#17 Mesa Verde: I Never Knew You

North America » United States » Colorado » Mesa Verde National Park
September 12th 2010

Published: September 13th 2010

September 6-8: Why do we make the choices we make? Sometimes by logic, perhaps more often by “feel”. Sometimes our lives are fairly routine and there seem to be few choices to ponder beyond the groceries. On this trip we're making choices constantly, such is the butterfly life. In 1960, when I was 12, our whole family piled in the blue Dodge sedan and off we went to California! (from Massach... Read Full Entry

Photos are below

Photos: 35, Displayed: 21

I took lots more! Deer in our neighborhood is new for us, though I suspect my sisters could do with fewer in theirs.

Cliff Palace from the viewing platform

Cliff palace may have been home to lots of people, or it may have been "downtown" and a ceremonial center.

The environment of the cliff dwellings

Where the dwellings are, there are steep cliffs with drops way down.

A telephoto view across the valley

Many of the dwellings were much smaller, like this one, perhaps for single families.

Entering Cliff Palace

You have to be on a ranger-led tour to enter Cliff Palace.

Not just bricks

Some of the masonry incorporated large rocks.

Lots of interest

The tours moved through like clockwork. But our ranger reminded us to be respectful and imagine that the people who had lived there in the past could still see us walking through their home.

Our Ranger Bill

Standing around a large Kiva, Bill was willing to answer lots of questions.

View from the plaza of Balcony House

A room with a view, for sure.

Balcony House

Balcony House couldn't be seen from above because it's built in a (defensive?) position beneath the cliff top. It's the hardest tour, involving climbing a 32 ft ladder--climbing this was one of the hardest things I ever did--my legs and arms were trembling as I neared the top and it took me minutes to stop shaking.

Also a crawl through a 12 ft tunnel

Phil's ok with heights, but he can feel claustrophobic. Balcony House challenged us both

But he made it out with a smile.

Then I saw the 64 foot climb OUT OF THERE. I admit to some expletives at this point. It involved two more cliff ladders and some rock steps.

13th September 2010

Norma
non-member comment

Wonderful!
This is amazingly wonderful. It made me want to cry! I do not know why? A forgotten people? So much skill! Thank you for sharing it with us. Imagine did n't even know about it. Norma

13th September 2010

Michelle Cavanagh
non-member comment

Montezuma Castle National Monument
On our 2001 trip we didn't actually get to Camp Verde but we did get to Montezuma Castle National Monument which is close by. The cliff dwellings at Montezuma were built by the Pre-Columbian Sinagua people around 700 AD with the last known occupation around 1425 AD. Several Hopi clans trace their roots to immigrants from the Montezuma Castle/Beaver Creek area. Possibly you are headed that way since it's so close. Thanks for these fabulous pictures and stories - the more you see places like this the more you realise that those who lived in the long gone past were not so far removed from us as all the talk of modernity would have us believe. M xx

13th September 2010

Philip The Younger
non-member comment

Mesa Verde
Looks just like it did in 1975. Awesome, especially if one is into masonry. Thanks for the memory-refreshing tour. Your travelogue saves the rest of us petrol money. Love, PTY

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#17 Mesa Verde: I Never Knew You

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