IntrepidXJ's Adventure Blog

Saturday, June 11, 2011

On Saturday morning I got up a little earlier than Amanda and headed out to try and get a photo of Fajada Butte at sunrise (since they don’t open the gates to the main park until 7am). When I arrived there were some nice clouds behind the butte, but they cleared out before the sun finally came up.

Fajada Butte

Early morning sunlight on Fajada Butte.

Once the sun was up, I made my way back to camp and found that Amanda was awake and ready to go. We had a little breakfast and then went into the park just after 7am. We wanted to get an early start since we were going to hike the longest backcountry trail in the park to Penasco Blanco….and we wanted to do it before it got really hot out. Along the way we took the Petroglyph Loop trail and searched the sandstone walls for petroglyphs. We ended up finding quite a few.

Sheep Designs

A well defined sheep petroglyph overlooks some faded designs that are rather unique. I see the heads of two sheep below the designs facing each other, too.

Sheep & Pictograph

A bighorn sheep petroglyph with some more recent scratchings. Above the sheep is a faint pictograph that might represent a rain cloud?

Spiral Serpent

A spiral with a head…plus some more recent scratchings.

Curly Tail Sheep

This one was located high above and hidden. I would have missed it if Amanda hadn’t spotted it!

Chaco High Panel

My favorite petroglyphs along the loop…also located high above us.

Lizard Men Panel

The last panel along the loop trail.

After finishing the loop, we continued on and eventually crossed Chaco Wash. Once on the other side we reached my main destination for hiking this trail; The Supernova Pictograph.

1054 Supernova Pictograph

Some believe that this pictograph in Chaco Canyon represents the supernova that created the Crab Nebula on July 4, 1054.

Shield & Claws?

After passing the Supernova Pictographs there’s another .8 miles until you reach Penasco Blanco. Along the way we passed a large boulder that had this large shield-like petroglyphs on it. Maybe it is more recent as I’ve not seen anything like it before, but I don’t know? I do know I saw some similar claw-like hand petroglyphs near the campground, too…

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Friday, June 10, 2011

Amanda found out pretty last minute that she was going to have a three day weekend from work and she wanted to go somewhere new. I gave her a couple of suggestions for places I wanted to get to this year that we had not been to yet, and she agreed that we should head down to Chaco Culture National Historic Park (just rolls off the tongue, doesn’t it?) for the weekend. I quickly secured that Friday off from work and our weekend plans were made!

Bright and early on Friday morning we finished loading up the Jeep and headed south. As we drove through the San Juan Moutains over Red Mountain Pass, we got to see how much snow was still up there. It didn’t look like any of our favorite Jeep roads would be opening anytime soon. Between Silverton and Durango they were chip-sealing the road and a vehicle in front of me picked up a rock and cracked the windshield on my Jeep. It started to spread right away and was beyond repairing before we even reached New Mexico. A nice way to start the trip….but just the beginning!

Shortly after crossing the state line into New Mexico we made a stop at Aztec Ruins National Monument. This was just a quick stop for us since it was on the way to Chaco. We walked the short path around the Monument, snapped a couple of pictures, grabbed some lunch in town and then were back on the road to Chaco. The most interesting part of Aztec Ruins was The West Ruin Great Kiva, which Earl Morris excavated in 1921 and then rebuilt in 1934. It’s the largest rebuilt kiva in North America.

Aztec Kiva

A view inside The Great Kiva.

Aztec Kiva Ceiling

The reconstructed ceiling of The Great Kiva.

After driving the very washboarded road to Chaco, we found an open campsite in the Gallo Campground and got ready to setup our camp for the next two nights. When I stepped out of my Jeep, I saw that one of my back tires was almost flat and losing air quickly. I knew I needed new tires pretty soon, but I thought I could get by for a few more weeks…..apparently I was wrong. The tire was actually cracked between the almost non-existant lugs and was losing air from there. Before we setup camp, I had to change the tire to the spare. I knew that when I arrived back at home, I would be buying a new windshield and some new tires…..this was turning out to be an expensive weekend! 😉

Once camp was finally setup we stopped by the Visitor Center to speak to the ranger and get acquainted with the park. Before the day was through we had visited Una Vida, Chetro Ketl and Pueblo Bonito. I also searched out some petroglyphs near our campsite and above Una Vida.

Little Guy

A small pictograph at ground level near our campsite….hidden behind a small ruin.

Faint Boulder Glyphs

A boulder near our camp that had some petroglyphs on it.

Una Vida Petroglyphs

Closer to sunset I hiked up to the Una Vida petroglyphs to get some shots with the late evening sunlight on them.

Turkey Over Chaco

A bird-like petroglyph that looks like a turkey watches over Chaco Canyon and Fajada Butte as the sun gets ready to drop below the horizon.

Steps & Doors

A black & white doorway shot in Pueblo Bonito

Sun-Lit Walls

A view from inside Pueblo Bonito during sunset.

Supported Wall

The tallest wall at Pueblo Bonito still standing, with the supports to help keep it that way.

Bonito Last Glow

The sun lights up the top of Pueblo Bonito and the clouds above in Chaco Canyon.

After it was dark out, we headed back near the Visitor Center to check out the Night Sky Program where we listened to a talk from Ruth Van Dyke. Unfortunately, clouds had rolled in after sunset so there was not much to see in the sky. We headed back to camp early and went to bed since we would be getting an early start on Saturday.

Saturday to be continued…

Sunday, May 29, 2011

On my way home from the Comb Ridge area I decided to make an unplanned stop and hike up Stearns Wash in search of some petroglyphs. I had read that there were petroglyphs somewhere along Stearns Wash but I had no idea where. I figured I would just hike up the wash and would hopefully find them. Luckily, early in my hike I picked out a spot ahead of me that I thought looked like it might be a good place to search. Once I found the way there I was pleasantly surprised to find that I had chosen well 🙂

There were a bunch of petroglyphs located at this site, many of them bighorn sheep, but most of them were pretty faint and didn’t photograph too well. Here’s some of the better photos I was able to take at this site.

Sheep Line

This was the first set of petroglyphs I came across that let me know I was at the right place.

Faded Anthropomorph

An outline of a pretty large anthropomorphic figure.

Another Stearns Sheep

One of the ‘more visible’ sheep petroglyphs at the site.

Not quite sure what is going on in this panel…..very unusual.

Sheep in a Line

A line of bighorn sheep.

Faint Outline

Another outline of an anthropomorph with a large bighorn sheep.

Stearns Wash Sheep

The biggest bighorn petroglyph I found.

Convent in the Dust

Just a little nearby scenery….still plenty of dust in the air from all the wind.

After exploring the area I headed back to my Jeep and then back home.

Check out my other posts in the Moab Area Rock Art Series:

Moab Area Rock Art I | Colorado River Gorge / Golf Course / Kane Creek
Moab Area Rock Art II | Kane Creek Canyon & Potash Road
Moab Area Rock Art III | Mill Creek Canyon / Kane Creek / Bartlett Panel
Moab Area Rock Art IV | The Secret Grotto & More
Moab Area Rock Art V | Hidden Valley & Behind the Rocks
Moab Area Rock Art VI | Yellow Comet Alcove
Moab Area Rock Art VII | Solstice Snake
Moab Area Rock Art VIII | Dark Angel Petroglyphs
Moab Area Rock Art IX | Mill Creek Canyon
Moab Area Rock Art X | Stearns Wash

Memorial Day Weekend, Sunday, May 29, 2011

After a very windy night, I was up early and on my way south down the Comb Wash Road. I crossed through the Comb on US 163 and drove to the trailhead for Lower Butler Wash. I descended down the old wagon road on foot and made my way towards the San Juan River through the thick vegetation. Once I neared the river, I started to come across some rock art.

Connected Circles

At the first large alcove I explored I found this unique petroglyph. I’m not sure what it might represent….any ideas?

Hello

This ‘lizard-like’ stick figure was nearby, too.

Hard to See

Once I reached the mouth of Butler Wash along the San Juan River I came across a bunch of petroglyphs. Many of them were hard to see like this panel, though.

Rider Over the San Juan

A rider and bighorn above the San Juan River.

Man On Shoulder

Here’s one of the larger basketmaker-style anthropomorphs. Even though it’s still hard to make out, it’s a pretty cool petroglyph and it appears there is a smaller figure on it’s shoulder.

Stand Up Riders Wide

Here’s a couple of riders that are standing up on the backs of the animals.

Triangle Man with Small Head

Just a triangle-shaped anthropomorph with a small head.

On the Ledge

Another very abstract figure that has a stick-figure person within.

While I was searching the area for rock art the wind had really started to pickup….I especially noticed it as I hiked out of the canyon on the old wagon road. Once back at the Jeep I crossed the highway again so that I could visit the Wolfman Panel since it has been a few years since I was here last.

Wolfman Panel Vertical

Looking up at a portion of the Wolfman Panel

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Memorial Day Weekend, Saturday, May 28, 2011

Amanda and I have a little tradition of heading down to Comb Ridge and Cedar Mesa for the Memorial Day weekend. In the past she has had no trouble getting the weekend off from work, but unfortunately she was unable to get it off again this year. I had invited a friend or two to join me, but neither of them were able to make it down this weekend. That meant I would be heading down by myself.

After driving down through Moab, Monticello and Blanding , I setup my camp in Comb Wash and got ready to start my first hike into Lower Fish Creek Canyon.

Hands Through Ruin

After finding my way into the canyon from the new trailhead (the BLM has closed a few roads in the area recently), I soon stopped at the first set of ruins I came across. There are a few faint reverse handprints on the ceiling above the ruin.

First Ruins

A closer look at the first set of ruins.

Hands Around a Crack

Reverse Handprints Ruin

After hiking just a little further up-canyon I came across the set of ruins I was most looking forward to visiting on this hike.

Great Hands

Here’s a close look that the very well-preserved reverse handprints above the ruin. Very cool!

Left & Right

Broken Pottery

I normally don’t take photos of potsherds anymore, unless they are very unique, but something about this pile interested me enough to stop and take a photo…

Square Head Snake

Here’s a snake pictograph with what appears to be a square head, or maybe just a square in front of the snake….

Lonely Window

Still further up the canyon I found a small granary hidden in an alcove a little above the canyon. Not much left but this wall with the opening.

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