MESA VERDE NATIONAL PARK

Sadly we awake to a not so favorable weather report for the coming days. Precipitation is on the cards. We are embarking on a scenic route, one of America’s oldest and most revered, US 550, that is a mountain trail that comprises 3 passes over 10,500ft, the largest being Red Mountain at over 11,500ft. It is known as the Million Dollar Highway. This classic stretch of two-lane, no barriers road, forms a swirling ribbon through the San Juan Mountains, the wildest and most rugged peaks in the Colorado Rockies.

The origin of the “Million Dollar” name is clouded in myth. Some say it was first used after an early traveller, complaining of the vertigo-inducing steepness of the route, said, “I wouldn’t go that way again if you paid me a million dollars.” Others claim that it derives simply from the actual cost of paving the route in the 1930s. But the favourite explanation is also the most likely: when the highway was first constructed, the builders used gravel discarded by nearby gold and silver mines, only to find out later that this dirt was actually rich in ore and worth an estimated “million dollars.”

The route used primarily follows the one carved by a pioneer Polish Postie named Otto Mears. Suffice to say we are a little worried about the conditions on the road but decide to press on anyway, mad Australians. You know the saying ‘damned if you do and damned if you don’t’, well that is how the morning went. We were watching for signs of tire chains on the traffic passing us in the other direction but saw none, knowing these are not something we have on board.

As the trail got higher the rain turned into snow and it was evident by the new fall that we were the only ones going in our direction. Going at a ‘glacial pace’ we traversed this winding surface whilst to our side was a certain death drop into air. Negotiating passing a couple of snow ploughs going the other way was heart stopping to say the least. Should we press on or not is the topic of conversation.

We eventually get to the Red Mountain pass and have crossed to the other side of the mountain, putting us away from the edge for the majority of the time, and we decide we are probably over the worst, so we push on. Thank goodness we did. What an amazing road this is, dotted with a couple of pretty little tourist towns, but majority wild mountains covered in snow decorated spruce and pine with snow white ground and magnificent views. Though the view would definitely be more distant without the falling snow and low hanging clouds, what we experience is spectacular, wild and just gorgeous. It’s a good job we are a little crazy!

After two more high passes we are eventually heading down hill for the last time and into a more sedate landscape. Next stop Mesa Verdi. We reach the visitors centre about 2pm and are advised to head straight out to the Museum and the only open ruin available to visit at this time of year, Spruce House, for a 3pm guided tour. So off we go through the winding mesa to the end of the road, approximately 20miles into the park. Just in time we head off with our guide down about 100m along an easy walkway to start our learning experience of this national treasure. Along the way we learn how the cliff dwellings were largely left inaccessible with only a toe hold climb down the cliff.

The Ancestral Pueblo people, and their descendants, inhabited Mesa Verde for more than 700 years (550 A.D. to 1300 A.D.), but for the first six centuries, they primarily lived on the mesa tops. It was not until the final 75 to 100 years that they constructed and lived in the cliff dwellings for which Mesa Verde is known. It is believed that they began living beneath the cliffs to improve their shelter from the ever increasing severity of the harsh conditions in the area, or perhaps for defence though there is hardly any evidence of fighting or threat between these peoples. Basically they were suffering major drought and finding supporting themselves very hard, we are talking of communities in the thousands.

These were primarily a farming people who over these centuries moved from excellent basket weavers to sophisticated pottery craftsmen famous for their black on white designs and from pole and adobe builders into skilled stone masonry craftsmen. The canyons selected for their new abodes were the ones that had natural seep springs that could give them a small water supply, it is believed that this was only equivalent to a litre per day. Their only other water source was the river a few miles away. There is also evidence of trade with objects from other parts of the nation such as shells and turquoise and also cotton, none of which occur naturally in this area.

Spruce House, the third largest cliff dwelling (Cliff Palace and Long House are larger), was constructed between A.D. 1211 and 1278 by the ancestors of the Puebloan peoples of the Southwest. The dwelling contains about 130 rooms and 8 kivas (kee-vahs), or ceremonial chambers, built into a natural alcove measuring 216 feet (66 meters) at greatest width and 89 feet (27 meters) at its greatest depth. It is thought to have been home for about 60 to 80 people. It is an excellent example of the exceptional masonry ability of these people and shows the way they plastered the interiors in mainly yellow and pink, and also some drawn decoration.

Our guide continues to give us interesting information about these very intelligent peoples that toiled against the elements to survive. The mortality rate of the children up to 5 was 50% due, primarily, to infestation of worms caught from their domesticated animals, turkeys and dogs. Otherwise it is thought that they lived to around 35 with some evidence of 50 to 60 year olds. All our knowledge today has been gathered by study of the relics left. The date of building is concluded from the timber that is still preserved within the structures. Fortunately for us, the Puebloans used to just throw their rubbish over the edge of their cliff homes leaving us a garbage heap of knowledge. Because they did not have a written language there is some guesswork involved in concluding their politics and day-to-day community existence.

Contrary to popular belief, the Ancestral Puebloan people of Mesa Verde did not disappear. They migrated south to New Mexico and Arizona, and became today’s modern pueblo people. To conclude our time in this area we move up to the museum enjoying all the relics on display. There are no human remains as about 20 years ago these were returned to the peoples for private burial. Before the sun sets we head out to see the dwellings preserved on the top of the mesa, showing how they developed small villages of houses all in a row and also more traditional kivas. This is an amazing place of such importance in the preservation of an ancient civilization. Well done to Wetherill brothers who made their discoveries in 1888 and didn’t stop campaigning until they convinced the government to dedicate this area as a national park in 1906. In 1978 Mesa Verdi joined a select group of UNESCO World Heritage Cultural Sites. Lucky for us who get to experience this history.

Photos can be found on our Facebook page in the album COLORADO.

BLACK CANYON OF THE GUNNISON NATIONAL PARK

After a day of magnificent scenery we have twisted and turned our way into the Rocky Mountains. It is well after dark when we pull into the town of Montrose to find a hotel for the night. We read a little information about this area and discover one of the newest designated National Parks in the country, Black Canyon of the Gunnison, listed in 1999, though preserved as a National Monument since 1933.

This is an area of fantastic history and geological wonder being some of the oldest rock of North America exposed by the lifting of the Colorado Plateau, volcanic eruptions and the 2 million years of carving by the unyielding Gunnison River. We are wondering why we have not heard about it before. We decide a detour is necessary and head off to the park.

It is a short distance from Montrose and within 20 minutes we are up close and personal with one of the most magnificent views one could ever have. It is written that one cannot help but be affected and moved by ones first sight of this natural wonder, and they are right. This is a series of canyon and gorges that at their minimum plunge 2,000ft down to the ferocious Gunnison River. It is easy to understand why early explorers declared this an impenetrable area.

At the Visitor Center we meet the most enthusiastic and knowledgeable Park Ranger who begins our learning curve by showing us the best introductory movie yet. It details the history of this deep chasm cut by the raging torrents of the river. Through history, even in the lives of the Ute Indians, man had known of the canyons existence but had always left it in peace, because it was thought impossible to descend into its depths. There had been only 3 previous attempts by intrepid men risking their lives descending into these sheer cliffs from 1853 – The Gunnison Expedition, 1883 – The Bryant Expedition and 1900 – The Pelton Expedition, all only reaching the Narrows, a spot in the canyon only 40ft across and not very far into the region. In 1901 two young men, Abraham Lincoln Fellows and Will Torrence, came up with the daring plan of using inflatable rafts to traverse the waters where all others had failed. They scrambled and swam, fell and literally just through themselves into the rapids hoping to survive and pop out the other side and miraculously managed to traverse the valley floor, going where no man had ever managed to go before. Their efforts eventually lead to the building of a tunnel that transported life giving water to the Uncompahgre Valley, once a barren waste land, to become a flourishing fertile productive area, supporting many lives, in 1905.

Luckily this magnificent, jaw droppingly gorgeous, view was made accessible to the people and today we can take in the vantage points of the park to experience the wonder for ourselves. Before we head out to explore we chat with our park host about all sorts of things, his advice being invaluable for other areas we still have to come and also increasing our knowledge of those places we have been. What an amazing young man who has already experienced life as a serviceman in Afghanistan and is obviously passionate about the Park system that he now works in, having spent time in numerous parks around the country. It was a pleasure to chat with him.

On with our visit, the snow having shut some roads, we can travel the South Rim Road to see some of the most majestic vistas the park has to offer, especially enjoying the Painted Wall. This is the highest cliff in Colorado at 2250ft from river to rim. It is particularly beautiful as it is a showcase of the layers of different rocks and minerals laid down over billions of years to then be carved and eroded by the power of this river. Due to damming of the river up stream it is now only one fifth as powerful today but is still carving away at a rate of 1inch per 100 years. We are impressed by the sound of the water drifting up to us, apparently it is impossible to talk and be heard at the rivers side, something we will not experience this visit as the pathways are too dangerous to make a descent. Each lookout is made all the more beautiful by the snow highlighted north faces, punctuating all the nooks and crannies of the cliffs and gorges. This park was an unexpected jewel in our adventure, one that took the day to explore so returned to our previous nights accommodation. No forward progress made but our lives enriched by this relatively unknown park.

Photos can be found on our Facebook page in the album COLORADO.

GLACIER NATIONAL PARK – CROWN OF THE CONTINENT

So we are now in Montana and finally on the home stretch to our most talked about park. We have been asking lots of locals if they thought we would make it to Glacier before the snow cuts it off and have been so lucky with a mild Autumn. We know that the Going to the Sun road is mostly closed for the higher reaches and the complete East side, though this is due mainly to road works. The park is never completely closed but many roads become impossible to pass with the snowfalls.

We traverse through wonderful lands taking a route through the Flatheads lake area and this is just beautiful. Lakes and forest hug the West side of Glacier reaching down through the Flathead Indian Reservation. It is getting really cold but we still manage to find a camping spot right on a lake in a State Forest to end a day of traveling. We wake to the retreating mists over the water chased away by a rising sun. It is the beginning of a day full of the promise of Glacier and its treasures.

This area is often called the ‘Shining Mountains’ or the ‘Backbone of the World’, Native Indian names for this spectacular region. This is the Northern end of the mighty Rocky Mountains. As the range crosses into Canada it becomes the Waterton National Peace Park. In 1995 the Waterton-Glacier National Peace Park was designated a World Heritage Site, this meaning it is considered of significant importance to the whole world. Another interesting fact is that it is home to a very rare spot where the Continental Divide meets from three different directions, the reality being that if you poured a bucket of water in this spot it would divide and be delivered in part to the West and the Pacific, the East and the Gulf of Mexico via the Mississippi and to the North to Hudson Bay. Sadly this hike is well under snow at this time of year.

This is a land that was carved by the massive glaciers of the ice age and today much smaller glaciers work on the landscape, shifting and lifting the massive slabs of rock. Like Yellowstone there are many scientific researchers working on programs within Glacier and it is another feast of opportunity to discover so many things. Sadly it is predicted that the glaciers will cease to exist by 2020 due to the climate warming. It is really a short time in which to capture a memory of the glaciers.

We head into the visitors centre for maps and, after the advice of the ranger, head around to the East side of the park first, to take in the Many Glacier trails and Two Medicine trails, before the snow comes in the afternoon. This is about a 100 mile journey to our farthest destination and it is sad that by the time we get there the snow is already falling. One particularly gorgeous part of the journey has been closed, obviously the West side ranger was not informed of this as it was one of the highlights she advised us to see and do. We have to make the decision to retrace our steps without hiking into Many Glaciers trails. Sadly it is not going to be our chance to see the glaciers here. The snow is really falling and it is not safe to venture too far. We do call in to Two Medicine, once the main entrance to the park, and enjoy the views and a picnic here before heading back around to the more mild West side.

We head into Avalanche along the Going to the Sun road and begin a series of small trails in to the sights along this valley that is Lake McDonald. This is the largest lake in the park being 10 miles long and 500 ft deep, and is the direct result of glacier carving. We are treated to spectacular vistas of waterfalls and massive carved rocks, testament to the power of the ice.

The other amazing sight here is the evidence of the 2003 wildfire that scorched through the park. Glacier experiences on average 14 fires a year burning about 5,000 acres. The 2003 fire was more devastating taking out 145,000 acres, approximately 10% of the park. Along the North side of Lake McDonald one can see the devastation of the wonderful Alpine forest, luckily the Western Red Cedar old growth in this area was spared. Fire is essential to the park as it cleans the forests and germinates new growth but this was just a little too much all at once. Still it has provided yet another area to study as regeneration takes place.

It is evident that we were probably a little too ambitious and should have stayed this side and done more walking and less driving, a lesson for the future. Still we gave it a go and really enjoyed our day of adventure, not quite what we expected and hoped for but still amazing. It is at this point that we have had to make some other tough decisions. It was in the plan to head from the East side up into Canada to take in Banff, Lake Louise and Jasper and Rogers Pass before heading back down into the States. The forecast is for a lot more snow to fall over the coming days so we have opted to stay State side and head on toward the West coast. Our time is flying by and there is a lot more to see. Having read the posts that relate to the North of America you will have noted lots of bucket list entries. Will just have to come back again to experience so much more that this whole diverse area has to offer.

Our day is coming to an end, though it is an hour longer due to the end of daylight saving, handy. The rain has really set in and it is decided that we will head for a hotel, sadly missing a camping in the car opportunity as we try to camp a much as possible. Dry and cold is fun but everything soaked would be a little hard to sort out in Jetson. What a wonderful time we have had in this remarkable world.

This will be a changed environment in just a short time as the glaciers shrink. These incredible mountains will no longer be carved and shaped by the power of ice. Once again it will be a whole new world to study as it adapts to change. Whether you are a believer in us being the cause of Climate Change or if it is just Natures way the surest thing is that the world is changing. My thoughts are that it has always been changing and that we must adapt and embrace whatever there is to come. Because we are aware and we are intelligent beings we should be able to study and preserve and work with whatever comes. If we all just try to keep our impact to a minimum whilst still enjoying this wonderful planet, future generations will flourish. We must minimize our waste in all avenues of our life, from the packaging of our food to the resources used to power our world. Every little bit helps but it is the big industrial powers of the world that must take the responsibility. Just a little message toward the cause.

Photos can be found on our Facebook page in the album MONTANA.