Why hike one state high point in a day when you could hike two!?

I have no answer to that, which is why we finished our hike of Harney and hopped in the car to head to North Dakota. Our target would be White Butte, at 3,507 feet.

Since we were in the area, we thought a quick stop at Mount Rushmore was appropriate. We drove to the entrance and presented my National Park pass.

“Those aren’t good here”.

“How much is it?”

“$11”

“We’ll pass, thanks”

And so as quickly as we came, we left Mount Rushmore. We drove down the road and snapped a few (dismal) pictures. I have to say, I was not really impressed.

And so began the topic that would carry us through the rest of the trip. How amazing Mount Rushmore is. How we should have paid the $11. How we should turn around right now and drive back and give them the $11. How we should ask if we can pay double.

So we drove on towards North Dakota. It was about 4.5 hours from Harney, plus a stop for lunch, so we planned to arrive around 5.

Which we did.

Now, White Butte is on private land. The people that own it are kind enough to allow hikers to come and go any time of day. They ask a $10 donation, which we of course paid. Directions on Summitpost were perfect and we found the location down a handful of gravel roads with ease.

During my research, one concern did emerge. White Butte is apparently infamous for crawling with Rattlesnakes.

Rattlesnakes plus tall grass. Fantastic.

We set out slowly and cautiously. There were quite a few places that seemed just perfect for rattlesnakes. It was 5:30pm and the sunset is at 7, so it was getting cooler and it was a perfect time snakes to be out catching the end of the days sun… staying warm.

White Butte is a pretty easy hike. It’s only about 2 miles round trip and its entirely flat up until you reach the Butte itself. The climb is only a few minutes long. That was good since the Georgia football game was on the in the car. While we were running wild in the hay field, Nick Chubb was running wild on the football field in Atlanta. He only went for 222 yards though, so I think we beat him on distance.

As you approach the White Butte, the trail turns left up a steep and loosely packed hill.

The hill in the distance is the summit and highest point in North Dakota. It is, confusingly, not that white.

A nice shot by Cooper of me reaching the summit. This one was sort of special for me, as it marks the half way point to reaching my goal of hitting all 50 high points in the United States. My goal is to finish in the next 6 years. I’d say I am on pace, with 25 in the books since last Halloween.

While I am moving relatively quickly, I am really happy with my approach to this challenge. I’ve traveled alone and with friends. I’ve covered a lot of ground and done numerous states on some trips, and only one on others. What I have enjoyed so far is being taken to places I would never have planned to go otherwise. I have visited states like the Dakotas that I never would have considered taking a vacation day for in the past. Even better is that I have found them to be both unique and beautiful. This is true of the geography, certainly. But it is also true of the cities, people, food, coffee, beer. The decision to climb all 50 high points has been, without doubt, a great one. Cooper and I talked about this very thing on the way to the top. We have a truly amazing country, and there is so much to explore and enjoy.

Having reached the summit, we worked out way back down and through the field to our car. Even to the end we were extremely wary of Rattlesnakes. But, we saw a total of zero.

When I read about this hike, I expected it to be a disappointment. Private land, not a great trail, rattlesnakes? As it turns out, it was actually beautiful and quite enjoyable. I made the comment numerous times on the way to the top and back that it far surpassed my expectations.

With Peak #25 in the bag, it was time to continue on.

Initially we planned to hike the 3rd highest point in Wyoming, the 23 mile ascent of 13k+ foot Cloud Peak. While hiking and discussing our plans, we came up with a short list of cons.

First, it was another five hour drive to get there. Second, we had not yet purchased any fuel for my camping stove. Third, there don’t seem to be many stores…or people… in North Dakota. Fourth, the weather forecast a high of 32 degrees at the summit and a whopping 9 inches of snow! Fifth, Cooper brought a 40-degree rated Walmart sleeping bag and a Yoga mat to camp with. Sixth, we had no groceries yet and no plans for what meals we would make during our hiking and camping. Seventh, did I mention it was 23 miles? Eighth, did I mention the 9 inches of snow? Ninth, no TV to watch college football games at night. I could go on. But I won’t. We decided to pass.

Would we have made it? Sure. Would we have enjoyed it? Probably? Would we have had stories? Definitely. Do I regret deciding to pass? Not at all. We filled out last two days with some amazing experiences. But, you will have to wait for the next post to read about those.