{"id":4185,"date":"2016-01-31T08:10:52","date_gmt":"2016-01-31T15:10:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/?p=4185"},"modified":"2020-09-22T11:00:53","modified_gmt":"2020-09-22T17:00:53","slug":"black-hills-sd-expedition-no-154-crystal-mountain-1-28-16","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/?p=4185","title":{"rendered":"Black Hills, SD Expedition No. 154 – Crystal Mountain (1-28-16)"},"content":{"rendered":"

SPHP had been expecting it, but hoping it wouldn’t happen.\u00a0 Naturally, it did.\u00a0 Lupe and SPHP\u00a0had already successfully crossed South Boxelder Creek at least 5 times.\u00a0\u00a0This time the creek was too wide.\u00a0 There wasn’t any way SPHP could get across here,\u00a0other than to wade the creek.\u00a0 Nope, not doing that – not\u00a0in January!<\/p>\n

\"Lupe<\/a>
Lupe at South Boxelder Creek. This was as far upstream as Lupe could go down in the deep valley. The creek was too wide for SPHP to cross here.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

With the stream blocking the way forward, Lupe and SPHP couldn’t go any farther up the canyon.\u00a0 Getting to Crystal Mountain<\/span><\/strong><\/a> (5,680 ft.)<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0really was going to be an adventure now.\u00a0 The question was, how hard would it be for Lupe and SPHP to climb up out of the canyon?\u00a0 The canyon walls weren’t cliffs, but they looked pretty steep, maybe too steep.\u00a0 Lupe and SPHP started backtracking downstream along the trail.\u00a0 There was a place not too far back that might work.<\/p>\n

Lupe’s day had gotten off to a good start.\u00a0 SPHP had parked the G6 (8:46 AM, 32\u00b0F)\u00a0at Boxelder Forks campground at the confluence of North and South Boxelder Creeks, about 3 miles (as the road goes) W of Nemo.\u00a0 From there, Lupe and SPHP had\u00a0set off walking\u00a0along the snow-packed access road beyond the campground.\u00a0 The road wound its way upstream\u00a0past some nice cabins (one of which is for sale) in the South Boxelder Creek canyon.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Lupe’s Expedition No. 154 started at Boxelder Forks campground, about 3 miles W of Nemo.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

When the road dead-ended, Lupe and SPHP had continued on upstream following a single track trail.\u00a0 Almost right away, SPHP knew there was going to be trouble.\u00a0 The trail crossed South Boxelder Creek almost as soon as it left the road.\u00a0 There wasn’t any bridge, but since\u00a0the creek\u00a0was frozen over there, Lupe and SPHP had been able to cross without difficulty.<\/p>\n

\"Lupe<\/a>
Lupe starting along the trail in South Boxelder Creek canyon. This photo was taken just beyond the end of the access road, and looks W (upstream).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Lupe’s primary peakbagging goal for the day was Crystal Mountain, situated on the N side of South Boxelder Creek canyon, about\u00a02.5 miles W of the campground as the crow flies.\u00a0 To get there, SPHP had planned for Lupe to follow South Boxelder Creek upstream a little over\u00a01.5 miles, and then take a logging road up a side valley to the N.\u00a0 From there she could work her way over to Crystal Mountain.<\/p>\n

No bridge over the creek at the very first crossing had been a red flag.\u00a0 South Boxelder Creek isn’t very big, but it’s too big to jump over most places and deep enough to get feet soaking wet.\u00a0 If the creek had to be crossed too many times, sooner or later, there wouldn’t be a way across.<\/p>\n

The trail went through a\u00a0very pretty forest.\u00a0 Lupe was having a wonderful time sniffing around and exploring.\u00a0 Unfortunately, the trail repeatedly crossed the creek.\u00a0 Each time there had been a way across – thick ice, a downed tree, stepping stones, something.\u00a0 And then finally,\u00a0inevitably really, came the\u00a0time when there wasn’t.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
South Boxelder Creek<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Looking<\/a>
Looking W up South Boxelder Creek canyon. The place SPHP couldn’t cross the creek is just ahead. Lupe climbed N (R) out of the canyon from near this point.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Lupe was less than a mile upstream from where the trail started when she came to the place where SPHP couldn’t get across.\u00a0 She still had at\u00a0least another 0.5 mile to go\u00a0to get to the logging road where SPHP had intended for her to leave the canyon.\u00a0 SPHP checked the maps.\u00a0 According to the topo map, Lupe was in the narrowest, steepest part of the whole canyon.\u00a0 Just lovely!<\/p>\n

Give up and go back,\u00a0or climb?\u00a0 Silly question.\u00a0 Lupe would at least try to climb up out of the canyon!\u00a0 There was probably a reasonable route somewhere.\u00a0 If not, then Lupe and SPHP would have to admit defeat from this approach.\u00a0 Lupe wasn’t defeated yet, though!\u00a0 Lupe and SPHP began to climb up the N slope of the canyon.\u00a0 At first it wasn’t too bad.\u00a0 Before long, Lupe made it up to a rock platform with a view.<\/p>\n

\"Lupe<\/a>
Lupe quickly climbed up the N slope of South Boxelder Creek canyon to reach this rock platform. She still had a lot of climbing left to do. Photo looks W.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

SPHP could have backtracked a little farther down in the canyon and found a better spot to climb out, though.\u00a0 Lupe had started up following a spine of rock coming down from the N.\u00a0 As Lupe climbed, the rocks got bigger.\u00a0 Soon rock formations repeatedly blocked further advance along the spine.\u00a0 To the W were cliffs.\u00a0 SPHP sensibly chose to angle up along the E side of the spine, but this side of the spine was getting steeper, too.<\/p>\n

Of course, an American Dingo wouldn’t have had any problem getting across the creek down below.\u00a0 And an American Dingo was having no problem wandering all over the steep side of the canyon.\u00a0 Lupe was, in fact, having a great time.\u00a0 She kept appearing above SPHP, looking down to see what was the matter.<\/p>\n

\""You<\/a>
“You coming, SPHP? This place is awesome!”<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Being human was the matter.\u00a0 As the side of the canyon got steeper, SPHP tried to stay near the spine of rock.\u00a0 At least the rocks provided some handholds and footholds.\u00a0 Slowly, slowly SPHP was gaining elevation using rocks, trees, bushes, whatever there was for support.\u00a0 Little patches of snow here and there didn’t make things any easier.<\/p>\n

Lupe had 4 paws powering her up the side of the canyon.\u00a0 SPHP mimicked her and crawled when necessary.\u00a0 Crawling isn’t very fast under the best of circumstances.\u00a0 Lupe cheerily sprinted this way and that to show SPHP how\u00a0to use 4 limbs to advantage.\u00a0 SPHP was a dang slow learner.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Little teeny rocks like the ones shown here kept blocking what should have been an easy route up the ridge, forcing SPHP onto the steep E slope.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Over and over again, it looked like it was\u00a0just another 10 or 20 feet\u00a0higher to where SPHP could\u00a0get back up on the ridge\u00a0where the terrain wasn’t so steep.\u00a0 Each time, after gaining the 10 or 20 feet and more,\u00a0the situation\u00a0looked the same.\u00a0 Now and then, SPHP had to retreat.\u00a0 Some places were just too steep, or snow was in the way making it too slippery.\u00a0 Each time, SPHP found a way around lower down, and then made another assault up the slope.<\/p>\n

Fortunately, Lupe lives in the Black Hills of South Dakota, not the Himalayas.\u00a0 There is a reasonable limit to how much elevation one must gain to reach the top of even the largest mountains around here.\u00a0 Nearing the top of the canyon, SPHP finally made it\u00a0back up on the ridgeline.\u00a0 Whew!\u00a0 No more clinging and crawling.\u00a0 It was January, but SPHP was sweating.\u00a0 It felt good to just walk upright again.<\/p>\n

If Lupe felt any different, she didn’t show it.\u00a0 She’d had a great time climbing out of the canyon.\u00a0 Lupe and SPHP continued on up a much gentler slope.\u00a0\u00a0The first order of business now was to find a high point\u00a0where SPHP could figure out where Lupe was.<\/p>\n

Lupe came to an area near the top of a hill where loggers had really thinned out the forest.\u00a0 The place was kind of a mess.\u00a0 The highest ground seemed to be a bit of a march off to the SW near the edge of the canyon again.\u00a0 Lupe and SPHP left the logged area to go over there.<\/p>\n

Along the way, Lupe and SPHP followed a ridge from which there were\u00a0partial views off to the NW between the trees.\u00a0 Well beyond a fairly high forested hill, Custer Peak<\/a><\/span><\/strong> (6,804 ft.)<\/strong><\/span> and even more distant Terry Peak<\/a><\/strong><\/span> (7,064 ft.)<\/span><\/strong> could be seen.\u00a0 With snow on them, they both looked rather grand.\u00a0 Lupe visited a couple of high points along the ridge, and finally arrived at the highest spot of all at the SW end.<\/p>\n

\"Lupe<\/a>
Lupe reaches the SW high point at the end of the ridge after climbing up out of South Boxelder Creek canyon. Was that flat ridge seen to the W, Crystal Mountain? Photo looks WSW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

New problem.\u00a0 Or, perhaps just a restatement of the former problem.\u00a0 The question really wasn’t, where is Lupe?\u00a0 Lupe was right\u00a0here.\u00a0 The real question was, where\u00a0is Crystal Mountain?\u00a0 It seemed like Lupe and SPHP ought to be able to see it from up here.\u00a0 There was a high flat ridge off to the W, or maybe WSW, but was that it?\u00a0 It didn’t seem right.\u00a0 It looked too big, flat, and not quite high enough.\u00a0 Nothing else really stood out as a possibility, though.<\/p>\n

Lupe and SPHP moved around a bit to another vantage point, but the view was to the S across South Boxelder Creek canyon.\u00a0 Pretty, but most definitely\u00a0the wrong direction to look\u00a0for Crystal Mountain.\u00a0 Time to take a break\u00a0and review the maps.\u00a0 Lupe wasn’t\u00a0hungry yet.\u00a0 SPHP munched an apple.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>
The break spot. Photo looks S across South Boxelder Creek canyon. Pretty, but Crystal Mountain wasn’t in this direction.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After devouring the apple, admiring the view to the S, and studying the maps, the exciting conclusion was that SPHP didn’t know where Crystal Mountain was.\u00a0 That big flat ridge Lupe had seen might be it, but still didn’t seem right.\u00a0 Lupe was just going to have to head NW.\u00a0 Crystal Mountain hadn’t moved.\u00a0 It was out there somewhere.<\/p>\n

Going NW meant losing a lot of hard won elevation, but there was no way to avoid it.\u00a0 There was quite a bit of snow on the ground as Lupe and SPHP entered another section of recently logged mountainside and started down the slope.\u00a0 Custer Peak and Terry Peak were back in view.\u00a0 And so was that fairly high forested mountain in the foreground.<\/p>\n

SPHP stopped.\u00a0 Earlier, SPHP hadn’t paid too much attention to it.\u00a0 It had seemed too far N.\u00a0 Maybe it wasn’t.\u00a0 The longer SPHP looked at it, the more obvious it seemed that the forested mountain had to be Crystal Mountain.\u00a0 Nothing else around was as high or shaped right.\u00a0 Lupe’s peakbagging goal was in sight!\u00a0 For some reason, it seemed like a thrilling discovery.<\/p>\n

\"Crystal<\/a>
Crystal Mountain. Terry Peak is seen on the horizon on the R. Photo looks WNW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Lupe still had quite a trek ahead of her to get to Crystal Mountain.\u00a0 As Lupe went down the snowy slope, the mountain disappeared from view.\u00a0 Lupe lost\u00a0over 300 feet of elevation, and then crossed a road a short distance S of a saddle between ridges.\u00a0 The road was the one SPHP had originally\u00a0intended for Lupe to take up from South Boxelder Creek.<\/p>\n

Lupe and SPHP climbed up onto the next ridge to the NW.\u00a0 The area was fairly heavily forested, so there weren’t any clear views of Crystal Mountain, but\u00a0there were often\u00a0glimpses of it between the trees.\u00a0 Lupe had a wonderful time following the ridge.\u00a0 She ran and ran.\u00a0 There were patches of snow to roll in, and lots of scents to follow.\u00a0 There was a lot of up and down along the way, but no serious elevation changes.<\/p>\n

The ridge started off heading N, but slowly swept around to the NW and then W.\u00a0 By the time Lupe was close to Crystal Mountain, she was approaching it from the NE.\u00a0 Lupe finally reached an open field where there was a clear view of Crystal Mountain ahead.\u00a0 It wasn’t too far away now!<\/p>\n

\"Lupe<\/a>
Lupe getting close to Crystal Mountain. Photo looks SW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

For a little while as Lupe headed directly toward Crystal Mountain, SPHP was worried she might not be able to climb it.\u00a0 The mountain looked very rocky.\u00a0\u00a0Big rock walls could be seen up along the top of the ridgeline.\u00a0 There was quite a bit of snow on the NE side of the mountain.\u00a0 The last part of the way up looked steep.<\/p>\n

\"Lupe<\/a>
Lupe climbing the NE slope of Crystal Mountain. It was actually pretty easy and not a long climb.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

As it turned out, the climb wasn’t bad at all.\u00a0 Climbing out of South Boxelder Creek canyon\u00a0had been\u00a0much tougher.\u00a0 Lupe reached the E summit ridge at an opening separating two huge rock formations.\u00a0 Fortunately this gap provided easy passage between them.\u00a0\u00a0Once beyond\u00a0the rock formations, Lupe and SPHP\u00a0could see there was another summit ridge farther W, too.<\/p>\n

The top of Crystal Mountain was really interesting.\u00a0 The E summit ridge ran NW\/SE and had some\u00a0tall vertical rock walls.\u00a0 If not for the\u00a0opening in the wall Lupe had climbed up to, it would have been very hard to scale the mountain from the NE.\u00a0 The rock formations were large and impressive.\u00a0 There were cliffs with overhanging rocks.\u00a0 Some of the rocks were quite colorful.<\/p>\n

\"Lupe<\/a>
Lupe on the SW side of the rock wall a short distance NW of the gap she came up through. These rocks are part of the E summit ridge.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Colorful rocks were decorated with even more colorful lichens.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Lupe’s first task on Crystal Mountain was to explore the E ridge, where it seemed likely the true summit could be found.\u00a0 The highest rocks were to the SE of where Lupe came through the opening between rock formations, but how to get to up on top?\u00a0 A very high rock wall extending to the SE looked like it would be impossible for Lupe to climb.\u00a0\u00a0Almost as soon as Lupe started following it SE, though, she came to a break in the wall where there was an easy path to the top.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Lupe’s easy path up to the top of the E ridge. She accessed this path from the SW. The rocks SPHP believes are most likely the true summit of Crystal Mountain are close by. Lupe is almost there!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In practically no time at all, Lupe was on top of Crystal Mountain!\u00a0 Lupe agreed to pose for a couple of photos to commemorate her success.\u00a0\u00a0Lupe looked great, as usual, but the\u00a0views were rather disappointing.\u00a0 There were a lot of trees around, including\u00a0a fair number of\u00a0big dead ones.\u00a0 When they eventually fall over, the views will improve.\u00a0 As it was, about the only distant view was a narrow one\u00a0off to the S.<\/p>\n

It seemed like it had been a long journey to Crystal Mountain.\u00a0 Break time!\u00a0 SPHP was surprised that Lupe still wasn’t hungry.\u00a0 She only ate a little Taste of the Wild.\u00a0 What she really wanted to do was curl up in the sun and doze.\u00a0 While Lupe relaxed, SPHP studied the topo maps again.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Lupe reaches the very top of Crystal Mountain. This is the high point farthest N along the E ridge. SPHP believes Lupe is at the true summit here, but there were two other candidates for the honor on the mountain, too. Lupe visited both of them as well. Photo looks NW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Lupe<\/a>
Lupe still at the first high point (northernmost on the E ridge) on Crystal Mountain. Photo looks S.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\""Nope,<\/a>
“Nope, you got 2 photos already up here! Enough already! I’m leaving to take a little nap in the warm sun.”<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This first high point Lupe had reached\u00a0wasn’t the only possible location of the\u00a0true summit on Crystal Mountain.\u00a0\u00a0According to the topo\u00a0map, the W ridge and a small area\u00a0farther to the SE on the E ridge all reached the same contour.\u00a0 It was possible the true summit was over at one of those alternate locations.\u00a0 To really claim a 100% certain peakbagging success, Lupe would need to go check them out.<\/p>\n

Pretty soon, Lupe was ready to go again.\u00a0 SPHP and Lupe went back down her path up to this place, and headed farther SE along the big rock wall.\u00a0 Soon, SPHP\u00a0saw a cairn ahead sitting up on a big boulder.\u00a0 This was the 2nd possible location of the true summit along the E ridge.\u00a0 SPHP didn’t think it was quite as high as where Lupe had just been, but hoped there was a way to get up to the cairn.\u00a0 Continuing SE along the rock wall, Lupe very quickly arrived at a\u00a0place where she could easily\u00a0climb up.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>
The path up to the cairn at the SE high point. There were some great open views off to the NE and E from up on this part of the ridge. Photo looks N.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Lupe<\/a>
Lupe on her way up to the SE cairn.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The\u00a0big boulder the\u00a0SE cairn was on was\u00a0at the very NW end of Lupe’s route up to it.\u00a0 Lupe got right up on the boulder\u00a0next to\u00a0the cairn\u00a0without any problem.\u00a0 While SPHP doesn’t think this cairn is at the actual true summit, it’s possible it is.\u00a0 Due to the forest, the three highest points on the mountain can’t be seen from one another, making it hard to tell with certainty which high point is the true summit.<\/p>\n

More interesting than the cairn was the sweeping panoramic view off to the E.\u00a0 Crystal Mountain\u00a0is higher than anything else off in that direction, making it a great vantage point.\u00a0 Lupe could see Green Top<\/strong><\/span><\/a> (5,360 ft.)<\/strong><\/span> where she had been on Expedition No. 153<\/a><\/span><\/strong> just 5 days earlier.\u00a0 Parts of White Mansion<\/strong><\/span><\/a> (5,340 ft.)<\/strong><\/span> were visible, too, but Green Top hid most of it.\u00a0 They were both so far away, they didn’t look too impressive from Crystal Mountain.<\/p>\n

\"Lupe<\/a>
Lupe at the cairn at the SE high point of the E ridge on Crystal Mountain. Photo looks N.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It was clear there weren’t any higher spots farther SE from the cairn, but the ridgeline was so interesting, Lupe and SPHP followed it all the way to the end.\u00a0 The rock formations along the way seemed unusual.\u00a0 To the NE was a cliff, but to the SW the rocks formed a couple of big terraces, with plenty of room to walk along each level.<\/p>\n

\"Even<\/a>
Even using the telephoto lens, Harney Peak<\/a><\/span> (7,242 ft.)<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0 looks pretty far away from Crystal Mountain. Photo looks S.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
At the SE end of the E ridge. Photo looks SE across the South Boxelder Creek canyon.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After\u00a0having a look at\u00a0the views\u00a0from the\u00a0very\u00a0SE end of the E ridge, it was time for Lupe to go check out the last possible location of the\u00a0true summit of Crystal Mountain over at the W ridge.\u00a0 She journeyed NW back along the rock terraces, and turned W when the terrain allowed.\u00a0 Soon she was up on the W ridge.<\/p>\n

The S end of the W ridge was much wider than the N end.\u00a0 The S end featured a clearing\u00a0full of\u00a0grass and small rocks where the ground sloped off toward the SW.\u00a0 There weren’t any views, since the clearing was pretty much surrounded by trees.\u00a0 The N end of the ridge\u00a0looked much more interesting.\u00a0\u00a0It\u00a0was much narrower and\u00a0very rocky.\u00a0 At the highest point, a couple of rocks could be seen displayed against the sky.<\/p>\n

There\u00a0should\u00a0be some great views from there!\u00a0 Lupe and SPHP headed for the promising high point of the W ridge.<\/p>\n

\"Lupe<\/a>
Lupe reaches the top of the W ridge on Crystal Mountain.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Whether<\/a>
Whether or not the high point of the W ridge was the true summit, it was certainly the most dramatic high point on the mountain.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A big rock formation extended farther out\u00a0to the NW\u00a0beyond the highest rocks.\u00a0 The\u00a0W summit certainly provided some big views to the N and NE.\u00a0 SPHP was a bit disappointed that a few poorly placed trees blocked Lupe’s view of Custer Peak to the NW.\u00a0 Lupe and SPHP climbed down onto the ledge to the NW, but never\u00a0got a clear view of Custer Peak, though it might have been possible to gain one with more scrambling around.<\/p>\n

\"Looking<\/a>
Looking W from the W ridge.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Lupe had\u00a0now been to\u00a0all three possible locations of the true summit of Crystal Mountain.\u00a0 She could legitimately claim a peakbagging success.\u00a0 Crystal Mountain had been a lot of fun to explore, and\u00a0Lupe had spent quite a bit of time up here.\u00a0 The position of the sun was now indicating Lupe’s time on Crystal Mountain should be drawing to a close.<\/p>\n

Before leaving the mountain, Lupe and SPHP did a little more exploring among some of the dramatic rock formations NW of the gap in the E ridge where she had originally climbed up.\u00a0 Then it really was time to go.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Lupe returns to the SW side of the rock wall on the E ridge.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Among the rocks NW of the gap in the E ridge.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Lupe and SPHP left Crystal Mountain the same way she came up.\u00a0 Most of Lupe’s journey back to the G6 was along the same general\u00a0route\u00a0she had taken to get to\u00a0Crystal Mountain.\u00a0\u00a0But SPHP didn’t want to go back down the same steep rocky spine\u00a0that Lupe had climbed coming out of South Boxelder Creek canyon.\u00a0 An alternate\u00a0route down a valley farther E\u00a0proved to be a little\u00a0less\u00a0steep,\u00a0and significantly easier.<\/p>\n

Down in the canyon, Lupe found herself far enough E so she\u00a0only had to cross\u00a0South Boxelder Creek\u00a0twice\u00a0to reach\u00a0the road back to the G6.\u00a0 At 4:46 PM (44\u00b0F), Lupe was back at Boxelder Forks campground.\u00a0 Black Hills, SD Expedition No. 154 to Crystal Mountain had taken exactly 8 hours.\u00a0 SPHP noticed that it really wasn’t dark out yet.\u00a0 Not as dark as it would have been a month ago.\u00a0 Time goes by.<\/p>\n

A Carolina Dog hopped in the G6 and looked at SPHP expectantly.\u00a0 “Yeah, time sure does go by.\u00a0 I haven’t eaten hardly a thing all day!\u00a0 Now, I’m famished!\u00a0 How about taking me home for some Alpo?”<\/p>\n

\"Lupe<\/a>
Lupe had fun on the way back from Crystal Mountain, too! There’s a squirrel way up there. Exciting times!<\/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\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<\/a><\/strong><\/span> , Dingo Vacations Adventure Index<\/span><\/strong><\/a>, or Master Adventure Index<\/span><\/a><\/strong><\/span>.\u00a0\u00a0Or subscribe free\u00a0to\u00a0new Lupe adventures<\/span><\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/em><\/span>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

SPHP had been expecting it, but hoping it wouldn’t happen.\u00a0 Naturally, it did.\u00a0 Lupe and SPHP\u00a0had already successfully crossed South Boxelder Creek at least 5 times.\u00a0\u00a0This time the creek was too wide.\u00a0 There wasn’t any way SPHP could get across here,\u00a0other than to wade the creek.\u00a0 Nope, not doing that – not\u00a0in January! With the … Continue reading Black Hills, SD Expedition No. 154 – Crystal Mountain (1-28-16)<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4165,"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":true,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[105,9,106,552,104,304],"class_list":["post-4185","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-crystal-mountain","tag-lupe","tag-south-dakota"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventuresoflupe.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/IMG_0164.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\/4185","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=4185"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4185\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":28274,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4185\/revisions\/28274"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/4165"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4185"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4185"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4185"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}