Raptor Ridge Loop

By mid-to-late summer the grasslands dry out and both grasses and other plants go into dormancy. Greens give way to browns. Seedheads form and walking through the grasses means collecting seeds, burrs, and vegetative debris. It is a good time to wear gaiters over socks and boot tops. I usually ignore those measures and just hike wherever I choose to, cleaning up after the hike is over. On a warm summer morning I hiked an off-trail loop route in the middle grasslands. Raptor Ridge

Raptor Ridge was so-named because various raptors often perch on snags and douglas firs on the top and north side of the ridge, overlooking the grasslands hills below. I hiked up the ridge and indeed I spotted a larger hawk, then two smaller ones. The wildflowers were mostly finished for the year, but there were a handful in protected spots. The grasslands hills were quiet with no one else spotted in the area. A few images are shared here. Click an image for a lightbox view and a caption.