{"id":7747,"date":"2017-02-26T08:10:51","date_gmt":"2017-02-26T15:10:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/?p=7747"},"modified":"2019-04-09T19:37:23","modified_gmt":"2019-04-10T01:37:23","slug":"gunsight-mountain-talkeetna-range-alaska-8-23-16","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/?p=7747","title":{"rendered":"Gunsight Mountain, Talkeetna Range, Alaska (8-23-16)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Day 25 of Lupe’s Summer of 2016 Dingo Vacation to the Canadian Rockies, Yukon & Alaska<\/em><\/p>\n

Lupe wanted out twice during the night.\u00a0\u00a0Both times it\u00a0was nice out, a hopeful sign.\u00a0 Dawn arrived a few hours later\u00a0to dash those hopes.\u00a0 Steady rain beneath a drearily overcast low-ceiling sky.\u00a0\u00a0The forecasts were going to be right, weren’t they?\u00a0 Three more full days of rain before things\u00a0might improve.<\/p>\n

A little after 10:00 AM, Lupe and SPHP left Palmer on the Glen Highway (Alaska Route 1) heading E.\u00a0 Sad, very sad, but SPHP was resigned to it.\u00a0 There was no beating this endless rain on the Alaska S coast.\u00a0 Lupe wasn’t going to get to do any of the fun adventures around Anchorage or on the Kenai Peninsula.<\/p>\n

The plan was to go as far as it took to get out of the rain, even if that meant going back to Canada.\u00a0 Lupe still had a couple of peakbagging objectives on her list not too far E of Palmer, if the rain would let up.\u00a0 There didn’t seem to be much hope of that.\u00a0 SPHP was\u00a0prepared for a long drive.\u00a0 Lupe\u00a0stared out the rain-streaked window of the G6 at the beautiful Matanuska River valley she was leaving behind.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Lupe stared out the window of the G6 at the beautiful Matanuska River valley she was leaving behind. Photo looks SE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The rain didn’t extend nearly as far as SPHP feared.\u00a0 Surprisingly, by\u00a0the time Lupe was nearing the Matanuska Glacier, the sky had stopped its seemingly endless dripping.\u00a0 The glacier was visible from the highway, so Lupe stopped for a look.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
The Matanuska Glacier was visible from the Glen Highway. Photo looks SE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Lupe along the Glen Highway with the Matanuska Glacier in the background. Photo looks SE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Toe of the Matanuska Glacier with a little help from the telephoto lens. Photo looks SE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Conditions improved rapidly as Lupe and SPHP continued E on the Glen Highway.\u00a0 That was great news!\u00a0 Two of Lupe’s peakbagging objectives were coming up soon.<\/p>\n

The first was Lion Head<\/a><\/span> (3,185 ft.)<\/span><\/strong>.\u00a0 Lupe found the road that serves as a trailhead\u00a0near milepost 106.\u00a0\u00a0Beyond a parking area, a\u00a0closed gate was across the road.\u00a0 A “No Trespassing” sign said AT&T owned the property.\u00a0 No one allowed in without permission from AT&T.\u00a0 Most disappointing.<\/p>\n

Surprising, too! \u00a0SPHP had read online accounts touting the climb up Lion Head for the spectacular views of the Matanuska Glacier.\u00a0 None of them had mentioned an access problem.\u00a0 Several vehicles were parked along the\u00a0road near the\u00a0closed gate.\u00a0 Others must be making the hike.\u00a0 SPHP hesitated.\u00a0 Gunsight Mountain was another 10 or 12 miles E.\u00a0 Maybe Lupe should check out Gunsight instead?<\/p>\n

Near milepost 117, Lupe and SPHP stopped at a large empty pullout on the SE side of the Glen Highway.\u00a0 A sign said this was the Camp Creek trailhead.\u00a0 Absolutely no other information was available.\u00a0 Not a soul was around.\u00a0 Gunsight Mountain loomed to the NW right across the highway.<\/p>\n

Despite involving 3,400 feet of elevation gain, the climb up Gunsight was supposed to be easy and straightforward.\u00a0\u00a0Was this the trailhead for Gunsight?\u00a0 Except for those tall bushes low down on the mountain, the climb looked easy enough whether there was a trail or not.\u00a0\u00a0SPHP grabbed the backpack, crossed the highway, and Lupe was on her way!\u00a0 (1:29 PM, 54\u00b0F)<\/p>\n

Five minutes after Lupe started her assault on Gunsight, SPHP was beating a retreat.\u00a0 Those tall bushes were an impassable jungle!\u00a0 There certainly didn’t seem to be any trail.\u00a0 Lupe had no choice, but to follow SPHP back to the G6.\u00a0 So far, Lupe’s day had been nothing but frustration.\u00a0 Another mile E,\u00a0near milepost 118, her luck changed.<\/p>\n

A green street sign read “Trailhead Access Road”.\u00a0\u00a0A short road on the NW side of the highway led to a large paved parking lot.\u00a0\u00a0A posted map showed several trails in this area, including one leading to Gunsight Mountain<\/a><\/span> (6,441 ft.)<\/span><\/strong>.\u00a0 Twenty minutes after launching her first attack on Gunsight, Lupe set out again.<\/p>\n

An old road led to an ATV trail that climbed rather steeply at the start.\u00a0 Things leveled out after 200 feet of elevation gain.\u00a0 The ATV trail had turned N.\u00a0 Lupe reached an intersection where a small pond was a short distance ahead.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
The ATV trail led Lupe to an intersection where this small pond was in view. The long ridge in the background is part of Syncline Mountain<\/a><\/span> (5,471 ft.)<\/span><\/strong>. Photo looks N.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Lupe didn’t need to go N.\u00a0 She turned W on another ATV trail leading toward Gunsight Mountain.\u00a0 A huge, colorful hillside, was ahead.\u00a0 The top of Gunsight Mountain appeared above it in the distance.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Lupe turns W on the ATV trail leading toward Gunsight Mountain. A huge, colorful hillside was ahead.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The ATV trail was full of big, muddy potholes, and soon gave out.\u00a0 A single track trail led into the bushes which dominated the landscape.\u00a0 It too, disintegrated before long.\u00a0 A bewildering maze of little trails went in all directions, appearing and disappearing in no discernible pattern.\u00a0 Lupe thought this was great!\u00a0 She could prowl around unseen until she was almost upon SPHP.<\/p>\n

The\u00a0bushes down where Lupe had made her first brief assault on Gunsight had towered over SPHP. \u00a0They had strong,\u00a0thick branches.\u00a0 Fortunately, the bushes here\u00a0were only chest high on SPHP.\u00a0 It was possible to push through these smaller bushes along the myriad of little trails, though it was preferable to follow the occasional strips of open\u00a0ground between them whenever possible.<\/p>\n

Getting to the top of this first big hillside took a while.\u00a0 The climb gradually steepened along the way.\u00a0 On the bright side, the open ground between bushes started to dominate as Lupe gained elevation.\u00a0 If there was any organized trail up this long hill, Lupe never found it.\u00a0 During short rest stops, SPHP consumed wild blueberries, which grew in great profusion on the hillside.<\/p>\n

By the time Lupe reached the top of the big, colorful hillside, the bushes had disappeared entirely.\u00a0 Only the low,\u00a0delicate\u00a0plants of the tundra remained.\u00a0 Lupe already had some fabulous views from here.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Lupe already had fabulous views from the top of the first, long, colorful hillside. Photo looks SE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Looking SW down the Matanuska River valley.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Looking back down the long, colorful hillside toward the Gunsight Mountain trailhead near the Glenn Highway. Photo looks E.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The best route to the top from here was obvious.\u00a0 Lupe headed W across a broad area of fairly level tundra toward the NE ridge of the mountain.\u00a0 She even lost a little elevation along the way, before the climb resumed.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Lupe on her way W from the top of the long, colorful hillside toward Gunsight’s NE ridge seen on the R. She would stay on the near side of the ridge, especially as she neared the summit. Photo looks WSW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Lupe was still on her way up toward Gunsight’s NE ridge, when suddenly there was a voice coming from above.\u00a0 A young woman was cheerily hailing Lupe and SPHP as she hiked down the mountain.\u00a0 SPHP hadn’t even seen her.\u00a0 Her name was Laura.\u00a0 She was here in Alaska visiting friends who had to work today, so she had just trotted on up to the top of Gunsight Mountain for something to do.<\/p>\n

Laura was from Montana, which made her practically a neighbor to Lupe.\u00a0 She was very friendly.\u00a0 Was the guy following Lupe and SPHP part of the group?\u00a0 SPHP turned around.\u00a0 There was someone coming!\u00a0 He was still over toward the top of the long, colorful hillside, but heading this way fast.\u00a0 No, Lupe and SPHP had never seen him before.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Lupe with Laura from Montana. Laura had already been to the top of Gunsight Mountain. She was on her way down when she spotted Lupe and SPHP coming up.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Laura and SPHP chatted pleasantly\u00a0for a few minutes, before she\u00a0went onward.\u00a0 A few minutes later, she could be seen talking to the guy who was hot on Lupe’s trail coming up.\u00a0 Meanwhile, Lupe reached the NE ridge.\u00a0 Staying on the less steep\u00a0SE side of the ridge, Lupe and SPHP continued toward the summit.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Lupe reaches the NE ridge. Photo looks SW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Within a few hundred feet of the summit, the tundra finally gave way to a long, scree slope.\u00a0 During the fairly steep ascent up the scree, the guy who had been following Lupe overtook SPHP.\u00a0 He promised to save Lupe and SPHP good seats with a view at the top.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Lupe on the long scree slope leading to the summit. Photo looks W.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Coming up the easy, broad E slopes of Gunsight Mountain, SPHP had come under the impression that the summit might well be a large plateau, with plenty of room for Lupe to run around.\u00a0 However, when Lupe reached the top of the scree slope, the mountain simply ended.\u00a0 On the other side of the\u00a0little summit ridge was a gaping chasm.<\/p>\n

Standing out at the very end of a\u00a0small, narrow\u00a0prominence, surrounded on 3 sides\u00a0by nothing but air,\u00a0was the guy who had promised to save Lupe and SPHP good seats with a view.\u00a0 He stood\u00a0on the brink of destruction at the chasm’s edge surveying the spectacular views, as calmly as any mountain goat might to whom it was all old hat, part of a daily humdrum routine.<\/p>\n

His precarious position made SPHP nervous for him, but he calmly walked over to greet Lupe and introduce himself to SPHP.\u00a0 His name was Luke Hall.\u00a0 He was originally\u00a0from Sidney, Australia.\u00a0 Luke had left Sidney 3 years ago. Since then, he’d worked\u00a0for a while in Banff, Canada and London, England,\u00a0and a few other places around the globe.\u00a0 At the moment, Luke was in the middle of an already months long trip exploring and climbing peaks in Alaska.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Lupe meets Australian globe-trotter Luke Hall at the summit of Gunsight Mountain. Photo looks SW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Lupe at the summit. SPHP had expected some kind of broad plateau up here where Lupe could run around. Instead, Lupe arrived to find huge cliffs, chasms, and jagged knife-edge ridges. Photo looks NW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Wow!\u00a0 Sounded like Luke was adventure personified!\u00a0 Lupe, Luke and SPHP spend 30 minutes together on Gunsight.\u00a0 A lot of\u00a0chatting, comparing notes,\u00a0and taking photos went on.\u00a0 Luke had been to Berg Lake<\/strong><\/a><\/span> in\u00a0Mount Robson\u00a0Provincial Park in Canada.\u00a0 Lupe had been there on her\u00a0Summer of 2013 Dingo Vacation, too.\u00a0 Luke and Lupe had both been to several other places, among them Sukakpak Mountain<\/a><\/span> (4,459 ft.)<\/span><\/strong>, N of the Arctic Circle.<\/p>\n

Luke was surprised to learn that Lupe had made it to the top of Sukakpak.\u00a0 He had been there a couple of weeks ago.\u00a0 He’d made it very high up on the mountain, but hadn’t found the route to the summit.\u00a0 Lupe and SPHP shared how Lupe managed to get there.<\/p>\n

Of course, as long as Luke had already been exploring Alaska, he’d seen a lot of places Lupe hadn’t.\u00a0 There was so much to talk about!\u00a0 Fun times, but it was getting to be evening, and this was, after all, the top of a mountain in Alaska.\u00a0 Luke was wearing shorts.\u00a0 Not too surprisingly, he started getting cold standing around.\u00a0 He needed to get moving again, so good-byes were said, and Luke started down the mountain.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Luke and Lupe on Gunsight Mountain. Luke had certainly kept his promise to save Lupe a seat with a view! Photo looks SW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Peaks over-looking the Matanuska Glacier, portions of which are in view in the valley below. Photo looks SW using the telephoto lens.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Looking WSW. Part of the Matanuska Glacier in view on the lower L.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Luke Hall starts down the mountain after a fun half hour with Lupe at the top. Note the actual patches of blue sky and sunshine! Photo looks ENE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After Luke departed, Lupe and SPHP\u00a0spent another 20 minutes at the summit.\u00a0 The views were tremendous in every direction.\u00a0 The day had started discouragingly, but\u00a0was ending\u00a0on a literal high note here with\u00a0Lupe at the top of splendid Gunsight Mountain!<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Looking SW along the length of Sheep Mountain<\/a><\/span> (6,223 ft.)<\/span><\/strong>(R). Part of the Matanuska Glacier(L) is in view in the distance.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Sheep Mountain using the telephoto lens. Photo looks SW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Looking N.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Looking SSW. The weather was still stormy looking toward the SW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
South Fork of the Matanuska River. Photo looks SSE using the telephoto lens.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Big patches of blue sky were appearing off to the E, the first blue sky Lupe had seen in days. Trail Lake is the largest lake in view on the lower R. The Gunsight Mountain trailhead(Center) is barely above the bottom edge. Photo looks ENE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Looking N again.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
So many mountains were in view from Gunsight! The mountains to the S were high enough to block a view of what lay beyond them. Off to the N, however, range after range could be seen receding to the horizon. This photo looks NNW using the telephoto lens.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Looking over Gunsight Mountain’s summit ridge at the gaping chasm to the SW. Sheep Mountain is on the R. The Matanuska River is on the L flowing toward the more distant Matanuska Glacier. Photo looks SW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Wondering if Lupe found the Gun survey benchmark? Here ya go!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Looking NW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After nearly an hour at the top, Lupe started back down the NE ridge.\u00a0 The evening and surroundings were incredibly beautiful.\u00a0 Most encouragingly, the patches of blue sky and sunshine which had started appearing on Lupe’s way up seemed to be spreading.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Lupe comes back up along the NE ridge to see what’s keeping that slowpoke SPHP. Photo looks NE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Luke had said he was planning on going to Anchorage and the Kenai peninsula.\u00a0 Maybe Lupe should, too!\u00a0 Maybe the weather was going to improve, and Lupe wouldn’t have to miss out on all the fun that had been planned there.\u00a0 She was only an hour’s drive E of Palmer.\u00a0 Lupe could climb Lion Head tomorrow, and then return to Palmer!\u00a0 It was too soon to leave Alaska, if Lupe didn’t have to.<\/p>\n

Although the plan seemed to change with each passing cloud, these happy thoughts accompanied Lupe and SPHP as they took their time on the descent.\u00a0 The long, colorful hill was easier descending than ascending.\u00a0 It was possible to see the pattern\u00a0of the\u00a0open areas between the bushes from above, which made it easy to avoid the worst of the bushes.\u00a0 Of course, Lupe thought the bushes were fun, but she didn’t mind being able to run in the open, too.<\/p>\n

A tired, but happy American Dingo arrived back at the G6 (9:29 PM).\u00a0 This had turned out to be a great day after all.\u00a0 Maybe things were looking up.\u00a0 Tomorrow, Lion Head!<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
On Gunsight’s NE ridge.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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

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

Want more Lupe adventures?\u00a0\u00a0Choose\u00a0from Lupe’s 2016 Canadian Rockies, Yukon & Alaska Adventure Index<\/strong><\/span><\/a>, <\/span><\/em>Dingo Vacations Adventure Index<\/strong><\/span><\/a> or Master Adventure Index<\/strong><\/span><\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0Or subscribe free to New Lupe Adventures<\/b><\/a><\/span><\/span><\/em>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Day 25 of Lupe’s Summer of 2016 Dingo Vacation to the Canadian Rockies, Yukon & Alaska Lupe wanted out twice during the night.\u00a0\u00a0Both times it\u00a0was nice out, a hopeful sign.\u00a0 Dawn arrived a few hours later\u00a0to dash those hopes.\u00a0 Steady rain beneath a drearily overcast low-ceiling sky.\u00a0\u00a0The forecasts were going to be right, weren’t they?\u00a0 … Continue reading Gunsight Mountain, Talkeetna Range, Alaska (8-23-16)<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7729,"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":[726],"tags":[704,105,106,26,742,743,104,11,741],"class_list":["post-7747","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-2016-canadian-rockies-yukon-alaska","tag-alaska","tag-american-dingo","tag-carolina-dog","tag-dingo-vacations","tag-gunsight-mountain","tag-luke-hall","tag-lupe","tag-peakbagging","tag-talkeetna-range"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventuresoflupe.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/IMG_2225.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\/7747","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=7747"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7747\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":20869,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7747\/revisions\/20869"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/7729"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=7747"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=7747"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=7747"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}