Day 28 Grasslands National Park

We are headed into a southwestern Saskatchewan heatwave. Now anyone who knows me at all know just how fond I am of hot. Out here on the prairie there is no shade. There is no water for a cooling dip. There is no place to hide. Sunscreen, hats, plenty of water, salty snacks, all mitigate the dangers of 34° heat, but planning for my contentment takes a little bit more! Jonathan returned early this morning from his wilderness adventure. The early sun and heat had him up and going early and he wanted to be back before the worst of the heat arrived. He had great audio clips of the coyotes barking and howling through the night. He had tales of heading toward Frenchman River in hopes of finding shade only to be driven back up on the butte by the unmistakable sound of a rattlesnake. He had bison come to check him out and decide either he was okay or needed watching, either way they bedded down for the night not far from his tent, so at least he wasn’t alone out there.

Several times now we have noticed a reflection on some of the distant buttes. Some are quite large sections and appear as if someone is holding a mirror up to the sun. We have been wondering what might be the cause. Jonathan discovered a collection of pieces of feldspar. I think we have solved our conundrum!

Fortunately, the park is so vast, so remote, and as parks go, so new (2001), there is much of the park that is not developed and driving loops exist to bring you through great swatches of the park. They are rudimentary roads, dry weather access only, not heavily traveled, no cell coverage, with some planned stops. Perfect for us on a day we would rather not hike in the heat. We chose the 60km Back Country Loop that would let us finish exploring most of the West Block of the park, and leave the East Block, Badlands Parkway for tomorrow as that one is two hours away.

We packed the Jeep for emergencies (so we wouldn’t have one!) and set out by mid-morning. I started out by dropping my camera in a prairie dog hole! Some of those burrows are very big. My big concern was that abandoned prairie dog burrows are inhabited by various other resourceful critters, including rattlesnakes and black widow spiders. If that went all the way down the hole there was not a snowballs chance that I was going in after it! Fortunately, as it fell, the articulated viewing screen partially opened, and the camera was caught across the top part of the hole. Jenna tried to help but was so afraid to make the problem worse she stood back. A deep breath for a steady hand and I managed to snag it and my dandy little camera lives to see another adventure!

Some of these burrows are quite large! Certainly big enough to lose a camera!

This section of the park was peppered with the usual suspects but new today were the startling number of grasshoppers along the road and the sides of the road. Not surprisingly, the birds feasting on said grasshoppers also numbered in the hundreds! When Jonathan would stop with another shout from (usually) Jenna or me, we would walk along the road with grasshoppers scattering in front of us like waves! Also new today were the number of cattle grazing in that zone. Large animal grazing is a key component in maintaining a healthy prairie ecosystem. Several farms and ranch sites exist along our route, and I guess they don’t get many visitors, because the locals were curious about us! We watched Pronghorn prance (the only word for it!) across the fields to disappear in the folds of the rises. At one point I elicited a chuckle when I describe that section as the Shar Pei of the prairie. The landscape morphed along the 60km from open flat fields, rapidly rising to higher, sparser buttes, from lush vegetation to a badlands canyon. The antelope played in the Shar Pei section!

Every kilometer is a different landscape. 

Unfortunately, I don't believe the pictures do it justice.

This was the Shar Pei Prairie - the land continually folded in on itself, making it easy for the Pronghorns to prance away into the next fold and disappear.

We were clearly very interesting according to the locals.

The most stunning stop of the day would have to go to the Borderlands Lookout. We had a short but very steep climb with a car pull-off at the top. Getting out of the car the elevation was clear and the breeze, though warm, was enough to encourage us to follow what was clearly a trail. We were not misled! The trail ended at the edge of an enormous canyon where the staff had placed two additional red chairs. The view was breathtaking. We have talked countless times about how blessed we are to live in Canada. It’s opportunities and diversity are incredible. Today we also discussed how if things had been different, we might not be here today. Our original trip would not have led us here. Today, things being what they are, we planned an all-Canadian route. At the top of that canyon, we were certainly reminded that there is no place prettier! We are so blessed to live in a country with everything you could possibly want!

These pictures are a bit disappointing as they really don't show the depth and vastness of the canyon below us.

I suggested I might just stay here for the rest of the trip!

When the moon appeared we chanced a walk, hoping for a little break from the heat.

The setting sun paints such beautiful colours

From the day we arrive on the planet... (playing in my head every time we come up here)... there's more to see than can ever be seen ... there's far too much to take in here, more to find than can ever be found 

Not full for another couple of nights, but pretty darned close