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Show 12 Recreation & Tourist Guide, May, 1986 Anasazi culture displayed See prehistory at Mesa Verde By CHUCK ZEHNDER Managing editor On Dec. 18, 1888, Richard Wetherill and Charles Mason were hunting stray cows on Mesa Verde. As they topped a ridge on their horses, they saw something no white man had ever seen. What lay before them, tucked into a large cave across a narrow canyon, was what was to become known as Cliff Palace, the largest prehistoric habitational ruin in the world and the supreme example of the Great Pueblo Period. The two men quickly forgot the cows and climbed down into the ruin and left the first footprints in the dust since Cliff Palace was abandoned about 600 years earlier. They found pots and stone artifacts in many of the 400 rooms of the ruin. Today, Mesa Verde National Park is an explorers dream. One can still walk into Cliff Palace, although most of the ruin is closed to visitors. But others, such as Balcony House, are open and nearly every inch of the ruin can be explored. Mesa Verde is only about a drive from Price and is located just 10 miles east of Cortez, Colo. Not only does this five-ho- ur national park have a nice campground on the Green Table (English translation of Mesa Verde), but there is a beautiful motel overlooking the ruins to the south. Mesa Verde is divided up into many smaller mesas. The two containing most of the ruins which have been stabilizd and have roads leading to them are Chapin and Wetherill mesas. It will take the visitor at least two days to visit each of these and really be able to appreciate the ruins of the Anasazi. The main road leads down to Chapin Mesa where the visitor should first stop at the park headquarters, museum and Spruce Tree House ruin. A whole morning can be spent right here looking at interpretive displays in the museum and visiting the most easily accessible ruin. Back on the main road, one can either travel on south to visit the surface ruins and the Sun Temple, or turn left and go to Blaconv House and Cliff Palace. Balcony House is best visited early in the morning as it faces the east. This ruin is not for the You must climb ladder to gain entrance and climb out of the weak-hearte- a d. 30-fo- ot Cliff Palace was first located in historical times in 1888 and was seen then from this exact place. It is the largest prehistoric Great Pueblo period ruin in the world, ruin using original toeholds on the cliff face. But you may visit every portion of the ruin. Cliff Palace is best photographed in the late afternoon, so plan your visit accordingly. The photo accompanying this article was taken on Dec. 18 from the Sun Palace, the point where it was first seen by Richard Wetherill, some 90 years earlier. second day should be spent in visiting Wetherill Mesa. You cannot drive there, but must ride a park service bus and to the ruins. then a mini-trai- n Arrangements are made at the Visitor Center near the motel at the top of Mesa Verde. A having more than 400 rooms. Visitors may walk its silent walkways and visualize its previous inhabitants, gone now for almost 700 years. the exception of Bong making it the second largest the cliff ruins on ruin in the world. Most ruins can be visited Wetherill Mesa are not as large or impressive as they are without guides and on Chapin Mesa, but are still tour booklets are available at With House, self-gui- very much worth visiting. You will probably see wild horses while enroute to Wetherill Mesa on the bus. There is a small visitor center and snack stand on this mesa near where the minitrain leaves and arrives from its route across the mesa top. Mug House faces west. Long House south and Step House east, so photography is good throughout the day. The most impressive ruin is Long House, covering even more cliff face, east to west, than Cliff Palace, the ruins for a small fee. Balcony House is the exception. Here there are limited numbers of visitors allowed and they are guided by a park ranger. If you have never visted Mesa Verde, plan now to see this wonderful and beautiful but park. It is open only the cliff ruins can be visited on Chapin Mesa in the winter. The altitude is high so the air is cool in the summer. Days may be warm, but nights are usually very cool. year-roun- d, |