We drove in to Chapin Mesa today. That's where the Chapin Mesa Archeological Museum, the Cliff Palace, Balcony House, and Spruce House are located. The drive in is winding and narrow, with hairpin turns and sheer drop offs, so it takes nearly an hour to go the 22 miles. We had tickets for the 3:30 p.m. tour of Balcony House, so we decided to start with a hike on the Petroglyph Point Trail.
It's a bit challenging at points.
The destination is a the largest petroglyph panel in the park. It's not huge, but the petroglyphs are clear and near the trail so they can be easily seen.
Even though it wasn't a very long hike, we were really tired, probably because of the altitude. We hurried to eat our picnic lunch before our tour started. We were cautioned before we began that "The Balcony House tour requires visitors to descend a 100 foot staircase into the canyon; climb a 32 foot ladder; crawl through a 12 foot, 18 inches wide tunnel; and clamber up an additional 60 feet on ladders and stone steps." We were game. The original inhabitants of these cliff dwellings would have faced even more daunting conditions, using hand and toe holds to negotiate the sheer walls of their homes.
It is amazing to see these constructions still standing after nearly 800 years. They were built using only stone tools, so all the blocks were shaped by hand and hand carried to the alcoves in the sheer face of the cliff walls.
What must life have been like for these intrepid people?
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