Yellow Bird: Exploring the Dahlen esker

"On a recent journey into the Plains area near Dahlen, N.D., I was introduced to the "Dahlen esker." It's a glacial hill that must be at least 100 feet high, a few hundred feet wide and several miles long. I also saw two old American Indian sites.

The Dahlen esker is about 20 miles northwest of Larimore and was most impressive. My sister and daughter really were surprised that I hadn't heard of an esker. They learned back in grade school about those glacially built surprises on the surface of the Plains, they told me.

I pretended not to hear as we drove the rough road up and over the Dahlen esker. I watched the sky instead. There were two big eagles soaring and diving above the tall hills. Then, more eagles joined until there were about six moving in circles, probably watching for movement on the ground between the eskers.

The esker must look like a smile from an airplane because it seemed to curve in a giant half-circle. I'd guess it stretches several miles east and west."

Get the Story:
Dorreen Yellow Bird: Dreaming, dawdling at Dahlen esker (The Grand Forks Herald 9/22)
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