Final shot in the brief series of "Impressions of Madonna"... here we are hiking the best part of Grasslands. There are a couple of trails, but we had spent a long, gorgeous fall day far and beyond; this is our return route, slightly different, a big loop. After descending North Butte, we will pick up the deer trail at the bottom of the little gully directly below, and follow it toward Aspen Coulee, on the right. From the far side of that mass of small trees - most are about 10 or 12 feet high, their leaves still hanging on - we'll angle left down the larger gully, then pick our way up the slope opposite.
Our general goal is Eagle Butte, top left, about forty minutes away at a comfortable pace (with photo stops). From there it's another 15 minutes back to my car, parked out of sight at the top of Butte Road part of which you can see extending into the surrounding ranch lands. That's the way home.
We both wore lightweight hiking shoes that day. They're easier on the land than big heavy boots, especially when going off-trail, and we're both very good at not stepping on rattlesnakes. Highlight of the day was lying on some dunes and watching thousands of Sandhill Cranes pass overhead in migration.
Photographed in Grasslands National Park, Saskatchewan (Canada). Don't use this image on websites, blogs, or other media without explicit permission ©2021 James R. Page - all rights reserved.
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