San Juan Mountains Colorado

Mesa Verde is high up above the desert plains at 2600m; a cold, windy place in mid May.

Once again, we were left breathless from the elevation and shivering, as the weather changed from hot and sweaty to cold and snowy.

Mesa Verde National Park is unusual as it is the only National Park in the US protecting the works of man. On top of the Mesa and in surrounding countryside (including Canyon of the Ancients) there are ruins and remnants of the Pueblo tribes. 

The original Americans arrived on this continent, centuries before Columbus supposedly discovered it.

On top of Mesa Verde there is evidence of communities living, building, farming and hunting as early as AD600 or (to be politically correct) CE600.  They started by digging round houses in the ground (Kivas) and covering them with wood, bark, mud. Accessed by a ladder through the roof. 

As time progressed they moved to stone structures under huge overhangs in the cliffs.

The best preserved Ancestral Puebloan cliff dwelling is the huge Cliff Palace. 

Mesa Top Loop Road winds past archaeological sites and overlooks with panoramic canyon views.

When the Pueblo left this area in 1200s, they burnt their homes and carried what they could out. They split into 19 different tribes. Most are now found in New Mexico; the Hopi are the closest remaining, in Arizona. Other tribes then moved in, Navajo and Ute. 

Traditional dances are still held.

Kachinas, carved from the roots of Cottonwood trees by Hopi. A bridge between the spiritual world and mortals, the spirits come and walk upon the earth and dance to bring life and renewal.

We spent a fantastic day touring the San Juan Skyway (a 260 mile drive through some spectacular scenery) stopping at the towns of Telluride, Ouray and Silverton, ending in Durango. 

Ascending to 3100m via Lizard Pass, ears popping all the time, we hit lots of snow.  

We had to stop in Telluride to warm up and chose coffee and cake in the New Sheridan hotel. This is a very attractive and popular mountain ski resort. The surrounding mountains are over 4000m.
Spotted some bird life in a pine tree.

Here you need to leave your horse in the lobby and are warned not to shoot the barman. 

We looked for bullet holes in the bar (famous according to the guide book) but none of the staff knew anything about them. We settled for enjoying the artwork instead. 

We witnessed an interesting comparison between art, photography and the reality of the main street today.

Several switch backs and 2 hours later we arrived in Ouray (named after a Ute chief) famous for hot Springs and for looking like "Switzerland"

The jury is out on that one

We took a walk around Box Canyon falls 

avoiding the chipmunks 

and finding a perimeter walk complete with tunnel. 

Next up was Red Mountain pass at 3358m with a freezy lake. No swimming for Sarah this time.

We needed a cuppa and found hot tea in the old mining town of Silverton. 

This is a one paved street town, located in the caldera of an old volcano. Some houses very Edward Hopper -esque.

Fascinating history but same theme as other places settled by white men; Indians forced out, White men arrive, build a steam train, dig up all the precious metals, leave again. 

Tourism and a steam train servicing it keeps this town alive. 

Descending from Silverton we ended up in Durango.
Woken at 8am by the whooo hooing of the steam train;  the first seen since visiting Bressingham as a kid. Even got to play on one in the museum.

Lots of interesting stuffed sights too. 

Not bad for a couple of old goats.

Only in America?