S to Davis Mountain (7,583 ft.)<\/span><\/strong>, then W over to Canuck Peak<\/span><\/a> (6,934 ft.)<\/span><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Apparently, that was the way the PNT went.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Out in the wind again. Photo looks NE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Northwest Peak’s S Ridge<\/strong>. Davis Mountain<\/strong> (L), Canuck Peak<\/strong> (L of Center). Photo looks SW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Davis Mountain<\/strong> (L) and Canuck Peak<\/strong> (R) with help from the telephoto lens.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

NW of the lookout cabin an outhouse sat not too far from the mountain’s W edge.\u00a0 Lupe went that way next.\u00a0 Burke Benchmark (7,461 ft.)<\/span><\/strong> was in sight beyond the outhouse, and past it, fabled, forbidden Canada, dimly seen through the smoke.\u00a0 American Mountain<\/span><\/a> (6,591 ft.)<\/span><\/strong> was 3 miles W.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Burke Benchmark<\/strong> (Center). Photo looks N.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
American Mountain<\/strong> (R of Center) is the long ridge at mid-range. Photo looks W.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Returning to the lookout cabin, shelter was again sought from the wind.\u00a0 After spending a little more time perusing the registry, SPHP broke out the deck of cards that was sitting on the table.<\/p>\n

While you take it easy, Loop, think I’m going to play a little solitaire.\u00a0 Soon as I win a game, we’ll head out!\u00a0 How does that sound?<\/em><\/p>\n

Fine with me, SPHP!\u00a0 I like this cabin.\u00a0 Really a shame you didn’t bring the sleeping bags!<\/em><\/p>\n

I know it.\u00a0 Wish I had.<\/em><\/p>\n

Time passed.\u00a0 SPHP played several games before putting the cards away.<\/p>\n

Finally won one, SPHP?<\/em><\/p>\n

Let’s just say it’s a good thing we stick to climbing mountains.\u00a0 There’s a reason you’ve never been to Vegas, Looper.<\/em><\/p>\n

You lost every game?<\/em><\/p>\n

0-4, if you must know.\u00a0 I’ve lost interest in it.\u00a0 Odd, I know.\u00a0 C’mon, let’s see if we can get a glimpse of the Hawkins Lakes before we go!<\/em><\/p>\n

Rather reluctantly, the Carolina Dog left the nifty lookout cabin for the last time.\u00a0 Heading N along the summit plateau, it was slow going on all the talus as Lupe gradually lost elevation.\u00a0 The Hawkins Lakes did not come into view, and it began to look like Loop might have to go quite a bit farther before they might.<\/p>\n

Eh.\u00a0 Too windy!\u00a0 Losing interest in this project, too, Loopster.\u00a0 Maybe we ought to just head back to the trail?<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Leaving the lookout cabin for the last time. Photo looks SW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
About as far N as Lupe got. Burke Benchmark<\/strong> (Center). Photo looks N.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Looking S toward the summit.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The American Dingo had no objection.\u00a0 Returning to the tall cairn and the region near the lookout cabin, she gazed for the final time from the top of windy Northwest Peak upon HP7326<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0and the long ridge she was about to head back down.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Marmot Mountain<\/strong> (far L), HP7326<\/span><\/strong> (L), and the ridge Trail No. 169 comes up<\/strong> (R). Photo looks E.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Relief from the wind came almost immediately after leaving the summit plateau.\u00a0 With a good trail that wasn’t all that steep, the return was fun.\u00a0 Leading the way, Lupe trotted happily along, sniffing and exploring both on and off trail at will.\u00a0 Before long it was time for that last glance back at Northwest Peak.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
On the way back. Northwest Peak<\/strong> (L). Photo looks WNW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Oh, things that might have been!\u00a0 It could have been done!\u00a0 Lupe made it back to the RAV4 with hours of daylight left.\u00a0 The Carolina Dog still might have spent this night listening to the wind moan in the lookout cabin, but she never did persuade SPHP to grab those sleeping bags and head back up to lonely, remote Northwest Peak<\/span><\/a> (7,705 ft)<\/span><\/strong>.\u00a0 (5:19 PM, 65\u00baF)<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Northwest Peak<\/strong>, Purcell Mountains, Montana 8-10-21<\/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 Prior Adventure<\/span><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

GPS track by Greg Slayden (8-16-16)<\/strong><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Want more Lupe adventures?\u00a0\u00a0Choose from Lupe’s Summer of 2021<\/span> Dingo Vacations to New Mexico, Wyoming & the West Coast Adventure Inde<\/strong><\/span>x<\/strong><\/span><\/a>, Dingo Vacations Adventure Index<\/span><\/strong><\/a> or Master Adventure Index<\/span><\/strong><\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0Or subscribe free\u00a0to\u00a0new Lupe adventures<\/strong><\/a><\/span><\/em>.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Day 5 of Lupe’s 3rd Summer of 2021 Dingo Vacation to the West Coast! Wee hours, Purcell Mountains – A gentle paw woke SPHP up.\u00a0 Again?\u00a0 Yes, again.\u00a0 Lupe wanted out.\u00a0 Although still weary from yesterday’s ascent of Robinson Mountain, this time SPHP joined her.\u00a0 Must still be cloudy.\u00a0 The night was quiet and infinitely … Continue reading Northwest Peak, Purcell Mountains, Montana (8-10-21)<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":37594,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","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":[1416],"tags":[105,106,26,104,417,1505,1501],"class_list":["post-37607","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-1416","tag-american-dingo","tag-carolina-dog","tag-dingo-vacations","tag-lupe","tag-montana","tag-northwest-peak","tag-purcell-mountains"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventuresoflupe.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/IMG_1568-scaled.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\/37607","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=37607"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37607\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":39218,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37607\/revisions\/39218"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/37594"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=37607"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=37607"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=37607"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}