Note: This is the inaugural three-part installment of The Dkos Road Tour series. See explanation at the close of this diary. Hope you find the information enjoyable and educational. Our destinations today will take us, first, to New Mexico due west of the Duke City, Albuquerque, then to the southwest Colorado, and from there we’ll travel to northeast Arizona. Lots of road mileage in this first tour, folks. As a reminder, the information herein is “layered.” Meaning, the reader chooses how much or how little read, graduating from the essentials to more in-depth details.
ACOMA PUEBLO
Location/Geography: Western New Mexico. Cibola, Socorro, and Catron counties. Closet City or Town: Grants; Albuquerque. Reservation occupies parts of three counties and covers 594,996 square miles (1,540.032.5 km²). Acoma borders the Laguna Indian Reservation to the east and is close to El Malpais NM in the west. Altitude: 7,000 feet (2,130 m).
Coordinates: 34.89640N 107.58058W (http://bitly/TKMr8T)
Google Images: http://bitly/1mHT0jm
Maps: http://bitly/1lckG3h
√ Spotlight: Acoma Pueblo is also known as “Sky City.” It is also one of the continuously inhabited villages in America (the Hopi also make this claim). One of twenty-one Puebloan sovereign tribes (and most tribal villages are in the State of New Mexico). Famous for decorative pottery. About three hundred structures on the mesa. A matriarchal society of some three thousand Puebloans. Property passed down from mother to daughter. Everything owned by women. Photos, by visitors, only by tribal permission! Focus: Human history and pottery.
√ Snapshot: Acoma possibly means The People of the White Rock. The lofty citadel dates to around 1150 CE. Because this stronghold was built for defense, another suggested name origin for these people––haaku––meaning “to prepare.” Before the 20th-century access to the pueblo was a challenge to invaders and nearly always invincible. It was also the only approach to the summit by way of a hand-cut staircase chiseled into the mesa’s sedimentary foundation. The entire Acoma Pueblo comprises several villages, including Acomita, Anzac, McCarty's, and the latest subdivision––Sky Line. Acoma people are expert dryland farmers, cultivating crops in the valley below Aa’ku. Irrigation canals that extend from the nearby Rio San Jose, a major tributary of the Rio Puerco.
√ Guided Tour Essentials: The Acoma Pueblo, popularly known as Sky City, is built on top of a 367-foot-high (112 m) mesa. Continuously occupied for more than eight hundred years, it is one of the oldest settlements in North America (if not the oldest). Linguistically, the people speak Keres (sometimes written “Keresan”), which is also spoken by the Puebloan people from Cochiti, Laguna, San Felipe, Santa Ana, Santo Domingo and Zia pueblos. Their language is not related to all the Kiowa-Tanoan languages spoken by most of the other Puebloans living in New Mexico. Acoma's Inside Chief maintains power within the village while beyond the village boundaries, tribal power was passed to one or more war leaders. Namely, the Outside Chief, who constructed defenses and kept watch against invaders. This steep-sided mesa was principally chosen as a defense against enemies of the pueblo’s inhabitants. However, this function did not prove successful when confronted by Spanish conquistadors in the late 16th-century.
Directions: From Albuquerque go west on I-40. Take Exit 102. Drive 15 miles (19 km) south on Indian Road 23. Take Exit 108.
Contact Information: Acoma Pueblo of Acoma (Tribal Administration), P. O. Box 310, Acoma Pueblo NM 87034. Phone: 505-552.6504 or 888- 747.0180.
Special Notice: Traditional dances during Governor's Feast Day, St. Lawrence Day and St. Stephen Feast Day. A Visitor Center and museum are nearby (Sky City Casino & Hotel). Guided tours are available with the exception of the following dates: 6/24 and 6/29, 7/10 to 7/13 and 7/25; also, the first or second weekend of October and the first Saturday in December. The Luminaria Tour (Christmas Festival at the mission church) is especially recommended for visitors. Be mindful of taking photos or videos! (Permission must first be obtained!)
Here's my recommendation for a follow-up URL: http://bitly/1pIbSD8
ANASAZI HERITAGE CENTER
Location/Geography: Southwest Colorado. Montezuma County. Closet City or Town: Delores; Cortez. The museum is 7,000 feet (2,150 m) above sea level laid out below the San Juan Mountains and overlooks the McPhee Reservoir and the Montezuma Valley. Located some 17 miles (27 km) by road from Mesa Verde NP.
Coordinates: 37.37056ºN 109ºW (http://bitly/1mHUUkd)
Google Images: http://bitly/1hIPBVm
Maps: http://bitly/1xPpEZ6
√ Spotlight: Gateway to the Canyons of the Ancients NM. A must-see museum of artifacts and hands-on learning. Three major ruins to explore. Ancestral Puebloans lived here for over one thousand years. At one time, this site was the highest density population hub in the Four Corners region. Focus: Human history and archaeological ruins.
√ Snapshot: The Ancestral Puebloans were centered in the Four Corners region of the Colorado Plateau. Specifically, SE Utah, NE Arizona, NW New Mexico, and SW Colorado. Their occupation lasted until the late 1300s (likely, around 1287). Afterward, the majority of the Ancestral Puebloans departed the Colorado Plateau in a mass exodus never to return. They vectored south-southeast toward present-day New Mexico, then settled and scattered their individual communities in various sectors of the state. Some also headed due south toward Arizona’s Mogollon Rim (pronounced "moo-gee-own"), marking the southern tier of the Colorado Plateau. The significance of the Anasazi Heritage Center’s prehistoric showcase is all about the Ancestral Puebloans, for they are the only known culture to have claimed sectors of the Colorado Plateau as a homeland for an extended span of time. Fanning out from the axis of the so-called Four Corners region (near present-day Cortez, Colorado), the people settled near and far and became dryland farmers of the arid desert terrain, especially in this high desert and mountainous sector. At their peak, the population of the Ancestral Puebloans likely topped 100,000 people, marking significant cultural changes from their alleged start around the Early Basketmaker II Era (12th-century BCE to CE 50) to the start of the Pueblo IV Era (1350 to 1600).
√ Guided Tour Essentials: The Anasazi Heritage Center (hereafter, “AHC”) is an interpretive museum dedicated to the Ancestral Puebloan culture. Combining a research organization and curation resource on its property, with some three million records, samples, and artifacts from public lands throughout southwestern Colorado, the facilities serve as the Visitor Center for the nearby Canyons of the Ancients National Monument. AHC earns its distinction as Colorado’s premier archaeological museum and is operated by the BLM since 1988. Featuring notable exhibits relegated to archaeology, including local Native American history, many are hands-on and interactive. For example, weaving on a loom, grinding corn meal on a metate (pronounced “me-tah-tay”), examining tiny traces of the past through microscopes and touching artifacts. There are two archaeological sites on the premises, each dating from around the 12th-century. Additionally, AHC offers an extensive research library of archaeology and anthropology resources. Canyonlands Natural History Association is the center’s official nonprofit partner.
A Reliable Cultural Classification System: The opening segment of SCENIC DESTINATIONS OF THE SOUTHWEST conveys all other essential details of the Pecos Classification System conceived by Alfred V. Kidder (a renowned early 20th-century archeologist), whose widely accepted classification includes a breakdown of each descriptive cultural advancement. The following abstract delineates the names of the eras and correlative dates:
• Archaic-Early Basketmaker Era (8th millennium to 12th-century BCE)*
• Early Basketmaker II Era (1200 BCE to CE 50)
• Late Basketmaker II Era (50 to 500)
• Basketmaker III Era (500 to 750)
• Pueblo I Era (750 to 900)
• Pueblo II Era (900 to 1150)
• Pueblo III Era (1150 to 1350)
• Pueblo IV Era (1350 to 1600)
• Pueblo V Era (1600 to present)
*The original classification postulated as the “Basketmaker I Era” was combined with the Archaic Era. This period was also dubbed the Oshara Tradition, which marks a trend toward a sedentary lifestyle, with a minimal cultivation of plants beginning around 1000 BCE.
Directions: From Cortez or Durango head toward Dolores, Colorado. The Visitor Center is 3 miles (4.8 km) west of Dolores, Colorado, on Hwy. 184.
Contact Information: AHC 27501, Hwy. 184, Dolores CO 80323.
Phone: 970-882.480; Fax 882.7035
Here's my recommendation for a follow-up URL: http://on.doi.gov/1jkFIsh
ANTELOPE CANYON
Location/Geography: Northeast Arizona. Coconino County. Closet City or Town: Page. Area: Unknown but entirely on the Navajo Indian Reservation (within the LeChee Chapter of the Navajo Nation).
Coordinates: 36º51’ 43”N 111º22’ 27”W (http://bitly/1l5xU39)
Google Images/maps: http://bitly/1hRTpUw
√ Spotlight: Riveting lighting effect and gorgeous colors in the rocks. A fascinating eroded slot canyon created by water (in this case, flash floods over the eons). Sinuous thoroughfare exquisitely carved through sandstone. A high impact tourist setting worth the scenery and streams of people passing through. Focus: slot canyons and geology.
√ Snapshot: Antelope Canyon is classified a slot canyon, meaning its chasm is significantly deeper than wide. With twisting walls entirely fabricated from flash flooding over the eons, the chasm of modest depth is divided into two sectors: Upper and Lower Antelope. The Navajo call Upper Antelope Tse' bighanilini, and gets the lion’s share of visitors. The word is relevant and means exactly what this or any slot canyon is all about: “the place where water runs through rocks.” This sector of the res is high desert country (mean elevation is 4,000 feet/1,219 m above sea level). The canyon walls rise 120 feet (36.5 m) above the soft, sandy stream bed (which is mostly dry). Lower Antelope, called Hasdestwazi, meaning, “spiral rock arches,” does not see the larger crowds as does the upper sector, mainly because it's not as close to the inbound and outbound shuttle stop. Both slots are torturous and sensational. Verily, a sandstone wonderland, where the lighting effect is surreal, and the fluted rocks and color scheme are utterly spellbinding. Like all slot canyons, Antelope has everything to do with geology and the nature of the formation of the chasm. In this case, Navajo Sandstone, which is common throughout this region. Slot canyons are entirely formed by the erosional power of flash flooding. When entering this or any other slot canyon, the cautionary aspect comes down to a salient point: never, ever be inside such chasms when it’s raining. Even a rainstorm miles away adds to the potential peril. In other words, a cloudless blue-sky overhead can sometimes be deceptive. (A grim account of this very scenario is given below.)
√ Guided Tour Essentials: Bewildering to the senses, the experience of walking through Antelope Canyon is visceral, and some might even say venerable. Like clockwork, sunlight penetrates the canyon on March 15 and disappears October 7, which are factual dates are submitted by the Navajo, who manages Antelope Canyon. With or without direct light, Navajo Sandstone feigns an awesome array of varying tinctures from bottom to top. It’s recommended that tourists visit Antelope Canyon when the lighting is advantageous, which is the key to why the interior is illuminated in a shower of blending pastel colors. If the lighting is just so, then photos and videos tend to be murky.
Another reason for Upper Antelope Canyon's popularity is that its entire length is at ground level. The view upward is, therefore, dazzling, and for some visitors, generates a sensation that is almost claustrophobic. At select times of the day, sunbeam shafts of direct light radiate downward from narrow openings above coiling canyon walls. The optimum lighting display is considered by many to be ethereal though more common in the upper sector than the lower. Such beaming radiance, like a fantasy of color, also occurs most often during the summer months when the sun is high in the sky for a longer period. By comparison, winter colors are slightly more subdued, though, nonetheless, engaging. In short, timing (both season and time of day) is everything.
Located almost 2 miles (3 km) away, Lower Antelope’s entry offers a metal stairway into its similar winding interior. Exploring its longer and narrower passage is also a little more demanding and the footing somewhat uneven. At the end of this slot canyon sector, the climb out requires several flights of stairs. Despite these limitations, Lower Antelope still draws a considerable number of people through its equally enthralling, meandering passageway. Because this lower sector is carved in a more pronounced V-shape, the lighting effect is better in the early hours and late afternoon. Lower Antelope is also shallower, meaning the canyon walls aren’t too high. Hence, the aperture of the sky is seemingly just there. If there is time on the tour, why not visit both sectors? It is also noted most tourists familiar with both slots consider Antelope the best in the Southwest. Then again, most are unaware this part of North America is a haven for the most incredible slot canyons in the world! Hence, experiencing Antelope Canyon is essentially a comparative tease.
What Is A Slot Canyon? A slot canyon is typically a V-shaped narrow and corkscrew-fashioned corridor formed by water rushing through the tunnel-like rock while eroding the surface and flooring. Slots are also significantly deeper than wide. Some can measure less than 3 feet (1 m) across at the top, yet drop more than 100 feet (30 m) to the floor of the chasm. Most of these rare marvels of nature are formed in sandstone and limestone though most often sandstone. Other rock formations, such as in granite and basalt, are also favorable. However, in the relatively softer sandstone and limestone, only a small number of creeks will form slot canyons. That’s because it requires a combination of particular characteristics of the rock, as well as ample regional rainfall.
Directions: Main office near LeChee Chapter House, about 4 miles (6.4 km) south of Page on Coppermine Road (Navajo Route 20). Antelope Canyon is 5 miles (8 km) east of Page on Hwy. 98 (milepost 299) on either side of the highway.
Attention K-Mart Shoppers: Hours of operation are 8 to 5 (MST), seven days a week (March through October). The entrance fee station is closed during other months. However, both slots are open year-round and permits are still required and escorted by Navajo guides. As always, things change on the res. Therefore, it's best to call and confirm the hours of operation; also, the Navajo Nation observes daylight saving time, which, strangely, the State of Arizona ignores.
Contact Information: Antelope Canyon is entirely under the jurisdiction of the Navajo Tribal Park Office. Current contact: Effie Yazzie, Park Manager P. O. Box 4803, Page AZ 86040. Phone: 928-698-2808; Fax 698-2820
Here's my recommendation for a follow-up URL: http://navajotours.com/
Kindly note: This first installment of THE DKOS ROAD TOUR SERIES provides an excerpt from the larger text, SCENIC ICONS OF THE SOUTHWEST (http://amzn.to/2on3z89). The soft cover 8.5 x 11 format provides the same information but also includes a thorough background on geology, natural and human history and miscellaneous subject matter. Additionally, there is an Android app available. Currently, a Kindle version is being formatted and should be available by April 7. For information about myself and my books featured on Amazon, feel free to drop by www.richholtzin.com and leave a comment. I also write under the nom de plume, RK ALLEMAN. For more background about this tour series, please read my 3/29/2017 diary, HIT THE ROAD TOUR SERIES: An Introduction.
Another installment of this series will be next Sunday. Hopefully, every Sunday there will be a trio of new scenic icons for the reader’s enjoyment and enlightenment. (For those who want to know where they’re going in these upcoming tours, the previously mentioned introduction lists a Table of Contents (in alphabetical order).