Yes it was. Traveling through the canyon seeing the many diverse activities was very interesting. Once we got past the modern section of the area we started looking for any ancient ruin sites. Fortunately, we found a few sites and they all seemed very serene and peaceful. Thanks for commenting and viewing our channel. It is sincerely appreciated!
My dad owned land at the bottom of Montezuma Canyon. One time after some significant rain, we found lots of arrowheads as we went hiking. You sure don't find arrowheads like that anymore. And you haven't lived until you've gone down that steep road in the back of a pickup. Scary!
Thanks for sharing your story. Yes, that does seem a little scary riding in the back of a pickup down that steep road. But, what a memory! We always hope to find an arrowhead or two but so far no luck.
TheNightHawk...Wow, I should have talked to you before I posted this video. Your insight and perspective of the area would have been a great addition. Thanks for commenting and viewing our video. It is sincerely appreciated.
That's an interesting area, it's in the general vicinity of Hovenweep National Monument. I've also seen wineries west of Cortez, CO so they must work out in that climate. I've cut through there nearby going from Cortez to Blanding but never thought to drive up that canyon.
We will be spending 10 days in the Blanding, UT area in May. We are planning on going to the "Hovenweep National Monument". Any tips or other suggestions while we are in that area?
We used to go there when I was a kid in the late 1960's and early 70's. My dad was a Jr. High School (1500 kids) principal so got like 70 days off each summer. Back then you could hike up to everything. Once, we were hiking down a wash where there were tells all round. The spring rains had washed out part of some of the tells and as we walked, we saw a corner of one that was being washed out. There was a hint of blue in the dirt and we saw a little circle of turquoise beads still in a circle. Part of them were gone. Now it was BLM land and you weren't supposed to touch things but it was obvious that next rain it would all be gone. So my mom took them and treasured them her whole life. Yes, I know... Devils Canyon campground is a great base camp for this area... I remember when it was scrub juniper and oak before the Ponderosa's grew. It's Nat Forest campground just a few miles from the north of the entrance to the Canyon road. I remember the old dam over a hundred years old no longer functional... At one point in the Canyon, another smaller canyon joins and when down there where the openings came together (Cross Canyon???) there was a sharp hill in the middle that was an obvious place to fortify. At the top of the hill was a flatter area not all that big maybe house sized and there were walls all around it. At the bottom you could see where poles had gone into the wall of rock and likely a small enclosed covered area was... From the top of the little "citadel", you would have been able to monitor traffic coming up and down the canyon and from the side canyon. The civilization out there was much more "connected" than I believe people realize... My dad knew Moki Mac (his kids still run white water rafting Co.) and even had beers with people like Edward Abbey (Desert Solitaire) and crew including Moki as they sat around the fire trying to figure out how to stop the lake Powell dam.... at the Green River state park. Moki was a part time state ranger and collected camping fees and how we met. They called my dad "professor." I, as a kid 13 to 15 remember them saying that exactly what has happened would happen to Lake Powell predicting the reservoir would never work over the long haul hating on the stupid government. They talked about all the ruins and history that would be swallowed up by the water. Waldo Wilcox let my parents on his protected ranch before he gave it to the state of Utah and took them to some pristine ruins where my dad said it looked like the people just got up one morning and left leaving all their stuff including weapons, still against the walls, like with food on the table ready to eat... Moki Mac told my parents that very likely there were bodies out there that didn't leave when Wilcox found them trying to loot the ruins. He had let the University of Utah archeology program on the land earlier with very strict rules before he gave it to them and they broke the rules and he kicked em off. I had a good childhood.
Oh my . Very nice. Thanks. Canyon seems very peaceful.
Yes it was. Traveling through the canyon seeing the many diverse activities was very interesting. Once we got past the modern section of the area we started looking for any ancient ruin sites. Fortunately, we found a few sites and they all seemed very serene and peaceful. Thanks for commenting and viewing our channel. It is sincerely appreciated!
Very well done. Great video and photos! Also your voice is very easy to listen to and to follow. No useless chatter.
Barbara...Thanks for the wonderful comment and viewing our channel. It is sincerely appreciated!
My dad owned land at the bottom of Montezuma Canyon. One time after some significant rain, we found lots of arrowheads as we went hiking. You sure don't find arrowheads like that anymore. And you haven't lived until you've gone down that steep road in the back of a pickup. Scary!
Thanks for sharing your story. Yes, that does seem a little scary riding in the back of a pickup down that steep road. But, what a memory! We always hope to find an arrowhead or two but so far no luck.
See my post on this video... It would have been a great childhood for you to I imagine.
Camped down there for 23 yrs out of Denver. Hiked all over down there.
TheNightHawk...Wow, I should have talked to you before I posted this video. Your insight and perspective of the area would have been a great addition. Thanks for commenting and viewing our video. It is sincerely appreciated.
That's an interesting area, it's in the general vicinity of Hovenweep National Monument. I've also seen wineries west of Cortez, CO so they must work out in that climate. I've cut through there nearby going from Cortez to Blanding but never thought to drive up that canyon.
We will be spending 10 days in the Blanding, UT area in May. We are planning on going to the "Hovenweep National Monument". Any tips or other suggestions while we are in that area?
We used to go there when I was a kid in the late 1960's and early 70's. My dad was a Jr. High School (1500 kids) principal so got like 70 days off each summer.
Back then you could hike up to everything. Once, we were hiking down a wash where there were tells all round. The spring rains had washed out part of some of the tells and as we walked, we saw a corner of one that was being washed out. There was a hint of blue in the dirt and we saw a little circle of turquoise beads still in a circle. Part of them were gone. Now it was BLM land and you weren't supposed to touch things but it was obvious that next rain it would all be gone. So my mom took them and treasured them her whole life. Yes, I know...
Devils Canyon campground is a great base camp for this area... I remember when it was scrub juniper and oak before the Ponderosa's grew. It's Nat Forest campground just a few miles from the north of the entrance to the Canyon road. I remember the old dam over a hundred years old no longer functional... At one point in the Canyon, another smaller canyon joins and when down there where the openings came together (Cross Canyon???) there was a sharp hill in the middle that was an obvious place to fortify. At the top of the hill was a flatter area not all that big maybe house sized and there were walls all around it. At the bottom you could see where poles had gone into the wall of rock and likely a small enclosed covered area was... From the top of the little "citadel", you would have been able to monitor traffic coming up and down the canyon and from the side canyon. The civilization out there was much more "connected" than I believe people realize...
My dad knew Moki Mac (his kids still run white water rafting Co.) and even had beers with people like Edward Abbey (Desert Solitaire) and crew including Moki as they sat around the fire trying to figure out how to stop the lake Powell dam.... at the Green River state park. Moki was a part time state ranger and collected camping fees and how we met. They called my dad "professor."
I, as a kid 13 to 15 remember them saying that exactly what has happened would happen to Lake Powell predicting the reservoir would never work over the long haul hating on the stupid government. They talked about all the ruins and history that would be swallowed up by the water.
Waldo Wilcox let my parents on his protected ranch before he gave it to the state of Utah and took them to some pristine ruins where my dad said it looked like the people just got up one morning and left leaving all their stuff including weapons, still against the walls, like with food on the table ready to eat... Moki Mac told my parents that very likely there were bodies out there that didn't leave when Wilcox found them trying to loot the ruins. He had let the University of Utah archeology program on the land earlier with very strict rules before he gave it to them and they broke the rules and he kicked em off. I had a good childhood.
Thanks for sharing your experiences in the area and thanks for watching...Much appreciated!