Moab Area Rock Art V

[IntrepidXJ]

Sunday, February 27, 2011

Hidden Valley & Behind the Rocks

On Sunday the weather forecast called for 60% chance of snow in Moab. The same was true for Grand Junction and Moab on Saturday, so I figured they would be wrong again and I made my way over to Moab. It was a good decision because it turned out to be a perfect day for hiking

[IntrepidXJ]

Follow the Flute Player by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr

A line of burden bearers follow a flute player.


Vandalized Pictograph by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr

I found many petroglyphs throughout the day, but this was the only faint pictograph (or actually a pictoglyph since part of it is a petroglyph) I managed to find. Unfortunately, this panel was badly vandalized. The large shield-like figure at the top of the panel is outlined by a red pigment.


Watchtower Ruin

Sorry about the bad photo here, but I was hoping to reach Watchtower Ruin on this hike, but unfortunately I was unable to climb up to it, since I lacked the necessary climbing skills

[accadacca]

60% Looks like blue skies! Nice stuff!

[Philippe]

Very nice pictures as usual, I really appreciate the way you photography rock art.

Last year, while hiking Hidden Valley, I missed the Maze panel, I have to come back...

Here is a panorama that I shot, including Watchtower ruin from the top :



Philippe

[slickrocker]

Great photos. Are you aware of this talk in Moab, March 15? Sounds like something you'd be interested in.

15 Ancient Astronomy of Hidden Valley - Slide show by Rory Tyler who has been studying the ancient Indian astronomy, or "archeoastronomy", at Moab's Hidden Valley since 2007. This program presents his observations from March 2007 to December 2010. At the MARC (Moab Arts and Recreation Center) 7:00 pm. FREE downloads of the slide show will be available if you bring your flash drive.

[IntrepidXJ]

Yeah, I saw the fliers for that....but I doubt I'll drive to Moab after work for it

Maybe I can find someone who downloads the slideshow

[MarlenK]

Slickrocker, we were in Moab last week for spring break. Our family hiked Hidden Valley early Tuesday morning, and I attended the slide show Tuesday night. Rory did a great job. It would be interesting to know how many times Rory has made the climb up to Hidden Valley. From the presentation it appears we missed the ruin on the top of the mesa with the rock art. Good incentive to do the hike again next time.
Also, the person who helped Rory set up the presentation, Bruce Hucko, is mentioned several times in Fred Blackburn's book Cowboys and Cave Dwellers. I was able to spend a few minutes after the presentation speaking with Bruce. Marlen

[moab mark]

Randy,
Watch Tower Ruin looks familiar. Is it the one at the end of one of the spurs on the Moab Rim Trail?

Mark

[IntrepidXJ]

Randy,
Watch Tower Ruin looks familiar. Is it the one at the end of one of the spurs on the Moab Rim Trail?

It's at the end of the Hidden Valley trail.....you can get there from the Moab Rim side, but I don;t think you can drive all the way there...you will have to hike to get there, still

[moab mark]

From the Ruin if you look west is there a road that is really close, maybe a half mile?

[IntrepidXJ]

I think so....but I'm not sure if it's open anymore

[moab mark]

Yea that is the Moab Rim Trail.

[zzyzx]

As always great pictures.
I never read this thread before.
We planned to hike this trail in 2010 - but not enough time for that.
In the June of these year we hiked the Hidden Valley Trail and have had a little bit of luck, we found these beautiful rock art too.
Here two panos.