Mesa Verde Cliff Dwellings

I over came my fears.  I didn't know it would be so HIGH up. AND straight up. My heart was pounding when I got to the top of a 32 foot ladder, a tiny path of steps UP the rock steps with chains for hand rails, a trail right on the ledge of the cliff, crawling through an 18 inch tunnel and sliding between slits in the sandstone.  We went to Balcony House first thing Saturday morning.  Before I had time to rethink what we were doing.  It is the only dwelling you are able to CLIMB down into and through and CLIMB back out.  It is amazing these people lived in these stone houses on cliffs. Amazing.

We had incredible weather, the perfect temperature, clear blue skies and we were there ahead of the crowds. We got a nice hotel in Cortez, Colorado.  We went into the National Park 2 full days and were able to see about everything.

Spruce House was the most well preserved and had a Kiva with a roof.  The circle rooms in the floor of every dwelling first had a roof that evened out the floor of the dwelling so it was like a huge patio that they all made baskets, pottery, did their cooking and lived there with the birds.  Way up there they raised their children.

Cliff Palace was the largest and still had THREE 10 foot ladders to climb out.

Balcony house was built for a smaller group on the morning sun side of the mesa and was more defensive with all the small slots  and tunnels to enter and exit and quite the drop off in front.

The Sun Temple was built in a "D" shape and had 3 Kivas or Rooms inside.  It was very high up and was never finished.  These people lived in the dwellings about 100 years and then left.