All Things Sacred --- May 4, 2015

We are into May already (!) and this wraps up my 14 days at this site in the Coconino National Forest.  It has been a great spot with more going on here than I originally thought there would be!  I’m sitting in Basha's Grocery right now in Flagstaff, on my way to the next campsite just east of here, because I’m so low on internet data time. But I had to stop here anyway.  Also in this shopping plaza is Walmart and a laundromat....one stop shopping! That's what you like when you are driving an RV around in a city! All the uploading of photographs to the blog really eats up my data time…and, I don’t mind saying, it is hideously expensive.  It may be a long time before you hear from me again.  Enough of those futuristic concerns…..let’s stick to today! (I'm not going to have time to proofread this, so just jump over any glaring typos!)

I saw one of the cowboys again the other day.  He came by our site herding one lone steer back towards the mountains….to where – I have no idea!

I have purposely omitted lots of photos of my mountain view from the RV up until now because there is quite a bit to report regarding what I’ve been so lucky to look at from my window and camp chair every day for the past two weeks.

I have been at the base of a mountain.  Not just any mountain, but Sacred Mountain. 

Sacred Mountain was a home of the Southern Sinagua…those who left us the marvelous petroglyphs outlined in my last post. When the cowboys came through the first time, about a week ago, they left the gate open when they exited….that means the path going on back into my mountainous viewing area was accessible.  Of course, I was going to take full advantage of that and hike back there!

The Gates Are Open!

You may wonder….did they actually live on that rocky knoll…it’s more or less “rounded”.  How was that possible?

From my vantage point at the campsite and from the road, it certainly appears that way.  But, if you walk around to the eastern side, you see it is a mesa!  How perfect!  The top is about 310’ above the flat land where I am situated.

How deceiving it has been!  But the path around to the eastern view point doesn’t stop there.  I think I mentioned previously that I’m parked at a trailhead.  And where does the trail go?  To the top of Sacred Mountain!  And we (you and I) are going up there!  Because I’m low on data time, research on the hike was out of the question, but I was determined to go to the top, no matter what!  I filled my backpack with the necessities -- a full water bladder, lunch, first aid kit, a hatchet (you just never know when you might need one), and some camera stuff and off I went. He wanted to go, but I didn’t think this was going to be a trail for Nikko since I didn’t know what to expect and it has been plenty warm the past few days. I knew I would need to concentrate on two legs getting up there…not six!  

From here on….not much talking – the photos will lead you along the trail with just a few explanations.  Then I will wrap up with a little about the decline of the Sinaguas….feel free to skip that part if you are not particularly interested in that type of history….or go maybe go back to it another time.  This post has a lot of photographs, but you can go through them quickly.  We will be going from the east side of the butte to the west side, then to the top!  

Just follow the little path....

....go through the person entry in the fence....

....cross the dry creek bed.....

...and start climbing!

Not too far up the trail this reminder that this is an archaeological site....

 Sign in an let the fun begin!

 Views from the signage....

 Continuing upwards....

View of the RV from this point before we get around to the west side....

Getting up there!

Views now from the western side of the butte as the climb continues....

This section is a little steep....and a little rocky!

 Looking out across the valley....

Not much farther....

 There's the top....

 A few more yards to go....

Made it!

I immediately walked to the edge that I've been looking at for two weeks!

For perspective, here's what I looked like standing up there!  

(Other hikers on another day...)

This was about as far as I could zoom out so they didn't look like little specs...

 There's the house!  What a view!  

This was the Sinagua's view every day....

 Not much animal life up here....this bird of prey keep circling around....

 and one lone butterfly.....

Hey look!  See that red-earth square out there?

 That's where the cowboy took that steer ....  the far backside of the butte....

Here's the terrain at the top....perfectly flat.  It almost seems like you're at ground level when you're standing in the center.... 

 Some of the ruins....unfortunately, over the many, many centuries they have eroded.  They say some pottery shards can still be found here and there, but I wasn't looking for them.  Of course, they are not to be taken away from the site!

Another view from the top....

I parked myself at the western edge to rest and have some lunch before heading back down....

It is hard, if not impossible, to imagine how the Sinaguas lived up here.

What a great spot to just view and relax!

Starting the decent....

 Perfect hide-away for rattlers!  (Wonder why I brought a hatchet with me????)

This section is a little daunting....

And...finally....back to ground level....looking back at the climb from the dry creek bed....

I hope you enjoyed this trip up [and down] Sacred Mountain.  I did! I’ve been living in the Sinagua’s crop fields for the past two weeks.  Being at the top and taking in the ruins, terrain and views gives one lots to think about regarding the tribal cultures that preceded us…no matter where we live.   Different tribes of Native American Indians were and still are (thank goodness!), all over the United States….no doubt in the millions at some point(s) in time.  Following are some notes specifically about the Sinaguas. 

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THE SINAGUA ABANDONMENT

As far as the Sinagua’s abandonment of this [Verde Valley, AZ] area, starting about 1100, change was starting to affect the residents of Verde Valley.  The population of the area gradually abandoned smaller settlements and were coming together in just a few larger pueblos.  Honanki was one of these new consolidated settlements.  This period of time is referred to as the Honanki Phase (1130-1300 A.D.) of the Southern Sinagua culture.  (Note:  There is a Honanki Cliff Dwelling Heritage Site one can visit which has the largest and most diverse collection of prehistoric pictographs (over 2,000 drawings) in the Verde Valley, from perhaps as early as 11,500 B.C. I want to go there sometime!)  Despite what was probably still a bountiful life along the Verde River and Beaver Creek, the Sinagua left this area in the early 1400s, settling in the villages at what are now Hopi and Zuni.

But why did they leave the Verde Valley?  There were many droughts, but drought alone does not explain the move.  Theories of overpopulation and resource depletion also do not hold up, based on population estimates compared to availability of potential local farmland and the water supplied by the perennial waterways.  There is very little archaeological evidence to support the idea that warfare caused the migration.  Another theory is based on disease – increasing trade at the time of drought brought more opportunities for disease introduction.  Plus, drought conditions could have caused changes in the diet that compromised people’s health.  But some believe that the Sinagua returned to their early traditions of hunting and gathering when agriculture efforts failed. Also, hard times can bring breakdown of organization.  Leaders and priests lose their influence and the people move on. 

So, what caused the abandonment of the area? Probably a combination of many of these conditions.  And, many of these same conditions might be applied across the United States as to the movement and ultimate demise of many other Native American cultures over the centuries.

This concludes my time in this small section of the Coconino National Forest.  It was great!  Now onto a new site as soon as I finish up some errands here in Flagstaff.  The next stop is, again, not far away…just east of Flagstaff a few miles…. but it will offer something new and different! 

Goodbye to the Sinaguas and Sacred Mountain….

 Many thanks to all who remember to place their Amazon orders via the links on this blog! You pay the same – I make a small commission to help publish this blog. 

p.s.  Hello, Sarah and Ken, if you are reading!  Nikko and I really enjoyed meeting fellow Ohioans!  I hope you will continue following our adventure trails.  Here's the start of your hike!