This morning we woke up to a winter wonderland amidst the yellow cliffs of Chaco Canyon. The weather has been unseasonably cold with several mornings in the mid to high teens. This was the first perception. One of the Rangers said last year they didn't get their first freeze until November!
By the time we headed out to see the canyon with a dusting of snow, it was already starting to melt.
The 10:00 tour was Una Vida, a site near the visitors center so we tagged along. With the temp about 27 degrees and a STIFF breeze, the 5 participants got the abriveated tour and no one complained. The Ranger, a local Navajo, did an excellent job given the conditions.
The question often comes up, why did they leave? The modern scienists might point to a decades long drought. Another story tells of a time that had run it's course with the knowledgeable elite abusing their power and upsetting the balance, causing a drought and the people dispersing to the regions they inhabit today.
The pictures at Una Vida turned out to be the best we could get with the snow rapidly melting in spite of the frigid temperature.
Time to go home for some hot chocolate!
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