A summer of heat and drought has dried out the landscape.    Grasses and trees in open locations were stressed, but soon the winter’s snows will bring some moisture for the spring melt.    We have been hiking in the hills after the grazing season, picking routes across the hills where there are no trails, going quietly, leaving nothing behind but temporary footprints, taking nothing but photos.    On a late November day we hiked through the hills above Kamloops Lake, completing a loop route up and over the hills.

A number or rocky hills and rocky bluffs lie in the grasslands, accessed along slopes, gullies, and ridges.

The higher spots have 360 degree views across the hills, grasslands, and open forests.

These are eclectic routes, different each time, with no particular destinations in mind, and no time limits planned.    We hike, choosing routes across the topographic features as we get to them, watching for wildlife, observing nature’s offerings, celebrating time in the outdoors.

A few images are shared here, all from photos taken on that day.    Click an image for a lightbox view.

We will be out hiking the hills each week all winter, some hikes on dry ground, some on snow, and some with snowshoes.   Always exploring ….