November Ruins & Rock Art

[IntrepidXJ]

Friday & Saturday, November 19-20, 2010

This last weekend was our annual November trip to the Cedar Mesa / Comb Ridge area. We set out to check out some new ruins and rock art during the weekend and we were not disappointed. On Friday we both got out of work early and headed south to Blanding. On our way we made a quick stop at the Dewey petroglyph panel for a few quick photos before it got dark.

http://myxj.net/g2/d/182765-2/IMG_1385.jpg

On our way towards Monticello I noticed a nice pink glow over the La Sal Mountains as the sun was setting, so I pulled over to take a quick picture.

http://myxj.net/g2/d/182769-2/IMG_1405.jpg

Right after I took that photo, the pink glow disappeared.

After dinner in Monticello we finished the drive to Blanding, checked into our hotel (we're not into cold weather camping) and got to sleep so we could get an early start the next morning.

We were up well before the sun was to rise on Saturday morning and on our way to Cedar Mesa. Our first destination for the day was Road Canyon, and we arrived at the trailhead just after the sun had come up. Here's a few photos from our hike through Road Canyon...

Fallen Roof Ruin was high on my list of ruins to hike to, so that was our first stop
http://myxj.net/g2/d/182856-2/IMG_1442.jpg

Fallen Roof
http://myxj.net/g2/d/182865-2/IMG_1490.jpg

Amanda and I
http://myxj.net/g2/d/182874-2/IMG_1541.jpg

We continued on down Road Canyon a little further to find a few more ruins.

These ruins had a real 'fallen roof'
http://myxj.net/g2/d/182781-2/IMG_1698.jpg

I climbed up to this well preserved granary
http://myxj.net/g2/d/182790-2/IMG_1764.jpg

Open Door Granary
http://myxj.net/g2/d/182793-2/IMG_1786.jpg

Found this granary hidden in the wall of the cliff on my way back down
http://myxj.net/g2/d/182799-2/IMG_1824.jpg

[IntrepidXJ]

After hiking back up to the Jeep we set off to our next location. We weren't sure if the roads that we needed to take to get there would be passable, but in the end we lucked out. There were a few sketchy sections covered in ice next to a large drop-off that were a little nerve-wracking, but we were able to make it.

Doll House
http://myxj.net/g2/d/182808-2/IMG_1924.jpg

The Doll House is the best preserved ruin I have come across
http://myxj.net/g2/d/182811-2/IMG_1951.jpg

The roof is even fully intact
http://myxj.net/g2/d/182820-2/IMG_2010.jpg

http://myxj.net/g2/d/182817-2/IMG_1996.jpg

Amanda took this one of me before we headed out
http://myxj.net/g2/d/182826-2/IMG_2028.jpg

On our way back to Blanding for some dinner we made another quick stop at the Butler Wash Ruins, since we hadn't been there for a few years.

http://myxj.net/g2/d/182832-2/IMG_2081.jpg

http://myxj.net/g2/d/182835-2/IMG_2089.jpg

http://myxj.net/g2/d/182841-2/IMG_2124.jpg

Butler Wash Bridge
http://myxj.net/g2/d/182838-2/IMG_2121.jpg

We also made another quick stop at the Westwater Ruins just outside of Blanding.

http://myxj.net/g2/d/182844-2/IMG_2131.jpg

Hard to spot in this photo, but that's the Westwater Natural Bridge
http://myxj.net/g2/d/182847-2/IMG_2157.jpg

We grabbed some burgers from the Patio Drive-In before making it back to our hotel room for the night. It was a great day!

Sunday to be continued....

[IntrepidXJ]

Sunday, November 21, 2010

On Sunday morning we slept in a little later than the previous day. The weather reports had indicated that there would be snow overnight so we were expecting to wake up and find the ground covered, but when I looked out the window there was none. Still, the weather wasn't the greatest; it was windy and raining off and on. Despite the weather we loaded up the Jeep and headed towards Comb Ridge.

When we reached the trailhead to the Procession Petroglyph Panel, Amanda decided that she wasn't up for hiking in the wind, sleet and rain, so I headed off on my own while she waited in the Jeep.

The Procession Panel
http://myxj.net/g2/d/182923-2/IMG_2263.jpg

http://myxj.net/g2/d/182917-2/IMG_2231.jpg

View from the panel over Comb Ridge
http://myxj.net/g2/d/182920-2/IMG_2247.jpg

After I made it back to the Jeep we headed through Comb Ridge and made our way south to the San Juan River. Last year when we stopped by the River House Ruins, we did not continue on to the Butler Wash petroglyph panel, so we made our way there.

Butler Wash Petroglyph Panel
http://myxj.net/g2/d/182883-2/IMG_7927.jpg

http://myxj.net/g2/d/182941-2/IMG_7947.jpg

There were a ton of petroglyphs all along this section of the cliff, but most of them were pretty badly eroded. Still, it was cool to walk along the cliff and spot them all.

Of course we stopped at the River House (Snake House) ruin again on our way back.

http://myxj.net/g2/d/182887-2/IMG_7961.jpg

Pictographs
http://myxj.net/g2/d/182893-2/IMG_7970.jpg

T-shaped door
http://myxj.net/g2/d/182896-2/IMG_7990.jpg

http://myxj.net/g2/d/182899-2/IMG_7994.jpg

After spending some time at the River House we headed back to the pavement and started on our way home. Before reaching Moab, we made the short detour to Newspaper Rock again, since the lighting was bad when I stopped by last month.

Newspaper Rock
http://myxj.net/g2/d/182905-2/IMG_8114.jpg

After lunch in Moab we continued on our way home. I stopped for a quick picture of Updraft Arch along the Colorado River.

http://myxj.net/g2/d/182908-2/IMG_8127.jpg

As we approached the Fisher Tower they were hidden in some fog...

http://myxj.net/g2/d/182911-2/IMG_8138.jpg

Somehow we managed to avoid the bad weather throughout the weekend and had a great time exploring southern Utah....as usual ;)

[ibenick]

Nice TR! The Doll House looks awesome, I really need to get out there.

[accadacca]

For the win! :popcorn:

[Iceaxe]

Awesome pics of Fallen Roof. :2thumbs:

[Win]

Another great TR, thanks:2thumbs:

Win

[hike.higher]

Fun trip. I need to get back down there again, been a few years. You're bringing back memories....

[uintahiker]

Sweet pics. I've gotta make it down there sometime.

[kokopelli43]

Really enjoyed looking at your pictures, I and a companion managed to get to the dollhouse this last October after 8 years of trying...it truly is amazing - it ranks right up there with the Citadel, Moon House, Target, and Eagles Nest... just curious as to the time of day you were at Doll House, you had a lot more light so must have been early in the morning or mid day. we were there mid to late afternoon and only got good pictures after everything was in the shade... thanks for sharing your pictures. Koko

[IntrepidXJ]

...just curious as to the time of day you were at Doll House, you had a lot more light so must have been early in the morning or mid day. we were there mid to late afternoon and only got good pictures after everything was in the shade... thanks for sharing your pictures. Koko

We were there in the afternoon as well. It was a nice overcast day, though.