While staying at the Wilson Ranches Retreat, I spent a day exploring the north side of the Ranch.

A rugged ranch road led to the top of the high ridge above the Butte Creek Valley. Except for a few Juniper trees the vistas extended for miles.

It was fascinating to stand on the transition from the John Day Formation extending to the south and the Columbia Basin Formation extending to the north. The painted-hills rock give way to a massive extent of dark basalt and sagebrush all the way to the Columbia River.

Nice Mule Deer bucks and many does and fawns could be spotted feeding in almost every draw to the north. Chuckars were plentiful too.

But, I was hunting elk. Where were they?

Basalt rimrocks above and John Day Formation rocks below

Mt. Hood to the west

Old barn far from the nearest paved road

One of many barbwire fence gates to be navigated on the Wilson Ranch

Nice Mule Deer buck and his harem

Rough ranch road

John Day Formation

Wind Turbines visible many miles to the north