{"id":6276,"date":"2016-07-25T08:10:42","date_gmt":"2016-07-25T14:10:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/?p=6276"},"modified":"2019-04-08T18:20:44","modified_gmt":"2019-04-09T00:20:44","slug":"cloud-peak-bighorn-mountains-wyoming-7-20-16-part-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/?p=6276","title":{"rendered":"Cloud Peak, Bighorn Mountains, Wyoming – Part 2: Paint Rock Creek Falls Base Camp to the Summit (7-20-16)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Light out.\u00a0 Looked like for a while already.\u00a0 Ugh!\u00a0 Loopster, you awake?\u00a0 <\/em>Of course, she was, but even Lupe\u00a0wasn’t looking too lively yet, still content to snuggle down on her sleeping bag.\u00a0 Lupe gazed sleepily back at SPHP.\u00a0 Is it time?<\/em><\/p>\n

Uncharacteristically, Lupe had only wanted to go outside her “tiny house” once during the night to prowl around.\u00a0\u00a0The scene, the mood, had been magical.\u00a0 A full moon flooded Paint Rock Creek valley with ghostly light.\u00a0 Close by, but out of sight below the grassy ridge on which Lupe’s tiny house was perched, came the soothing sound of Paint Rock Creek gushing over a 15 foot high waterfall.\u00a0 Otherwise, silence prevailed beneath the night sky.\u00a0 Nothing stirred.\u00a0 Lupe and SPHP were utterly alone.<\/p>\n

Now it was light out.\u00a0 Yes, it’s time, Loop.\u00a0 I wish it wasn’t – I’m not feeling it.\u00a0 Sheesh, why do I always\u00a0do this?\u00a0 Bomber Mountain after Cloud Peak, indeed\u00a0– what a joke!\u00a0 I must be delusional.\u00a0 Now I’ll be lucky to drag myself up Cloud today.\u00a0\u00a0I hope you’re more ready for this than\u00a0I am.\u00a0 <\/em>SPHP started preparations for the day’s climb.\u00a0 Lupe watched, but didn’t move.\u00a0 She made no comment.<\/p>\n

Yesterday, Lupe and SPHP had made it from the trailhead at West Tensleep Lake to the junction of the Misty Moon Trail (No. 63) and the Solitude Trail (No. 38) SW of Misty Moon Lake in good time.\u00a0 The sun had still been high overhead.\u00a0 Lupe and SPHP could have made it to base camp on the ledge near Paint Rock Creek falls with many hours before sunset to relax and recuperate for the climb up Cloud Peak<\/a><\/span> (13,167 ft.)<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0today.<\/p>\n

Hah!\u00a0 That would have been too easy.\u00a0 Instead, full of enthusiasm, SPHP had led Lupe E on the Solitude Trail off on a side excursion to see the Fortress Lakes and Gunboat Lake.\u00a0 Lupe even left the trail to climb a minor high point, Peak 10,860<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/span>.\u00a0 From there, SPHP had seen what looked like a good route up Bomber Mountain<\/a><\/span> (12,840 ft.)<\/span><\/strong> from the Florence Pass area.\u00a0 Wouldn’t it be fun for Lupe to climb Bomber Mountain, too, the day after climbing Cloud Peak?<\/p>\n

The side excursion\u00a0was fun and beautiful, but also chewed up lots\u00a0of time.\u00a0 More importantly, it used up a lot of energy.\u00a0 As a result, Lupe and SPHP\u00a0had dragged into\u00a0base camp on the low ridge NW of Paint Rock Creek falls only an hour and a half\u00a0before sunset.\u00a0 By then, the Bomber Mountain daydream was shattered.\u00a0 SPHP\u00a0was played\u00a0out.\u00a0 Even Lupe seemed tired. \u00a0As soon as Lupe’s tiny house was pitched, Lupe and SPHP had crawled inside and crashed.<\/p>\n

OK, Loop, let’s go!\u00a0 Yeah, yesterday’s side excursion may have been a mistake, but so what?\u00a0 You’re gonna make it to the top, sweet puppy!\u00a0 We still have lots of advantages.\u00a0 We are starting from the best and closest\u00a0possible base camp, the weather is ideal, and we saw yesterday that there’s almost no snow left up there to stop us.<\/em><\/p>\n

Not gonna set any speed records,\u00a0unless it’s for the slowest ascent\u00a0ever, but\u00a0who cares?\u00a0 No one.\u00a0 It’s just us.\u00a0 We have all day.\u00a0 We can rest as often and long as we want to.\u00a0 There’s a reason for this SPHP tag, you know.\u00a0 Even so, this is still going to be a glorious day.\u00a0 Promise!<\/em><\/p>\n

\"Lupe<\/a>
Lupe and her tiny house at base camp near Paint Rock Creek ready to leave for Cloud Peak. Photo looks NE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Lupe was ready!\u00a0 She grabbed a big stick and chomped it.\u00a0 She snarled and barked.\u00a0 She leaped around encouraging SPHP to please, finally, get on with it.\u00a0 And then she was off,\u00a0tearing NE along the trail up Paint Rock Creek valley above the falls.<\/p>\n

The unmaintained trail was good, at first.\u00a0\u00a0It\u00a0paralleled Paint Rock Creek from a\u00a0short distance to the NW.\u00a0 Lupe and SPHP went down to the creek, so Lupe could get a drink.\u00a0 Bluebells were growing in profusion along the\u00a0banks.<\/p>\n

\"Bluebells<\/a>
Bluebells along Paint Rock Creek.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Lupe and SPHP returned to\u00a0the trail.\u00a0 Almost immediately, it\u00a0veered N, leaving the creek behind.\u00a0 Gradually, the trail became more intermittent and harder to follow.\u00a0 Sometimes there were cairns\u00a0to show the way.\u00a0 There was no reason to worry.\u00a0 It was just about impossible to get lost.\u00a0 To the N was a giant ridge of solid stone sweeping up to the NE toward Cloud Peak’s summit.<\/p>\n

Lupe and SPHP came to\u00a0several\u00a0big rock formations that had to be traversed.\u00a0 Between the formations\u00a0was much more level grassy ground.\u00a0 SPHP grew careless about following the trail,\u00a0losing\u00a0it several times.\u00a0 Lupe kept coming across it again.\u00a0 Once, at one of the formations, Lupe came to\u00a0a rock wall that was too high for her to scramble up.\u00a0 SPHP lifted her up, but that was the only time she needed help.<\/p>\n

\"One<\/a>
One of the first grassy areas Lupe crossed after leaving Paint Rock Creek. Cloud Peak is glimpsed in the distance to the L of the prominent point at Center. Photo looks NE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Lupe on her way up one of the rock formations. The trail went to the L of where Lupe is standing, not up the rubble filled ravine on the R.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Sometimes Lupe had to lose a little elevation\u00a0leaving the rock formations to\u00a0reach the next grassy section, but the elevation loss was never significant.\u00a0 The last grassy section was the largest of all.\u00a0 Several ponds were scattered around.\u00a0 Directly ahead, beyond the grass, was a headwall.\u00a0 Above it was a higher valley leading toward Cloud Peak.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>
The last, and largest, of the grassy sections between rock formations is seen ahead. On the L is the headwall, above which is an upper valley between the huge ridge on the L and the prominent point at Center.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After crossing the last big grassy area, Lupe was delighted to discover a big patch of snow in a cleft in the headwall.\u00a0 She frolicked, slid, and rolled on it.\u00a0 SPHP was happy for her.\u00a0 Down on the sagebrush prairies surrounding the Bighorns it was supposed to be 100\u00b0F, but here was Lupe having a blast in the snow!<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Lupe having fun on the first snowbank she encountered.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Above the headwall, the long upper valley stretched ahead.\u00a0 There was a fair amount of grass in the center of the valley.\u00a0 A tributary of Paint Rock Creek cascaded down from above.<\/p>\n

\"Lupe<\/a>
Lupe reaches the top of the headwall. Behind her is the long upper valley extending away to the NE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

SPHP hadn’t really bothered to look for the route the intermittent trail took up over the headwall, but realized Lupe was probably SE of it.\u00a0\u00a0The center of the valley\u00a0near the creek looked like the easiest way up.\u00a0 Unfortunately, instead of immediately working over to the middle, SPHP chose what looked like the easiest route from where Lupe had arrived on the headwall, which stayed SE of the valley center.<\/p>\n

The route was full of boulders, but now and then there were short stretches of grass or dirt.\u00a0 They all led higher up on the SE side of the valley.\u00a0 Gradually, Lupe was getting farther away from the middle of the valley, instead of closer to it.\u00a0 Lupe didn’t seem to mind all the rock-hopping too much, but for SPHP\u00a0it was\u00a0time consuming\u00a0and exhausting.\u00a0 Frequent stops were necessary to let heart and lungs catch up.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Lupe on the boulders up on the SE side of the upper valley. Lupe was doing OK, but for SPHP progress was tedious.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Eventually, Lupe was a long way up on the SE side of the upper valley.\u00a0 By now, even short stretches of grass or dirt were non-existent.\u00a0 Ahead was a seemingly endless boulder field.\u00a0 Somewhere up there, SPHP knew Lupe would\u00a0arrive at\u00a0the edge\u00a0of massive cliffs to the SE.<\/p>\n

From below, the boulders above\u00a0repeatedly\u00a0gave the impression that Lupe was nearing the top of\u00a0the\u00a0ridge.\u00a0\u00a0As\u00a0Lupe scrambled ever higher, SPHP urged\u00a0her to be careful.\u00a0 However,\u00a0each time Lupe reached the apparent ridgeline, all that was revealed beyond were\u00a0more boulders and an even higher ridge.<\/p>\n

\"Lupe<\/a>
Lupe nears the top of one of the false ridgelines. Beyond, all that was revealed was another long climb to a similar, even higher, false ridgeline. Photo looks E.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Slowly, Lupe and SPHP pressed onward and upward.\u00a0 There was no other reasonable choice.\u00a0 The floor of the\u00a0upper valley was now\u00a0much too far below to consider going back down looking for a better route. \u00a0Sorry, Lupe, looks like I’ve really screwed this up again.\u00a0 We’re still going to make it, though.\u00a0 This can’t go on forever.\u00a0 On the way back down, we will find a better way.<\/em><\/p>\n

By now, even Lupe was getting sick of all the rock hopping.\u00a0 Each time SPHP stopped for a breather, she curled up at SPHP’s feet as best as she could.\u00a0 SPHP tried to stop at tiny patches of grass, so she could be somewhat comfortable, but often there wasn’t anything resembling “comfortable” around.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Photo of the day! Want to know what climbing Cloud Peak is like? This is it! SPHP could have taken 1,000 photos looking like this one on the way.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Despite the horrible route SPHP had selected, there were still cairns scattered around here and there.\u00a0 They were utterly meaningless.\u00a0 SPHP\u00a0did derive a\u00a0little comfort from them.\u00a0\u00a0Well, Loop, looks\u00a0like we aren’t the only suckers to ever\u00a0come this way!<\/em><\/p>\n

Over time, SPHP could see Lupe was making progress.\u00a0 She was gradually gaining on\u00a0Elk Mountain (11,321 ft.)<\/span><\/strong>, far off to the SW.\u00a0 After a while, she was even with it.\u00a0\u00a0Eventually, Elk Mountain\u00a0was clearly\u00a0below Lupe’s elevation.<\/p>\n

At last, Lupe reached the edge of the cliffs!\u00a0 Across a chasm to the ESE was\u00a0an impressive\u00a0view of Bomber Mountain<\/a><\/span> (12,840 ft.)<\/span><\/strong>.\u00a0 To the NNE was Lupe’s first relatively close up view of “The Bridge”.\u00a0 It was farther away than SPHP had hoped.\u00a0 The entire intervening distance was still nothing but more boulders.\u00a0 Beyond “The Bridge”, boulder fields rose 1,000 feet above Lupe’s current position.<\/p>\n

\"Lupe<\/a>
Lupe reaches the edge of the cliffs. Bomber Mountain<\/a><\/span> (12,840 ft.)<\/span><\/strong> is seen on the R. Lupe is somewhere very near the point marked 12,152 ft. on the Peakbagger.com topo map<\/strong><\/a><\/span>. Photo looks ESE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Lupe<\/a>
Lupe at the edge of the chasm. “The Bridge” is in view on the skyline directly above Lupe. Photo looks NNE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

What SPHP refers to as “The Bridge” is a narrow\u00a0band of rock connecting\u00a0much wider portions of the\u00a0long SW ridge leading\u00a0up to the summit of Cloud Peak.\u00a0 If “The Bridge” didn’t exist, Cloud Peak would be a technical climb,\u00a0the summit attainable only by those with genuine mountaineering skills and equipment.\u00a0 Casual day hikers and\u00a0backpackers like Lupe and SPHP would have no way to ever reach the summit.<\/p>\n

Lupe and SPHP had no choice, but to continue on to “The Bridge”.\u00a0 Lupe went N over the boulders along the edge of the chasm to the E.\u00a0 As she got closer to the narrowest part of “The Bridge”,\u00a0Lupe turned NE to cross it.\u00a0 There were huge drop offs on both sides, with spectacular views, but “The Bridge” is plenty wide enough so that crossing it under favorable conditions\u00a0isn’t a terrifying experience.<\/p>\n

\"Lupe<\/a>
Lupe near the start of “The Bridge” before crossing it. Lupe got to this point coming up from the R to reach the edge of the near ridge seen above her in this photo. She then followed the edge up. This was not a good route. SPHP should have stayed to the R of this photo all the way up, so Lupe could arrive directly at this point from the R. Photo looks SSW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Lupe<\/a>
Lupe crossing “The Bridge”. The W high point of the Cloud Peak summit area looms another 600 or 700 feet higher ahead. Photo looks NE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Looking NW from “The Bridge”. Lakes W and NW of Cloud Peak are in view. The highest point seen beyond them is Peak 12473<\/span><\/strong>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"The<\/a>
The same lakes using the telephoto lens for a better look at the waterfall. Photo looks NW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

While crossing “The Bridge”, Lupe gained little net elevation, if any.\u00a0 The crossing was still slow, since “The Bridge” is all boulder field, just like the rest of the terrain.\u00a0\u00a0There appeared to be\u00a0a somewhat easier route\u00a0toward the S side, but naturally, SPHP had led Lupe\u00a0along the N edge to see the views in that direction.\u00a0 Was it possible to go any slower?\u00a0 It was hard to see how.<\/p>\n

Beyond “The Bridge”, Lupe resumed her climb.\u00a0 Only another 600 or 700 feet of elevation gain to the top!\u00a0 Only?\u00a0\u00a0SPHP was fading.\u00a0 Lupe wasn’t, though!\u00a0\u00a0There were\u00a0many places where SPHP thought the Carolina Dog might need help over huge boulders.\u00a0 Each time SPHP\u00a0offered\u00a0to lend her a hand, though,\u00a0all on her own she appeared a moment or two later grinning down\u00a0at SPHP from above.\u00a0 Show off!<\/em><\/p>\n

This high on the mountain, Lupe started coming to more snow.\u00a0 The snow actually helped.\u00a0 SPHP was able to trudge right on up it, where\u00a0the snow\u00a0wasn’t too steep.\u00a0 Although it was warm out and the snow was melting at a good clip, it didn’t give way.\u00a0 Crossing the snow was much faster than trying to negotiate the boulders.<\/p>\n

\"Getting<\/a>
Getting there!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Finally, less than 500 feet below the summit during one of SPHP’s innumerable rest breaks, SPHP saw something that had been expected for hours.\u00a0 Below, and not terribly far away, someone was coming!\u00a0 Two people and a white dog!\u00a0 They were moving fast.\u00a0\u00a0Soon they would\u00a0overtake Lupe and SPHP.\u00a0 Until now, Lupe and SPHP had been totally alone on the mountain.<\/p>\n

Before long, Lupe and SPHP met Garrett, Ariel, and their dog Apollo!\u00a0 They were from Casper, WY.\u00a0 After a pleasant few minutes chatting, Lupe and SPHP were left behind.\u00a0 Garrett, Ariel and Apollo blazed ahead, eventually disappearing\u00a0high above.\u00a0 Lupe and SPHP plugged along slowly.\u00a0 At long last, from the SW,\u00a0Lupe reached the summit area.<\/p>\n

The summit area was quite large – a few hundred feet across or more.\u00a0 The whole area was still all boulder fields, but they sloped much less dramatically.\u00a0 There was a high point to the W, which had been visible\u00a0at times on the way up.\u00a0 The true summit was a large boulder with a cairn on it off toward the E edge of the mountain.\u00a0 Huge precipices were\u00a0to the E and S near\u00a0the true summit, and W of the W high point.<\/p>\n

Garrett, Ariel and Apollo were still at the true summit when Lupe and SPHP finally arrived.\u00a0 Lupe was\u00a0more than a\u00a0little ill-mannered toward poor unoffending Apollo.\u00a0 Apparently, SPHP had been moving so slowly, Lupe had spent enough time\u00a0on Cloud Peak on the way up to start thinking of the mountain as her own territory.\u00a0 Lupe repeatedly growled warnings at Apollo.\u00a0 This mountain isn’t big enough for the two of us!<\/em><\/p>\n

Come on now, Lupe, of course it is – behave!<\/em><\/p>\n

This was it!\u00a0 Success!\u00a0 Despite the perfect weather, no one else was coming to climb Cloud Peak today.\u00a0 Garrett and Ariel said it was already 3:15 PM.\u00a0 (Good grief, had it really taken SPHP 8.25 hours to struggle up this mountain?\u00a0 A lousy 3,000 feet of\u00a0elevation gain from base camp?\u00a0 Apparently so.\u00a0 Record crappy ascent time secured!\u00a0 No matter, it was still a successful ascent.)<\/em>\u00a0 Time for everyone to celebrate with a few photos!<\/p>\n

\"Lupe<\/a>
Lupe on top of Cloud Peak with Ariel, Garrett & Apollo from Casper, WY.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Ariel<\/a>
Ariel and Garrett at the summit. Photo looks S.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Garrett,<\/a>
Garrett, Ariel & Apollo. SPHP believes the highest of the nearby sharp points in the background are Black Tooth Mountain<\/a><\/span> (13,005 ft.)<\/span><\/strong> and Mt. Woolsey<\/a><\/span> (12,978 ft.)<\/span><\/strong>. Photo looks N.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Garrett and Ariel stayed up at the summit talking with SPHP.\u00a0 They were trail runners, and spent quite a bit of time in the mountains when they could.\u00a0 They had only 2 days off work, and had come up to the Bighorns just to tag Cloud Peak.\u00a0 Amazingly, they had hopes of being down off the mountain and back to Pizza Hut in Buffalo, WY before it closed at 10 PM!<\/p>\n

It seemed impossible!\u00a0 SPHP\u00a0would be\u00a0thrilled\u00a0with\u00a0stumbling back into Lupe’s\u00a0base camp before it was pitch black.\u00a0 SPHP talked with Garrett and Ariel so long, they probably never stood a chance of enjoying that pizza.\u00a0 It was after 4 PM by the time Garrett, Ariel and Apollo took their leave, and disappeared off to the SW.<\/p>\n

Alone again, Loop!\u00a0 What a glorious place!\u00a0 We did make it, didn’t we?\u00a0 <\/em>Lupe panted happily at SPHP.\u00a0 Sure did!\u00a0 You knew we would!\u00a0 You’re with an American Dingo.\u00a0 It was in the bag all along.\u00a0 <\/em>SPHP sat petting Lupe on the summit boulder for a while.\u00a0 Yeah, but you gotta remember, I’m no American Dingo.\u00a0 <\/em>Lupe sighed and rolled over, paws in the air.\u00a0 Good!\u00a0 You can scratch my belly, then.\u00a0 <\/em>SPHP complied, while\u00a0surveying the world from 13,167 ft.<\/p>\n

\"Lupe<\/a>
Lupe stands alone on the Cloud Peak summit boulder. Photo looks SE toward Bomber Mountain.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Looking<\/a>
Looking W toward the W high point. From the true summit, it looked nearly as high. However, when Lupe and SPHP went over to check it out, it was readily apparent the E boulder with the summit cairn was most definitely the true summit.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Looking<\/a>
Looking E down on Glacier Lake.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Looking<\/a>
Looking SSE along the spine of the Bighorn Mountain range.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"A<\/a>
A look at a forest fire to the NNW with help from the telephoto lens.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Looking<\/a>
Looking SW back down the mountain. Lake Helen and Misty Moon Lake are in view below, as well as Elk Mountain (11,321 ft.)<\/span><\/strong> on the R.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Lupe<\/a>
Lupe at the W high point. Photo looks WNW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Looking<\/a>
Looking N from near the W high point.\u00a0 Lupe demonstrates proper soft\u00a0dingo ear positioning technique. \u00a0SPHP believes Lupe’s ear seen on the L is pointing up at Black Tooth Mountain<\/a><\/span> (13,005 ft.)<\/span><\/strong>. Her ear\u00a0on the R is pointing up at Mt. Woolsey<\/a><\/span> (12,973 ft.)<\/span><\/strong>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Seen<\/a>
Seen from the N in this photo, Cloud Peak’s W high point looks very different than when viewed from the E.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Looking<\/a>
Looking W. A small portion of Middle Cloud Peak Lake is in view (L), as well as most of a long unnamed lake NE of it (R).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It must have been approaching 5 PM, by the time Lupe and SPHP started back down.\u00a0 Going down was easier, but still ridiculously slow.\u00a0 SPHP did improve on route selection, which in some places made virtually no difference, but in others helped tremendously.<\/p>\n

The big improvements came below “The Bridge”.\u00a0 This time, Lupe stayed much farther to the N, heading W from “The Bridge”.\u00a0 This eventually brought Lupe down to a big, nearly\u00a0flat area that swept off to the S and then down around to the SW.\u00a0 There were so few boulders here, that Lupe was free to run around exploring as she pleased.\u00a0 It was like a Cloud Peak super highway compared to the way Lupe and SPHP had struggled up earlier!<\/p>\n

\"Lupe<\/a>
Lupe on her way down, but still not far from the top. “The Bridge” can be seen above her head. On the far side of “The Bridge”, going to the R down toward the big patch of snow brought Lupe to the Cloud Peak version of a super highway. She actually reached the flats a little to the L of the patch of snow. Lupe perked up considerably when she was finally free of the boulder fields, and could actually roam and run again. Photo looks SW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"A<\/a>
A closer look at “The Bridge” (on the L) from above. Photo looks SW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Better route selection hardly mattered at first.\u00a0 It took a long time just getting down to “The Bridge”.\u00a0 The scenery was spectacular, though!<\/p>\n

\"Another<\/a>
Another peek at the forest fire to the NNW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"An<\/a>
An evening shot of the lakes to the W.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Cliffs along the W face of Cloud Peak. Photo looks NNE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Nearing<\/a>
Nearing “The Bridge” from above. Photo looks SW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"W<\/a>
W face of Cloud Peak from near “The Bridge”. Photo looks NE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

By the time Lupe reached the Cloud Peak super highway, the sun was already very low, and the light was beginning to fade.\u00a0 It was still a very long way back to Lupe’s base camp.\u00a0 Fortunately, Lupe and SPHP could now make rapid progress for a while.<\/p>\n

The big flat area gradually steepened, and eventually led down into the upper end of the valley above the headwall where the tributary of Paint Rock Creek was flowing.\u00a0 There were lots more boulders again here, but Lupe was able to avoid most of them.\u00a0 Successive trails marked by cairns went down long stretches of narrow,\u00a0boulder-free paths of dirt or grass.<\/p>\n

As Lupe got close to the stream,\u00a0she found\u00a0a lot more grass, plus big areas of relatively smooth exposed bedrock.\u00a0 Staying on the SE side of the stream, but close to it, was a lot better than Lupe’s tortuous climb among the boulders higher up on the SE side of the valley in the morning.<\/p>\n

As fast as Lupe’s progress was, by the time Lupe and SPHP managed to get down the headwall to the biggest grassy area with scattered\u00a0ponds, the sun was long gone.\u00a0 Twilight was fading fast.\u00a0 Beyond the grass, SPHP had a hard time finding a decent route over the first of the rock formations that had to be traversed.\u00a0 Once on the other side, nothing looked familiar, not that it was possible to see much.<\/p>\n

SPHP brought out the flashlight and a headlamp.\u00a0 Ahead to the SW, a wide valley of exposed bedrock\u00a0sloped down into a deep dark hole.\u00a0 Off to the SE was the outline of a dark ridge, but it wasn’t nearly high enough to be the ridge S of Paint Rock Creek.\u00a0 Confusion set in.\u00a0 SPHP couldn’t see much, but what was in view seemed wrong.<\/p>\n

Did the map show the dark ridge to the SE?\u00a0 SPHP didn’t remember it from earlier in the day.\u00a0 A look at the topo map didn’t seem to show it either.\u00a0 Was it possible to miss going right by Lupe’s base camp by simply continuing down the canyon?\u00a0 Both the map and what SPHP could remember seemed to indicate that was impossible, yet the yawning black hole ahead looked totally unfamiliar.<\/p>\n

Lupe, let’s go back up a way, maybe we are supposed to be on the other side of this dark ridge to the SE?\u00a0 <\/em>Lupe was fine with that.\u00a0 For a few minutes, Lupe and SPHP headed back up to the NE.\u00a0 Reason soon set in again.\u00a0 SPHP stopped.\u00a0\u00a0Let’s have another look at the topo map.<\/em><\/p>\n

Little bulges to the SW in the topographic lines probably indicated the presence of the dark SE ridge.\u00a0 SPHP\u00a0probably hadn’t paid any attention to\u00a0the ridge\u00a0in the morning, because it wasn’t really\u00a0as big as it looked in the dark.<\/p>\n

Loop, we are turning around again to\u00a0go back down into the dark hole.\u00a0 If we persist in trying to reach the other side this SE ridge, we may find ourselves in a real jumble down along Paint Rock Creek way before it reaches the trail.\u00a0 Keep an eye out for the trail, and sniff around for it, too.\u00a0 We need to find it!<\/em><\/p>\n

Cautiously, SPHP headed back down toward the dark abyss.\u00a0 Lupe sniffed around.\u00a0 She found the trail!\u00a0 It was faint, but here was a little cairn.\u00a0 This had to be it.\u00a0 Across the grassy areas and over the rock formations, Lupe helped SPHP stay on the trail.\u00a0 It had been\u00a0intermittent and kind\u00a0of hard to follow in the day.\u00a0 In the dark, it was really tricky.<\/p>\n

Whenever\u00a0the trail\u00a0disappeared, SPHP watched Lupe, in a minute or two she was usually on it again.\u00a0 Several times SPHP disagreed with Lupe on which way to go.\u00a0 Lupe was soon proven right almost every time.<\/p>\n

The rock formations seemed much steeper and\u00a0rougher in the darkness than during the day.\u00a0 The way back seemed much longer than expected, too.\u00a0 Darkness does that.\u00a0 Time passes much more slowly than one thinks.\u00a0 SPHP went on and on in the darkness, but with growing confidence.\u00a0\u00a0The little cairns were helpful.\u00a0 Lupe was helpful.\u00a0\u00a0The trail gradually improved.<\/p>\n

Finally, Paint Rock Creek could be heard not too far away.\u00a0 The trail still didn’t go toward it for what seemed like a long time.\u00a0 Eventually it did, though, and not long afterward, Lupe arrived back at her tiny house.\u00a0 Ta da!\u00a0 That was quite a day, Lupe!\u00a0 Thanks so much for your help!\u00a0 We are going to remember Cloud Peak for a long time.\u00a0 Hungry?<\/em><\/p>\n

Lupe was hungry.\u00a0 Famished, actually.\u00a0 She had hardly eaten anything all day.\u00a0 She\u00a0inhaled her\u00a0Taste of the Wild.\u00a0 Then she was ready to curl up on her sleeping bag.\u00a0 SPHP pulled part of\u00a0it over her.\u00a0 Keep the puppy warm!\u00a0 <\/em>Lupe was asleep in no time.\u00a0 SPHP was too weary to eat.\u00a0 Out like a light.<\/p>\n

Suddenly, it was morning again.\u00a0 Bright and beautiful, but not a cloud in the sky.\u00a0 It was going to be a scorcher, even way\u00a0up here.\u00a0 Now it was SPHP’s turn to eat.\u00a0 Lupe hardly stirred, happy curled up on her sleeping bag.\u00a0 SPHP wrapped it around her a little better again.\u00a0 Hope you weren’t too cold in the night Loop, I never regained consciousness to check on you.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"So<\/a>
So do I win an “I survived Cloud Peak” T-shirt or anything for yesterday’s exploits?<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Looking<\/a>
Looking S across Paint Rock Creek valley from Lupe’s base camp. Lupe would have to follow the Solitude Trail over the low pass on the L to Misty Moon Lake on her way back to the trailhead at West Tensleep Lake.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Well, Loopster, Cloud Peak was your toughest peakbagging success yet, but it’s time to go home today.\u00a0 We are low on water, and even if we had gallons of it, I am totally out of energy to climb Bomber Mountain.\u00a0 That was pure fantasy for this trip.\u00a0 Not going to happen.\u00a0 It wasn’t in the original plan, anyway.\u00a0 Would you like to explore the ridge to the W for a little way, though, before we leave?<\/em><\/p>\n

Lupe was fine with sniffing around to the W.\u00a0 She climbed some low hills.\u00a0 She saw a beautiful unnamed lake.\u00a0 She drank from a tiny stream.\u00a0 SPHP admired Paint Rock Creek valley, and all the wonderful\u00a0sights in and around it.<\/p>\n

<\/a>
The hidden lake W of Lupe’s base camp. Photo looks W.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Looking<\/a>
Looking back E up the Paint Rock Creek valley from the farthest point W on Lupe’s morning exploration. Cloud Peak is seen on the horizon on the L.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Lupe and SPHP returned to base camp.\u00a0 It was time to go.\u00a0 SPHP took down Lupe’s tiny house.\u00a0 Away went Lupe and SPHP, S across Paint Rock Creek valley, up the other side to the Solitude Trail, and over the pass.\u00a0 Lupe went by Misty Moon Lake, reached the Misty Moon Trail, and proceeded S past Lake Marion and Lake Helen.<\/p>\n

\"Misty<\/a>
Misty Moon Lake from near the Solitude Trail. Photo looks S.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Lupe<\/a>
Lupe with a sly look on her face near Lake Marion. Photo looks S.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

At 4:14 PM (81\u00b0F), Lupe’s 3 day\/2 night\u00a0adventure to Cloud Peak was over.\u00a0 She was back at the trailhead at West Tensleep Lake ready\u00a0to bark at cows and horses from the\u00a0comfort of the G6\u00a0on her air-conditioned ride home to the Black Hills.<\/p>\n

A couple days later, Lupe had an email from her mountaineer friend, Jobe Wymore<\/strong><\/span><\/a>, congratulating\u00a0Lupe on her ascent of Cloud Peak.\u00a0 By sheer coincidence, Sam Grant<\/strong><\/span><\/a>,\u00a0a\u00a0mountaineer\u00a0buddy\u00a0of Jobe’s had climbed Cloud Peak on 7-21-16, the day after Lupe did!\u00a0 Had Lupe run into Sam by any chance?\u00a0 Sam would have made the entire trip as a day hike in one day!<\/p>\n

SPHP saw on Peakbagger.com<\/a><\/strong><\/span> that Sam had taken the Misty Moon Trail from West Tensleep Lake, too.\u00a0 Lupe and SPHP almost certainly passed by\u00a0Sam somewhere along the trail on the way back to the G6.\u00a0 Jobe was soon able to confirm that Sam thought he\u00a0might have\u00a0actually talked to SPHP for a few minutes!\u00a0 Fun stuff!\u00a0 Too bad Lupe and SPHP hadn’t realized who Sam was.\u00a0 Lupe could have gotten her picture taken with him, and added another genuine mountaineer to her collection of friends.<\/p>\n

Just think, Lupe!\u00a0 Sam Grant\u00a0can do in one day what took me 3 days and 2 nights!\u00a0 Maybe Garrett, Ariel and Apollo did get to Pizza Hut in Buffalo in time, after all?\u00a0 I’m clearly holding you back.\u00a0 Maybe you better consider an upgrade from SPHP?\u00a0 You could get a lot more accomplished!<\/em><\/p>\n

Aren’t we going on my wonderful, most stupendous ever\u00a0Summer of 2016 Dingo Vacation in less than a week?<\/em><\/p>\n

Of course!<\/em><\/p>\n

Well then, I’m stuck with you, SPHP, at least for the time being.<\/em><\/p>\n

Good thing, Lupe!\u00a0 I’d sure miss you, if you ever left.\u00a0 Now you are going to help me pack all this stuff, right?<\/em><\/p>\n

Start without me SPHP, I’m kind of busy resting up for all the adventures I have to star in ahead!<\/em><\/p>\n

\"Lupe<\/a>
Lupe near base camp the day after climbing Cloud Peak, seen in the distance. Her tiny house is on the R.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Next Dingo Vacation<\/span><\/a> \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Prior Adventure<\/span><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 This Dingo Vacation<\/span><\/a>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Prior Dingo Vacation<\/span><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Cloud Peak, Bighorn Mountains, Wyoming – Part 1: The Mistymoon Trail to Base Camp (7-19-16)<\/strong><\/span><\/a>
\n<\/em><\/p>\n

Bomber Mountain, Bighorn Mountains, Wyoming – Part 1: The Solitude Trail to Gunboat Lake (7-14-18)<\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

Want more Lupe adventures?\u00a0\u00a0Choose\u00a0from\u00a0Lupe’s\u00a02016 Bighorn Mountains, WY Adventure Index<\/strong><\/a><\/span>, Dingo Vacations Adventure Index<\/strong><\/span><\/a> or Master Adventure Index<\/strong><\/span><\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0Or subscribe free\u00a0to\u00a0new Lupe adventures<\/span><\/strong><\/a><\/span><\/span>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Light out.\u00a0 Looked like for a while already.\u00a0 Ugh!\u00a0 Loopster, you awake?\u00a0 Of course, she was, but even Lupe\u00a0wasn’t looking too lively yet, still content to snuggle down on her sleeping bag.\u00a0 Lupe gazed sleepily back at SPHP.\u00a0 Is it time? Uncharacteristically, Lupe had only wanted to go outside her “tiny house” once during the … Continue reading Cloud Peak, Bighorn Mountains, Wyoming – Part 2: Paint Rock Creek Falls Base Camp to the Summit (7-20-16)<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6283,"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":[724],"tags":[105,185,106,669,26,104,11,275],"class_list":["post-6276","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-2016-bighorn-mountains-wyoming","tag-american-dingo","tag-bighorn-mountains","tag-carolina-dog","tag-cloud-peak","tag-dingo-vacations","tag-lupe","tag-peakbagging","tag-wyoming"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventuresoflupe.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/IMG_1436.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\/6276","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=6276"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6276\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":21723,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6276\/revisions\/21723"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/6283"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6276"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=6276"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=6276"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}