Udink
03-05-2015, 02:05 PM
After spending the previous day in Nine Mile Canyon and seeing some high-up rock art from a distance, I returned to climb high above the canyon floor to get a closer look. First, I stopped to look for a petroglyph site that Celia had told me about the day before. There's a "First Site" in upper Nine Mile Canyon that is so-named for being the first rock art site one encounters when traveling downstream from the head of Nine Mile Creek, but there's in fact a much-farther-upstream site. Thanks to Celia's directions I was able to find that site.
"First Site"
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-1A9K8OlndXo/VOVRbKocCeI/AAAAAAAAr5Y/C3QwIu276Ao/s640/IMG_1531.JPG
I parked my Jeep below the ruins and rock art that we'd seen the day before, and it would remain there most of the rest of the day. I had named the waypoint in my GPS "Awesome!" based just on what could be seen from the road, and it turned out to be much more so up close. There was so much to see in the immediate area that I spent most of the day climbing higher and higher and finding rock art all along the way. At first I saw a few very small petroglyphs and an arrowhead which was the first I'd seen anywhere in Nine Mile.
Unusual wildlife in Nine Mile Canyon
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-6a_2htyz8fU/VOVRglDrkGI/AAAAAAAAr5g/zoyqfITeXuI/s640/IMG_1551.JPG
My Grand Cherokee visible through a hole in the wall of a ruin
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-OT0Uexhz5rI/VOVRjLaHrRI/AAAAAAAAr5o/r84HdJbOO0M/s640/IMG_1565.JPG
A panel of small petroglyphs
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-awyZ8jG9XoQ/VOVRrXrAltI/AAAAAAAAr5w/1KfGxp_DT0E/s640/IMG_1572.JPG
Tiny sheep petroglyph with my hand for scale
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-osvecAL-Emc/VOVR4AF-pII/AAAAAAAAr6A/8aTrqygFD8Y/s640/IMG_1578.JPG
Ooh, a pretty rock! The first I've seen in Nine Mile.
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-okzhVYdOHO4/VOVR6Zu_QHI/AAAAAAAAr6I/S8OIF_2hEew/s640/IMG_1581.JPG
Next I encountered the first of several upside-down figures. I can't help but think the figures represent something, but I'd stop short of guessing what that might be. Another prevalent theme in the area was dots and zig-zag and wavy lines.
Faint upside-down-man (left) and a guy with something strange going on between his legs
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-KoZnjXccZcA/VOVR97blL2I/AAAAAAAAr6Q/lxHdolTyBC4/s640/IMG_1587.JPG
Large sheep and associated lines and dots
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-xSpbZ6rdL-0/VOVSBCUcIAI/AAAAAAAAr6Y/o1Wz4Wn8OAg/s640/IMG_1594.JPG
Wandering line
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-NEDseO6B6ko/VOVSYyGfThI/AAAAAAAAr64/NYAh476VKFE/s640/IMG_1616.JPG
Small sheep and long squiggly line
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-DJ_7bS7qIjI/VOVSl5XrihI/AAAAAAAAr7I/3eG8Bl5_9PI/s640/IMG_1633.JPG
Tiny petroglyph
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-6zkE54x-X5o/VOVSs1MeuII/AAAAAAAAr7Q/RcnFJ0Eck3E/s640/IMG_1636.JPG
Partially pecked-in sheep
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-Ti8oX-vip5U/VOVSzcVtQ_I/AAAAAAAAr7Y/XY54x-sZJ-8/s640/IMG_1637.JPG
Pecked line and scratched elk
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-1c0JqY-jkHQ/VOVS6EPS1LI/AAAAAAAAr7g/Xa073-AseeY/s640/IMG_1638.JPG
One more common theme was anthropomorphs with antlers or antennae, the first of which was one of the most interesting petroglyphs I've seen. It appeared to be a figure with antlers, but one hand was pecked solid, and it appeared to be standing on a tree-like element with a snake-like figure between the legs. Very odd. I climbed higher and found many more surprises--it seemed unusual to find so much rock art so high above the canyon floor.
Anthropomorph with antlers
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-bGHvLtlAJug/VOVTIW9pV4I/AAAAAAAAr74/cBreCz0OD1E/s640/IMG_1664.JPG
Wha...?
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-zJp83ePzMwg/VOVTOHZhyYI/AAAAAAAAr8A/_FdRKXmDNq8/s640/IMG_1666.JPG
Anthropomorph and other random petroglyphs
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-LXxDPr38G7c/VOVTXqTzORI/AAAAAAAAr8Q/yMfXNn1A4VY/s640/IMG_1683.JPG
Transverse and square waves
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-xmLVssd-P7Q/VOVTeCtHfgI/AAAAAAAAr8Y/7nchnsDqaeQ/s640/IMG_1692.JPG
Sheep and dots
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-jxBXaYZLqMQ/VOVToJUpO1I/AAAAAAAAr8o/2BqW7qffs-k/s640/IMG_1697.JPG
Upside-down horned snake
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-Nj2bW_tPWfM/VOVT_bIfSbI/AAAAAAAAr9A/LyNrhis9MtY/s640/IMG_1702.JPG
Large (about 6'x6') panel of diagonal lines and zig-zags
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-yW8PetVteHU/VOVUE5TcYjI/AAAAAAAAr9I/kvUwQeO39Dw/s640/IMG_1706.JPG
Another upside-down guy
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Gd35CLTMfCY/VOVUJPvxtgI/AAAAAAAAr9Q/VxYp1i8om8E/s640/IMG_1709.JPG
The next interesting petroglyph I encountered was a large grid, almost in the shape of a human figure, but not quite. Next to it was a large, inverted representation of an arrowhead. I stopped for lunch, then climbed yet higher and found a smattering of random petroglyphs, but no more large, cohesive panels.
Large grid and other interesting petroglyphs
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-l05mgfd3gmk/VOVUNOzsuxI/AAAAAAAAr9Y/hL-40DZHp3I/s640/IMG_1716.JPG
Long zig-zag line and a strange sheep
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-k9gpGkzC504/VOVUSxG5KTI/AAAAAAAAr9g/DxFWDPOYDbo/s640/IMG_1731.JPG
One-horned guy
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-SfEcztJc9So/VOVUbhwF1SI/AAAAAAAAr9w/ciTmWzpg_is/s640/IMG_1736.JPG
Running sheep
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-N8wvVDTgdPA/VOVUmaxttHI/AAAAAAAAr-A/oEh-8sbLNaI/s640/IMG_1753.JPG
Antennae man
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-LiEodGj7Wt8/VOVUrtPEhnI/AAAAAAAAr-I/qs-FA4xtbB8/s640/IMG_1754.JPG
Big sheep
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-RNDBRHBeVCY/VOVUw2zzyQI/AAAAAAAAr-Q/azgDEfdXFng/s640/IMG_1755.JPG
Shield guy
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-9OwvFh-bGoc/VOVVA8KjeUI/AAAAAAAAr-o/okjhwvK47oc/s640/IMG_1764.JPG
Curly-tailed sheep
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-3eRcglIRnYI/VOVVK1pJwDI/AAAAAAAAr-4/-YQO1vV5z5o/s640/IMG_1769.JPG
High-up petroglyphs
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-aQT_Fj_1Ldc/VOVVOcz_t_I/AAAAAAAAr_A/1O6MqAaye3E/s640/IMG_1772.JPG
The sun was almost behind the high canyon walls when I returned via a circuitous route down through the ledges and back to the Jeep. During the drive home I saw many deer, some of which crossed the road in front of me and were kind enough to pose on the hillside next to the road for some photos.
1x2 buck deer
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-_-8i93bdm14/VOVVSnvbxMI/AAAAAAAAr_I/nss9xMi6gyE/s640/IMG_1790.JPG
4-point buck
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-7lZeD8SzdMU/VOVVWGIEriI/AAAAAAAAr_Q/yk_FymUyRaw/s640/IMG_1796.JPG
Photo Gallery: Nine Mile Canyon VII: Awesome! (https://picasaweb.google.com/Dennis.Udink/NineMileCanyonVIIAwesome02)
"First Site"
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-1A9K8OlndXo/VOVRbKocCeI/AAAAAAAAr5Y/C3QwIu276Ao/s640/IMG_1531.JPG
I parked my Jeep below the ruins and rock art that we'd seen the day before, and it would remain there most of the rest of the day. I had named the waypoint in my GPS "Awesome!" based just on what could be seen from the road, and it turned out to be much more so up close. There was so much to see in the immediate area that I spent most of the day climbing higher and higher and finding rock art all along the way. At first I saw a few very small petroglyphs and an arrowhead which was the first I'd seen anywhere in Nine Mile.
Unusual wildlife in Nine Mile Canyon
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-6a_2htyz8fU/VOVRglDrkGI/AAAAAAAAr5g/zoyqfITeXuI/s640/IMG_1551.JPG
My Grand Cherokee visible through a hole in the wall of a ruin
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-OT0Uexhz5rI/VOVRjLaHrRI/AAAAAAAAr5o/r84HdJbOO0M/s640/IMG_1565.JPG
A panel of small petroglyphs
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-awyZ8jG9XoQ/VOVRrXrAltI/AAAAAAAAr5w/1KfGxp_DT0E/s640/IMG_1572.JPG
Tiny sheep petroglyph with my hand for scale
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-osvecAL-Emc/VOVR4AF-pII/AAAAAAAAr6A/8aTrqygFD8Y/s640/IMG_1578.JPG
Ooh, a pretty rock! The first I've seen in Nine Mile.
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-okzhVYdOHO4/VOVR6Zu_QHI/AAAAAAAAr6I/S8OIF_2hEew/s640/IMG_1581.JPG
Next I encountered the first of several upside-down figures. I can't help but think the figures represent something, but I'd stop short of guessing what that might be. Another prevalent theme in the area was dots and zig-zag and wavy lines.
Faint upside-down-man (left) and a guy with something strange going on between his legs
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-KoZnjXccZcA/VOVR97blL2I/AAAAAAAAr6Q/lxHdolTyBC4/s640/IMG_1587.JPG
Large sheep and associated lines and dots
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-xSpbZ6rdL-0/VOVSBCUcIAI/AAAAAAAAr6Y/o1Wz4Wn8OAg/s640/IMG_1594.JPG
Wandering line
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-NEDseO6B6ko/VOVSYyGfThI/AAAAAAAAr64/NYAh476VKFE/s640/IMG_1616.JPG
Small sheep and long squiggly line
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-DJ_7bS7qIjI/VOVSl5XrihI/AAAAAAAAr7I/3eG8Bl5_9PI/s640/IMG_1633.JPG
Tiny petroglyph
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-6zkE54x-X5o/VOVSs1MeuII/AAAAAAAAr7Q/RcnFJ0Eck3E/s640/IMG_1636.JPG
Partially pecked-in sheep
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-Ti8oX-vip5U/VOVSzcVtQ_I/AAAAAAAAr7Y/XY54x-sZJ-8/s640/IMG_1637.JPG
Pecked line and scratched elk
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-1c0JqY-jkHQ/VOVS6EPS1LI/AAAAAAAAr7g/Xa073-AseeY/s640/IMG_1638.JPG
One more common theme was anthropomorphs with antlers or antennae, the first of which was one of the most interesting petroglyphs I've seen. It appeared to be a figure with antlers, but one hand was pecked solid, and it appeared to be standing on a tree-like element with a snake-like figure between the legs. Very odd. I climbed higher and found many more surprises--it seemed unusual to find so much rock art so high above the canyon floor.
Anthropomorph with antlers
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-bGHvLtlAJug/VOVTIW9pV4I/AAAAAAAAr74/cBreCz0OD1E/s640/IMG_1664.JPG
Wha...?
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-zJp83ePzMwg/VOVTOHZhyYI/AAAAAAAAr8A/_FdRKXmDNq8/s640/IMG_1666.JPG
Anthropomorph and other random petroglyphs
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-LXxDPr38G7c/VOVTXqTzORI/AAAAAAAAr8Q/yMfXNn1A4VY/s640/IMG_1683.JPG
Transverse and square waves
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-xmLVssd-P7Q/VOVTeCtHfgI/AAAAAAAAr8Y/7nchnsDqaeQ/s640/IMG_1692.JPG
Sheep and dots
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-jxBXaYZLqMQ/VOVToJUpO1I/AAAAAAAAr8o/2BqW7qffs-k/s640/IMG_1697.JPG
Upside-down horned snake
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-Nj2bW_tPWfM/VOVT_bIfSbI/AAAAAAAAr9A/LyNrhis9MtY/s640/IMG_1702.JPG
Large (about 6'x6') panel of diagonal lines and zig-zags
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-yW8PetVteHU/VOVUE5TcYjI/AAAAAAAAr9I/kvUwQeO39Dw/s640/IMG_1706.JPG
Another upside-down guy
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Gd35CLTMfCY/VOVUJPvxtgI/AAAAAAAAr9Q/VxYp1i8om8E/s640/IMG_1709.JPG
The next interesting petroglyph I encountered was a large grid, almost in the shape of a human figure, but not quite. Next to it was a large, inverted representation of an arrowhead. I stopped for lunch, then climbed yet higher and found a smattering of random petroglyphs, but no more large, cohesive panels.
Large grid and other interesting petroglyphs
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-l05mgfd3gmk/VOVUNOzsuxI/AAAAAAAAr9Y/hL-40DZHp3I/s640/IMG_1716.JPG
Long zig-zag line and a strange sheep
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-k9gpGkzC504/VOVUSxG5KTI/AAAAAAAAr9g/DxFWDPOYDbo/s640/IMG_1731.JPG
One-horned guy
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-SfEcztJc9So/VOVUbhwF1SI/AAAAAAAAr9w/ciTmWzpg_is/s640/IMG_1736.JPG
Running sheep
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-N8wvVDTgdPA/VOVUmaxttHI/AAAAAAAAr-A/oEh-8sbLNaI/s640/IMG_1753.JPG
Antennae man
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-LiEodGj7Wt8/VOVUrtPEhnI/AAAAAAAAr-I/qs-FA4xtbB8/s640/IMG_1754.JPG
Big sheep
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-RNDBRHBeVCY/VOVUw2zzyQI/AAAAAAAAr-Q/azgDEfdXFng/s640/IMG_1755.JPG
Shield guy
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-9OwvFh-bGoc/VOVVA8KjeUI/AAAAAAAAr-o/okjhwvK47oc/s640/IMG_1764.JPG
Curly-tailed sheep
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-3eRcglIRnYI/VOVVK1pJwDI/AAAAAAAAr-4/-YQO1vV5z5o/s640/IMG_1769.JPG
High-up petroglyphs
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-aQT_Fj_1Ldc/VOVVOcz_t_I/AAAAAAAAr_A/1O6MqAaye3E/s640/IMG_1772.JPG
The sun was almost behind the high canyon walls when I returned via a circuitous route down through the ledges and back to the Jeep. During the drive home I saw many deer, some of which crossed the road in front of me and were kind enough to pose on the hillside next to the road for some photos.
1x2 buck deer
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-_-8i93bdm14/VOVVSnvbxMI/AAAAAAAAr_I/nss9xMi6gyE/s640/IMG_1790.JPG
4-point buck
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-7lZeD8SzdMU/VOVVWGIEriI/AAAAAAAAr_Q/yk_FymUyRaw/s640/IMG_1796.JPG
Photo Gallery: Nine Mile Canyon VII: Awesome! (https://picasaweb.google.com/Dennis.Udink/NineMileCanyonVIIAwesome02)