Down Town Chaco

Some additional photos from our Chaco Canyon experience.

 As we hiked along the bluff above downtown chaco, we saw cactus blooming everywhere.  

Cactus flowers in bloom

Sraddha could squeeze through this crack.  I had to wedge my feet on either side to get up this crevice.

Another day, another hike, another crevice to crawl up

 Amazing how the Ancients pecked out these stairs to access the mesa from below

We didn't walk up or down these stairs.  The Ancients did tho.

 They built these buildings with no metal tools, no wheels, no 4 legged animals to haul their heavy stones and logs.  They dragged large tree timbers, sometimes over 2 feet in diameter, 50 miles from the Chuska mountains.  How did they do that?

A Ruins photo

 The ancients, on average were smaller than Sraddha.  She could fit through the doors.  I had to stoop very very low.

Admiring the masonry

 Amazing place.  Why did they settle here and flourish for 300 years?  No one really knows.  The energy is something perhaps?  We may never know.

late afternoon amidst the ruins

 800 rooms in just this one 3 acre structure.  How many people did it take to build?  Again a mystery.

Doorways to mystery

Obviously someone knew how to design.  And build.  and haul, and where did they get sufficient water for all the masonry?

Down town Chaco