1. google bear butte, sd. normally, i don't care which search engine you use, but i know this topo is in google maps, so let's stick with this. if the map doesn't come up directly click on the maps link. once you can see the map, choose "terrain" from the satellite/map list in the upper right corner of the map. zoom in as far as you can with bear butte in the center 2. you should see a green box (where the protected lands are), and lots of concentric brown circles with numbers. these lines connect equal lines of elevation together. so, in thi: s case, follow the 3,600 feet line. it essentially is the bottom of the butte all the way around. as the numbers get higher, the higher you are on the mountain. 3. on a single map, the labels are typically uniform, as are the distance between the lines. for instance, on this map, every 200 ft is labeled, and every line is 40 feet higher or lower than the line next to it. that way, even if the line isn't labeled, you can figure out the elevation. 4. another thing to keep in mind is that the closer the lines are together, the steeper the hillside (or grade). so, on the butte itself, the lines are pretty close together, indicating that it's pretty steep. you can see that as you get away from the peak, the lines spread way out, indicating a pretty flat area. 5. so, to see what the area looks like to you and me, click the earth button in the top-right corner (you have to hover over the satellite button to see it).