Southwest Spring 2016-3: Chaco Culture National Historic Park and A Free Barbecue
As they say, you can never plan an adventure. I've been on the road for 3,500 miles; Marilyn joined me in Longmont, CO, at 2,700 miles. After our time in Santa Fe, Taos, and Abiquiu, we spent two days at Chaco Culture National Historic Park in northwest New Mexico.
We had read and heard about Chaco Canyon, the area in New Mexico where the ancient people between 850 and 1250 CE developed an amazing number of great houses. These massive public buildings of excellent engineering and masonry included astronomical alignments and were designed for ceremonies, trade, and administrative activity. Chaco Canyon, like Machu Picchu, was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, in 1987.
The road into Chaco Canyon is rather unique. Of the 22 miles, the first 10 are paved, the next 5 are well-groomed dirt, and the final 7 are the worst washboard road I have experienced. The Gallo Campground host said that the local county maintains the entire road but just fails to maintain the final leg. Whatever the reason—a conspiracy to keep folks out or just budgetary problems—the van did a fair bit of shaking, even when I tried to float over the rough road (at about 35 mph).
The brochures label the natives as Chacoans, yet other articles define them as Anasazis, the Ancient Ones. Whatever the name, they were an amazing society, and their demise is still subject to many conjectures.
Marilyn at Pueblo Bonito great house.
We had read and heard about Chaco Canyon, the area in New Mexico where the ancient people between 850 and 1250 CE developed an amazing number of great houses. These massive public buildings of excellent engineering and masonry included astronomical alignments and were designed for ceremonies, trade, and administrative activity. Chaco Canyon, like Machu Picchu, was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, in 1987.
Behind the campground.
The road into Chaco Canyon is rather unique. Of the 22 miles, the first 10 are paved, the next 5 are well-groomed dirt, and the final 7 are the worst washboard road I have experienced. The Gallo Campground host said that the local county maintains the entire road but just fails to maintain the final leg. Whatever the reason—a conspiracy to keep folks out or just budgetary problems—the van did a fair bit of shaking, even when I tried to float over the rough road (at about 35 mph).
Map of Chaco Canyon from National Park Service Brochure.
The brochures label the natives as Chacoans, yet other articles define them as Anasazis, the Ancient Ones. Whatever the name, they were an amazing society, and their demise is still subject to many conjectures.
Just beyond our home on the road was an alcove home for a farming family built under an overhanging cliff.
This type of home was built toward the end of Chacoan history. Having settled into our site and looked at the alcove home, we went to explore the other amazing dwellings.
A short walk from the Visitor Center took us to Una Vida, an early "great house." The term is used by archeologists to describe "public architecture," buildings that were several stories tall with large rooms, plazas, and huge underground kivas. Great houses probably had few residents, being used more for commerce and ceremonies.
The park service and many anthropologists have done a great job of identifying the many locations of the grand public buildings, or great houses, and of attempting to shore up the remaining dwellings.
There were petroglyphs near Una Vida as well as in other areas of Chaco Canyon
We continued on the road through Chaco Canyon to get idea of what we'd do the next day. Returned to the campground, as the wind blasted, we were contemplating dinner ready when a gent knocked on the side door of the van. Cory, the door knocker, introduced himself and asked, to our utter amazement, “Would you two like to join us for barbecue?”
After restraining myself from leaping out of the van at the mere thought of barbecue, I asked about his offer. Seems he had planned an adventure with a few other hikers through an app called “Yonder” (which we have since downloaded), and as he was the host, had ordered barbecue for 15 delivered from Farmington, NM, which was not only 80 miles away, but remember that route into Chaco Canyon? He was adamant that we attend and refused our offer to pay, insisting it was a freebie.
Cory continued to solicit diners throughout the campground—it looked like the barbecue for 15 would have fed the entire campground. Who says you can’t feast in the outdoors? A special Thank you to Cory and his band of Yonderers.
Off we went to his campsite, where we met the other happy campers, along with other guests, and feasted on barbecued beef, chicken, and ribs, along with beans, potato salad, drinks, and amazing cherry cobbler.
The next day we headed out to explore the amazing Chacoan dwellings. Our time in Chaco Canyon increased my appreciation of the Chacoan culture.
We first toured Hungo Pavi great house. Unlike many other builders of that age, the Chacoans used small rocks for building materials.
The years have not been kind. The dry environment has dried out the logs used for supports...
...and the amazing winds have filled many cavities with sand.
Next on the road through Chaco Canyon was Chetro Ketl great house.
Chetro Ketl had multiple kivas, including a great kiva.
Like other great kivas, the one at Chetro Ketl was entered from the plaza via the entry way on the left and had a low bench circling the base. There were two floor vaults with a firebox between. Upright roof beams were set in the large circles.
Trapezoidal windows and doors reminded us of the Incan architecture we'd seen in Peru. The shape provides stability to the openings.
.heic)
Further down canyon we came to the largest great house in Chaco Canyon, Pueblo Bonito. Buildings that were once up to 5 stories tall are now down to at most 1, yet the basic design is still evident. Adjoining areas are littered with small rocks that once were part of the dwellings.
Pueblo Bonito had 600 rooms in buildings 4- and 5-stories tall. It covered 3 acres and had 2 plazas and dozens of kivas.
.heic)
The round areas in the plazas are kivas, thought to be primarily ceremonial areas.
The wall construction of Pueblo Bonito again reminded us of Incan architeture, although the Incan buildings we saw in Peru were made of much larger rocks.
The alignment of doors and windows also reminded us of Incan architecture, where this alignment served for ease of communication.
Our Ford poptop van & ancient alcove home under cliff.
Alcove home.
Alcove home.
This type of home was built toward the end of Chacoan history. Having settled into our site and looked at the alcove home, we went to explore the other amazing dwellings.
Una Vida great house.
A short walk from the Visitor Center took us to Una Vida, an early "great house." The term is used by archeologists to describe "public architecture," buildings that were several stories tall with large rooms, plazas, and huge underground kivas. Great houses probably had few residents, being used more for commerce and ceremonies.
Una Vida.
Wall of Una Vida great house & stones of deteriorated walls.
Petroglyphs
There were petroglyphs near Una Vida as well as in other areas of Chaco Canyon
We continued on the road through Chaco Canyon to get idea of what we'd do the next day. Returned to the campground, as the wind blasted, we were contemplating dinner ready when a gent knocked on the side door of the van. Cory, the door knocker, introduced himself and asked, to our utter amazement, “Would you two like to join us for barbecue?”
Barbecue? Yes, please!
After restraining myself from leaping out of the van at the mere thought of barbecue, I asked about his offer. Seems he had planned an adventure with a few other hikers through an app called “Yonder” (which we have since downloaded), and as he was the host, had ordered barbecue for 15 delivered from Farmington, NM, which was not only 80 miles away, but remember that route into Chaco Canyon? He was adamant that we attend and refused our offer to pay, insisting it was a freebie.
Cory continued to solicit diners throughout the campground—it looked like the barbecue for 15 would have fed the entire campground. Who says you can’t feast in the outdoors? A special Thank you to Cory and his band of Yonderers.
Off we went to his campsite, where we met the other happy campers, along with other guests, and feasted on barbecued beef, chicken, and ribs, along with beans, potato salad, drinks, and amazing cherry cobbler.
Catered barbecue dinner in Chaco Canyon. Marilyn is at far left. Our host, Cory, is standing in the center.
The next day we headed out to explore the amazing Chacoan dwellings. Our time in Chaco Canyon increased my appreciation of the Chacoan culture.
Hungo Pavi great house.
We first toured Hungo Pavi great house. Unlike many other builders of that age, the Chacoans used small rocks for building materials.
Hungo Pavi.
Log support in wall.
The years have not been kind. The dry environment has dried out the logs used for supports...
Remains of log support at top.
...and the amazing winds have filled many cavities with sand.
Chetro Ketl great house.
Next on the road through Chaco Canyon was Chetro Ketl great house.
Chetro Ketl.
Kivas at Chetro Ketl.
Chetro Ketl had multiple kivas, including a great kiva.
Chetro Ketl great kiva.
Like other great kivas, the one at Chetro Ketl was entered from the plaza via the entry way on the left and had a low bench circling the base. There were two floor vaults with a firebox between. Upright roof beams were set in the large circles.
Looking through a trapezoidal window.
Trapezoidal windows and doors reminded us of the Incan architecture we'd seen in Peru. The shape provides stability to the openings.
.heic)
Pueblo Bonito, largest grand public building in Chaco Canyon.
Further down canyon we came to the largest great house in Chaco Canyon, Pueblo Bonito. Buildings that were once up to 5 stories tall are now down to at most 1, yet the basic design is still evident. Adjoining areas are littered with small rocks that once were part of the dwellings.
Schema of Pueblo Bonito from NPS brochure. The UNESCO site has a great overhead photo of Pueblo Bonito.
Pueblo Bonito had 600 rooms in buildings 4- and 5-stories tall. It covered 3 acres and had 2 plazas and dozens of kivas.
.heic)
The 2 plazas at Pueblo Bonito, one in the center and the other toward the top of the photo.
The round areas in the plazas are kivas, thought to be primarily ceremonial areas.
Wall of Pueblo Bonito.
The wall construction of Pueblo Bonito again reminded us of Incan architeture, although the Incan buildings we saw in Peru were made of much larger rocks.
Doors & windows seemed often to be aligned, similar to Incan archictecture.
The alignment of doors and windows also reminded us of Incan architecture, where this alignment served for ease of communication.
The trail to the final great house we visited, Casa Rinconada, passes by mounds of sand under which lie the remains of villages, or "pueblos." These existed throughout Chaco Canyon. Roadways connected the buildings within Chaco Canyon to each other and to the regions beyond.
The great kiva at Casa Rinconada was a keyhole kiva, more typical of of southeastern Utah and the Mesa Verde area of southwestern Colorado. The keyhole was a large recess in which there was a ventilator shaft. The existence of this and smaller keyhole kivas in the villages near Casa Rinconada indicate that the Chacoans exchanged ideas with peoples further north.
Doug contemplating the great kiva of Casa Rinconada. T-shaped doors were typical.
The great kiva at Casa Rinconada was a keyhole kiva, more typical of of southeastern Utah and the Mesa Verde area of southwestern Colorado. The keyhole was a large recess in which there was a ventilator shaft. The existence of this and smaller keyhole kivas in the villages near Casa Rinconada indicate that the Chacoans exchanged ideas with peoples further north.
After a full day of exploring we returned to camp and the amazing wind. The ladies across from us introduced themselves and said they had spent the past few hours retrieving flying tents. Sure that their tent was well grounded, they went off to hike. Then the inevitable happened: off into the brambles went their tent, which was not only tied down but full of their sleeping bags and clothing. Fortunately another kind soul joined me as we deflated the tent and slowly dragged it back to their site, placing coolers and rocks on top to keep it from flying off again. The ladies soon returned, laughed at the sight, and when the wind calmed, set up their tent again. The good news was it was barbecue again for dinner, as Cory had extra and had sent us home with goodies.
You just cannot plan the joys you will encounter when visiting our great national areas.
You just cannot plan the joys you will encounter when visiting our great national areas.
Looking out from Casa Rinconada.
As always a wonderful description of your adventures.
ReplyDeleteGreat meeting you two in Chaco! That BBQ dinner was off the hook. Safe travels and adventures.
ReplyDeleteLook me up on Yonder @CoryStalker or Instagram @THEFOTOSTALKER!
Cory