Yesterday (Sunday) found us finally setting out to finish the adventure into Canyon de Chelly--the canyon floor--that we started last March. To refresh your memory, here's what happened in March:
You may recall that we got as far as the far side of the flooded Chinle wash and then turned around to go home when we became stuck and had to be rescued by the rangers. This month the scene in the same location was just a bit different...
but even though it is sand, it still requires a four-wheel drive vehicle. To give you a hint how rough it was, my BodyBugg device that counts calories expended as well as steps reported that I had taken 18,500 steps by the time we returned home. I'm sure at least 10,000 of them were actually bounces in the pickup!We were once again with our neighbor, Mick, and the plan was to go up one side of the canyon complex, Canyon del Muerte to Mummy Cave ruin, then back to the junction of the two canyons and up Canyon de Chelly to Spider Rock. Seeing the canyon from the bottom is amazing, as you can get a closeup view of the sheer cliffs, some a vertical rise of 600-800 feet from the canyon floor. 
In other spots, there is quite a bit of rubble, steps of sandstone mounds and even wide spots that are large enough for a small farming or ranching operation.
In other spots, there is quite a bit of rubble, steps of sandstone mounds and even wide spots that are large enough for a small farming or ranching operation.One such spot was our first destination, after stopping for photos of some of the minor ruins that abound in the canyon. Mick explained that he had met a woman of about 60 years in age walking along a trail that led down from the north wall of the canyon, across the wash, and back up a seemingly impassable series of steps to the top of the canyon on the south rim. The trail was her route home, and had steps carved into the rock on the south side that he wanted to show us. To do so, he needed us to climb up the first step on the other side so that we could see them.
I had been itching to get out and climb some of these formations already, remembering back about 45 years to the time I used to scramble all over Moab's east bench, including the famous Lion's Back where 4-wheelers now try their luck at a vertical climb. For some reason, my brain refuses to be its age, and with my new fitness push it keeps taking me back to my teen years. Ever patient and protective, Budd was forced to go along with the plan to make sure I didn't fall in my eagerness to regain my youth.
On the way up, I found that I didn't trust my balance walking upright on the steeper sections, so I used my hands a lot, but I had no trouble getting up once I gave up my dignity. As Mick waited patiently, I felt I had to explain that I was being so careful because I, too, was over 60. I was very gratified when Mick reacted with shock and told us he had us figured for early 50's.
On the way up, we spotted this feature: 
which Mick explained was a slide rock. Kids ride the small rock down this slope, wearing away the dark desert varnish in that straight line. 
Later, he tried it and unfortunately the slide rock broke, but we found another and left it at the top for the next kid. Too bad we didn't get a picture of Mick sliding...Budd was at the top with the camera at that point and didn't realize what was happening. The drop-off at the end isn't nearly as dramatic as it looks, by the way.
which Mick explained was a slide rock. Kids ride the small rock down this slope, wearing away the dark desert varnish in that straight line. 
Later, he tried it and unfortunately the slide rock broke, but we found another and left it at the top for the next kid. Too bad we didn't get a picture of Mick sliding...Budd was at the top with the camera at that point and didn't realize what was happening. The drop-off at the end isn't nearly as dramatic as it looks, by the way. But before all that, we 'summited' and had a great view! Here we are standing on top, with the trails Mick wanted us to see on the wall behind us, unfortunately too small in this picture to really see.
Later I'll try to add some enlarged images of the carved trail.
After climbing down again, we continued on our journey to the junction, then passed to the left fork canyon and on to Antelope House, a major ruin that is highly accessible. Of course, all the ruins are protected and no one is allowed into them. But some are high on the canyon walls and must be viewed through binoculars, whereas others could be accessed from the canyon floor with no trouble. All are behind fences as people can't be trusted to respect these historic treasures. The structure on the right was once a four-story building!
To the left of the ruin you can see in this picture a narrow fin of sandstone that has collapsed, but once jutted out from the canyon wall to form what would have been a protective barrier to intruders coming up the canyon. We later spoke to the leaseholder who lives directly in front of the ruin and learned that this fin collapsed only about three years ago, when a large area of the cliff wall above flaked off and hit it. We asked if it had frightened them much, as the noise must have been tremendous. She said that it sounded like a helicopter, and that smaller rocks and even ice falls on a regular basis from the overhang under which they live. She went on to mention that they have taught their kids to always run OUT, away from the overhang rather than inward, when they hear anything falling, and that you can always hear it, no matter how small. Apparently objects make a whistling noise as they fall. What a way to live!
We went on to a more recently occupied ruin called Standing Cow for the very large, nearly life-sized pictograph image of a cow. There we found a hogan made from the prehistoric sandstone brick, but sporting a glazed window and wooden door. Unfortunately, by this time the camera battery was getting low and Budd wanted to save them for Spider Rock, so we have no images of the Standing Cow or the hogan.
We decided to enjoy our picnic lunch in a grove of cottonwoods there, and at that point also decided not to try to continue to Mummy Cave ruin as we had heard reports of a large jeep rally group who were there ahead of us. The road was extremely rough and narrow in spots, so passing 20 jeeps all going the opposite direction didn't sound like fun. That means we will want to come back again at some point, because Mummy Cave is by far the largest and most interesting ruin in the canyon complex.
We decided to enjoy our picnic lunch in a grove of cottonwoods there, and at that point also decided not to try to continue to Mummy Cave ruin as we had heard reports of a large jeep rally group who were there ahead of us. The road was extremely rough and narrow in spots, so passing 20 jeeps all going the opposite direction didn't sound like fun. That means we will want to come back again at some point, because Mummy Cave is by far the largest and most interesting ruin in the canyon complex.
We headed back to the junction and this time took the fork into Canyon de Chelly proper. Our destination in the Canyon de Chelly side was Spider Rock, which legend has it was the home of Spider Woman, one of the Holy People. As this is getting very long at this point, I'll take up the story here in a day or two, and post more pictures.
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