Mesa Verde :: Cliff Palace

It would probably seem to be a good bet that from Hovenweep I would go to visit the “cliff dwellers” at Mesa Verde National Park, located near Cortez, Colorado and about 50 miles east of Hovenweep. The park contains over 4,000 known archeological sites including cliff dwellings and the mesa top sites of pithouses, pueblos, masonry towers, and farming structures although many of them are not accessible to the everyday visitor.

The first stop was the campground. Even though I was assured by the Ranger at the entrance station that the campground never fills up, I wanted to make sure that I had a site for the night. After securing my site I drove the dozen or so miles winding up the mountain side to the visitors center. A ticket, for the nominal sum of three dollars, is required to tour the cliff dwellings. The number of visitors on each tour is limited as are the number of daily tours to each site. There were several slots available for the two dwelling sites that were open – Cliff Palace and Balcony House – and I obtained tickets for Cliff Palace that afternoon and Balcony House the next morning.

There are signs posted at the waiting area for the tours warning that “Visiting the cliff dwellings will involve strenuous hiking and climbing. If you have any health problems do not attempt.” Dire warnings, indeed. But the trail is only a quarter of a mile long. How difficult could it be?

A portion of the Cliff Palace seen from the top of the trail. A large part of the dwelling is off to the left and much of it is barely visible in the shadows.

Several of the towers are four stories high. Park literature states that “The cliff dwellings of Mesa Verde are some of the most notable and best preserved in the North American Continent. Sometime during the late 1190s, after primarily living on the mesa top for 600 years, many Ancestral Puebloans began living in pueblos they built beneath the overhanging cliffs. The structures ranged in size from one-room storage units to villages of more than 150 rooms. While still farming the mesa tops, they continued to reside in the alcoves, repairing, remodeling, and constructing new rooms for nearly a century. By the late 1270s, the population began migrating south into present-day New Mexico and Arizona. By 1300, the Ancestral Puebloan occupation of Mesa Verde ended.”

And, “Recent studies reveal that Cliff Palace contained 150 rooms and 23 kivas and had a population of approximately 100 people. Out of the nearly 600 cliff dwellings concentrated within the boundaries of the park, 75% contain only 1-5 rooms each, and many are single room storage units. If you visit Cliff Palace you will enter an exceptionally large dwelling which may have had special significance to the original occupants. It is thought that Cliff Palace was a social, administrative site with high ceremonial usage.”

It was fascinating. And the trail really wasn't so bad. A metal stairway leads to a series of uneven stone steps of varying heights. Then the path goes along the edge of the cliff making its way around to a 10-foot ladder going up to the next level. From there, you had to go back down a ways along a stone and dirt path finally reaching the area of the cliff dwellings.





The park Ranger preparing to climb the last of the ladders back to the top.

At first glimpse, and from a distance, the final ladder climb looks scary. This was taken from the trail waiting area before going on the tour. But, as you can see from the previous photo, the ladder hugs the wall and it was a relatively easy climb.

Mountain Getting Climbed

We just got through a really busy weekend here at Mt. Rainier and thoroughly enjoyed all the people we met. Seems like everyone was in really high spirits. Don't know if it was the $20.00 people saved at the gate due to the fee free weekend, the great weather we had despite a few gusts of high winds, the great climbing and skiing conditions, or just the joy of being on a really cool mountain, but whatever the reason we are glad you enjoyed your time spent in the park.







Check out new route updates on the DC, Gib Ledges, Liberty Ridge and more on our conditions page. The forecast for the next few days looks like it's going to be COLD again with a few showers, but the weekend looks like it should be fairly pleasant, so come on up and enjoy!

What's Your Urban Speed Limit?

When I ride through parts of town with chaotic car and pedestrian traffic, I find that I need to limit my speed in order for my reaction time to be adequate. I told this to another cyclist one time and he laughed: "But the speed limit is 20mph here! You can do 20 and still be fine." But I don't believe that's accurate. Maybe a car can do 20 and be fine, but their braking system works differently. A driver is unlikely to flip their vehicle over if they brake suddenly at 20mph, but a cyclist is quite likely to either go over the handlebars or be unable to come to a complete stop quickly enough.



Some hold the theory that instead of braking, the urban cyclist should be quick to accelerate so that they can go around swerving cars and leaping pedestrians. But that isn't always possible. Earlier this week during the holiday shopping rush, I found myself in a situation where I was basically trapped between several moving objects simultaneously and had no choice but to slam the brakes: Two car doors in a row swung open ahead to my right while, at the exact same time, a pedestrian jumped into my line of travel (which was out of the door zone). I could not swerve right because of the car doors, I could not swerve left because of the moving cars in the travel lane, and I could not continue straight because of the pedestrian. Within milliseconds, I had to come to a complete stop.



Over time I have determined that my self-imposed "speed limit" when cycling through areas where such situations are possible needs to be 12mph at most. Any faster than that, and I cannot guarantee that I can come to an immediate stop safely. Do you have an urban speed limit?

Cavecat

Ginger, the cat who likes to make tunnels.

Voted the scurvy ratfink demon little darling angel most likely to have led the recent paper towel massacre.

-----

Submitted to the Friday Ark.

Also see Weekend Cat Blogging!

The Ply-Ice Board

This is a guest blog by my long time climbing partner, Dave, aka in the UK "the Wanker", Fulton.















"Alright now so winter is finally here. You’ve been out to your favorite bit of ice a half dozen times and maybe even gotten in a couple of road trips to places that offer more choices than top roping the piss out of some smear off the road near an overpriced gas station. Hopefully more cold weather climbing is on the books but in the meantime what to do? Oddly enough maybe this is the time to go back for some more laps on that plywood training board also known as the ply-ice board. If you don’t have one, build one or poach laps someone else’s. Some may argue why bother when one could just get the real deal in on the weekend but then again getting a few laps in during the week can’t be all that bad, can’t it? Recently I added a few extra boards on mine in between the nice big chunky ones just to break it up a bit. Now I warm up by hooking all the big wood then break it up by hooking every other narrow board all the while keep a close watch on the feet. Up and down is one lap. The ply-ice is 16’ high so starting with 5 laps is a good warm up. Give it a one minute rest then alternate the thick boards with the not so think ones. My ply-ice has a bit of an unfair advantage in that the top 8’ is slightly over hanging and even though it doesn’t look like much after about 30 minutes you begin to notice it. Does this make a difference once out on the frozen stuff? I built this in my backyard in Idaho then left for work in Europe doing what I could to keep fit for when I returned in January. While I was gone and at my insistence, my buddy Joe got full use of it and when I returned it was pretty apparent it did him no harm. Consequently I did my best to play catch up while I was back and now that I’m back in the UK it’ll hopefully pay off when I get up to Scotland next week. Lesson learned? Just because you’ll be climbing this weekend doesn’t mean you should train a bit this week"

Lake Superior Ice Ornaments

Yesterday while walking the shoreline to photograph the first sunrise of the new year, I found countless fascinating ice formations hanging from the rocks at the water's edge. These particular formations were my favorite. The first thing I thought of when seeing them was "they look like Christmas ornaments!" The sun was just starting to hit the rock on the upper right. The "ornaments" were still in the shade had this beautiful blue color. As the water lapped at the ornaments, they would momentarily lose the blue color. When the water receded, they once again turned blue. You never know just what you're going to find when you're out exploring in nature :-)

Positively Biketastic

When I look back at (I know it's been a while, but I needed time to take it all in!) I remember it as the year when I started to notice a lot of positive changes in the cycling world around me. Positive changes not only in the widening selection of transport bikes available in local shops and not only in the public perception of bicycling, but also in the increasing amount of rapport, cooperation and even overlap between different "camps" of bicyclists. And I think this latter point is just as important as the others. We cyclists can be tribal and divisive; we can be each other's harshest, cruelest critics. But if we insist on identifying within rigid parameters and lashing out against each other's choice of bike, attire, and riding style, how can we hope for positive changes for cyclists as a group?




When my cycling club, the Ride Studio Cafe, began to blur the lines between the randonneuring and racing cultures, I remember it felt as if a paradigm shift was taking place. They threw a big party, where cyclists of different stripes interacted with each other with a degree of enthusiasm that showed a genuine eagerness. Dynamo lighting, racks, and wool were discussed. Unexpected common interests were found. It was truly an exciting thing to be witnessing.




At this same party, I finally met Maureen Bruno Roy, a Massachusetts-based professional cyclocross racer. In her off time Mo leads a regular life, and part of that regular life involves riding her pink mixte for transportation. For me, seeing Mo so happy and casual on her city bike was an encouraging moment: I had not encountered an athlete-cyclist outside of Europe before who saw value and usefulness in such bicycles. But to Mo the value is pretty clear, and she credits her attitude to her time racing in Belgium. "There were these Dutch bikes, and I rode them to get around when I wasn't racing; it was great!"




Around the same time, a local man named Jeff Palter got himself a Brompton folding bike and began commuting on it, posting excitedlyon Twitterabout how much he enjoyed that. If you're outside New England that name might not mean anything to you, but Mr. Palter happens to be the CEO of the Northeast Velodrome and theowner of Cycle Loft -one of the biggest roadie shops around. CycleLoft is also the main sponsor ofthe Northeast Bicycle Club - the largest local racing club and the very club that offers the "infamous" paceline ridesthat so divided my readership two summers ago. Until recently, it would have been difficult to imagine anyone associated with this camp entertaining the idea of riding around on anything but a racing bike with a backpack. I was more than a little surprised when Jeff approached me about sponsorship, explaining that CycleLoft was expanding into the city bike market.




"Looks like the war is over," said a local cyclist when I shared this news with her. I guess sometimes, with all the insults flung about, it can indeed feel like a war - especially when some are described as "riding tanks" and others as being "weekend warriors." With a chuckle, I pictured an army of speeding Cervelos clashing with an army of menacingly rolling Workcycles (incidentally - a Dutch bike company founded by an American, who got his start at Fat City).




Some time in December, I was approached by Bicycling Magazine and invited to write a weekly online column about "city bikes and gear." I was initially skeptical about what they had in mind, but it seemed pretty straightforward: They wanted to expand their coverage beyond racing, to encourage people to commute by bike, introducing them to a variety of bikes and accessories for the purpose.I agreed to writethe column. It's a short-term contract and I may not be the one doing it in the long run, but I hope to give it a running start. Or rather, a re-start: Historically, such coverage is not new for Bicycling. A 1978 copyI found of the magazine includes articles such as "Choosing a Three-Speed Commuting Bike"and "Road Test: the Bickerton Folding Bicycle."These things are cyclical. Hopefully the current cycle, with its interest in transportation and city bikes, will be around for a while.




A few days ago I read a story in the New York Times about a man who, a couple of times a week, commutes from the suburbs outside New York City to his office in Manhattan on his racing bike. It's a 40 mile ride and he uses the milage for training. He does it year round, sometimes in snow. I thought it was a cool story, especially after the cyclist himself provided additional details on Velocipede Salon. Then today I read astory in Atlantic Citiesin response to it, about ordinary New Yorkers commuting. The author mentions that some readers criticised the NYT piece for "alienating [ordinary people] who might want to ride to work," but I am glad the author herself did not go that route. Instead she gave examples of some interesting New Yorkers who rideand urged cyclists to unite in promoting their shared interests.




For those of us who have been cycling in major North American cities over the past few years, it is hard not to notice that things are changing. Now more than ever, I feel there is room for everyone who loves to be on a bike to promote their style of riding without criticising others in the process. Whether 4 miles or 40, whether in a business suit or a skin suit, whether on a cheap or expensive bike, bottom line is: It's all positively biketastic. The more we understand that, the better off we will be.

The Ruins

These are photos of the where the ruins are. 1st photo is of the remains of an actual ruin. Next is a pile of modern made adobe bricks that are being used to help keep part of the ruins in shape enough so that people can tell where these ancient Pueblo Indian homes were. Most of the photos are of rebuilt walls that are on top of what is left of the ancient walls. There has been one 'home' completely rebuilt. It has a ladder on the side as most of the homes were entered through the roof for protection, and privacy. There are doors there are barely wide enough for an average person to enter. The roof is low, and there is a fire pit for warmth and winter cooking. Vigas or wood poles were used to support the roof. Some of the 'homes' or apartments were as much as 4 stories high.

Acadia :: The Schoodic Peninsula

Sunday, September 16th - - Another beautiful day greeted us this morning, our last day at Acadia National Park. We decided to visit the 'other side' of Acadia, the
side that few visitors go to see...



Residents of two towns, Winter Harbor and Gouldsboro, as well as several small villages reside on Schoodic Peninsula but about half of the area is part of Acadia National Park
- the only part on the mainland.



As the crow flies, Schoodic Peninsula is only 4 miles from Mount Desert Island but the drive from Bar Harbor is about 40 miles and an hour away. If the conditions are 'just right' out on the southern tip at Schoodic Point the ocean waves crash against the rocky granite shore in a magnificent display of power and beauty.





The 'big hill' in the background is Mount Desert Island, four miles away - as the crow flies. On the long island in front of Mount Desert there is a lighthouse that could barely be seen. This was taken from the western side of Schoodic Peninsula a short distance into the park.





The color of the water was amazing, changing from a deep dark blue to this vibrant blue to a greenish color - all depending upon the direction of the light. This was taken on the eastern side of Schoodic Point, with the sun at my back.





Though it may not look all that impressive, this 'little' wave was about six feet high and when it hit the rocky shore it created quite a splash.





This fella was standing out on the southeast tip of Schoodic Point for quite a while. The water would crash against the outlying rocks...





And wash over them... Several times, I thought for sure he'd get a good soaking, but apparently he was higher and further away than it looked.





He turned to say something to his
companions higher up on the rocks. Still, it did not appear that he
got the least little bit wet!





There is something primal and energizing about watching waves hitting the shore. It was a bit breezy but plenty of sunshine and 70 degree temperatures. We really couldn't have asked for a nicer day!

Fitting and the detailing on climbing packs?

If you look around the Internet for so called "climbingpacks" the prices might well run between $30 and darn near $1000. Yep..a $1000! Of those listed damn fewactually willfulfill the hype as real "climbing packs" in my opinion.
This will be the first of a several part discussion on climbing packs.
If you were paying $200 for a pair of shoes would you accept a pair of size 11s for your size 9 feet? Of course not. "Dumb Ass" question isn't it? How about a $25 pair of flip flops? Would you take a size 6 for your size 11s? Likely same answer..."dumb ass" question. Why bother to ask or answer?
There are a few things in the out door industry that really bug me. They bug me because over the years they have gotten worse instead of better. Climbing is generally a sport that people grow out of. The rare exceptions are Fred Becky, a fewof the greatAlpinists that are still alive and likely the majority of the the crew over atSupertopo :)
From my perspective boot technology hasn't made any huge advances in 30 years. Climbing packs...nothing there either. Crampons....sheesh don't get me started on crampons!
But today the topic ispacks. More specifically climbing packs, their build quality and how to fit one so it does what is should for you in the mountains.
Any climbing pack is going to be a soft frame. Generally a really soft frame as in only a foam pad stuffed in some manner into the inside the pack. The frame doesn't mean a lot (but it is important) but what does mean a lot is the length of the back panel. That back panel must fit your physical measurements or the pack will be pretty useless.
In turn the correctly fit pack and your own anatomy will define how big the pack is. When you are talking climbing packs don't expect a 18L pack to fit you well if you are 6'3" or a 45L pack to be any better if you are 5'2".
Most of us will be best served with packs in the 30 (1800)to 40 (2500) Liter range for actual climbing while still having something useful for getting back and forth from the climbs. Why those sizes? Because most backs will fit between those pack volume sizes.
John Bouchard:

"To get an idea of how important each pound is when you’re climbing hard climbs
where you can’t afford to haul the pack, try doing pullups with weights around
your waist. Start with 5 lbs. and keep increasing in 5 lb. increments. For me,
each 5 lbs. decreases my performance by 20%!"
http://www.wildthingsgear.com/wild-things/stories/light-is-right.html
If you want to actually climb difficult technical ground, limit the weight in your pack and clothing to 20% of you actual body weight. For me that is 38# total or less. 38# for boots, clothing, water, foodand thetechnical gear! If you climb with me and you weigh 50# less we don't carry equal loads. If your total body weight is 125 pounds your entire kit from sleeping bag to boots will be smaller and lighter.That will make up for some of what you carry but not all. Your total load's weight should be25 pounds!It is much much easier in the alpine to have a partner of similar size physically for a number of good reasons. This is just one of them. If you want to climb hard, climb smart first.
Sure you can climb with more weight. But you will want to know how to haul a pack if you do. Or get your partner to climb in a pack and just take one pack. Here are a couple of tips for fitting a pack. First fill the pack up. Not overly stuffed just "full". I tend to use ropes for this. Ropes run 6 to 8 pounds for a 60m rope. With these size packs 3 or 4 ropes max will fill one up and give a soft but firm pack with an appropriate amount of weight to try them on for sizing.
With the straps loose the thing should sit on the top of your butt. You should have full range of motion with your head and neck with a helmet on. Can you look up and not touch the pack? You need to be able to.



This is a good fit length wise on the back. The pack is sitting on the top of the butt.


Hip belt is too high here and way too wide forthe weight it will carry
It only takes an inch or too either wayon th back panel length to make a pack almosttotally useless.

Bounce the pack up a bit and suck in the hip belt. It is a climbing pack so ditch the damn padded hip/waist belts that are 3 inches or wider. They are worthless with any weight you can actually climb in. Quick wayt to tell if the pack designer has a clue about climbing in fact. A simple 1 1/2" or 2" webbing waist beltis enough for anything you'll want to carry up to 3 days or so. Less will do as well if the pack actually fits. You don't want to constrict your hips or abs when you tighten the waist belt. Use soem common sense and let your body tell you if the pack fits.
I get called a "girl" on occasion. But from what I have seen a woman's climbing pack should be fitted no different than a man's. The ladies are more difficult to fit in the shoulders but the fit should be the same imo. Start with the correct pack length and then go from there. I am not a woman so I can't say that with any certainty. And one of my partners has yet to be convinced she can wear a hip belt of that size and in that position.Her worry is keeping the freedom of her hip joints. She has a new pack coming that is being built on the ideas I have posted here. As are all of my custom made packs. The experiencefrom that new pack should tell us a lot. So there will be a woman's insight following up on packs and pack fitting in the near future.Ladies, ifyou disagree with what I am writing hereplease tell me and why?
Once you have tighenedthe waist belt let it settle down where it is the most comfortable for you. That is generally on your hip bones...and a inch or twobelow your Iliac crest and setting on the top of your ass for support. Yes, both boys and girls have enough ass to support a climbing pack's weight.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iliac_crest



My finger indicates the top of my Iliac crest. My hip belt is most comfortable and able to carry a majorityof the pack's weight if it is located several inches belowthe Iliac crest.
This should be a comfortable position on your hips as it is where most of the weight will be, or should be anyway. Carried by your hips not your shoulders...even with just 20% or LESS of your body weight involved. Then pull in the shoulder straps. Take about 40% (or less) of the pack's weight on to your shoulders now. But not too tight. Don't lift the pack off your hips. Do you still have full head clearance with a helmet? If the answer is no...ditch the pack...it sucks for climbing.



This is OK but getting a little high on the back..so likely too long of back panel and we shouldn't be seeing air between pack and back.



This is a better fit, note the curve on the shoulder straps going up and then over the shoulders.

My body position here sucks for the picture as I am bent over and my head down so the pack looks short. It isn't.

Make sure the pack straps come out of the pack narrow enough that they will stay on your shoulders.

I am 6'1" and 185. And I can still find shoulder straps that are way to wide for my shoulders and how they have developed. I don't have tiny shoulders but I have a hard time getting a tank top to stay on them unless it is tight. My shoulders aren't flat on top. If thepack straps are too wide coming out of the pack they are simply unusable for me. I need 2" between them, but prefer no more. You might need more or less.
If you are still good,with a 60/40 split on the weight now, check your sternum strap. It is the last adjustment. Too high or low and too tight will cut your breathing. Pay attention here. Get it adjusted right. Big chested men and women will have a problem with this one if the shoulder straps and sternum strap aren't able to be moved and adjusted right. The sternum strap will really aid in how secure the pack feels on your back and your balance because of it. Get it right and a decent size pack is easy too climb and ski in. You'll seldom notice it if you limit yourself to that 20% over all weight number.






Too short of shoulder straps and too high of sternum strap





Correctly fit shoulder straps and a better position on me for the sternum strap



Depending on how a woman is built the sternum strap might have to be located much higher than on a man.
Make sure your shoulder straps come out of the back, go up a tiny bit and then over the shoulder and down. Too much up on the shoulder strap and the pack is too small in the back length. No curve there or worse yet the shoulder straps going down over your shoulder and the pack is too big in the back length.



Classic case of too small of back panel for my physical size and too short of pack straps.

There is no way to make this pack fit me. I'd be much better off with a longer pack instead of longer shoulder straps. But note that the waist belt and bottom of the pack is in the right position.



I am actually climbing here in the same pack. The problem would seem obvious although the pack is reasonably comfortable because I am not carrying a lot of weight. (although I carried 3 days worth of food/gear on this trip)But really no matter how cool I think this pack is, for me this one sucks because of the limited back panel and shoulder strap sizing. A 17.5" back panel is never going to fit my 21" back.





Even with the lid off thisis a much bigger pack than the green 27L pictured but more importantly a much better fitting pack for my body size. It is also much easier to climb technical ground with or ski in. A better picture of my personal pack fit. It may not be perfect but it is very close. The waist belt is not buckled which allows me to play with the pack's fit and shoulder straps in this picture.
Don't try to put you size 11 feetin a size 6 shoe!
More importantly don't let some lame ass salesperson or pack maker do it for you!

This isn't rocket science folks. But neither is it easy to get a really good fit. Packs have been used for millennium, the more simple they are generally the easier they are to carry. Find the packs that fit you the best and then make side by side comparisons to others of similar back panel size.
Only your boots should take more fitting than you climbing pack. Both will make the difference between relative comfort and an unpleasant trip.

In the day of technology and a "app" or every application you are FUBARed if you think of climbing packs in that contact. The weight in any pack is best carried as close to your back as possible for comfort and balance. Modern ice tools and crampons can easily go inside these packs. I do it all the time with Nomics and Dartwins and have yet to damage a pack in the last 3 or 4 years. I seldom use a lid on a pack but like the option of adding one at will.

Super light and super tough fabrics are cool. Most of my packs are made from one form or another. But it saves mere ounces on even the lightest packs. It is the suspension and foam pad that are the biggest percentages of weight. Start adding whistles and bells and the actual pack material will have an even smaller effect on the over all weight of the pack.

Soft frame climbing packs have a big margin of error for sizing. If you are within the norm you should easily be able to find a decent pack in this size range that will fit you. If not make sure your pack maker or the production pack you want actually fits. I am 6'1" but I have a really long back for my body size. I am 21" from base of neck to top of my hips. It is not the norm. I also have a 44" chest when I am in decent shape. That makes a long pack backwith longer shoulder straps fit me better. Having a good range of travel for my sternum strap makes it more usable as well.

Common sizing info..this from CCW:

"Back sizes are
determined by measuring from the tip of the hip bone to the prominent cervical
bone near the base of the neck. This is the standard measurement used throughout
the industry. Figures given next to each model on the product page correspond to
this approximate measurement, not the actual dimensions of the pack. In general,
though, our size medium/regular fits people 5'7" to 5' 10" while a large fits
those over 5' 10". This varies, as torso lengths vary from person to person. Our
packs have non-adjustable harnesses. "
this from Wild Things:

Finding Your Pack Size (Torso Length)








Finding the right pack size for you relies on your torso length, not your
height. To find your torso length have a friend measure your spine, using the
steps below:

• Find the most prominent vertebrae (C-7) at the back of your neck (tilting
  your head forward helps). It’s the large bump at about the same level as the top
  of your shoulders.


• Find the top of your hipbone (the iliac crest). Follow this point around in
  a straight line to your spine.


• Stand up straight and lay a flexible measuring tape directly against your
  spine. Measure the distance between points 1 & 2.

Pack Sizing Information

	S	M	L
Torso Length	18	19 1/2	21

Measurements refer to body size, not pack
dimensions, and are in inches.

The single most important thing you need to know on your climbing pack is DOES IT FIT? PART TWO and Three of Climbing Packs
For part two and three of this series I'll discuss quality of manufacture, the required accessories,fabric choices and over all pack weight.



Pictured here are the same packs cut from different fabrics.

Snowflakes

This morning there were snowflakes frozen on one of our windows. So very pretty to be able to see every part of them like this.

Wild Hollyhocks

These little flowers are kin to our tame hollyhocks. I have seen them bloom at all different heights. Here they are only inches tall. In my yard they can get several feet tall.