Despite of what the date in the header says we were actually in Mesa Verde on June 23rd, 2015.
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We left Gunnison and drove to Cortez, Colorado. This is the closest Passport America campground to Mesa Verde at about 8 miles to the entrance of Mesa Verde so not too bad.
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| La Mesa RV Park |
We decided to drive to the Park to decide what and when we would do the tours. As you know I have severe acrophobia so this is something that really pushing my boundaries.
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| Mesa Verde National Park |
The cliff dwellings are quite a few miles into the park but the visitor center is right at the beginning so you can make decisions and book the tours for the upcoming days without driving very many miles. You can see the Mesa Verde (Green Table) behind the Visitor Center in this Picture.
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| Mesa Verde Visitor Center |
There are three Ranger led tours you can do.
1. Cliff Palace Tour
2. Long House Tour
3. Balcony House Tour
After talking to the Ranger in the Visitor Center, she convinced me that I could do the Cliff Palace and the Long House, but might have problems with the Balcony House.
We decided to book the two she recommended and also do a self guided Spruce Tree House tour.
Physically I was able to do all of them, but do understand that when it comes to heights I am just plain NUTS! I wish I was not! I keep trying not to be! I have tried bungy jumping, I ride roller coasters, I even have done zip line tours in Big Bear with my son Matthew. It really disturbs me that I can't beat this, but at almost 60, it just is what it is! I will continue to enjoy life and try to push to the limit, but my limit is not as far as Patty's when it comes to heights. LOL!
The next morning we drove to Cliff Palace.
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| Cliff Palace Staging Area |
Cliff Palace is the largest cliff dwelling in North America. It is spectacular! It is also a long way down....and up! LOL!
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| Cliff Palace |
These stairs are build into the rock. They are very uneven, and most do not have hand rails. These do, but were built for 5' people, not 6'1" people!
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| Stairs Down |
The amazing thing is that the Ancestral Puebloans that built these dwellings free climbed or built wooden ladders to get around here.
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| Cliff Palace Stairs |
After we got down we stopped to get our breath and to listen to the Ranger explain the history of the cliff dwellings and the Ancestral Puebloans. Ancestral Puebloans is what the Native Americans from this area prefer to be called.
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| Ranger Talk |
As he was finishing his talk from this location he pointed across the dwellings and pointed up to some ladders. He told us that they were the way we were going to be climbing out of the canyon!!!
WHAT!!???!!!!??!! Really!! I guess I'll deal with that when the time comes, don't look down Brian!!
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| The Way Out! |
We are finally here. Cliff Palace was constructed primarily out of sandstone, mortar and wooden beams. The sandstone was shaped using harder stones, and a mortar of soil, water and ash was used to hold everything together. Cliff Palace contains 23 kivas (round sunken rooms of ceremonial importance), and 150 rooms and had a population of approximately 100 people.
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| Cliff Palace |
Patty walked across this Kiva, I did not. It is just amazing that this is about 900 years old. (The Kiva, not the wood plank across it).
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| Walking across a Kiva |
The wood beams are original so are also 900 years old and still holding up.
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| 900 Year Old Wood |
Looks like a Palace Tower. Must be how it got it's name.
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| Palace Towers |
Notice where the
RED Arrow is pointing. That is the way we climb out of Cliff Palace.
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| Climb Out |
Here is a close up of the ladders. We took this from the other side of the canyon.
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| Closeup of Ladders |
And here are the stairs leading to the ladders. There are no hand holds here!
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| Stairs leading to Ladders |
Yep, this is the way out!
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| Stairs Out |
Just use the boulders for balance.
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| Continue Out |
When you get here, you are almost out, just don't look down. I'm surprised they allow people to do this! But I'm glad you can!
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| Almost Out |
Made it!
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| Survived! |
We were so happy we did this even though it was very uncomfortable for me. Patty had no problem as heights don't bother her at all!
We next went to the Spruce Tree House which is a self guided tour and not any climbing. Just a 1/4 mile 100 foot decent on a paved trail and then of course climb back out.
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| Spruce Tree Trail |
Spruce Tree House is the third-largest village, within several hundred feet of a spring, and had 130 rooms and eight kivas. It was constructed sometime between 1211 and 1278. It is believed anywhere from 60 to 80 people lived there at one time.
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| Spruce Tree House |
You can walk right into the Spruce Tree House. Here we are walking around the Kivas.
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| Kivas |
Walking among the rooms.
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| Many Rooms |
Mesa Verde is a great example of Cliff Dwellings that you can actually climb down/up to. It is soooo worth your visit. Ranger led tours are only $4.00 per person. The next blog will be about the Long House Tour.
Hope to see you then.
Please continue to pray for Avery Huffman!
Love you all,
God Bless you,
Brian and Patty
