Colorado

From Seedskadee I went around the flaming gorge and into Dinosaur National Monument. As a child all my science projects were about Dinosaurs. During the Jurassic period, the area was the delta of an ancient river. Many different dinosaur carcasses were washed down the river and deposited in this area. Thus, a dense variety of dinosaur remains were discovered. This river It was nice to see the magnificent collections collected in the ancient riverbeds. From there, I entered Colorado via Browns Park National Wildlife Refuge. Documentation of people living in Browns Park goes back to the mid 1600s. Butch Cassidy, Davy Crocket, and Kit Carson are some familiar western names, but along with them and before them the UTE, Shoshone, and Comanche all used this land.

Black Canyon of the Gunnison

Just for fun, imagine yourself traveler trying to make it from one side of the US to the other. There were great plains, high mountains, rivers, and this The Black Canyon of the Gunnison. The only choice: Go around. IT’s a 2500 foot drop almost straight down. Those people wishing to descend need mountaineering equipment. The South Rim is where most people visit. There is a fine visitor center, facilities, and paved roads along various lookouts. Far fewer people visit the North Rim. Aside from a long drive with poor signage, the roads become dirt and the people are few and far in between. There is a small campground that accommodates 15 sites. I strongly recommend the North Rim. Of course if you fear heights, this is not the place for you.

If you look closely enough you will see some pine trees across the canyon to help with scale of size and depth.

A Black Bear surprised me as I went along the North Rim path. Just down the road a couple was BBQing breakfast, which I’m sure enticed this young bear out of hiding

Mesa Verde National Park

Both a National Park and an UNESCO World Heritage site Mesa Verde is a must see.

One snowy December day in 1888, two cowboys from nearby Mancos chanced upon Cliff Palace while they were out herding cattle. Richard Wetherill and his brother-in-law, Carlie Mason, emerged from the dense pinyon-juniper forest at the edge of the canyon. Through a veil of blowing snow they observed what they said looked like “a magnificent city” in the cliffs across the canyon. After news of their ‘discovery’ spread, other people, including Richard’s brother Al, stepped forward and claimed to have seen it earlier. Others, including the Ute Indians whose reservation then included Cliff Palace, did know about the site and its location, but it was the Wetherill family who made it famous by excavating the site and escorting visitors to see the ancient city….

Mesa Verde National Park Brochure

In 1906 Mesa Verde became a National Park.

The Pueblo people were advance and ahead of their time in many ways. With over 70 structures scattered in the plateaus of the Southwest, they used quartzite hammers, mortar and plaster. The dwellings were also painted in vibrant colors. These were built primarily between 1100-1300 well ahead of the Spanish Conquistadors that travelled northward from Mexico. They used agricultural techniques to harvest maize and squash. Milling techniques and storage to plan for times when food was scarce. Advanced culture, language, religion, and civic organization, along with their technology made them an advanced civilization by any standard.

Where did they go was an unanswered mystery I was told a long time ago. Now we now they migrated and dispersed. Their archetechual style lives on throughout the southwest. As does their langue which is the foundation of: Zuni, Tanoan, Keresan, Hopi (Uto-Aztecan), Navajo.

It was a powerful site to visit. I didn’t stop with visiting the major sites, but took a 4 mile hike along the Paiute Trail. This was incredible as it gives a sense of what challenges people living off the land would encounter.

Early Civilization Timeline

Boulder – Estes Park – Rocky Mountain National Park

I had hiked the Sierra’s, the Cascades, the Olympics, and White Mountains, it was time to really push myself. I acclimated by hiking the UTE trail at 11,000 feet and spending the day at the Fall River Pass area watching Elk, Marmots, Pipits, and other high altitude wildlife interact with the throngs of people who stayed within 100 yards of their car. My plan was to hike the continental divide trail. This sign appeared as I elevated beyond the alpine region and gave me pause to think. The ranger told me 3 people had died this season so far (and 23 in the greater Rocky Mountain Area).

My pack was heavy, I was tired, and I hadn’t slept well in a few nights. I reached the top of Flattop Mountain in the late morning (I had been hiking since 5am). Storms were forecast and I needed to clear the exposed mountaintop before they arrived. As I reached the top my I became foggy. I couldn’t concentrate. I reached the fork and it said one of the trails was closed. I couldn’t figure out how I was supposed to do a loop of one portion of the trail was closed. I was having trouble reading my map. So I decided to go back. I at least wanted to see a ptarmigan and spend another 30 minutes scanning for one. Unsuccessful and feeling dejected, I put my binoculars down to start my decent. And there, just 1 meter from my feet, was a ptarmigan. I couldn’t believe my luck, it was an omen that I was supposed to return. And then I saw a brown capped rosy finch, a bird endemic to Colorado and New Mexico’s high Altitude regions. It is also listed as endangered (IUCN Red List). Although I was disappointed in not being able to complete my hike, I was happy to have seen and experienced what I did.

A white tailed ptarmigan was so cooperative and let me take a dozen snaps.

A brown capped Rosy finch (IUCN Red List)

A bull American Elk owns a picnic site in Bear Lake area.

A black tailed prairie dog on the Boblink Trail

Colorful Bulluck’s Orioles fill the trees in Barr Lake Wildlife Refuge

A prairie dog in the Bluestem Open Space preserve

Marmots are cute. They also strike me as Zen creatures. They were never really bothered by me and went about their business. By far one of my favorite memories of these lovable creatures was a marmot looking out over the mountains as royalty surveys their domain.

These experiences and sights were amazing. But to top it off I got to spends some quality time with my Cousin in Durango and Friends in Taos and Boulder. Connecting with friends and family after more than decades apart was most rewarding.