Archive 2013 · Chaco Canyon and Mesa Verde -- A Running Thread

Colorado CJ
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Chaco Canyon and Mesa Verde -- A Running Thread

I spent the last few days with my brother and nephew in the four corners area. We visited Chaco Canyon and Mesa Verde, and a lot of country in between. It was a fun short trip, wish it could have been longer, but my Nephew had to get back in time for school to start.

As usual, I took a lot of photos. It will take me a while to process all the better photos and post them, so this will be a running thread with a few photos posted at a time.

We start at Chaco Canyon, an awesome area with some very neat history. I was surprised how few people where there, at times it was like we had the whole canyon to ourselves.

Here are the first two photos I've finished processing so far. This is Fajada Butte. The top of this butte is where the Anasazi sun dagger calender is located, but it is closed to the public :cry)

9-Aug-2013-2 by Colorado CJ, on Flickr

Later in the evening, we laid on the ground for a few hours, watching the night sky and catching about 30 meteors, a few being bright enough to leave vapor/smoke trails. Here's a shot I took during a lull in the meteor shower.

9-Aug-2013-1 by Colorado CJ, on Flickr

During the second day, we explored the different Great Houses in Chaco Canyon. These photos do NOT do them justice.

It is hard to believe these are 1000 year old ruins and hard to imagine the labor needed to form these individual stones, as well as cutting and hauling massive trees for hundreds of miles to this dry canyon, all by hand, and all by simple stone tools.

The back wall of Chetro Ketl

9-Aug-2013-3 by Colorado CJ, on Flickr

Pueblo Bonito is a HUGE structure that covers many acres. You can see where there were up to 4 story high rooms and massive kivas. There is a section that you can walk into and explore. It is awe inspiring to see it in person.

9-Aug-2013-4 by Colorado CJ, on Flickr

The black and white treatment didn't work for this one.

9-Aug-2013-5 by Colorado CJ, on Flickr

I'll be updating this post when I get more photos processed.

Aug 15, 2013 at 12:05 PM

JimFox
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Chaco Canyon and Mesa Verde -- A Running Thread

Hey Andrew,

That first two are my favorite here. That canyon looks pretty cool with those ruins, but #2 with the Milky Way is pretty nice. You didn't get any star shots with the Meteors streaking through? I was up at Mt Rainier watching them (and shooting them) over the weekend and there were a few meteors that burst in the sky like I was watching a Star Wars film...

Jim

Aug 15, 2013 at 12:49 PM

Colorado CJ
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Chaco Canyon and Mesa Verde -- A Running Thread

JimFox wrote:
Hey Andrew,

That first two are my favorite here. That canyon looks pretty cool with those ruins, but #2 with the Milky Way is pretty nice. You didn't get any star shots with the Meteors streaking through? I was up at Mt Rainier watching them (and shooting them) over the weekend and there were a few meteors that burst in the sky like I was watching a Star Wars film...

Jim

I didn't take many shots that night, just a few of the Milky Way, so I didn't get any of the meteor shower. This was a couple of days before the actual meteor shower, so we were only seeing a meteorite every few minutes.

That must have been awesome seeing bolides like that! I've seen a few that broke into smaller pieces and had a smoke trail. One a few years ago even had a green light to it. I though it was a plane crashing at first as it was going MUCH slower than a normal meteorite. It then broke into many smaller glowing pieces and went behind a mountain. I'm sure that one made it to the ground.

Aug 15, 2013 at 12:55 PM

John Zeman
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Chaco Canyon and Mesa Verde -- A Running Thread

These are great shots, #2 ought to be hanging on a wall somewhere.

Aug 15, 2013 at 10:11 PM


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