We had a great day on Sunday, Oct. 16, at Mesa Verde National Park. The one-hour drive to get there took us to 8,752′ – the highest point on one of the mesas. We are almost 3,000′ above the valley below, and the far (and very faint) mountain range in the middle of the picture is 90 miles away.
We purchased tickets for a ranger-led climb down to the Balcony House. After climbing down stairs and a long downhill pathway, we had to climb this 32′ wooden ladder (below) to get back up to the cliff dwelling. The rock above the dwelling is sandstone. The dwelling itself is built on shale. Water is life, and water can flow through the sandstone and collect in pools where the rock changes to shale. Cliff dwellings are built where there is both shelter and water!
The pic below is is the first area we entered, and is the area behind the top wall of the picture above. Each of the four rooms at the back has only one small door to enter.
Both pictures, above and below, look at the second area, with additional apartments and the two 15′ deep, round kivas, where fires were built for warmth and community discussions occurred. Note: Sue took the above picture, while looking through the small square hole in the wall you see in the pic below!
Then it was a long climb to get back up to the parking lot. First, scampering though the original (and only) entry to the pueblo, a very small 15″ wide opening, followed by climbing two very long wooden ladders fixed to the side of the cliff with a 600′ drop to the canyon. Lastly, we had to ascend steep stairs cut into the mountain in order to get back to the parking lot. Here is Sue approaching the top! Way to go, Sue!!!
