Burned Oaks
Point Park Overlook, Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado - July 2009

Mesa Verde is one park that had managed to elude me during all my previous travels. I’d always wanted to see it; things just never seemed to work out. Thus it was with a sense of great anticipation that I began the climb to the top of the mesa. I was finally here!

Far View Visitor Center
Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado - July 2009

Over the years I’d developed a mental image of what it would be like to visit to this park. In some ways, the visit exceeded my expections; in other ways, not. One thing I was not expecting was a main visitor center that closed at 5:00pm. That’s bankers’ hours for a national park in the middle of summer.

Spruce Tree House
Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado - July 2009

Spruce Tree House, the only accessible dwelling that can be visited independent of a tour, closed at 6:30pm. It was 8:10pm when this shot was taken.

The most striking difference between visiting this park versus every other park I’ve ever been to is security. In the evening, Mesa Verde is locked up tight as a drum. Every turn off has a gate and every gate has a lock. The one campground – miles away from anything interesting – has over 300 sites to make sure that no camper ever need look elsewhere for a place to spend the night. There is an obvious reason for all the security: in one evening, a vandal could do irreparable damage to any of the park’s ancient cliff dwellings. For me, this meant no images of cliff dwellings under moonlight. Bummer, man.

Balcony House
Soda Canyon Overlook, Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado - July 2009

Speaking of bummers, we awoke the following morning to find a ranger writing us a ticket. I didn’t take the hint about using the campground and a certain park ranger was not amused. I knew this was a possibility when I made the decision to park in a pullout along the main road instead of driving back to the campground. I didn’t try to argue.

My choice of overnight parking spot was influenced primarily by its proximity to the Soda Canyon Overlook Trail. This is where I wanted to be at first light, enjoying this distant view of Balcony House. Look closely for the thirty-four foot ladder that we would need to climb on our morning tour. I was 50/50 on whether or not The Boy would be able to climb it. And what if he couldn’t? I wasn’t sure.

Soda Canyon
Soda Canyon Overlook, Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado - July 2009

It’s a little harder to spot Balcony House without the aid of a telephoto lens, isn’t it?

Our Guide
Balcony House, Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado - July 2009

Balcony House is best toured in the morning. Our tour started around 11:00am. The light would have been better earlier but I was not thinking about the light at this moment. I was thinking about Lewis and that thirty-four foot ladder. He had seen it from across Soda Canyon and was confident it would not be a problem.

Meanwhile, our tour guide is telling us about some moron who leaned against a 600 year old wall earlier in the morning and knocked it over. I laughed out loud – not at the loss of the wall but at the idiocy of the person who managed to do it in spite of all the signs and verbal warnings that precede every tour. The guide paused to remind everyone that there was nothing funny about the incident. Sorry, maam.

The Ladder
Balcony House, Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado - July 2009

A staircase takes visitors down below Balcony House. From here you climb the ladder up into it. I’m not sure what happens to anyone who might lose their nerve. I hoped we would not find out.

Up He Goes!
Balcony House, Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado - July 2009

It was about halfway up that The Boy started to reconsider the wisdom of this endeavor – but only for a second or two. Seeing him hesitate, a fellow tourist we had met at the bottom of the ladder began chatting with him. This provided enough of a distraction to keep him headed in the right direction.

Lewis was very proud when he made it to the top. He wanted to climb more ladders.

Our Tour Group
Balcony House, Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado - July 2009

Like most, our tour group was completely full. Despite this, I was pleasantly surprised that I was able to photograph the dwellings sans people by just staying at the back of the group. I figured there might be a number of people employing this strategy but I turned out to be the one one.

No Challenge at All
Balcony House, Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado - July 2009

After conquering the thirty-four foot ladder to get up here, The Boy expressed a little disappointment at the relatively easy obstacle he found himself on next.

Balcony House, Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado - July 2009

Balcony House, Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado - July 2009

Balcony House, Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado - July 2009

My Favorite Stragglers
Balcony House, Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado - July 2009

Our guide did a great job sharing the story of the ancient cliff dwellers who once lived here. Having said that, the story itself is somewhat disappointing. Perhaps, like me, you’ve heard this version of the story:

[begin ominous Discovery Channel voice] These ancient ones appeared out of nowhere hundreds of years ago, built these elaborate dwellings, and then vanished without a trace! Were these people wiped out by other invading tribes? Were they abducted by aliens? Scientists just don’t know… [end ominous Discover Channel voice]

Good stuff, right? The new version goes something like this:

[begin standard Park Service voice] Various native tribes farmed and lived on the top of the mesa. Over farming and drought reduced crop yields to the point where the various tribes began to steal each other’s food. This, in turn, caused the various tribes to transition to more defensible cliff dwellings. After less than a century, they abandoned the cliff dwellings and spread out over the Four Corners region. The cliff dwellers became the indigenous people that now inhabit this area of the country. [end standard Park Service voice]

More plausible than aliens? Of course. But not nearly as much fun. Come on, Park Service!

Balcony House, Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado - July 2009

The Tunnel
Balcony House, Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado - July 2009

In addition to climbing ladders, this tour requires crawling through a tunnel. It is narrowest at the ends and widens in the middle. I was surprised to see that the tunnel caused more consternation among our fellow tourists than the ladders. Crawling down the tunnel is definitely less comfortable than climbing the ladders but, for anyone with serviceable knees, the challenge is strictly mental.

Turkey Vulture Taking Flight
Spruce Tree House Overlook, Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado - July 2009

This turkey vulture was one of many – fifty or more – that appeared to roost in the trees above Spruce Tree House. There were so many birds that their combined weight caused the treetops to sag precariously in various directions.

I had spotted these birds here the previous night but didn’t have a long lens with me. This morning I came prepared with a 400mm lens. The turkey vultures definitely did not like having it pointed at them. They would fly off immediately once I had them in my viewfinder. I grabbed several frames; this is the only one I liked.

Ancient Soot
Spruce Tree House, Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado - July 2009

We’re back at the Spruce Tree House – this time during visiting hours. I had assumed this place would be overrun with visitors given that it is the only decent dwelling that doesn’t require a tour to see. It was busy but nevertheless enjoyable. Things are set up in a way that gives folks a clear view of the dwelling and there is nothing to prevent visitors from lingering as long as they like.

Kivas
Spruce Tree House, Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado - July 2009

Spruce Tree House is the only dwelling where the roofs of the kivas have been rebuilt. Visitors are allowed to climb down into one of them.

Climbing Down Into a Kiva
Spruce Tree House, Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado - July 2009

Since there was no longer a ladder The Boy could not conquer, he agreed to accompany me down into this kiva. It was cool inside but it could also be claustrophobic when the stream of people coming down prevented anyone from going back up. The Boy and I waited through a couple iterations of filling and emptying before I was able to get a few shots.

A Kiva From the Inside
Spruce Tree House, Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado - July 2009

The View From Above
Spruce Tree House, Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado - July 2009

Cliff Palace View
Cliff Palace, Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado - July 2009

This view of Cliff Palace doesn’t look much different from the previous one of Spruce Tree House – at least at first glance. Cliff Palace is much bigger and more complex.

These dwellings face west, meaning that they are best viewed in the afternoon. Our tour started at 5:00pm. This was just about perfect.

Cliff Palace Tour Group
Cliff Palace, Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado - July 2009

If our first tour guide was good, our second one was great. He had a terrific sense of humor.

Darla and Lewis Visit Cliff Palace
Cliff Palace, Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado - July 2009

Kiva Diving
Cliff Palace, Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado - July 2009

Three French tourists and our guide are seen here walking around another kiva. The guide explained that, unlike the kiva Lewis and I climbed down into, authentic kivas had wooden roofs. He also talked about kiva diving. This is a modern day phenomenon in which a tourist who has been standing around in the hot sun faints and falls into a kiva, potentially experiencing paralysis or death. He had witnessed the last dive several years ago. The unfortunate victim was evacuated to the nearest hospital where she fully recovered. I guess she wasn’t that unfortunate, considering all the possible outcomes.

Our Favorite Ranger
Cliff Palace, Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado - July 2009

As we visited with our guide, the conversation eventually turned to the ticket we had received earlier in the day. He explained the park’s strict enforcement policies by sharing a story about one of his first experiences in the park. He caught a couple fifteen year olds who thought it would be cool to deface one of these ancient dwellings. The story ended with the parents of those boys receiving more than a ticket – and appropriately so.

Square Tower House
Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado - July 2009

Square Tower House is another dwelling best viewed in the afternoon. It was a pretty view with the clouds moving in but, to be candid, these cliff dwellings were all starting to look alike.

Cliff Palace in the Distance
Sun Point View, Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado - July 2009

From Sun Point View, Cliff Palace is barely discernable across Cliff Canyon.

Cliff Palace as Seen From Sun Temple Viewpoint
Sun Temple viewpoint, Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado - July 2009

From Sun Temple viewpoint, Cliff Palace is much easier to spot. This vantage point also makes it easy to see that, despite the absence of a giant ladder, it is a longer climb in and out of these dwellings than at Balcony House. (There are a couple shorter ladders that have to be climbed on the way back out.)

Cliff Palace Closeup
Sun Temple viewpoint, Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado - July 2009

Home for the Night
Spruce Tree House Overlook, Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado - July 2009

Our last stop of the day was a return to Spruce Tree House. The dwelling itself was closed – but that is not why I was here. I was back to make one last attempt at photographing the resident turkey vultures. There were seven in this treetop.

Aerial Acrobats
Spruce Tree House Overlook, Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado - July 2009

We had noticed over the previous hour that a storm front seemed to be headed our way. It hadn’t rained in the park in over a month so the prospect of any rain at all was welcome.

The winds were gusting pretty hard now, making it difficult for the turkey vultures in the highest trees to maintain their perch. As a result, the biggest gusts would force these birds back into the air, where they performed all sorts of acrobatic maneuvers and flybys while waiting for the wind to die down. It was an impressive show.

Turkey Vulture Quintet
Spruce Tree House Overlook, Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado - July 2009

These five turkey vultures were clearly aware of my presence but did not appear concerned. They seemed quite content to remain stationed on this broken tree top – at least until something caused them to all take flight simultaneously. It wasn’t me. It wasn’t the wind. I wondered what spooked them.

Wild Turkey
Spruce Tree House Overlook, Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado - July 2009

It was this wild turkey which spooked the previous occupants of this prime perch. I was both surprised and amused. I mean, really guys, couldn’t the five of you take one wild turkey? And what’s a wild turkey doing flying around anyway? If there’s one thing we learned from Arthur Carlson, it is that turkeys can’t fly. Were the 1970’s a complete lie? I digress. We’re out of here.

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