Saturday, November 24, 2007

Walnut Canyon


Third time posting is the charm, right? The image above is a seashell embedded into the sandstone. What does it tell us of Walnut Canyon?

We made a side trip to Walnut Canyon National Monument, which is located just east of Flagstaff, Arizona. Home some 800-1000 years ago to as many as 400 people in and interdependent community. Farming took place on the canyon rim. Water was abundant during the rainy season, and stored for the dry season.

The hike goes down 240 stair steps (and up 240 steps afterwards) to the level of a group of 25 rooms of the cliff dwellings. Building of the rooms had a head start--the natural outcroppings of the cliffs formed the roofs and the floors. Materials were abundant for building up the walls.

Most of the mortar in the ruins has been restored or stabilized.

Dwellings are located along different levels on the cliffs all throughout the canyon.

Did I mention that all this starts at about 7000 feet elevation. another one for the high altitude hiking.

1 comment:

Paulie said...

I reckon it must have been under water at one time?