03.22.10 Happily Scampering Among Rocks

Saturday was the perfect day for a trip out to Leslie Gulch in Oregon, a BLM managed canyon in the Owyhee mountains of eastern Oregon, about two hours from Boise.

As you start hiking up the canyon you are greeted by the visage of what you hope is a beneficent rock spirit.  Seems friendly enough.

The  rock formations are rhyolite tuff, essentially volcanic ash which has been sculpted by wind and water in the 100,000 years or so since the last eruption.

The views both far,
(looking down Leslie Gulch, you really need to click on this pic to enlarge it)

and near
(little mosses, lichens and ?? underfoot in a shady spot)
 were equally rich in texture and color.






Golden honeycombs of small caves and ledges which must be lizard heaven.  And yes, I'm certain snakes abound.  We only saw a snake skeleton, no live ones, whew!





Three dimensional Rorschach tests, what do you see?


I see more day trips and hiking in my future -- soon I hope!
~ Lynn