Petroglyph National Monument

In late June I made the trek from Idaho to New Mexico to begin a new job at the University of New Mexico. Fortunately, in route I had the opportunity to explore many of the beautiful mysteries of the ancient southwest which have always captured my imagination such as Cedar Mesa, Mesa Verde, and Chaco Canyon. Particularly, I have always been fascinated with petroglyphs and pictoglyphs so I was eager begin an exploration of Petroglyph National Monument upon arriving in Albuquerque, NM.


Immediately the realization that the monument is literally across the street from the sprawling suburbs of Albuquerque is an interesting striking juxtaposition.

Exploring with my brother we first checked in at the small Visitor's Center. The Center itself was once the home of Dr. Sophie Aberle who according to the park service was, "first practicing applied anthropologist in the United States. She was known as "Measuring Lady" by the Native Americans she worked with. Her research focused mainly on women's lives at the pueblos, including pregnancy, child birth, child care, diet and healing." (http://www.nps.gov/petr/index.htm)



At the visitors center we got directions to Piedras Marcadas Canyon which is two or three miles north of the visitors center through a couple of suburbs. Admittedly, I was quite skeptical of just how much I would enjoy antiquity when my jumping off point was just of the parking lot of a Jiffy Lube but literally 300 yards onto the trail we immediately felt a strange sense of solitude and the images carved on rocks captivated our attention.



They estimate there are over 20,000 carved images at Petroglyph National Monument and my brother and I were amazed at the detail and variety of images seemingly around every corner. Literally, it seemed as if on every rock there was an image.


I was exceptionally impressed with the detail and in the above photo of a man with what looks like feathers and elaborate attire.


Evidence of exotic birds such as parrots have always fascinated me. Throughout the southwest such evidence can be found as far north as Chaco Canyon and Southern Utah (the Edge of the Cedars Museum in Blanding, Utah has a beautiful parrot feather display in its collection).


This image had us speculating as to whether it is a depiction of the growing season with the sun high above the field and corn or maize growing from the ground?


Hands always bring a reverence when one thinks about the authorship of ancient images and brings reflection back to humanity and mortality.


Half of the joy of exploring the monument is trying to decipher meaning and speculating as to purpose. Was there meaning associated with the images or was the artist simply entertaining himself?

A few of my favorite images-

The bearded man.


Hands and a bird.


The Thunderbird.

Bear prints.

Ultimately, my brother and I came to a consensus that perhaps the meaning which one associates with the fading images should be left to the imagination.

Our initial foray into Petroglyph National Monument was extremely enjoyable and while I initially loathed the thought of being so close to civilization, the world felt seemingly far away and admittedly it was wonderful to make it to "happy hour" at Sonic after our desert wanderings!

For more information on Petroglyph National Monument in Albuquerque, New Mexico visit http://www.nps.gov/petr/index.htm (as of October 2009.

Chaco Canyon

Chaco Canyon really should be on everyone's bucket list. Located between Farmington and Grants, New Mexico the Chaco Culture National Historical Park holds mysterys still being discovered.

Getting to Chaco is involves travesing an inhospitable desert across seemingly endless unpaved roads. It is almost as if on purpose those in stewardship of the park have made it a prority to disway the casual tourist. For my brother and I, Chaco represented one of the main goals of our trek to Albuquerque from Salt Lake City.

Arriving in mid-afternoon on a Thursday with threating rains the two of us nearly had the park to ourselves. Luckily for us the campground at the park was under major renovations and was therefore closed (putting in new sewage lines) and many tourists were disuaded as the stewards seemingly intended.

Arriving at the park under ominus clouds we met our young ranger guide at Pueblo Bonito. As the largest and most significant ediface in Chacoan system, Pueblo Bonito has been one of the most extensively excavated, and photographed sites in North America and still has sacred significance to many Puebloen peoples.

As the literal center of the Chacoan culture, Pueblo Bonito's grander is evidence in over 600 rooms and 40+ kivas. At one time the complex towered nearly four stories in places and incorporated skillful and purposeful archeticure and design. Only today are scientists discovering the symbolic meanings of the building itself. The Solstice Project has discovered that the building itself overlooks the meridians of time both oriented to the winter and summer solstices but also the lunar calendar as well. (There is an incredible exhibit outlining the solstice project at the New Mexico Natural History Musuem in Albuquerque New Mexico).

Looking through the doorways and archways one has a profound appreciation for the beauty of the place, and we looked around every corner anticipating to be greated by the ancients.

The center plaza of the complex is wide and expansive. For centuries to perplexity of many, a single gigantic oak tree stood majesticly in an otherwise inhospitibale canyon.

Religion and ceremony had to be central to the purposes of Pueblo Bonito because of the 40+ kivas which foundations reside between the protection of the complex.

One particular mystery about Pueblo Bonito is that there is very little evidence that the 600+ rooms were even occupied. Some even suggest that the majority of the building was simply built as a giant facade. Whatever the purposes or reasons Pueblo Bonito ellicts imagination.

After visiting Pueblo Bontio we said goodbye to our guide and attempted to hike to the Pueblo Alto Complex, I say attempted because after climbing the high above the valley floor rain clouds opened on us and we became drenched with rain. We were not to be detered until we saw lightning across the horizon. Thinking better or of our hike we retreated back to the car. Luckily the rain soon passed and we decided to visit Pueblo del Arroyo which was built in stages and comprises of nearly 280 rooms and over 20+ kivas.

Ultimately, our visit to Chaco was far too short, and we regreted our itinerary didn't allow us more time. However, Chaco is one of those placeI wouldn't hesitate to visit again. Maybe next time we'll make it to the Pueblo Alto Complex and other backcountry hikes. Perhaps even exploring some to of the more than 400 miles of pre-historic roadways that eminate from Chaco.

Moon House Ruin

Having long been interested and fascinated by cliff dwellings and the ancient pueblo peoples, I spent considerable time researching the four corners area in preparation to my first exploration into the area south of Blanding, Utah. Moon House Ruins in particular was of considerable interest because of uniqueness and description.

Access to Moon House is off an old Mormon Road cutting through the heart of Cedar Mesa. My brother and I started our journey to Moon House using a topography map, obscure directions (based on the memory of an old Forest Ranger), and a good dose of naivety. I use the word naivety purposefully because we began our travels on the south end of "Mormon Road" and slowly ascended up a treacherous, washed out and boulder filled dirt road. I had been advised that a high clearance vehicle was needed and thought my little Ford Ranger would be perfect but not far from an area referred to as the "twist" my knuckles were incredibly fatigued and my prayers constant.

After reaching the formidable conclusion that we were too far to go back and it was getting to close to sunset to continue my brother and I luckily found a great spot to camp for the night off the road.

The stars were incredible. High on the top of a mesa in the remote wilderness, our own nothingness was evident as the elaborate spectacle of stars filled the sky. Despite the crisis's of our assent we were now below the beauty of the stars and we soon slept deeply.

In the morning, we were invigorated with a renewed sense of ability and determination and after cleaning up our site and heading further up the road about another mile we reached the plateau of the mesa and the road became far more passable. Soon we found the "drill hole" way marker and trail head/permit post.

We hiked to the rim of McCloyd Canyon and began our decent scrambling down the canyon walls, finding kearnes and shoe prints along the way.

 

 Mid way down the decent across the canyon a few granaries opened to our view.

As we came around a corner our first glimpses of Moon House came into view.

 Reaching the site we found the BLM had placed a box with information about some of the discoveries at Moon House and some minor interpretations.

Unlike other places in Cedar Mesa visitors will find little surface artifacts beyond corn because a significant surface collection occurred in the mid 1970's, however, the images of Moon House are incredible.

The main ruin has both an inside and outer wall that some suppose were fortifications and there are a number of loop holes which offer specific views of strategic locations in the canyon.

There are probably around 40 different rooms and structures within a small confined section of the canyon and we spent time at the central site, the granaries to the south and the kiva to the north.

 

 

Perhaps the highlight for me of this first visit to Moon House and was after exploring a couple of alcoves further up the canyon I found under a non conspicuous stone slab which in my mind I thought would be the perfect cover to niche or hidden artifact. Seeing that there was little evidence that the slab had ever been moved back I positioned myself beneath the small rock ledge and pulled the slab back. To my excitement I found that there had indeed been man made space created behind the slab. The contents of this small little space was long since gone but my imagine was captured. I delicately placed the stone back into its previous position and erased my imprints leaving the discovery for someone else.

Moon House is an incredible experience and a wonderful introduction into the area of Cedar Mesa. Later, my brother and I would learn the road out and back to State Highway 261 is far more passable in the direction opposite we came, which has left future explorations far more tempting.

As a general courtesy and etiquette, if you ever have the pleasure of exploring the area as with all other adventures please take only pictures and leave only footprints.

***Update October 2009***

Had the opportunity to visit Moon House again with some of my high school buddies on a short weekend excursion. We came in from the west this time (highly recommended) and camped close to the "drill hole" and had a wonderful time.

  Actually saw others coming in as we were leaving. The fall colors were incredible in the canyon.

(I've added a couple of extra photos from this second trip to the photo album.)

Mesa Verde

June 23, 24, and 25th, 2009--- Arguably, the most recognized and visited archaeological park in the United States is Mesa Verde, and it has long been on my “bucket list”. Certainly far more “touristy” then I like, yet the whole experience was still incredibly enjoyable.

Tuesday- Arriving into Cortez, Colorado at about 3:30 PM my brother and I saw ominous clouds over the mesa so we pulled into Walmart and picked up a tarp and a couple of rain ponchos. Of course, the whole reason for our foray into the southwest on this trip was my move to Albuquerque and with my truck being pretty full of essentials not of the camping type, we would be ground camping on this trip and had every intention of staying a step ahead of Mother Nature.

We arrived to a pretty full campground and quickly set up our tent. Although my brother and I didn’t quite make it through "Engineering 101" we were pretty impressed that we rigged an effective tarp over our tent and didn’t kill each other in the process! Quickly we headed to the Morefield Ranger Station to purchase tickets for the next days tours of Balcony House and Long House. We were told that the “Twilight in the Cliff Palace" tickets would have to be purchased in the museum the next day.

The great thing about developed camping (especially at Mesa Verde) is the promise of a shower. After two days on the road and in Cedar Mesa it was sure welcoming to get a luke-warm shower and a shave! After dinner, and showers, the rain began to come down and we headed to the tent for a night of sleep beneath the pattering of raindrops.

Admittedly, we were pretty ambitious with our plans to conquer Mesa Verde. From all my research I had learned that most visitors were lucky if they could get two ruin tours and we were hoping to make all three (Balcony House, Long House and Cliff Palace); so there we were the first in line for the “Twilight Tour” at the crack of dawn on Wednesday. We were quite lucky because literally there were just three tickets left and we bought two… we kind of felt bad for the couple behind us!

After securing our tickets for the day we started our whirlwind Mesa Verde visit with an exploration of the Farr View Sites Complex. Impressive to me about this area was the evidence of aqueducts and the Far View Reservoir itself- how the ancient Mesa Verde people engineered the movement of water to their crops is remarkable.

 We then made it to the Long House guided tour. The actual hike and exploration of the site is only about 90-minutes long but it is spectacular and offers a wonderful look into how the Ancestral Pueblo people carved out a living in the alcoves from approx. A.D. 600 to A.D. 1300.

 

 

After Long House, Jeff and I explored Step House and spotted a snake warming himself on the ancient walls. It was awesome to look across the canyons and see dwellings in every vista. They estimate there are over 4,000 sites at Mesa Verde (most being inaccessible to the general public).

After exploring the Wetherill Mesa, it was off to see the Sun Temple, the overlooks, and then Balcony House.

 As a bit of advice: Balcony House is not for those who suffer from vertigo, or a general fear of heights. Climbing the 32-ft ladder into the site one gains an incredible appreciation for those adventurous enough to build on the faces of cliffs. 

While in Balcony House I'll admit I was getting pretty frustrated with our Park Ranger who barely knew more than the memorized script (later we would learn from his own admission that he wished he drew Death Valley for the summer) I guess not everyone is impressed with Mesa… Anyway- while we were in Balcony House our guide commented that there were some loop holes which looked strange coming out of a room and that nobody seemed to make sense of them and then he went on to something else.

Not being content with the assessment of the holes, I hypothesized that they were probably some sort of line-of-site reference, I crouched down with the holes and looked across the canyon. Sure enough there was another site across the canyon directly in the line of site and I took a picture as my proof. The Ranger didn’t really care but a couple of other visitors thought my little discovery was pretty cool. The reality is that my “discovery” really wasn’t new, line-of-site was incredibly important to the Ancient Pueblo people; the proof is everywhere… just goes to show that you aren’t going to get the complete stories from the Park Ranger scripts.

Can you see the small dwelling across the canyon from

Balcony House? Hint: It's in the left hand of the picture.

The ascent out of Balcony House is humbling and my brother and I were mortified with a couple of kids just hanging over the railings and more appalled that there parents didn’t seem to see any danger in a 600ft drop!
Needless to say, we were ready to get away from crowds at this point. Luckily the rains started to open up when we reached Spruce Tree House ruins and many of the fair weather visitors headed for the indoors as we hiked around the best preserved cliff dwellings.

After exploring this section of the park we were excited and ready to experience “Twilight in the Palace”. Limited to only 20 people, (and yes they even turned away a single person who would have been person 21) “Twilight in the Palace” is a 90-minute tour of Mesa Verde’s most popular cliff dwelling, Cliff Palace. The tour was led by a ranger who was incredibly knowledgeable and the whole tour was quite entertaining.

By the time the sun set and we reached our camp for the night the rain began to pour. It came in sheets and we were very glad we had a warm dry tent. In the morning we were off to Chaco Canyon. We still can’t believe all that we saw and accomplished in one complete dedicated day. We probably packed more into a marathon day then many families see in a week!

Definitely, Mesa Verde remains to be further explored in a future Twisted Travel!