My wife Margie and I did something new for Thanksgiving this year. The traditional gathering of family and friends was not possible; so we planned a trip to New Mexico. We were going to be alone for the week rather than cooking and baking, eating, chatting and laughing with our family. It was a different plan but we were excited to try something new. Santa Fe was our destination.
I love getting away because time away from home is relaxing and Santa Fe is a great place to relax, eat good food and enjoy nature. Vacation always creates lots of free time because you don’t need to run errands, do laundry, clean the garage or tend to adventure equipment repairs.
Instead, we planned some hiking adventures. Margie loves good exercise so we planned to get outside and see some of the more interesting sites around Santa Fe.
Our first stop was Tent Rocks, a uniquely eroded rock structure formed from volcanic ash laid down over six million years ago. Originally more than a thousand feet thick, the area has been reduced dramatically over time, forming cones of compacted ash and pumice. It is difficult to imagine the volcanic activity necessary to produce a thousand feet of ash and pumice. Most Alaskan towns, with their nearby volcanoes, would be crushed by as much as a 8-10 inches of ash. To think that this ash was up to 1000 feet high is overwhelming.
From a distance, Tent Rocks looks like an interesting formation of steep sand dunes on the edge of the foothills north of Albuquerque. As you walk closer, the cones appear to be composed of sand and small rock that has been compressed into a solid mass. It wouldn't take much work to carve a groove or depression into the hardened sand dunes. In fact, it would appear by looking at it that you could scoop a handful out with ease; but the rock is very coarse and rough to the touch, much like 40 grit sandpaper.
Our walk was easy and the evening sun cast long shadows across the cones of ancient volcanic ash. The sky was clear and crisp and we had to keep moving to stay warm as the late fall New Mexico sun slowly set behind the mountains.
The far end of the main trail loop revealed an ancient man-made cliff dwelling. The cavate - that's what they call these small excavated caves - was easily accessed with a great view of the Sandia Mountain area to the southeast. These dwellings are abundant across this area of New Mexico as the volcanic ash was laid down over a broad area of central New Mexico. We were going to see many more of these cavates in Bandelier. After an hour of hiking around Tent Rocks we were back to our truck and on to Santa Fe.
Santa Fe food, shopping and museums are great acclimatization activities. I often think that on vacation we are either eating or going to eat. And the eating in Santa Fe is unmatched.
After two days of shopping and eating we set out early in the morning for Los Alamos and the Bandelier National Monument. It being the day before Thanksgiving, I anticipated a very quiet hike. Sure enough, the entrance gate was unmanned and the parking lot was near empty. Inside the visitors center we chatted up the park rangers/archaeologists about the history of Bandelier, Chaco Canyon and Mesa Verde, the other ancient sites in this region of the country. They shared some great information and their research findings with us.
Apparently, the Navajo do not consider Bandelier to be an Anasazi site as they do Chaco Canyon and Mesa Verde. Anasazi, or “Ancient ones”, are thought to be the ancestors of the Pueblo Indians but there is no known link. However, the Puebloan ancestors were at the Bandelier site dating back to 1150 AD.
Frijole Canyon is the site on which Bandelier was built. Frijole creek, or “bean creek” is a small but reliable source of water. Many artifacts dating back over 10,000 years have been found in the canyon and along the creek. Pot shards and stone tools have been found near the creek and on the monument site.
Bandelier, while not as advanced a settlement as Chaco Canyon or Mesa Verde, is a remarkable place. There is a pueblo made of rock on the canyon floor as well as cave dwellings in the canyon wall. The village site contains three kivas and 245 rooms for living and storing food. Kivas are underground rooms found in canyon floors as well as in many cliff dwelling locations. Their purpose is not fully understood but could have been ceremonial or sheltered areas during cold seasons. The village rooms are extremely small but only by today’s standards.
The cavate ceilings are covered with soot that was apparently intentional in order to prevent the crumbly volcanic rock from continually accumulating on the cave floor. These cavate dwellings on the South side of the canyon were great winter quarters when they would receive significant sunshine. As a matter of fact, the dwellings are generally 12 degrees warmer than the canyon floor structures that were better suited for summer living.
Cavates are even smaller than the canyon village rooms accessed by ladder and with spectacular views of Frijole canyon floor and village. The caves were sometimes fronted with wooden and stone structures attached to the canyon wall by poles secured in holes drilled out of the soft rock face. Perhaps there were coverings for the main entrances because often there is what appears to be a venting hole above the door entrance.
Petroglyphs are painted and carved all over the South facing canyon wall where the cavates and attached structures are located. Birds, human figures, crosses, spirals and many other features are easily observable and distinct. There is even a large bird symbol that looks like a macaw or parrot.
I'm not sure how the meanings of the petroglyphs were determined but I assume that Pueblo symbols and history provide some clue.
One last stop on the mile long trail was the Alcove House, a large protected cliff dwelling with kiva that requires several tall wooden ladders to gain access. These ladders are not for the faint of heart. The view from the Alcove House is beautiful with views up the canyon to the west.
There are opportunities for backpacking and more adventurous activities in Frijole canyon and the other canyons near Bandelier, but a day visit is not too strenuous if you opt to bypass the ladders that take you to the Alcove House.
My son and I visited another of the Anasazi sites, Mesa Verde in Southwestern Colorado, a few years back and were amazed at the cliff dwellings and restored kivas. A visit to Mesa Verde requires a long and beautiful drive but I recommend it to anyone interested in how people lived a thousand years ago. It's a beautiful location that provides direct access to the archeology and living quarters.
I'm not sure how many holidays I will be able to convince Margie to spend at archaeological sites, but I know for sure that I'll be visiting Chaco Canyon in the very near future. Chaco supposedly surpasses both Mesa Verde and Bandelier in history and architecture. There is something mysterious and awe-inspiring that happens when you set foot in a place that was inhabited so long ago.