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Chaco Canyon and Mesa Verde -- Exploring America's Past
Colorado CJ
Registered Users Posts: 155 Major grins
I spent the last few days with my brother and nephew in the four corners area. We visited Chaco Canyon and Mesa Verde, and a lot of country in between. It was a fun short trip, wish it could have been longer, but my Nephew had to get back in time for school to start.
As usual, I took a lot of photos. It will take me a while to process all the better photos and post them, so this will be a running thread with a few photos posted at a time.
We start at Chaco Canyon, an awesome area with some very neat history. I was surprised how few people where there, at times it was like we had the whole canyon to ourselves.
Here are the first two photos I've finished processing so far. This is Fajada Butte. The top of this butte is where the Anasazi sun dagger calender is located, but it is closed to the public :cry)
9-Aug-2013-2 by Colorado CJ, on Flickr
Later in the evening, we laid on the ground for a few hours, watching the night sky and catching about 30 meteors, a few being bright enough to leave vapor/smoke trails. Here's a shot I took during a lull in the meteor shower.
9-Aug-2013-1 by Colorado CJ, on Flickr
During the second day, we explored the different Great Houses in Chaco Canyon. These photos do NOT do them justice.
It is hard to believe these are 1000 year old ruins and hard to imagine the labor needed to form these individual stones, as well as cutting and hauling massive trees for hundreds of miles to this dry canyon, all by hand, and all by simple stone tools.
The back wall of Chetro Ketl
9-Aug-2013-3 by Colorado CJ, on Flickr
Pueblo Bonito is a HUGE structure that covers many acres. You can see where there were up to 4 story high rooms and massive kivas. There is a section that you can walk into and explore. It is awe inspiring to see it in person.
9-Aug-2013-4 by Colorado CJ, on Flickr
The black and white treatment didn't work for this one.
9-Aug-2013-5 by Colorado CJ, on Flickr
I'll be updating this post when I get more photos processed.
As usual, I took a lot of photos. It will take me a while to process all the better photos and post them, so this will be a running thread with a few photos posted at a time.
We start at Chaco Canyon, an awesome area with some very neat history. I was surprised how few people where there, at times it was like we had the whole canyon to ourselves.
Here are the first two photos I've finished processing so far. This is Fajada Butte. The top of this butte is where the Anasazi sun dagger calender is located, but it is closed to the public :cry)
9-Aug-2013-2 by Colorado CJ, on Flickr
Later in the evening, we laid on the ground for a few hours, watching the night sky and catching about 30 meteors, a few being bright enough to leave vapor/smoke trails. Here's a shot I took during a lull in the meteor shower.
9-Aug-2013-1 by Colorado CJ, on Flickr
During the second day, we explored the different Great Houses in Chaco Canyon. These photos do NOT do them justice.
It is hard to believe these are 1000 year old ruins and hard to imagine the labor needed to form these individual stones, as well as cutting and hauling massive trees for hundreds of miles to this dry canyon, all by hand, and all by simple stone tools.
The back wall of Chetro Ketl
9-Aug-2013-3 by Colorado CJ, on Flickr
Pueblo Bonito is a HUGE structure that covers many acres. You can see where there were up to 4 story high rooms and massive kivas. There is a section that you can walk into and explore. It is awe inspiring to see it in person.
9-Aug-2013-4 by Colorado CJ, on Flickr
The black and white treatment didn't work for this one.
9-Aug-2013-5 by Colorado CJ, on Flickr
I'll be updating this post when I get more photos processed.
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Pueblo Bonito once again.
Pueblo-Bonito-2----Chaco-Canyon by Colorado CJ, on Flickr
Here is one of the Great Kivas in Pueblo Bonito. These are huge structures. It is amazing to think that they had the technology to span this wide of a hole with a roof, all cut with stone tools. It must have really been something to see when they were in good shape.
Great-Kiva----Chaco-Canyon by Colorado CJ, on Flickr
After walking though Chetro Ketl and Pueblo Bonito, we headed up the trail that goes to Pueblo Alto and New Alto. The trail climbs up a steep, narrow chimney in the side of the canyon.
Trail-to-Pueblo-Alto by Colorado CJ, on Flickr
Pueblo Bonito from the canyon rim
Pueblo-Bonito-3----Chaco-Canyon by Colorado CJ, on Flickr
Continuing up the trail to Pueblo Alto, you come across many smaller structures such as pecked out catch basins in the rim rock to catch water from the infrequent rains. There are also Chacoan steps still visible along the canyon walls and higher up.
Here are a few Chacoan Steps. You can see them in the bottom/center of the image.
Chacoan-Steps---Chaco-Canyon by Colorado CJ, on Flickr
There are many sites on top of the tableland outside of the canyon. Pueblo Alto is a huge structure that is mostly a mount of wind blown sand and overgrown with brush. A later, smaller pueblo, New Alto sits to the west a short distance.
New-Alto----Chaco-Canyon by Colorado CJ, on Flickr
This is just a shot of my brother and nephew walking down into the slot that takes you to the canyon floor.
Pueblo-Alto-Trail by Colorado CJ, on Flickr
Coming out of the slot you have Kin Kletso in front of you.
Kin-Kletso----Chaco-Canyon by Colorado CJ, on Flickr
Up Next -- Mesa Verde!
Roughly 100 miles later, we arrive at Mesa Verde, in Southwest Colorado. This area is much different than Chaco. Instead of almost no people, Mesa Verde is PACKED with tourists from all over the world. Another difference is that Chaco is famous for its Great houses that are situated on open tableland, where Mesa Verde is famous for its Cliff Dwellings that tenuously cling to the side of cliffs, usually with a sheer vertical drop to the canyon floor. So, different construction techniques were used between the two as well as a completely different way of life for the Anasazi who lived here.
One other thing I liked about Chaco was that the whole place was open to explore at your leisure (you still need to stay on trails) I didn't see a park ranger anywhere during my visit. Mesa Verde, on the other hand, is a very structured environment with strict time tables and very little freedom to view the sites at your own pace. Many of the areas on top of the mesa are open to walk through without a guide, but just about every cliff dwelling has to be seen in a guided tour where the park ranger talks for 55 minutes and you only get one or two minutes at the end to take a few photos and look at the site. You are then ushered off to make room for the next group. Leaving little time to actually enjoy the site. Only a few of the thousands of sites are open to the public.
I understand why Mesa Verde has to be run like this though. There are so many people who visit on a daily basis that it really can't be run any other way. I MUCH prefer the "go at your own pace" experience you get at Chaco though.
Enough rambling, on to the photos!
The first cliff dwelling we visited is Balcony House. This is a pretty fun cliff dwelling tour to go on as you have to climb tall wood ladders, crawl through tunnels and climb up the cliff face while all you have to hold onto is a chain set in the stone. Probably my favorite of the bunch. It is a smaller cliff dwelling, but is very well preserved.
Balcony-House----Mesa-Verde by Colorado CJ, on Flickr
Balcony House was built with defense in mind. Here is the original entrance to the alcove where the cliff dwelling is located. There are two 8-foot SMALL tunnels with a central area to stand in. We are bigger guys (not fat wise :hmm:) and have to go in sideways as our shoulders don't fit.
This was a defensive fortification built later in Balcony Houses occupation. It is theorized that someone was on guard in the central area of the tunnel, only letting those pass he recognized. All others had their heads caved in as they tried to crawl through.
My brother going into the tunnel
Balcony-House-Entrance-Tunnel----Mesa-Verde by Colorado CJ, on Flickr
Next up, Cliff Palace. This is the largest cliff dwelling in the park. You access the alcove by a number of stairs, some carved from the native rock.
Cliff-Palace----Mesa-Verde by Colorado CJ, on Flickr
I REALLY wish I had more time here to take photos, without all the crowds getting in the way.
Cliff-Palace-2----Mesa-Verde by Colorado CJ, on Flickr
This is a shot taken from the entrance to a 4 story tower block. The original floors have crumbled, leaving some of the substructure behind. You can see on the third level how these structures were originally plastered. The plaster and decorative paint are untouched, original work from roughly 800 years ago.
Tower-Cliff-Palace----Mesa-Verde by Colorado CJ, on Flickr
Up next, Spruce Tree House and Spruce Canyon
Don
'I was older then, I'm younger than that now' ....
My Blog | Q+ | Moderator, Lightroom Forums | My Amateur Smugmug Stuff | My Blurb book Rust and Whimsy. More Rust , FaceBook .
Chaco should be a great place for night star shots, not much light pollution out there.
Moderator of the Technique Forum and Finishing School on Dgrin
Chaco is in central New Mexico south of Mesa Verde. Not easy to drive to on Washboard roads for miles from south of the NP or east of it. Well worth the drive though, because of the great sites that few people try to get to, unlike other NPs. Due to the rough ride the is relatively low visitor-ship there.
I have some shots from my recent trip out that way at 2012 RV Trip.
Don
'I was older then, I'm younger than that now' ....
My Blog | Q+ | Moderator, Lightroom Forums | My Amateur Smugmug Stuff | My Blurb book Rust and Whimsy. More Rust , FaceBook .
There is a HUGE amount to see in the four corners. These two areas don't even scratch the surface. It is a place that keeps calling me back. Too bad I didn't have decent cameras a few years ago, I've been visiting the four corners for many years, but this is my first time there with a DLSR.
Thank you. Sounds like you had a great time! I'd love to be able to spend that much time roaming the four corners. I usually have to cram as much as I can within a few short days.
Thanks, glad you like them! It is south of Aztec, NM by about 50 miles. Around 100 or so miles south of Mesa Verde.
Thanks! As you can see in the second photo, yes the stars shine bright out there! That is looking south over Fajada Butte.
I'll have to look over those photos. Photos of these areas always interest me.
Later that day we went through the museum. The museum is filled with pottery, jewelry, stone tools, sandals and bits of woven cloth on display. It is a great place to spend some time in and sit in awe of what these people could accomplish with very rudimentary tools, especially the fine woven cloth.
Below the museum is Spruce canyon, in which Spruce Tree House sits. This is the one cliff dwelling that is open to everyone, no tours needed for this site. The downside to that is it is always crowded and it is hard to get photos without people in them.
Spruce Tree House sits in a very large, deep alcove. There are springs at the beginning of the canyon and a small stream runs down the center. It is almost a tropical environment with large trees and a lot of ground vegetation. The temperature in the cayon bottom is at least 20 degrees cooler than up on the mesa, I can see why they built here (I'd love to have a house there as well).
Spruce-Tree-House-2 by Colorado CJ, on Flickr
Spruce-Tree-House by Colorado CJ, on Flickr
As I said, the alcove that Spruce Tree House sits in is very deep. There are alleyways and buildings going all the way back into the alcove. This must have really been neat looking when it was being occupied, fires lighting the alleys between buildings.
Spruce-Tree-House-3 by Colorado CJ, on Flickr
There is one reconstructed kiva at Spruce Tree House. It is interesting to go down into and see how they once made the roof structure. For some reason the fire pit and sipapu is not present in this kiva, probably to prevent the tourists from tripping.
Kiva-at-Spruce-Tree-House by Colorado CJ, on Flickr
After visiting Spruce Tree House for a while, my brother, nephew and I headed down the trail that takes you to the bottom of the canyon. It is a nice hike, and has a good view of the canyons.
Spruce-Canyon----Mesa-Verde by Colorado CJ, on Flickr
That evening we laid in our bedrolls and watched the stars and fell asleep. I awoke in the early morning with a coyote yipping just a few feet away. He moved off after a few sniffs in the wind and I fell back asleep.
Well that's the end of the trip. I am hoping to get back out to the four corners this fall. Instead of exploring the ruins inside of parks though, I am planning on heading out to Cedar Mesa and Comb Ridge to hike into some of the lesser known areas where these cliff dwellings are very numerous and almost untouched since the Anasazi abandoned them 1000 years ago.
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