{"id":4608,"date":"2017-07-16T08:10:06","date_gmt":"2017-07-16T14:10:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/?p=4608"},"modified":"2020-09-21T15:00:49","modified_gmt":"2020-09-21T21:00:49","slug":"black-hills-sd-expedition-no-105-silver-mountain-11-22-14","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/?p=4608","title":{"rendered":"Black Hills, SD Expedition No. 105 – Silver Mountain (11-22-14)"},"content":{"rendered":"

On November 10, 2014, 8″ of new snow fell at Lupe’s house.\u00a0 The weather turned very cold for more than a week with highs in the 10-12\u00b0F range and subzero lows every night.\u00a0 Another 4″ of snow fell.\u00a0 Lupe was bored waiting for it all to end.\u00a0 She stared out the window for hours, repeatedly sighing and putting her head down, then checking again a little bit later to see if anything had changed.\u00a0 Nope.<\/p>\n

Finally it did warm up.\u00a0 A few days came when the highs got clear up into the 40’s or even 50’s.\u00a0 The snow\u00a0started melting fast.\u00a0 Saturday the 22nd was Lupe’s big chance to get out on an expedition.\u00a0 The next day it was supposed to turn cold again.\u00a0 When Lupe realized SPHP was getting the backpack ready to go, she was one enthusiastic Carolina Dog!<\/p>\n

By 9:04 AM (43\u00b0F), Lupe was eagerly leaping out of the G6.\u00a0 The G6 was parked at a little side road just W of Boulder Hill Road (USFS Road No. 358) about 0.5 mile N of Hwy 16.\u00a0 Lupe was about 0.75 miles S of Boulder Hill<\/a><\/span> (5,331 ft.)<\/span><\/strong>, and 0.5 mile NE of Silver Mountain<\/strong><\/a><\/span> (5,405 ft.)<\/span><\/strong>.\u00a0 Lupe wasn’t going to Boulder Hill today.\u00a0 Instead, the plan was for her to go to Silver Mountain, and then on to Calumet Ridge<\/a><\/span> (5,601 ft.)<\/span><\/strong> another 2.5 miles to the W.<\/p>\n

Lupe and SPHP started out heading W on the little unmarked side road.\u00a0 There was still about 6″ of snow here.\u00a0 Glimpses of Silver Mountain could be seen between the trees to the SW.\u00a0 Lupe and SPHP soon left the road to start climbing toward it.<\/p>\n

Lupe didn’t have to go too far from the road to leave the forest.\u00a0 She entered an open area where there was quite a bit of deadfall timber around.\u00a0 These trees hadn’t been killed by pine bark beetles.\u00a0 Almost all of Silver Mountain burned in the August, 2002 Battle Creek fire.\u00a0 Between the snow and the deadfall timber, the going was rather slow.<\/p>\n

When Lupe started hearing gunfire off to the W, things got even slower.\u00a0 Lupe wanted to stop and hide.\u00a0 She kept begging SPHP to stop, trying to\u00a0block\u00a0the way forward\u00a0by standing\u00a0on her hind legs\u00a0and leaning her front paws on SPHP.\u00a0 It took some doing, but SPHP finally\u00a0persuaded her to keep going.\u00a0 Lupe soon reached the top of a little ridge.\u00a0 Ahead was a small snowy valley.\u00a0 Silver Mountain loomed just beyond it.<\/p>\n

\"Lupe<\/a>
Lupe sits on a stump up on the first little ridge she reached on her way up Silver Mountain. Photo looks SW at Silver Mountain.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

To avoid losing too much elevation, Lupe and SPHP\u00a0went W along the ridgeline for a little way.\u00a0 Near the upper end of the small snowy valley, Lupe turned SW again to head directly for Silver Mountain.\u00a0 She lost a little elevation traversing the\u00a0valley,\u00a0but once across started regaining it quickly.<\/p>\n

A band of live pines that had escaped the 2002 Battle Creek fire\u00a0was still standing on the upper NE slopes of\u00a0Silver Mountain.\u00a0 As Lupe got closer, SPHP realized the trees\u00a0were swaying in the wind.\u00a0 It wasn’t windy at all down where Lupe and SPHP were, but apparently a strong wind had kicked up out of the SW.\u00a0 The higher Lupe climbed, the less protection the mountain gave her.\u00a0 By the time Lupe was out on the open ground up above the\u00a0band of trees, the wind was just a gale.\u00a0 The strongest gusts were enough to make SPHP stumble on the rocky ground.<\/p>\n

There were two\u00a0separate rock formations up ahead in the summit area.\u00a0 One\u00a0was to the E, and the other to the W.\u00a0 Lupe and SPHP were coming up between them.\u00a0 The E rock formation looked to be the highest.\u00a0 SPHP hoped it was.\u00a0 The W formation\u00a0looked\u00a0harder to\u00a0climb.\u00a0 SPHP didn’t want to have to waste time searching\u00a0around for an easy way up to the top\u00a0in this hurricane.\u00a0\u00a0No way Lupe would want to either.<\/p>\n

Lupe and SPHP headed for the E rock formation.\u00a0 Very close to it, Lupe passed by a crude 4-sided structure made out of small logs.\u00a0 It was too poorly built to have ever been a real cabin.\u00a0 It looked more like an elaborate kid’s fort.\u00a0 Lupe didn’t even bother investigating it.\u00a0 Gunfire was still continuing sporadically to the W.\u00a0 She stuck close to SPHP.<\/p>\n

\"Approaching<\/a>
Approaching the E rock formation from the NW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The E rock formation proved to be an easy little scramble.\u00a0 The wind was very strong, though.\u00a0 It really felt cold up on top.\u00a0 Even Lupe was shivering a little.\u00a0 SPHP sat down on the highest rocks and faced NE away from the wind.\u00a0 Lupe curled up on SPHP’s lap.\u00a0 She huddled together with SPHP in SPHP’s jacket to warm up.\u00a0 Protected from the wind in the jacket, snuggled up with SPHP, Lupe seemed happy and reassured.\u00a0 She was content to lay there warming up\u00a0and gazing at the view.<\/p>\n

There were a few low bushes at the top of the E rock formation, but no trees to block the views in any direction.\u00a0 Lupe and SPHP could see way out onto the plains E of the Black Hills.\u00a0 Boulder Hill was off to the NNE.\u00a0 Harney Peak<\/a><\/span> (7,242 ft.)<\/span><\/strong> was off to the SW.\u00a0 Calumet Ridge, Lupe’s next peakbagging goal of the day, was off to the W.<\/p>\n

\"Lupe<\/a>
Lupe on top of Silver Mountain. Photo looks SW toward Harney Peak. Hwy 16 is seen below.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"St.<\/a>
St. Elmo Peak<\/a><\/span> (6,458 ft.)<\/span><\/strong> is the high point on the horizon on the R.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\"Lupe<\/a>One good thing.\u00a0 It was easy to see from here that the W rock formation wasn’t as high as the E one.\u00a0 Lupe wouldn’t have to climb it.\u00a0\u00a0Lupe was already on the true summit of Silver Mountain!<\/p>\n

\"Looking<\/a>
Looking toward the W rock formation from the E one. The E rock formation where Lupe is was clearly higher. Lupe wouldn’t have to bother climbing the W one. She already had her peakbagging success! Calumet Ridge is seen in the distance. Photo looks W.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The views were great, but there was no sense staying up in the cold wind all day.\u00a0 Besides, Lupe still had her Calumet Ridge peakbagging goal ahead of her.\u00a0 Lupe and SPHP climbed down to the saddle area between the E and W rock formations.\u00a0 A little W of the “fort” there was a big rock.\u00a0 SPHP got Lupe up on it for a photo of Boulder Hill behind her.\u00a0 Lupe was having to look directly into the fierce SW wind.\u00a0 She\u00a0refused to\u00a0open her eyes.\u00a0 Oh, well!<\/p>\n

\"Lupe<\/a>
Lupe kept her eyes shut facing into the strong SW wind. Boulder Hill is the highest point seen beyond her R of Center. Photo looks NNE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Lupe and SPHP went over close to the W rock formation, and then began following it NW down the ridgeline.\u00a0 Lupe was on her way to Calumet Ridge.\u00a0 She lost considerable elevation coming down Silver Mountain.\u00a0 She was on exposed ground all the way, but the wind gradually diminished as she lost elevation.<\/p>\n

Beyond the end of the W rock formation at the top of the mountain, Lupe passed by a series of other lower rock outcroppings along the way.\u00a0 The last of the large rock formations was fairly flat,\u00a0but still high enough to\u00a0offer some views.\u00a0 Lupe could still see Calumet Ridge and Mount Warner<\/a><\/span> (5,889 ft.)<\/span><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\"Calumet<\/a>
Calumet Ridge is seen beyond Lupe. Photo looks W from the NW slope of Silver Mountain.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Mount<\/a>
Mount Warner is the high point at the center. Photo looks WSW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

As Lupe continued NW losing elevation, the wind was weaker.\u00a0 That was a good thing, except that\u00a0she could hear the gunfire coming from the W even better now.\u00a0 Lupe started becoming more and more anxious again.<\/p>\n

\"Part<\/a>
Part of the burn area NW of Silver Mountain. Photo looks NW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Lupe made it beyond the burn area NW of Silver Mountain.\u00a0 She entered the forest again heading W.\u00a0 She\u00a0came to\u00a0a hillside where she could see USFS Road No. 366 just below.\u00a0 No. 366 went N\/S, and Lupe would have to cross it to continue on to Calumet Ridge.\u00a0 Lupe\u00a0was just E of\u00a0the saddle\u00a0at the highest point on the road.<\/p>\n

But Lupe wasn’t going any farther.\u00a0 She was a nervous wreck.\u00a0 Volleys of 10 shots or more kept coming.\u00a0 She was much closer to them now than at Silver Mountain.\u00a0 Gunfire was heard to the W, SW and NW.\u00a0 At first SPHP had thought hunters were the source.\u00a0 The truth was, people were just out for some target practice, which is why the gunfire went on and on.\u00a0 It sounded like a war was in progress.<\/p>\n

For a few minutes, SPHP stopped and looked at the maps.\u00a0 There was certainly time for Lupe to get to Calumet Ridge, and it was a very nice day out of the wind.\u00a0 SPHP ate some carrot sticks and pondered.\u00a0 Lupe wanted to hide right here until the coast was clear.\u00a0 The problem was, the\u00a0coast wasn’t going to clear until it got too\u00a0dark for target practice.<\/p>\n

Lupe normally loves all of her Black Hills explorations, but she wasn’t having any fun now.\u00a0 She was convinced there was mortal danger all around.\u00a0 Her worries were unfounded, but there was no way to convincingly convey that to her.\u00a0 No reason to make her suffer.\u00a0 Time to turn around.\u00a0 Lupe would make it to Calumet Ridge another day, when target practice wasn’t in such vogue.<\/p>\n

Lupe wasn’t relieved of her fears until she was back over to the E side of the NW ridge coming down from Silver Mountain.\u00a0 When she reached the G6 (12:09 PM, 50\u00b0F), she hopped right in ASAP!\u00a0 Turns out there are worse things than being bored – like fearing for your life!<\/p>\n

It had been a very short Black Hills expedition, barely 3 hours, but Lupe did climb Silver Mountain.\u00a0 About half an hour after Lupe got home, Guille showed up unexpectedly.\u00a0 She brought a lot of food with her, including a beautiful\u00a0big ham.\u00a0 Lupe and SPHP gorged on ham.\u00a0 Life was good.<\/p>\n

SPHP was certain Lupe was completely stuffed when she started taking pieces of ham out to the back yard to bury them for future feasts.\u00a0 Carolina Dogs think ahead, you know!\"Calumet<\/a><\/p>\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 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> or Master Adventure Index<\/a><\/strong><\/span>.\u00a0\u00a0Or subscribe free\u00a0to\u00a0new Lupe adventures<\/span><\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/span>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

On November 10, 2014, 8″ of new snow fell at Lupe’s house.\u00a0 The weather turned very cold for more than a week with highs in the 10-12\u00b0F range and subzero lows every night.\u00a0 Another 4″ of snow fell.\u00a0 Lupe was bored waiting for it all to end.\u00a0 She stared out the window for hours, repeatedly … Continue reading Black Hills, SD Expedition No. 105 – Silver Mountain (11-22-14)<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4606,"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":[105,9,106,104,555,304],"class_list":["post-4608","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-silver-mountain","tag-south-dakota"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventuresoflupe.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/P1050673.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\/4608","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=4608"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4608\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":28246,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4608\/revisions\/28246"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/4606"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4608"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4608"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4608"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}