The weather is holding off just a bit, not quite winter, but definitely feeling like late fall. The winds were light, and the skies clear. Just perfect for an afternoon hike close to home.
The dogs were ready to go, aren't they always? I drove a few miles and decided to hike near Kelly Canyon, but someplace where I would have the area to myself. Just before we got to "Little" Kelly Canyon, I pulled off, parked and headed straight up the slopes to the north. Some pretty cool rock formations cover the hillside here. Climbers come to scale cliff faces here, but no one was busy doing that this day, not yet anyway.
I made my way upwards trying to get a view of the setting moon over the Lemhi Range, some 70 to 80 miles distant. I did get to see it for a few minutes before it disappeared into the haze. The views across the Snake River plain were quite stunning, me being above the haze. The mountains rising high, and seeming to float in the sky with bases hidden from view.
It was windy and cold along the ridge line. A hard world with everything bent in the direction of the prevailing winds. A sheepherder monument capped the highpoint, eight feet tall and in silence kept watch on things, near and far.
The dogs live for these outings. Anxious and prone to get ahead of me, but always a look behind to see if I was still following. Good dogs! I can see that all my hiking lately has helped, I felt strong and even the steepest portions were no longer dreaded by my old legs.
We dropped down into Little Kelly Canyon and followed the cow trail down to the pavement, the dogs munching on cow pies and "road apples" .....mmmmm good.
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