Jeremy C
Member
- Joined
- Aug 27, 2014
- Messages
- 104
I have been delaying putting this recap up for too long, so here goes my first trip report, not exactly a backpacking trip but it'll have to do.
At 4am one June morning I had the Mazdadon packed up and I set off towards Grasslands National park in southern Saskatchewan. This was my first trip into Saskatchewan so wasn't sure what to expect but was looking forward to a few days in the middle of no where hiking and shooting photos. It had been raining quite a bit the week leading up to my trip but the forecast claimed warm weather and clear skies...
Lies!
9 hours of that and coffee I arrived in Val Marie and checked in to the Ranger station to see what the park was like. Turns out they said i should be alright to get in and would have the entire park to myself. However, "be careful if it rains any more. You probably won't make it out in that case. Probably your best bet would be to camp in town here and hike in or try 70 Mile Butte road..."
![20140618_145507.jpg 20140618_145507.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/24/24415-1c13207d572269c988a3da8573c2f6fb.jpg)
70 Mile Butte road, aint gonna help me.
Obviously i ignored this and the warning and drove right on in through the sketchy roads to get into the park. The western block of the park has a single "scenic drive" through the middle, and as I had never been there had planned on staying in the one car campground for the first trip.
![20140618_162804.jpg 20140618_162804.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/24/24416-aef12ece3f898d8e6d89f4d9416cbf63.jpg)
The campground ... or parking lot in the middle of nowhere
but things look good.
![IMG_20140618_175235.jpg IMG_20140618_175235.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/24/24417-757b0a740eca008ac8e91edfb537d7ec.jpg)
Turns out the river had swollen and washed out the only road in and out.
![_D4A0351.jpg _D4A0351.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/24/24418-694d57257d710b173c97f685418b2ba5.jpg)
Hiking around, the area is spectacular! Only me and the coyotes and frogs.
![Open Prairie2.jpg Open Prairie2.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/24/24419-fa5cd8dce2975f79ee1769cafc6a9b92.jpg)
Well the storm came back and it rained all night. No sleep for me
. But i was rewarded with this at sunrise.
![_D4A0392.jpg _D4A0392.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/24/24420-1ffef1184c9c2e3121ddeda53594c86f.jpg)
Roads were almost impassable, but the Mazdadon got me through, albeit with some scary moments.
I am truly bitten by this place so have planned a follow up trip this year. Will be backpacking in to get away from the "campground" on the west edge of the park as well as explore the east block which is roughly two hours further away from this side.
Featured image for home page:
![slide.jpg slide.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/24/24423-6767cc5336227e318e93b28e26112cb3.jpg)
At 4am one June morning I had the Mazdadon packed up and I set off towards Grasslands National park in southern Saskatchewan. This was my first trip into Saskatchewan so wasn't sure what to expect but was looking forward to a few days in the middle of no where hiking and shooting photos. It had been raining quite a bit the week leading up to my trip but the forecast claimed warm weather and clear skies...
![IMG_20140618_125618.jpg IMG_20140618_125618.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/24/24414-d62360aaedd63006c1d244300a162ec0.jpg)
9 hours of that and coffee I arrived in Val Marie and checked in to the Ranger station to see what the park was like. Turns out they said i should be alright to get in and would have the entire park to myself. However, "be careful if it rains any more. You probably won't make it out in that case. Probably your best bet would be to camp in town here and hike in or try 70 Mile Butte road..."
![20140618_145507.jpg 20140618_145507.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/24/24415-1c13207d572269c988a3da8573c2f6fb.jpg)
70 Mile Butte road, aint gonna help me.
Obviously i ignored this and the warning and drove right on in through the sketchy roads to get into the park. The western block of the park has a single "scenic drive" through the middle, and as I had never been there had planned on staying in the one car campground for the first trip.
![20140618_162804.jpg 20140618_162804.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/24/24416-aef12ece3f898d8e6d89f4d9416cbf63.jpg)
The campground ... or parking lot in the middle of nowhere
![IMG_20140618_175235.jpg IMG_20140618_175235.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/24/24417-757b0a740eca008ac8e91edfb537d7ec.jpg)
Turns out the river had swollen and washed out the only road in and out.
![_D4A0351.jpg _D4A0351.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/24/24418-694d57257d710b173c97f685418b2ba5.jpg)
Hiking around, the area is spectacular! Only me and the coyotes and frogs.
![Open Prairie2.jpg Open Prairie2.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/24/24419-fa5cd8dce2975f79ee1769cafc6a9b92.jpg)
Well the storm came back and it rained all night. No sleep for me
![_D4A0392.jpg _D4A0392.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/24/24420-1ffef1184c9c2e3121ddeda53594c86f.jpg)
Roads were almost impassable, but the Mazdadon got me through, albeit with some scary moments.
I am truly bitten by this place so have planned a follow up trip this year. Will be backpacking in to get away from the "campground" on the west edge of the park as well as explore the east block which is roughly two hours further away from this side.
Featured image for home page:
![slide.jpg slide.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/24/24423-6767cc5336227e318e93b28e26112cb3.jpg)