BajaNomad

The Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument

DianaT - 4-2-2012 at 10:28 PM

This jewel is located 44 miles north of Silver City, New Mexico at the end of Highway 15. The 44 miles takes about 2 hours to travel, but it is well worth it.

First before the pictures and descriptions, we must say that when we were there last Saturday, there was a very extensive search and rescue going on that unfortunately had a sad ending. At 6 pm that evening, they found the body of Micah True, aka as Caballo Blanco, a very well known runner. He was featured in the book, "Born to Run". He was the director of the 50 mile extreme race in Copper Canyon that benefited the Tarahumara people. Micah True was 58 and while the cause of death has not been determined, they said there were no signs of trauma. While we were there, they still had hope of a happier ending. RIP Micah True.

The Gila Cliff Dwellings.

This complex is very small in comparison to the dwellings at Mesa Verde and far less visited. There were probably no more than 60 people who lived there around 1300 CE. The pictures were taken by me and John

The trail begins at the bottom of the canyon along the west fork of the Gila River and climbs up to the dwellings.







Just a scene I liked along the trail



The dwellings











I love the tiny size of the corn cobs



Some of the looters who found the dwellings left behind their marks.



And there always seem to be the pictures of us taking pictures of each other. :biggrin:



It is in a rather remote area that is absolutely beautiful.

Thank you for looking.

woody with a view - 4-3-2012 at 05:19 AM

WOW! what a cool place.

Cypress - 4-3-2012 at 06:21 AM

DianaT, Thanks.:D

DaliDali - 4-3-2012 at 06:39 AM

lived there around 1300 CE

Is that timeline from 1,300 years to year 0, then 2,012 more years until today?
Making it 1,300 plus 2,012 years old?

The CE has me in a tissy......I guess I am used to BC or AD when describing ancient timelines.

DianaT - 4-3-2012 at 06:47 AM

It is a cool place-- we really enjoyed it.

DaliDali, CE and BCE, Common Era and Before the Common Era have been used for many, many years. Sorry you are upset about the usage. Please just pass over it as I would pass over the usage of BC and AD by someone else. Thanks

[Edited on 4-3-2012 by DianaT]

DaliDali - 4-3-2012 at 08:04 AM

I am not upset by your usage Diane and it was never intended that way.

CE is a total new one on me.
I can only assume it is in keeping with the PC (politically correct) agenda that is becoming so common these days.

At any rate, and however we wish to call it....those folks lived a long time ago.

rts551 - 4-3-2012 at 08:06 AM

Thanks for the fotos Diane. Nice to see the history. And all this time I thought CE meant Civil Engineering...

Barry A. - 4-3-2012 at 08:22 AM

Wow, another place we need to visit. Great pics, Diana.

I have never heard of "CE" or "BCE" before, and I too was puzzled, and actually still am. What does "common era" and "before common era" mean?? i.e. what is the "common era"?

I looked it up in my Webster's Dict. but it was no help------it just said that "common era" was the same as "christian era", and that is all it said. I don't even know what the "christian era" is.

Very puzzleing!!! Just how old ARE these Gila Cliff ruins?

Barry

[Edited on 4-3-2012 by Barry A.]

tripledigitken - 4-3-2012 at 08:28 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Barry A.
Wow, another place we need to visit. Great pics, Diana.

I have never heard of "CE" or "BCE" before, and I too was puzzled, and actually still am. What does "common period" and "before common period" mean?? i.e. what is the "common period"?

Barry


I hadn't heard of it use either. It is a secularized version of BC/AD, so as not to insult non Christians. It is also used by Jewish writers as well. Some may call it the Politically Correct version.

Funny, I'm agnostic, and never took offense to the methodology of referencing Christ as a time benchmark.

goldhuntress - 4-3-2012 at 08:30 AM

Beautiful photos Diana! So sad to hear about Caballo Blanco though:( That was a fun read and he was quite a character and a really adventurer.

wessongroup - 4-3-2012 at 09:10 AM

Thanks much... and they were really off the "grid" ... what a super location to make a go of it ...

rts551 - 4-3-2012 at 02:41 PM

Just to puzzle you some more barry.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Era
Quote:
Originally posted by Barry A.
Wow, another place we need to visit. Great pics, Diana.

I have never heard of "CE" or "BCE" before, and I too was puzzled, and actually still am. What does "common era" and "before common era" mean?? i.e. what is the "common era"?

I looked it up in my Webster's Dict. but it was no help------it just said that "common era" was the same as "christian era", and that is all it said. I don't even know what the "christian era" is.

Very puzzleing!!! Just how old ARE these Gila Cliff ruins?

Barry

[Edited on 4-3-2012 by Barry A.]

Barry A. - 4-3-2012 at 02:48 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by rts551
Just to puzzle you some more barry.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Era


Quote:
Originally posted by Barry A.
Wow, another place we need to visit. Great pics, Diana.

I have never heard of "CE" or "BCE" before, and I too was puzzled, and actually still am. What does "common era" and "before common era" mean?? i.e. what is the "common era"?

I looked it up in my Webster's Dict. but it was no help------it just said that "common era" was the same as "christian era", and that is all it said. I don't even know what the "christian era" is.

Very puzzleing!!! Just how old ARE these Gila Cliff ruins?

Barry

[Edited on 4-3-2012 by Barry A.]


No, that is not puzzleing to me now, and I thank you for referring me to Wiki. Wow, a complex amount of writing for such a simple thing.

Thanks again.

Barry

DianaT - 4-3-2012 at 07:42 PM

Thanks for the comments and it really is worth the drive and the short, but steep hike!

DaliDali, I apologize. I assumed, and one should NEVER assume as it is dangerous, that you were familiar with BCE and CE and you were upset over it being used and some people are upset when they see it. :saint:

Well, today we visited El Moro in New Mexico after driving through a snow storm by Albuquerque---that was a real surprise! New Mexico is a beautiful place!

tripledigitken - 4-4-2012 at 07:29 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by lencho
Quote:
Originally posted by DianaT
This jewel is located 44 miles north of Silver City, New Mexico at the end of Highway 15. The 44 miles takes about 2 hours to travel, but it is well worth it.
Not mentioned is that the highway takes you up an easement corridor into the center of the Gila Wilderness. Head off from Gila Center in about any direction and you can go for days without "civilization". For those who are into no-wheeling...



Lencho,

It would be an interesting experience hiking for days NE from the Gila Center in that vast wilderness to eventually crest the hill overlooking the Very Large Array in Socorro!!

Beautiful country!

http://www.nrao.edu/index.php/learn/vlavc

[Edited on 4-5-2012 by tripledigitken]

elgatoloco - 4-4-2012 at 08:06 PM

Nice pics! :dudette:

That place really is worth the trip. We soaked in some hot springs just outside the park boundary. LOST of great camping and exploring in New Mexico. The VLA is a cool spot. We camped on BLM land near Pie Town. Good times.

DianaT - 4-4-2012 at 08:46 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by elgatoloco
Nice pics! :dudette:

That place really is worth the trip. We soaked in some hot springs just outside the park boundary. LOST of great camping and exploring in New Mexico. The VLA is a cool spot. We camped on BLM land near Pie Town. Good times.


Gracias. :yes:

New Mexico is a beautiful place to explore.