Cool, overcast, and a little breezy – conditions were great for a day\u00a0in\u00a0the hills.\u00a0 The snow that had been here a week ago was nearly gone.\u00a0 SPHP set out following damp, mushy, muddy\u00a0No. 710.\u00a0 Lupe dashed, bounded, and sniffed her way\u00a0through the forest nearby.<\/p>\n
The road\u00a0gained elevation slowly over the 0.33 mile W\u00a0to the junction with No. 710.1A .\u00a0\u00a0Lupe\u00a0took No. 710.1A as planned.\u00a0\u00a0It initially went NE, before looping around the E end of the ridge N of Peak<\/span> 5800<\/a><\/span><\/strong>.\u00a0\u00a0 Once around the end of the ridge,\u00a0the road\u00a0turned NW\u00a0heading up into the Clear Creek valley.<\/p>\n A mile up Clear Creek valley, No. 710.1A turned S.\u00a0\u00a0Lupe\u00a0left it continuing NW on a less-traveled side road.\u00a0 The side road climbed more steeply.\u00a0 Lupe\u00a0stuck with\u00a0it, and after 0.25 mile arrived at a saddle where she\u00a0had a view to the W.\u00a0\u00a0Less than 0.5 mile to the N, she could see the Seth Bullock lookout tower on Scruton Mountain<\/a><\/span> (5,922 ft.)<\/span><\/strong>.\u00a0 Lupe was already almost as high.<\/p>\n SPHP realized the Carolina Dog\u00a0was now N of New Year’s\u00a0Eve Peak (Peak 6046), which is higher yet.\u00a0\u00a0Lupe left the side\u00a0road and\u00a0began climbing SW up a ridge.\u00a0 Well before she reached the top of New Year’s Eve Peak, another road appeared.\u00a0 This road was nearly level and headed W.\u00a0 Lupe followed it.\u00a0 Soon the new\u00a0road curved around to the S, taking Lupe along the W slope of Peak 6046.<\/p>\n A\u00a0lengthy stretch of the road was covered with deadfall timber.\u00a0 Progress was slow until SPHP managed to get past it all.\u00a0 Thankfully, someone had cleared the deadfall off the rest of the road.\u00a0 Lupe and SPHP made rapid progress to the E end of the saddle W of Peak 6046.\u00a0 Once again, Lupe left the road.\u00a0 She traveled\u00a0W across the saddle.\u00a0\u00a0On the other side, she began exploring the hills to the W and NW.<\/p>\n The\u00a0American Dingo climbed up to the top of the highest point\u00a0in this\u00a0vicinity for a look around.\u00a0 Lupe was higher than Scruton Mountain now, and about as high as New Year’s Eve Peak (Peak 6046), which she could still see to the E.\u00a0 Farther away, Harney Peak<\/a><\/span> (7,242 ft.)<\/span><\/strong> and Five Points<\/a><\/span> (6,221 ft.)<\/span><\/strong> were in view off to the S.<\/p>\n Lupe could see several more high points along the big ridge she was on off to the NW.\u00a0 The Carolina Dog stayed on the ridge, continuing her explorations of the area going first W and then NNW.\u00a0 She visited a number of high spots before reaching the last big one to the N.\u00a0 After crossing a small open field, she climbed to the top of this last big high point.<\/p>\n (Note:\u00a0 Lupe had reached Peak<\/span> 6070<\/span><\/a><\/strong>, a mile NW of Peak 6046.)<\/em><\/p>\n A narrow, rocky spine of the mountain projected out to the S.\u00a0 Lupe followed it beyond the forest to a point\u00a0where she had a terrific panoramic view.\u00a0 She saw Harney Peak and Five Points again.\u00a0 SPHP recognized Lupe’s objective, Old Bald Peak, off to the SW.<\/p>\n The S spine of Peak<\/span> 6070<\/a><\/span><\/strong> was rather breezy, but the views were awesome.\u00a0 Lupe and SPHP took a break here.\u00a0 Lupe had water and Taste of the Wild, plus half of SPHP’s cheese sandwich.\u00a0 SPHP had the rest of the sandwich and an apple.<\/p>\n While pondering the views during this rest stop, SPHP noticed a line of hills off to the NW.\u00a0 A look at the map showed these hills were located between West Nugget Gulch and Middle Nugget Gulch.\u00a0 The highest point, Nugget Gulch Peak<\/a><\/span> (6,000 ft.)<\/span><\/strong><\/span>, was practically treeless.\u00a0 It would provide a 360\u00b0 view.<\/p>\n Lupe had been to Old Bald Peak before.\u00a0 Once, she had also\u00a0traveled through West Nugget Gulch on USFS Road No. 249.\u00a0 However, she had never explored the hills between West Nugget Gulch and Middle Nugget Gulch.\u00a0 She had never been in Middle Nugget Gulch, either.\u00a0 Maybe it was time for Lupe to explore the Nugget Gulch Range?<\/p>\n By the time Lupe’s rest break was over, it was decided.\u00a0 Old Bald Peak was out.\u00a0 Lupe was pressing on to the Nugget Gulch Range!<\/p>\n The S end of the Nugget Gulch Range was 1.5 miles due W.\u00a0 To get over there, Lupe would have to lose considerable elevation.\u00a0 She wound up going to the minor high point N of Peak 6070 before finally turning sharply SSW.\u00a0 Now she lost elevation rapidly, but still managed to lose as little as possible by reaching the valley W of Peak 6070 at the saddle leading to\u00a0the S end of a\u00a0line of smaller hills to the NW.<\/p>\n USFS Road No. 244\u00a0crossed this saddle going N\/S.\u00a0 Lupe simply went W\u00a0across it, since she had hardly started her trek W to the Nugget Gulch Range.\u00a0 She went SW through the forest\u00a0around the S end of the line of small hills to the NW.\u00a0 This was rocky ground.\u00a0 SPHP managed to\u00a0stumble and fall on all the loose rock.\u00a0 SPHP’s right arm took the brunt of the blow.<\/p>\n Lupe came running to provide comfort and support.\u00a0\u00a0A Carolina Dog’s love and encouragement\u00a0is a great help.\u00a0 Within a few minutes\u00a0SPHP felt much better and was able to continue, no worse for the wear.<\/p>\n Once W of the line of small hills, Lupe came to\u00a0a part of the forest which was nearly level.\u00a0 She lost elevation only gradually, enjoyed an easy romp, and eventually emerged from the forest\u00a0at\u00a0the E side of a\u00a0wide grassy field\u00a0in\u00a0Middle Nugget Gulch.\u00a0 The first big hill at the S end of the Nugget Gulch Range was on the other side.\u00a0 Lupe and SPHP\u00a0headed right for it.<\/p>\n Lupe crossed\u00a0a dirt road and small dry creek bed in the field.\u00a0\u00a0By the time\u00a0she reached the trees on the far side,\u00a0she was\u00a0gaining elevation again.\u00a0 The slope steepened as she made her ascent of the big hill.\u00a0 When she reached the top, another somewhat higher hill was in view to the NW.<\/p>\n SPHP had hoped Lupe would have a relatively easy time going NW along the ridgeline to the highest point at Nugget Gulch Peak.\u00a0 Instead, she came to\u00a0several hills in succession.\u00a0 A\u00a0steep and substantial drop came right after climbing each one.\u00a0 All the lost elevation had to be immediately regained on the way up the next hill in the series.<\/p>\n Lupe and SPHP tried skirting along the E slopes to avoid having to go\u00a0all the way to the top of each hill.\u00a0 Unfortunately, this maneuver wasn’t terribly helpful.\u00a0 The steep hillsides, scattered deadfall timber, and slippery patches of snow made progress as slow as before.<\/p>\n Only the last part of the journey was easy.\u00a0\u00a0A\u00a0long ridge\u00a0rose gradually to the high point of the Nugget Gulch Range.\u00a0 Lupe wasn’t as high as she had been back at Peak 6070 earlier, but at least she was back up at 6,000 feet when she finally arrived at Nugget Gulch Peak<\/span><\/a> (6,000 ft.)<\/span><\/strong>.\u00a0 The mountaintop was covered with small rocks and\u00a0low bushes.<\/p>\n Lupe did have 360\u00b0 views from Nugget Gulch Peak.\u00a0 She could see Silver Peak<\/a><\/span> (5,810 ft.)<\/span><\/strong> to the N.\u00a0 Old Bald Peak was now due S, and Harney Peak was still visible\u00a0much farther S.\u00a0 Lupe\u00a0had\u00a0a bird’s eye view of Middle Nugget Gulch far below.\u00a0 Scruton Mountain was straight E beyond it.<\/p>\n Lupe and SPHP were both getting tired by now.\u00a0 Another rest break was in order.\u00a0 The last of the provisions were consumed, except for\u00a0some pieces of chocolate oatmeal cookie that the Carolina Dog stashed, burying them with her nose.\u00a0 Carolina Dogs are smart that way.\u00a0 They plan ahead in case of an emergency or tough times to come.<\/p>\n The rest break did some good.\u00a0 Lupe was ready to continue.\u00a0 She left Nugget Gulch Peak still going\u00a0N.\u00a0\u00a0She quickly encountered a\u00a0rock\u00a0formation almost as high.\u00a0 At first, SPHP wasn’t certain if Lupe could get beyond it, but with a little care, she did.\u00a0\u00a0Once past\u00a0the rock formation, a\u00a0short ridge led to another somewhat lower high point.<\/p>\n Lupe was still S of\u00a0High Point 5953 when she left the ridge to drop down into Middle Nugget Gulch.\u00a0 Her steep descent followed a forested side ridge going NE.\u00a0 Middle Nugget Gulch was narrow and forested where Loop reached the valley floor.\u00a0 She found a single track trail, and began following it S up the gulch.<\/p>\n Middle Nugget Gulch began to widen out.\u00a0 The single track trail became a dirt road.\u00a0 As Lupe reached more open land, she found a cabin nearby in the trees.\u00a0 SPHP was surprised to see it.\u00a0 The cabin proved to be abandoned and in a state of disrepair.<\/p>\n Continuing S up the now broad valley, Lupe and SPHP stayed close to the forest along the W side of the big field.\u00a0 The creek had a little water in it in some places.\u00a0 In other spots the creek bed was just damp.\u00a0 Lupe was delighted to see a big snow bank near the edge of the forest.\u00a0 It was the first big patch of snow she’d come to in a while.\u00a0 Lupe thrashed around on it, eating snow and cooling off.<\/p>\n After climbing so many hills and mountains earlier in the day, it was great to have an easy\u00a0route up Middle Nugget Gulch.\u00a0 A little beyond the S end of the big\u00a0field, Lupe re-entered the forest and reached an intersection.<\/p>\n It had already been a fairly long day, and the G6 was still miles away.\u00a0 SPHP should have had Lupe take the road to the SE (L).\u00a0 It led to Horse Creek Road, and was the quickest route back to the G6.\u00a0 However, there was territory to the SW that Lupe hadn’t explored before.\u00a0 The easy trek up Middle Nugget Gulch had restored some energy.\u00a0 Lupe and SPHP\u00a0took the road leading SW (R).<\/p>\n A little later on, Lupe reached another intersection where she turned S (L) on USFS Road No. 249.\u00a0 This road wasn’t steep, but climbed steadily.\u00a0 Deer kept Lupe entertained for a while, but the road went on and on.\u00a0 Lupe passed E of Old Bald Peak.\u00a0 She was well to the SSE of it by the time the road finally reached a pass.\u00a0 A short distance S of the pass, Lupe reached an intersection with USFS Road No. 530 where\u00a0No. 249 ended.<\/p>\n Another mile S on No. 530 finally brought Lupe to a place where she could leave the road and go over a small saddle to the E.\u00a0 She was now 3 miles from where she’d left Middle Nugget Gulch, but no closer to the G6.\u00a0 Lupe was tired.\u00a0 She begged SPHP to stop.\u00a0 Frequent short rest breaks became the order of the day.<\/p>\n E of the saddle, Lupe eventually found USFS Road No. 669.\u00a0 After nearly 2 miles,\u00a0it finally brought her to\u00a0Horse Creek Road.\u00a0 Another mile E on Horse Creek Road was followed by a road-less trek, and another big climb to the top of the ridge to the N.\u00a0 Here, Lupe reached USFS Road No. 710 again.\u00a0 By now it was dark and raining.<\/p>\n Lupe had perked up at various points along the way, but she was Dingo-tired.\u00a0 At least the last mile E on No. 710 was downhill.\u00a0\u00a0A\u00a0dark, wet, muddy trek ended at the\u00a0G6 (8:12 PM, 41\u00b0F) nearly 12 hours after Lupe had left it.\u00a0 The cold, wet Carolina Dog leaped in without any encouragement or the slightest hesitation.\u00a0 She curled up on the passenger side front seat, heaved a giant Dingo sigh, and closed her eyes.<\/p>\n At home, SPHP dried Lupe off on the bed with a towel.\u00a0 Although she must have been famished, she managed to come downstairs only long enough to drink a little milk and have a little Alpo.\u00a0 She didn’t finish either before returning to bed.\u00a0 SPHP made spaghetti and brought her some, but the bleary-eyed American Dingo was too exhausted to touch it.\u00a0 SPHP left it in a bowl on the bed near her.<\/p>\n When SPHP woke up the next morning, a storm was going on with a howling N wind and snow.\u00a0 If it had been snowing harder, it would have been a genuine blizzard.\u00a0 Lupe still snoozed, not moving a muscle.<\/p>\n Someone had been up in the night, though.\u00a0 The spaghetti was gone.<\/p>\n Links:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Next Black Hills Expedition<\/span><\/a>\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<\/strong><\/span><\/a> or Master Adventure Index<\/strong><\/span><\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0Or subscribe free\u00a0to\u00a0new Lupe Adventures<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/em>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Off like a shot, running and bounding everywhere!\u00a0 Guess she did like being here.\u00a0 For some reason, Lupe hadn’t seemed too fired up about going “hiking in the mountains” this morning when SPHP had suggested it.\u00a0 Good thing her enthusiasm had returned.\u00a0 The G6 was parked at the junction of Hwy 385 and USFS Road … Continue reading Black Hills, SD Expedition No. 81 – Peak 6070 & Nugget Gulch Peak (3-30-14)<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":9086,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[6],"tags":[105,9,106,104,793,1010,1037,304],"class_list":["post-9093","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-nugget-gulch","tag-nugget-gulch-peak","tag-peak-6070","tag-south-dakota"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventuresoflupe.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/SDC11386.jpg?fit=1651%2C1238&ssl=1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9093","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=9093"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9093\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":28232,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9093\/revisions\/28232"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/9086"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=9093"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=9093"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=9093"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventuresoflupe.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/SDC11378-1024x768.jpg?resize=660%2C495\")
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