Brian & Patty's Awesome Adventure!

Thursday, May 08, 2014

Walnut Canyon National Monument

Monday we had a big day planned with a long drive. Total round trip mileage would be over 200 miles. Because of this I'm going to break Monday into two parts.

Our first stop would be Walnut Canyon National Monument near Flagstaff, Az. When we were in Cottonwood four years ago with Scott and Terri Blankenbiller, Scott had wanted to come to Walnut Canyon. Unfortunately a huge boulder the size a car fell on the Island Trail forcing them to close it.

Walnut Canyon

This year they are working on the Island Trail. It is normally a one mile loop trail. You have to go down 240 steps 185 feet and then there are some more steps maybe 5 and then 12 at a time but not much. Because they are working on the trail when you get to the end of the cliff dwellings you have to turn around and repeat the trail. Instead of a 1 mile trail it is probably about 1 3/4 a mile. The problem is not the length of the trail, it is going back up the 240 plus steps at 7000 foot elevation!

Island Trail

They definitely warn you about the hike out! We got our cardio on Monday but it was well worth it! And this was just the first site of the day!

Caution!

We continued down the trail and we came to stairs. Lots of stairs!

Stairs

The stairs just kept coming. This is like walking up and down an eighteen story building! Plus there were more stairs later on the trail!

And more stairs!

I was concerned that with my acrophobia this would be a problem. After you finish the stairs you are walking on a narrow trail on the side of a cliff. I called the day before and they assured me there was a railing the whole way down for the stairs (there was), and railing wherever the trail was narrow (there wasn't). It turned out I was OK. You can see the trail continuing between the rocks.

Trail

Whenever someone else would come up the trail I would just hug the rock side of the trail. LOL

Trail to the Cliff dwellings

This is the first dwelling we came to. Unfortunately before this became protected people would hike here and take artifacts for themselves and ruined this particular room.

Patty in Dwelling

We continued on the trail and found more Sinagua dwellings.

More Rooms

These dwellings were across the canyon from us. The Sinagua could not have been afraid of heights to live here! Can you imagine how they were able to get in and out of there houses?

Cliff Dwellings

You were allowed to enter some of the dwellings, some you were not. Can you imagine that these are 900 years old? Wow!

Brian in Dwelling

You can see here the new trail they are constructing. We were able to walk on this, but just after the last dwelling they had it roped off and you had to turn around and backtrack instead of completing the loop. You can see more stairs here.

New Trail

When we got to the end of the trail we took a picture of the visitor center. This is where we have to hike back up to. You can see it on the top of the mountain in the middle of the picture.

Visitor Center

We have arrived at the bottom of the large flight of steps. This slab of cement was waiting to warn you!

Easy does it!

Normally I would say that's it for today, but we continued to the Sunset Crater National Monument. Continue with us to that adventure!

Love you,

Brian and Patty

Sunday, May 04, 2014

Palatki and Honanki Ruins

Last year when we were in Albuquerque, New Mexico we hiked up a hill to see some petroglyphs. The ranger said the trail was smooth and paved all the way to the top. This turned out not to be correct. Some places had handrails, some did not. With my acrophobia this sometimes is a problem. Usually if I have somewhere to hold on to I am OK.

When we got back to the bottom of the hill we met a nice older couple who had a real nice set of hiking poles. They shared with us that in situations that are severely uneven or rocky they really help balance, kind of like a portable handrail. We decided to purchase some.

We found that high quality ones were $75.00-80.00 each and are hand specific. You can buy them as pair for about $95.00-$100.00. Since I am a lefty and Patty is a righty that seemed like the way to go! I found that Black Diamond Trail Shock Trekking Poles were some of the best available and I found them mail order $80.00 for the pair delivered. They are fully adjustable so they work for both Patty and me.

Trail Shock Poles

We had them sent to Crystal and James' house so we had not been able to use them yet.

On Thursday we went to the Palatki and Honanki Ruins.

The road to Palatki is about seven miles of washboard gravel. The views are spectacular!

Road to Palatki

When you arrive there is a visitor center. They advise you to use walking sticks because the trail is very uneven. They even have loaner wooden sticks to use.

Palatki Ruins

This was our chance to use our high tech ones for the first time.

Using the Trekking Poles

There were two trails. One to the Ruins and one to the Pictographs. Combined they were about 1 1/2 miles total. The Ruins trail was rated as difficult and the Pictograph trail was easy.

Trail to the ruins

Patty felt she could have made the trail without the poles but she would have been crawling on her knees. I don't believe I could have made it without them.

Trail to Palatki Ruins

The thing is that you are on the side of a cliff. It so helped me to have something to steady myself with!

Trail

We finally arrived at the ruins.

Careful - Unstable!

It's pretty amazing that these still exist. These were not excavated but were found just as you see them. These as all the other dwellings are from the Sinagua Indians from 1100-1400 AD.

Palatki Dwelling

This is the view the Sinagua had from their cliff dwelling! Beautifull!

Palatki View

We headed back down the same trail. At the bottom there is a sign that directs you to the much easier Pictograph trail.

Pictograph Trail

This cactus flower was on the Pictograph trail. Although it was still an uphill climb, it was pretty smooth and very easy to hike.

Blooming Cactus

Here are the Palatki Pictographs. Earlier we showed you the V-Bar-V Petroglyphs. The difference is that the Pictographs are painted pictures and the Petroglyphs are chiseled pictures.

Palatki Pictographs

We walked back down the trail and drove about 1 1/2 miles before taking a sharp right. The road got much narrower and windier. It also became much rockier. I would not want to take a car on this road. Five miles later we got to the Honanki Ruins site.

Honanki Ruin Site

The trail was a 3/4 mile loop. Going to the ruins the trail was very easy.

Honanki Trail

You could see the ruins from a distance. The trail would run right by the ruins and then circle back.

Honanki Ruins

Most of the Sinagua Dwellings were built under rock overhangs. This one is no exception.

Ruins

There were probably 20-30 different rooms here. It is amazing how much there is to see around the Cottonwood area!

Sinagua apartments

On the way back down the trail got a little rough, but still nothing like Palatki. There were a few spots like you see below, but then it leveled out and it was good to go!