It was a bluebird day--not only because it was the first summery day of the year, with clear blue sky and 27 degree weather, but for the bluebird perched on a fence post on the prairie.

Five Ramblers enjoyed a lovely day hiking in Horse Thief Canyon, while our driver Ivan, nursing his new bionic knee, enjoyed being a tourist on his first ever trip to the Drumheller badlands. We descended to the Red Deer River bottom on a relatively easy route on drainage and ridge, and followed the valley to our usual lunch spot on the river.

Group on descent into the canyon

Hiking in the Red Deer River valley (photo by Madeleine)

Our unusual fauna of the day was a collection of very large clam shells on the river banks.

Madeleine with shell collection

Lunch on the beach on placid Red Deer River (photo by Madeleine)

Although the trees were wonderfully green, the area is desperately dry, and the grass was hardly coming up at all. We ascended the canyon we explored last time, but followed it a little higher before popping out and topping the main canyon rim, following it back to the parking lot. .

Interesting bentonite formations (photo by Madeleine)

Scrabbling up a rugged side canyon

Approaching the canyon rim

To end the day we enjoyed beers and burgers at the funky Last Chance Saloon in the historic Rose Deer Hotel building in the hamlet of Wayne on the Rosebud River. Hikers: Janice, Yoko, Madeleine, Bill and Carl, coordinator and scribe.