New Mexico Outdoor
Roughing It In Luxury-Abiquiu, New Mexico 505.901.7321
Ruins
Something within my soul loves hiking battlefields and ruins. Where there was great struggle and sacrifice eminates a feeling of gratitude and serenity upon those hallowed grounds.
Here in New Mexico (bare in mind I'm a hobby-ist..not a historian) all Pueblo Peoples came from the ancient Anasazi culture over in West of the Jicarilla Apache lands of today! Some 800 years or more ago, they simply up and disappeared! My theory..drought!!
From 800 years ago..to present ..some surviving cultures still exist: Taos Pueblo and more importantly here..the Ohkay Owingeh Tribe. This is where General Onate on commission from the King of Spain, in early 1500's settled this North Central New Mexico.
We have, a very short distance from here, a few ruins ..from which those peoples became the Ohkay!
1) Our mesa is 3mi by 1mi. A 2 mile mesa hike from here is what we call "Little Known Ruins". Owned until recently by my neighbor..he sold it to an institute ..and I think it may develop as part of the Leafwater Archeological Project.
Approaching the ruins and on the flat mesa in the foreground is the foundation of what amounts to be a couple acre site.
Wolves Guard the Trailhead
Evidence of Firepits, Foundation and Kivas cover the site.
Beautiful Pottery Shards are everywhere.
We gathered a few..but took none.
Arrowheads and Spearheads are harder to find ..but would also be more difficult to leave, as the law stipulates.
Lost Ruin-Only a 2 mile down the highway drive and a 1/2 mi hike ..what we term Lost Ruin is very small ..but with more pronounced Foundation. Also, Pottery Shards not difficult to find.
Other "treasures" can be found here. It's on Santa fe National Forest.
Poshuouinge Ruins- This huge, 600 year old ruin held up to 600 inhabitants, also on Santa fe National Forest. We scrambled up rocks..which was difficult..but the trail is Easy to Moderate to the overlook. The foundation is clearly visable...and there's a firepit up top as well.
The views of the Chama River Valley are tremendous and if you had a good telescope..on the far mesa over my right shoulder ..you could see http://NewMexicoOutdoor.com (Our House)
With the exception being Poshuouinge ...you'd never run into another person at the other 2 Road Less Travelled Ruins! Dan
Here in New Mexico (bare in mind I'm a hobby-ist..not a historian) all Pueblo Peoples came from the ancient Anasazi culture over in West of the Jicarilla Apache lands of today! Some 800 years or more ago, they simply up and disappeared! My theory..drought!!
From 800 years ago..to present ..some surviving cultures still exist: Taos Pueblo and more importantly here..the Ohkay Owingeh Tribe. This is where General Onate on commission from the King of Spain, in early 1500's settled this North Central New Mexico.
We have, a very short distance from here, a few ruins ..from which those peoples became the Ohkay!
1) Our mesa is 3mi by 1mi. A 2 mile mesa hike from here is what we call "Little Known Ruins". Owned until recently by my neighbor..he sold it to an institute ..and I think it may develop as part of the Leafwater Archeological Project.
Approaching the ruins and on the flat mesa in the foreground is the foundation of what amounts to be a couple acre site.
Wolves Guard the Trailhead
Evidence of Firepits, Foundation and Kivas cover the site.
Beautiful Pottery Shards are everywhere.
We gathered a few..but took none.
Arrowheads and Spearheads are harder to find ..but would also be more difficult to leave, as the law stipulates.
Lost Ruin-Only a 2 mile down the highway drive and a 1/2 mi hike ..what we term Lost Ruin is very small ..but with more pronounced Foundation. Also, Pottery Shards not difficult to find.
Other "treasures" can be found here. It's on Santa fe National Forest.
Poshuouinge Ruins- This huge, 600 year old ruin held up to 600 inhabitants, also on Santa fe National Forest. We scrambled up rocks..which was difficult..but the trail is Easy to Moderate to the overlook. The foundation is clearly visable...and there's a firepit up top as well.
The views of the Chama River Valley are tremendous and if you had a good telescope..on the far mesa over my right shoulder ..you could see http://NewMexicoOutdoor.com (Our House)
With the exception being Poshuouinge ...you'd never run into another person at the other 2 Road Less Travelled Ruins! Dan
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