TR: The Citadel @ Cedar Mesa

[Brewhaha]

After seeing the wonderful pictures at Climb-Utah we decided we needed to make the trip. When I visit ruins I want to either see a neat ruin, experience an interesting approach hike, or end up in a place of great natural beauty. Most ruins are lucky to fulfill one, much less two of these requirements. However, The Citadel fits all of them perfectly. The approach is amazing as one follows the Road Canyon tributary and sees it cut deep very fast. This leads you to the simply amazing land bridge that is stunning. Once you arrive, you are treated to a very nice ruin that looks to be in very good condition. Lastly, as you stand outside of the ruin and look around you see that if you go 30 yards in any direction (except for the narrow land bridge) you will find a 500-600+ foot canyon.

The Citadel is one of those rare ruins in which you would be happy with the hike alone, the ruin alone, or the location alone.

Here are some shots. I only wish I had a better camera because the lighting was perfect to photograph the ruin.

[asdf]

Great pics very nice!
How as the weather down there?

[Iceaxe]

The Citadel is one of my favorite ruins for all the reasons you mentioned.

I have noticed that most Anasazi ruins are built near a water source. But I could never figure out where these guys were getting their water from. With The Citadel built like a medieval castle capable of repelling a long term siege, they had to be able to get water from somewhere inside the fortress.

[Brewhaha]

The weather was perfect. It was clear, calm, and right around 60.

As for water, we couldn't figure out where they got it either. I wonder if they didn't live there but only retreated there when they needed to for short times (like Helms Deep in The Lord of the Rings). Who knows.

[rockgremlin]

WOW!! I'll have to get out that way. Outstanding!!

[Sombeech]

cool shots.

[psl53]

Great shots, I've explored the upper parts of Road and Lime but not the lower portions. Did you access the ruins from the Mormon Trail road 237? or come up from cigarette springs? I'm going to be heading back that way soon, but not soon enough, just got out of the hospital, got a partial knee replacement and ACL replacement.
Peter