Our guide dropped us off at our campsite and promised to return a few days later. We pitched our tents, roped and hoisted our food up into the trees and organized our gear. This took longer than it should have. After riding a horse for 8 hours I could barely move.
Towards dusk we settled in around the fire and, beers in hand, began to appreciate our surroundings. You've seen, if not in person at least in photos, how spectacular the scenery is in the High Sierra: big blue sky, jagged peaks with patches of snow in the shadows, pines transformed into banzai miniatures, lichen growing on giant granite boulders, and little gems of crystal clear lakes sprinkled about. This area is incredibly beautiful and remote from any kind of civilization...very very remote. In fact, one of my friends made a point of telling us to be very mindful hiking and fishing as help, if needed due to a fall or bear attack, would not be arriving any time soon. He ended this warning with a statement that I think of often: "Up here" he said, "you can see the unsmiling face of God."
I saw it again last week as we drove around three states I had never visited before: Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota. I took a photo of it for you between Bismarck, ND, and Deadwood, SD.
It is untouched prairie... an unspoiled bit of what was called The Sea of Grass that once covered almost a third of this country. Beautiful, intimidating, alive, moving and ever-changing, infinite...an awe-filled panorama stilled and quiet somehow even in the wind. Raw nature showing us again her face: The unsmiling face of God.
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