Pecos, Walk Up the Green Trail, Jemez Mountains

A. PECOS Dear All,
I promised I would publish a little about a very interesting trip we had to Pecos in the week after Easter. It is a national monument some way outside Santa Fe, on the north side. The history of the site goes back 12,000 years, and includes "the ancient pueblo of Pecos, two Spanish colonial churches, Santa Fe trail sties, the 20th-century ranch history of the Forked lightining Ranch and the site of the Civil War Battle of Glorieta Pass."

A Spanish visitor's log from about the 15th Century described the “nearly 500 warriors” of the fortress-like pueblo at Pecos National Historical Park as “feared throughout the land.” Called Cicuye by the Spanish, the red stone community peaked in the mid-15th century as the Southwest’s preeminent pueblo trading center. About 2,000 people occupied an apartment-like complex of some 1,000 rooms reaching five stories.

Disease and hostile tribes reduced its population to 17 in 1838, when the survivors emigrated to join the Jemez Pueblo.

The land for the National Park Site we visited, where the ruins of the Pueblo and the Spanish Church can be seen, was donated by the film star, Greer Garson, and her husband who lived on a ranch we passed as we drove along the road to the site. Greer and her hubbie appear to have been very involved

and there are photos of the couple (can't remember the surname, but it started with 's' - very helpful!) in the museum which is next to the shop and theatrette where we saw an excellent film before touring the ruins.

It is obvious that the site had great advantages for settlement with the fertile valley of the Rio Grande just below it, and this may be why so many people were able to live there. The walls had no external windows, so it is obvious defence was very important, with other tribes likely to attack in the constant wars that erupted between rival groups. Not much has changed, has it?

1. Looking over the Rio Grande valley from the Pecos Pueblo site2. Myself standing in front of some of the ruins with the Spanish-built church in the background3. The remains of walls of roomsThere was a period of Spanish rule at Pecos from about 15th century, then the tribes rose against their new rulers in a bloody restoration of their former life-style. A year or so later, the Spanish (with their Catholic religion - the main motive for much that went on) returned and were welcomed back, but there were various ups and downs. During the American Confederate-Union conflict, a famous battle was fought at Glorietta Pass nearby. I'll just show a couple more photos. The Pecos people had a remarkable social, economic and religious life before the Spaniards. Below, you will see a plaque about the ruins of the Church (hopefully you can read it if it enlarges), then there is a photo of the ruins as we saw them, from the same angle. Then, on th right you will see Anne entereing a 'Kiva'. These were sacred rooms accessible only by ladder, circular in shape.

B. UP THE GREEN TRAIL
Last Thursday, I went up a trail I had never been on. I did not go its full length - that awaits my further exploration - but it was very nice and I really liked it. A fair length of what I walked followed a stream coming from the melting snow of the Mountains behind. The trees were mostly Ponderosa Pine - one of the best wood trees in the State, and perhaps America. There were also Pinyon and a few other species plus grass! I actually saw a couple of Donkey Deer quite close (about 20 feet away) after lunch, when I was quiet. They didn't see me for a small while, but when they did they did their characteristic vertical bounces on their legs to get off to a very swift start. I took a photo, but you will find the one little deer, mid-picture, hader to spot than the squirrel at the Grand Canyon. Here are a couple of nice views along the Green Trail. The third one (on the right) has a deer in it. Good luck! It is in the middle of those ponderosa pines on the right side and, even if you enlarge the picture, you will be lucky to see it!

C. JEMEZ SPRINGS SURPRISE TRIP

This weekend, ten participants are taking part in a Wilderness Weekend. The 25 of us who remained were taken on a Surpise trip on Friday which proved to be in the same area. In fact, on the way home, we stopped by the group as they did their first repelling (abseiling) down a big cliff beside the road. It was all very organised and safe, but very scary for those who have never done it before. I have no photos of that because my battery ran flat in my camera.

The trip up was interesting. We passed close to (but didn't go into) Los Alamos, where it is said that there are more nuclear weapons stockpiled than in any other part of the globe! We certainly noticed National Chemical Laboratories in several places, but did not go into the town which is thriving because of huge inputs of Federal money for weapons!!!! A hard ask for the locals who value the income - but at what price?

The scenery on the way to the Jemez Mountains was very different and changed often. Here are three samples (some slight blurring close to the road, but not too bad taken from a moving vehicle)

Within the mountains we stopped first to view a Caldera from 10,000 years ago - which presented as a vast, high alpine plain (explanatory photo only). We also pulled in at a lookout to look at marvellous views (2nd photo)We pulled up next at where some hot springs emerge at the roadside, and climbed a rock over the river. You can see yours truly posing on the rock! After than, we went to 'Battleship Rock' picnic area for lunch.

It was a beautiful lunch spot, and not too busy, being Friday. A Youth Camp was next door, but we didn't see anybody. There were good parking and toilet and picnic table facilities. This was right on the stream and we walked up behind the rock and there was a beautiful waterfall. I'll show you 1. a photo of Battleship Rock. The angle doesn't show the battleship shape - that would have to be from side-one, but you can see how impressive it was; then 2.there is a picture taken a bit away from the picnic area, from another rocky outcrop (much, much smaller than battleship rock) beside the road, looking down on the beautiful, snow-fed stream in the area. Some of our group are milling around. then, 3.you'll see a picture of myself at the waterfall - a bit out-of-focus, but you'll recognise me;
Well, that is surely enough for this week. Life gets busier and busier. The farewell gatherings have already started and our Prayer Group is going out next Saturday evening. Then on Sunday 6th we give a 'Thank you' dinner for all the Staff. We have only one lecture series to go, and one excursion to go. All too soon, I'll be winging my way to London via Chicago. Ah well, that is why I came - can't stay here forever.

God bless! Rita