If you go hiking on some of the more difficult trails, you are likely to reach points in the trail where you end having to scramble over the boulders. Scrambling is when the trail requires you to use both your hands and feet to climb over boulder fields and steep inclines. For the most part, it is actually easier going up then coming down when vertigo can make finding your footholds more difficult. Although we don’t scramble as much as we used to, it is still often worth the effort as you are usually rewarded with amazing views. Needless to say, trails that require you to scramble across boulders are usually less frequented, so you will likely have the trail to yourself. This week’s Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge is Piles or Stacks, so we have included some photos of boulders piled up to try and deter us from moving forward.
Heading Back DownSome Difficult HikingWorth the ViewsMountain Goats Make it Look EasyBoulders on the ShoreDon’t TripSometimes TreacherousExhausted Smile, Pile of Boulders in the Background
We don’t have time for any extended trips at the moment, so we have been taking shorter, weekend trips for the time being. It is a great time of year to hop in a car and find places near you that you have never visited before or perhaps haven’t gone to in a long time. Since travel is often more expensive during the summer months when many families are taking vacations, driving to local destinations is also a nice way to keep costs down. The downside, of course, is often spending hours upon hours stuck in the seat of a vehicle.
Colorful SceneryDifferent GeologyOn the Road Again
We never used to take photos from the car when would travel to places, but now we often do, just like we now take photos from the window of a plane when flying to a different country. Taking photos through the windows of a moving vehicle doesn’t always produce the greatest results, but capturing the changing scenery is actually a nice reminder of how beautiful some of the places are that you travel through on your way to your final destination.
Plateaus in the DistanceWinding Through the MountainsStorm on the Horizon
Another drawback to traveling during the summer can sometimes be the weather. First of all, it can be quite hot, which likely means that the windows are rolled up and the air conditioning is on instead of enjoying the fresh scents of nature. Another issue can be rain or, even worse, hail. Driving through torrential rain storms with water standing on the highway can be as much of a white-knuckle drive as driving through a snow storm in the winter. We certainly ran into a little bit of everything during our drive from Colorado to Santa Fe, New Mexico, this past weekend.
Very Menacing CloudsHeading Towards the StormNowhere to Hide
Located near Durango, Colorado, are the cliff dwellings at Mesa Verde National Park. It is a wonderful location to see the remains of the homes of the Ancestral Pueblo people who lived there over a thousand years ago. We have been to ruins in Europe as well as South America, but it is still interesting to visit the ruins in the United States as well. It is important to understand that there was a thriving civilization in North America long before it was discovered by the people from across the ocean.
Mesa Verde National ParkLadder on the Side of a Cliff DwellingApproaching the Cliff Dwellings
One of the great things about Mesa Verde National Park is that you’re able to climb up to and walk through the cliff dwellings located there. The ancient Pueblo people inhabited the dwellings for about 700 years between 600 and 1300 AD. Some of the most interesting buildings are the Kivas, which the Pueblo people used for ceremonies. There is a whole in dug into the center of the floor of the Kivas called a sipapu, which represents their belief that their ancestors came to the surface from the underworld. It is well worth taking a tour while you’re there so that you learn about the ancient Pueblo people as well the current efforts to preserve the ruins. One of the enjoyable things is that you are able to walk through the ruins, through the doorways, hallways, into the Kivas, it is a true hands on experience.
Kiva with Hole at the CenterWalking Among the Cliff DwellingsAztec Ruins
Mesa Verde is the most well-known ruin in the area, but take the time to visit the Aztec Ruin National Monument. These aren’t cliff dwellings, but the more typical ruins of the ancient Pueblo people. A smaller version of the ruins found at Chaco Canyon in New Mexico, this not as well-known ruin is another great place to explore the history of the Southwest. You are able to walk through these ruins as well, although not as well-preserved as the ruins at Mesa Verde, it is still a treat to visit. Understanding that there was a civilization building large cities here in the United States over a thousand years ago is often a surprise to people as we always think of Europe and the Middle East as the cradle of civilization.
