Saturday 24 May
Trip Start
Apr 13, 2008
1
47
155
Trip End
Oct 27, 2008
Cortez,
Colorado,
United States
Monday, June 9, 2008
It snowed overnight! We are very high up here- well over 7000ft so its not surprising really!
We got going quickly as we wanted to make the long climb up to Mesa Verde early. I was worried about the road being icy but there was no ice and it was quite sunny. It is a very long way up from the park entrance to the top of the Mesa so we didn't arrive until 10.
We had to book 2 of the tours as they are ranger-led tours only due to the difficult access to the sites and also the fragility of the ruins. We were happy to pay as we knew we would get maximum benefit from all the knowledge of the rangers. We were right as they were both excellent.
If you have never heard of Mesa Verde then it is somewhere you should go if you are ever coming to the States
Z doing dinner
. It is a remarkable place. The Puebloan Indians built sandstone-block houses into the side of the cliffs way up high under the flat tops( the Mesa ). They built these communities in naturally eroded under-cut areas of sandstone that form a sort of arch way in the side of the cliff and what makes them so remarkable is the sheer height of them from the canyon floor. There are several different sites at this place which all have difficult access except one which has a paved trail leading down to it. The others require you to climb 10 foot ladders, squeeze between rocks, crawl through tunnels etc and up and down steep steps. All of this is completely worthwhile just to see these amazing remains.The kids completed another Junior ranger Certificate which was great as they had to concentrate and think about the things they were looking at. We visited the museum too which was very informative for us and the kids.
After Holly and Zach had pledged their promises to keep all National Parks clean and tidy, held their hands up with the Ranger, answered a few more questions they received their JR badges and their certificate.... All very serious stuff!
We finally left about 5 pm and wound our way back down the hill and East of Cortez where Steve found another Nat. Park spot for us to free camp. It was idyllic, right by a stream in the trees. Zach and Holly enjoyed making boats and testing them in the stream which was entertaining until tea time . We all went to bed very tired after our adventurous day.
