Show "rywrr :v pine trails and sparkling mountain lakes “Let's head south ‘out of the mountains" I suggested “It can’t be raining there” Next stop Mesa Verde ed - in’ National Pare southwestern Colorado where desert and mountains meet in die rugged threatened to tun the roadway into a rivet Already the small stream that ran through the - mountain pass alongside the plateau and canyon country Mesa Verde is Spanish for “Green TUde” a highway Could a flash flood wash us reference to the through the canyon like so shrub-covere- I wondered much driftwood ' plains from Minnesota our goal was to explore hiking trails and campgrounds stroll through - y- - into four states The park is one of America’s most unusual because it preserves the works of people The Anasazi forerunners of ed " 800 years ago Discovered by white settlers in die 1880s die area of ruins was established as a park in 1906 largely through the efforts of a group of women who wanted to preserve the cliff dwellings - Before exploring some of them we set up camp at the park’s Morefield Campground nestled in Morefield Canyon With more than 400 rites die tered an inch of snow in d Leadville hail pum- meled us while we hiked die trail down Mount Massive Moire rein in Buena Vista The tame in Ouray Ditto for the historic mining town of Silver-to- n Pea-size- where rivulets flowed down die dirt streets We even were stalled mice waiting for highway crews to clear a mudslide caused bythe showers' “I’m sick of the rain” my wife Mary Lynn said as dark campground is one of the largest in the national park system It never is full but nevertheless regularly takes on the appearance of smril city As we erected our tents a light rain began to fall making It seven consecutive days of clouds moved into trendy Durango where a waitress sighed “It’s been like living in Seattle" lit no written record of the Anasazi culture some answers are only speculation One mystery: Why after liv- Scrippa Howard photo The 39 square m3es of Great Sand Dunes National Monument are enow-cappe- d framed to the north and east by the 14000-foMountains deCriato Sangre ot dampness Though Mesa Verde normally gets only 18 inches of precipitation each year — half of that in snow — we learned brief afternoon can tour without a guide years did the Anasazi pick up and leave by 13007 Did drought or a depletion of resources force them to move? Social or political problems? There are 24 American Indian tribes that trace their ancestors to Mesa Verde and many believe there is no mystery: The cliff dwellers simply though rangers are present to joined other tribes south in ensure no harm is done and to New Mexico and Arizona that answer a steady stream of offered a better place to live Whatever happened Mesa questions The dwellings are made of Verde offers an unparalleled thunderstorms are common here too in July and August sandstone blocks with a mud glimpse at an ancient culture We shrugged off the rain and water mortar Some are The next day we made a and drove to the park visitor several stories tall Spruce break for home But as the center which provides an Tree House has about 114 mountains gave way to the incredible vista of Soda rooms and eight kivas — plains I suggested one last side trip before heading to Canyon Then we hiked down round ceremonial chambers to Spruce TVee House me of Like most of the others it is Denver and the long drive to the few dwellings that visitors built in the sheltered alcoves Minnesota A friend told us If you go to the ' vf’ ?r Vy ' 4 1 u’vi T ii This was on the edge of true desert Surely it wouldbe dry there The kids still weren’t convinced even as we drove up San Luis Valley the semi-ari- d and approached vast towering ' framed to the north and east by the 14000-foo- t Sangre de Cristo Mountains The dunes — the tallest in North America at about 730 snow-capp- ed feet — were formed over thousands of years by the nearly constant winds blowing sand from the nearby Rio Grande River to the foot of the mountains The sun was actually shinning brightly when we arrived and the sight of visitors scrambling up the vast dunes persuaded my kids to step outside We shed our shoes and socks — as did most of the scores of other visitors — and crossed shallow Medano ing in the intricate cliff Creek then hiked and galdwellings for only about 100 loped up the mountains of the Pueblo Indians built an array of hundreds of : dwellings in and around the cliffs of Mesa Verde 700 to But unbeknownst to us the thunderstorm that greeted us our first day was a sign of wet things to come We encouh- - : and courtyard areas A wall is all that prevented the Anasazi — and us — from a fatal plunge to the ground below The meticulous stonework and wooden timbers impressed die adults while the thmght of living on the edge of a cliff mesmerized our kids Our tour guide faithfully took on all questions but because there is 8000 feet High atop those rims you can see 100 miles picturesque towns and admire : main dwelling area which includes a cliffside balcony feet and twists through switch-back- s along die rims of several canyons to the visitor center at ‘ Mountains Colorado's No 1 attraction After driving across sun-bak- 32-fo- ot anything but flat The park entrance road begins at 7000 storms that routinely roll through the rugged Rocky 'the d cliffs yucca and prickly pear cactus sagebrush and pinyon ntn juniper yiH Withl2000-foo- t peaks in the distance Mesa Verde is : : summer-afternoo- faint-of-he-art plateaus It is d ourwaf t — dry from the rains The tour is not for the We scaled a wooden ladder to reach the mi expansive land of sandstone to myself while the kids peered out the van windows in awe blissfully unaffected “Cool" said my daughter Lindsay Mlcome to Colorado My wife three daughters and I had ' been Mindsided by one of the n thunder- - tree-an- little-know- of Soda Canyon The cliff ridges of white sand that overhang functioned as a roof seemed out of place The 39 keeping the Anasazi — and us square' miles of dunes are d steep-walle- that Great Sand Dunes Nationn al Monument was a Colorado delight and it was less than 40 miles out of mea- sures an amazing 216 feet long by about 90 feet wide and was home for about 100 people While we were impressed it was the trek to and through another dwelling dubbed Balcony House that kept grins on our children’s faces and ours too It once housed 40 to 50 people under a sandstone overhang 600 feet above die floor There was only one thing to do: Forgo the jagged peaks smoke' The steady blast of watcg i of the canyon walls It time in motels than tents Sheets of rain pounded the van windshield as we drove up the steep Rocky Mountain valley highway Dark clouds dung to the Jigged ifeountlin peaks like ' The Herald Journal Logan Utah Friday March 24 2000 — Page 15 Our vacation was washing away and we had spent more Star Tribune white-knuckl- I sand The kids quickly decided they wanted to get to the top of one tall peak so they could somersault down the dune as other kids were doing But the several hundred foot climb was much more difficult than it appeared And the dunes are at an altitude of more than 8000 feet which can leave! fladanders gasping for oxygen The constant wind sculpts the dunes in wondrously rippled patterns that change daily It was an incredible oversized sandbox that induced playfulness in adults and kids alike But we also were taken aback by the taw beauty of the place fflSElj It dona right ill MliwM K W ©UJJR it Shm- -l M ?? ’ "! i ' f 1 r i bring water It’s easy to kill a J Mkweapote-StPa- Star Tribune - day at the park hiking the dunes : Mesa Verde National Park Getting there Mesa Verde is about 33 miles west of Durango or about 10 miles east of Cortez isn’t as well known as Yellow-stone or Yosemite but annual- - ly an average of 670000 near die Four Corners area people make the trek to soutb-- ! western Colorado to explore the ancient cliff dwellings Just 290000 aoula visit Mesa Verde never fills up and Great Sand Dunes National reservations aren’t taken There aren’t many recreatkm-al-VehicMonument in south-centrColorado each year “We’re hookups however not a destination park yet” though there are some camp- said the National Park Ser- grounds just outside the park vice’s Kathy Brown “Usually The park’s Far View Lodge le al - a Where to stay The huge campground af with 130 rooms offers spectacular views and mule deer below your balcony At Great Sand Dunes the campground can fill on weekends and holidays but if you get there early you generally can get a spot Private campgrounds and a lodge are just outside the park Come prepared: The closest town is people stop on their way to or from Mesa Verde” Both areas are national gems that offer unique experiences Because the cliff dwellings at Mesa Verde are archaeological treasures that could easily be damaged or destroyed by visitors park rangers take a limited number of people on group tours through three of die dwellings — Cliff Palace mmmfsmo DURING RROVEGiTi VDQM 80-si- te MMeans 4 Alamosa population 3000 Balcony House and Long House — for $173 a head That’s a bargain Visiting at least one of those three sites is a must and you should plan on Gi Our Ni Savings SHOWROOM Mesa Verde National Park CO 8133a For (heat Sand Dunes MORE or write call Great Sand Dunes National Monument 11999 Hwy 13a 719-378-23- 12 SENSATIOPM&IkrHAN Mosca CO 81146 Check out the National Puk Service Web site http:wwwnpigovmeve 1 or ldtptfwwwnpsgovgna and USED: systemscarmas UTAH IDAHO AUCTION 757-234- Tmw iOURi Auctioneers Supor Rscjclsri Mowor with Exclusive Personal Pace? 60 hp Toro GTS angina guaranteed toUartontoahmoraacondpultor SyawaorlbroferaalFREEl V $ Paraonal Pace Salt Propel Syatam pula you in control Patented Super Racydw cutting ayetam mulchee grace Start Durable cael aluminum deck Rue yew Ml warranty Financing Available J?U & I Furniture Co PRESTON IDAHO 65 North state APPRAISAL 3 wwwuthaldahoauctkmcom lynn Livingston S ' printers digital cameras monitorsCPU hard drives floppys motherboards modemsDVD speakers SURPLUS Over 800 individual tool lots hand and power mountain bike complete drum set luggage cookware CD players boom boxes paper shredder? TTS lamps spotting goods Walkmans watches jewelry camera equipment voke recorders old timer knives pellet rifles videogames telephones CBnuhosmtennas floor jacks dolls automotive star war toys Morin coming In dalfy JV EVER W1: Computer & Unclaimed Freight Surplus Sat March 2$ 10:00 AM 765 West 200 North Logan Utah COMPUTERS NEW SO hp lbro GTS angina guaranteed to Mart onto drat or aacond pul tor 5 yuan or Ibre Sum I FREE! Psrvooti Paot Sou Propd System puto you In contra! ' tocbdM raw bag Rtcyctor cutting Suptr yWam mutchaa grass Durable cait aluminum Pack Rva yaar Ml warranty WjLLBE'mLLED WITH 970-529-44- Hikers and wilderness campers can and do trudge into the dunes to spend a night or two Of course they must ' t Personal Pace about 40 imles away For more information For Mesa Verde call or write PO Box 8 spending at least a day af the park if not longer Not so at Great Sand Dunes t most of which is considered t For You! 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