{"id":5292,"date":"2016-04-12T08:10:59","date_gmt":"2016-04-12T14:10:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/?p=5292"},"modified":"2019-04-15T21:06:05","modified_gmt":"2019-04-16T03:06:05","slug":"scotts-bluff-national-monument-wildcat-hills-the-scotts-bluff-county-highpoint-nebraska-4-3-16","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/?p=5292","title":{"rendered":"Scotts Bluff National Monument & Wildcat Hills, the Scotts Bluff County Highpoint, Nebraska (4-3-16)"},"content":{"rendered":"

A squirrel!\u00a0 Lupe bounded after it.\u00a0 The squirrel scrambled\u00a0to safety up\u00a0a big tree in Gardner Park.\u00a0 Lupe stood below, her front paws propped up against the tree trunk\u00a0as she tried to leap up after that elusive rodent, while barking furiously the entire time.<\/p>\n

It was early, too early.\u00a0 The sun wasn’t even up yet, although it was light out.\u00a0 Lupe had to stop making such a ruckus.\u00a0 People live right across the street from the park.\u00a0 SPHP persuaded Lupe to give up on the squirrel and return to the G6.<\/p>\n

At least it was encouraging to see that Lupe’s paws\u00a0weren’t too terribly sore.\u00a0 In her excitement over the squirrel, even Lupe had momentarily forgotten about all the horrible cactus she had braved yesterday on Wildcat Mountain<\/a><\/span> (5,025 ft.)<\/span><\/strong> while peakbagging with her new friend Jobe Wymore<\/strong><\/a><\/span>.<\/p>\n

It had been windy nearly all night, but\u00a0the air was still\u00a0now.\u00a0 The wind was a good thing!\u00a0 SPHP’s boots were dry again.\u00a0 SPHP retrieved them from the roof of the G6 and put them on.\u00a0 Jobe was gone.\u00a0 He was on his way back to Denver today for the flight back home to the Portland, Oregon area.\u00a0 Well, what now Loopster?<\/p>\n

Lupe was in Gering, Nebraska, so it was pretty easy to decide what was next.\u00a0 Just W of Gering is Scotts Bluff National Monument.\u00a0 Scotts Bluff was a famous landmark S of the North Platte River back in the days of the Oregon and Mormon Trails.\u00a0 The monument features several easy trails, and even a road to the top of Scotts Bluff.<\/p>\n

\"Lupe<\/a>
Lupe arrives bright and early at Scotts Bluff National Monument in Nebraska.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Lupe arrived at the entrance to Scotts Bluff National Monument well before it opens for visitors at 8 AM.\u00a0 Lupe and SPHP wandered around for a while\u00a0outside the visitor center.\u00a0 High light-colored bluffs stood brilliantly illuminated in the morning\u00a0sunlight.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Eagle Rock<\/span><\/a> (4,510 ft.)<\/span><\/strong> as seen from near the Scotts Bluff National Monument visitor center. Photo looks NW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Yes, Lupe remembered yesterday evening’s cactus ordeal.\u00a0 Her paws were still quite sore, even if the squirrel had made her forget the pain for a few minutes.\u00a0 Lupe refused to go wandering in the grassy fields.\u00a0 She just knew there was more cactus laying in wait for her!\u00a0 The Carolina Dog was too smart to fall for that again!<\/p>\n

Just W of the entrance road was a\u00a0path up to a display of a wagon being pulled by oxen.\u00a0 SPHP\u00a0carried Lupe up to it.\u00a0 Lupe sniffed around the oxen.\u00a0 They must have had a bath, because they didn’t sniff like anything.\u00a0 They sure looked clean, too!\u00a0 SPHP told Lupe about how pioneers used to travel W through this area with wagons and oxen like these for hundreds of miles along the Oregon and Mormon Trails.<\/p>\n

Lupe was very interested.\u00a0 Why, Oregon, wasn’t that where her new friend Jobe Wymore lived?\u00a0 Lupe could travel W on the Oregon Trail\u00a0and go see Jobe!\u00a0 Wouldn’t Jobe be surprised to see her again!\u00a0 Lupe was all for it, on a couple of conditions.\u00a0 First, the oxen had to agree to let her ride in the wagon until her paws healed up.\u00a0 Second, she had to be allowed back in the wagon while traveling through any cactus country.<\/p>\n

\"Lupe<\/a>
Lupe ready to hit the Oregon trail to go see Jobe!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

When the visitor center opened at 8:00 AM, SPHP went in and paid the $5.00 admission fee.\u00a0 Ordinarily, Lupe and SPHP would have taken the 1.6 mile\u00a0Saddle Rock trail on paw and foot up to the top of Scotts Bluff.\u00a0 However, with Lupe’s sore paws, and\u00a0much of the Saddle Rock trail\u00a0exposed to direct morning sun, SPHP decided to just drive to the top.<\/p>\n

\"Lupe<\/a>
Lupe near the parking lot on top of Scotts Bluff. Photo looks E.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Two short trails go to overlooks from the parking lot up on Scotts Bluff.\u00a0 Lupe took the North Overlook Trail first.<\/p>\n

Lupe and SPHP had hardly started on the trail when Wildcat Mountain and Hogback Mountain came into view on the far S horizon.\u00a0 Lupe had made it to Wildcat Mountain with Jobe Wymore just yesterday evening!\u00a0 She would have gone on to Hogback Mountain, too, if it hadn’t been for all the painful cactus.<\/p>\n

\"Dome<\/a>
Dome Rock (4,547 ft.)<\/span><\/span><\/strong> (L), Wildcat Mountain<\/a><\/span> (5,025 ft.)<\/span><\/strong> (Center on far horizon), and Hogback Mountain<\/a><\/span> (5,062 ft.)<\/span><\/strong> (distant ridge on the R) could be seen from near the start of the North Overlook trail. Photo looks S.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

There were impressive views in every direction as Lupe explored the North Overlook Trail.\u00a0 She visited the Scotts Bluff high point, and a number of overlooks along the way.\u00a0 If Lupe had been here 160 years ago, she could have seen wagons and oxen down below\u00a0traveling slowly\u00a0W\u00a0up the very wide, flat\u00a0North Platt River valley.<\/p>\n

From near the N end of the North Overlook Trail, Lupe could see Laramie Peak<\/a><\/span> (10,272 ft.)<\/span><\/strong>.\u00a0 It was 90 miles away in Wyoming, and very faint on the WNW horizon.\u00a0 Laramie Peak<\/a><\/strong><\/span> was the first mountain Lupe had climbed on her summer of 2015 Dingo Vacation to Wyoming, Colorado and Utah.<\/p>\n

\"Gering,<\/a>
Gering, Nebraska from Scotts Bluff. Photo looks ENE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Looking<\/a>
Looking SW from near the N end of the North Overlook Trail.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Lupe<\/a>
Lupe on the North Overlook Trail. Photo looks SSE toward Scotts Bluff’s high point.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The South Overlook Trail was shorter than the North Overlook Trail.\u00a0 The panoramic views at the S overlook were even better!\u00a0 Chimney Rock, another famous landmark along the Oregon and Mormon Trails, was in sight more than 20 miles to the ESE.\u00a0 The views of Dome Rock, Crown Rock and South Bluff to the S were fabulous.\u00a0 A long, high ridge extended far away to the W.<\/p>\n

Lupe could see the Scotts Bluff National Monument visitor center, and the start of the Saddle Rock Trail far below.<\/p>\n

\"Dome<\/a>
Dome Rock (L), Wildcat Mountain (Center L on far horizon), and Hogback Mountain (Center on far horizon) from the South Overlook. Photo looks S.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Looking<\/a>
Looking SW from the South Overlook. The first of 3 tunnels on the road coming up to the top of Scotts Bluff is seen below as it passes through Eagle Rock.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Chimney<\/a>
Chimney Rock, another famous landmark along the Oregon and Mormon Trails, could be seen 20+ miles away to the ESE. Photo taken with telephoto lens.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
South Bluff<\/span><\/a> (4,700 ft.)<\/span><\/strong> (Center) as seen from the South Overlook on Scotts Bluff. Crown Rock<\/span><\/a> (4,610 ft.)<\/span><\/strong> is the lower narrow rock ridge on the L. The Scotts Bluff visitor center is seen below on the R. Photo looks SSW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Lupe had come through 3 tunnels on the way up to the parking lot on top of Scotts Bluff.\u00a0 Since Lupe and SPHP\u00a0seemed to have the entire national monument\u00a0to themselves this early in the morning, on the way back down SPHP parked the G6 right on the narrow road.\u00a0 Lupe hopped out for a couple photos of the tunnels.<\/p>\n

\"Looking<\/a>
Looking N back up at the 3rd and highest tunnel. None of the tunnels were very long, but who doesn’t like a tunnel? Very cool!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
The 2nd (middle) tunnel.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

With\u00a0such an\u00a0easy drive to the top, and just a couple of short trails to explore, Lupe’s visit to Scotts Bluff National Monument didn’t take very long.\u00a0 It wasn’t even mid-morning yet when Lupe and SPHP exited the national monument.<\/p>\n

Of course, there had been lots of displays to look at in the visitor center, but American Dingoes are about as interested in hanging out in visitor centers, as visitor centers are interested in letting American Dingoes inside.<\/p>\n

Lupe and SPHP returned to Gering, NE and turned S.\u00a0 About 0.5 mile after hitting the 4-lane on Hwy 71, SPHP turned W on Carter Canyon Road.\u00a0 South Bluff, Dome Rock and Scotts Bluff could be seen\u00a0to the NW\u00a0beyond a huge, dusty tilled field.\u00a0 It was a beautiful, though barren, scene.<\/p>\n

\"South<\/a>
South Bluff (L), Dome Rock (Center) and Scotts Bluff (R) from Carter Canyon Road near the junction with Hwy 71 S of Gering, Nebraska. Photo looks NW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Lupe and SPHP were now on the way to Wildcat Hills<\/a><\/span> (4,940 ft.)<\/span><\/strong>, the Scotts Bluff county high point.\u00a0 The first 6 miles of Carter Canyon Road were paved and went due W.\u00a0 Carter Canyon Road turned S at the end of the pavement.\u00a0 The dirt road gradually turned W again as it\u00a0went several miles up scenic Carter Canyon to arrive at a “Y” near the top of the ridge.<\/p>\n

To the right was Summit Ranch Road.\u00a0 A sign indicated Robidoux Pioneer Graves were in that direction.\u00a0 To the left, Carter Canyon Road continued S.\u00a0 Wildcat Hills was only a couple miles farther to the SSW, so Lupe and SPHP stayed on Carter Canyon Road.\u00a0 It swung up around a little hillside revealing a huge home on the right, which is apparently the Summit Ranch headquarters.\u00a0 Off to the SE was a tall tower on a hill.<\/p>\n

SPHP expected to be able to drive very close to the summit of Wildcat Hills, but about a mile short of the destination reached a snowbank\u00a0covering the road.\u00a0 It didn’t look like anything the G6 could get through.\u00a0 A short test drive into it instantly revealed that the G6 would certainly get high-centered.<\/p>\n

\"Hmm,<\/a>
Hmm, definitely a showstopper for the G6. Where was Jobe’s BEAST when Lupe really needed it? At least the cold snow felt good on Lupe’s pincushion paws! The power line SW of Wildcat Hills can already be seen in the distance. Photo looks SW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

SPHP backed the G6 out of the snowbank, turned it around and parked (9:40 AM, 56\u00b0F).\u00a0 The Wildcat Hills summit couldn’t be more than another 1.25 miles away.\u00a0 SPHP had already\u00a0spotted a power line ahead to the SW which was\u00a0just beyond Wildcat Hills. \u00a0Lupe and SPHP would have to proceed on paw and foot from here.<\/p>\n

Lupe and SPHP abandoned the G6 and headed SW on the road.\u00a0 As it turned out, even if the G6 had been able to make it past that first big snow drift, there were plenty more, even bigger ahead.\u00a0 Most of the road was wet, but not too muddy.\u00a0 Lupe liked going over the big snow drifts best.\u00a0 The cold snow felt good!<\/p>\n

The road went up and down small hills\u00a0and ridges.\u00a0 Several places\u00a0there were pretty nice views back toward\u00a0Hogback Mountain to the SE.\u00a0 For some strange reason, Lupe showed not the slightest interest in going over there.<\/p>\n

\"Hogback<\/a>
Hogback Mountain from Carter Canyon Road. Lupe showed no interest in going back to make another attempt on the cactus capital of Nebraska! Photo looks SE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Using<\/a>
Using the telephoto lens.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

As Lupe and SPHP got closer to the power line, it became clear that a small barren hill a short distance NW of Carter Canyon Road was Wildcat Hills, the Scotts Bluff county high point.\u00a0 Lupe was almost there!<\/p>\n

SPHP left Carter Canyon Road heading W along a fence line.\u00a0 A short stroll down a hill to cross a faint road skirting Wildcat Hills to the NE, and then a short walk up to the summit was all that was left to do.<\/p>\n

Nope, Lupe wasn’t doing it.\u00a0 She didn’t want to leave the road.\u00a0 SPHP looked around.\u00a0 Yeah, Lupe was right.\u00a0 There was quite a bit of cactus on the hillside.\u00a0 Still, this was a shortcut.\u00a0 Lupe was fine with being carried.\u00a0 SPHP had to stop a number of times on the way, but managed to tote the Tenderpaw Carolina Dog all the way up to the top of Wildcat Hills.<\/p>\n

\"Nope,<\/a>
Nope, Lupe isn’t going anywhere. She is just standing there waiting for her next ride. The summit of Wildcat Hills is seen up ahead on the L. The little used dirt road that skirts Wildcat Hills to the NE and N can be seen. Photo looks SW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Up on top of Wildcat Hills, barbed-wire fences met at a “T”.\u00a0 There was plenty of cactus up here.\u00a0 SPHP told Lupe to just “stay”\u00a0and not move around.\u00a0 She was more than happy to oblige.\u00a0 There were too many cacti to move a muscle!\u00a0 SPHP picked her up and repositioned her as needed for a\u00a0couple of\u00a0summit photos.\u00a0 Lupe was very patient with the whole ordeal.<\/p>\n

\"Hogback<\/a>
Hogback Mountain from Wildcat Hills, the Scotts Bluff County High Point. Photo looks SE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Looking<\/a>
Looking SW from Wildcat Hills.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Well, it didn’t take Lupe very long to inspect the high point of a cactus-infested barren hill, even though there were 360\u00b0 views.\u00a0 Soon she was ready to go back to the G6.\u00a0 SPHP carried her down to the E off the high point as far as the faint road.<\/p>\n

Once she was on the road, Lupe was good to go.\u00a0 She still wasn’t completely certain about things, and stopped briefly a few times along the way, but for the most part she trotted along just fine.\u00a0 Lupe and SPHP followed the faint road to Carter Canyon Road.\u00a0 Lupe stayed on Carter Canyon Road all the rest of the way back to the G6.\u00a0 The snowy parts of the journey were her clear favorites.<\/p>\n

Lupe had already jumped back up into the G6 (11:06 AM), when a blue pickup truck appeared.\u00a0 It was pulling a horse trailer, heading S for the same snow bank that had stopped the G6.\u00a0 SPHP waited to see what would happen.\u00a0 The truck stopped in front of the snow drift.\u00a0\u00a0A man got out to take a\u00a0look.\u00a0 His\u00a0opinion was the same as SPHP’s – no way was this going to happen.<\/p>\n

The owners of the truck were Gordon and Judy Hoffmaier.\u00a0 They hadn’t expected so much snow up here, either.\u00a0 They had their horses, Willow and Sage, with them, intending to do some riding.\u00a0 Gordon unloaded the horses before trying to turn the pickup truck and horse trailer around in the field next to the road.\u00a0 SPHP chatted with Judy, and held Willow’s rope.\u00a0 Lupe was busy chillin’ in the G6.<\/p>\n

\"Gordon<\/a>
Gordon & Judy Hoffmaier with their horses Willow and Sage. Fortunately, Gordon had no problem turning their pickup truck and horse trailer around in the field next to the road.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Well,<\/a>
Well, if I’m not allowed to bark at the horses, that takes all the fun out of it! I’ll just chill here in the G6 for a while.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

With their truck and trailer turned around and back on the road, Gordon and Judy went back to loading up their horses into the trailer again before\u00a0moving on\u00a0to find a less snowy area to go riding.\u00a0 Lupe and SPHP returned in the G6 to the “Y” in the road at the upper end of Carter Canyon.<\/p>\n

This time, Lupe and SPHP took the Summit Ranch Road branch of the “Y” hoping to find the Robidoux Pioneer Graves.\u00a0 After a mile with no indication of where the graves might be, and with a view of the road continuing on to the N for many miles, SPHP gave up.\u00a0 SPHP turned the G6 around and\u00a0drove back\u00a0to Carter Canyon Road.<\/p>\n

\"Looking<\/a>
Looking ENE at Carter Canyon from near the “Y” in the road close to the Summit Ranch.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Carter<\/a>
Carter Canyon. Photo looks ENE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Bluffs<\/a>
Bluffs E of Carter Canyon from Carter Canyon Road. Photo looks ESE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Lupe and SPHP went back down through Carter Canyon and headed N through Gering.\u00a0 In Scottsbluff, SPHP stopped at Wal-Mart for a few supplies – fried chicken, 2 bananas, and a 6 pack of Coke.\u00a0 The morning had been a success!\u00a0 Lupe had seen the world from Scotts Bluff and Wildcat Hills.<\/p>\n

Before the noon hour was over, the G6 was gassed up again and ready to go.\u00a0 Lupe and SPHP\u00a0left Scottsbluff heading\u00a0W on Hwy 26.\u00a0 Lupe was starting the journey home, but her western Nebraska adventures weren’t over yet!\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

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

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Want more Lupe adventures?\u00a0\u00a0Choose\u00a0from\u00a0Lupe’s Dingo Vacations Adventure Index<\/a><\/strong> <\/span>or Master Adventure Index<\/a><\/strong><\/span>.\u00a0\u00a0Or subscribe free\u00a0to\u00a0<\/span>new Lupe adventures<\/span><\/strong><\/a><\/span><\/span>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A squirrel!\u00a0 Lupe bounded after it.\u00a0 The squirrel scrambled\u00a0to safety up\u00a0a big tree in Gardner Park.\u00a0 Lupe stood below, her front paws propped up against the tree trunk\u00a0as she tried to leap up after that elusive rodent, while barking furiously the entire time. It was early, too early.\u00a0 The sun wasn’t even up yet, although … Continue reading Scotts Bluff National Monument & Wildcat Hills, the Scotts Bluff County Highpoint, Nebraska (4-3-16)<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5262,"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":[636],"tags":[105,106,26,104,606,11,609,607,608],"class_list":["post-5292","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-2016-western-nebraska","tag-american-dingo","tag-carolina-dog","tag-dingo-vacations","tag-lupe","tag-nebraska","tag-peakbagging","tag-scotts-bluff-county-highpoint","tag-scotts-bluff-national-monument","tag-wildcat-hills"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventuresoflupe.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/IMG_0646.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\/5292","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=5292"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5292\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":20848,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5292\/revisions\/20848"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/5262"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=5292"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=5292"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=5292"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}