Nine Mile Canyon

This weekend we went with Grandma and Grandpa Bell and a group from the Whiterocks Branch to Nine Mile Canyon to look at the amazing petroglyphs and Indian ruins that are all over the canyon walls. We couldn't believe how much cool stuff there was to see -and we only saw 1/1000th of what is there! This is the most famous panel in the canyon called "The Great Hunt".

Some of the art is "pictographs" which are painted on the wall. There are several colors: reds, yellows, and white. Early white settlers also left names and dates, usually in black.

Jim Brown was our tour guide. He lives in Roosevelt, but he lived and ranched in this canyon for 25 years. He knows where to find many of the sites. He pointed out cliff dwellings and ancient granaries that we would have never been able to find on our own.

Most of what we saw were "petroglyphs" which are carved or chipped out of the rock. Lots of it is right at ground level, and some of it is up higher on the cliffs where you wonder how they got up there to carve the pictures.


Some of us climbed a little ways up the mountain to see these (and many other) petroglyphs.



Most of the scenes are of human figures or animals. Some are more abstract designs, probably types of maps, or calandars.

This is one of my favorite carvings called the "Pregnant Buffalo". Next to it is some "historic grafitti" from 1869.

This is one of the more ancient designs. The carvings have taken on the dark patina of the stone around them. Just a few feet from this one were some newer carvings done by Utes - you can tell because there were pictures of horses. The more ancient people (the Fremont culture) never carved horses.

The kids had a great time, because it is very hands-on. Lots of hiking and looking.

Mr. Brown said he wanted to dig up this rock and put it in his front yard before it was protected, but it didn't work out.

Three Great Kids

Camping

Last weekend we took our camper up to our land on Strawberry Mountain. It was a little cool and rainy, but we had a good time. Worked really hard to get it ready to go again this year. He even replaced the carpet! See the rainbow?

Joe brought our chainsaw and cut up some of the dead wood laying on the side of the road and we burned lots of it. The boys helped him stack the better pieces into a nice woodpile.

McKayla brought her friend Melanie with us this time. They had fun playing games, reading, and breaking branches off dead trees.

Saturday afternoon, Joe was putting a big branch on the fire, and a lizard jumped off and scampered out of the firepit. Joe caught it and gave it to Kyle, so we now have a pet lizard. We think it's a girl, so her name is Suzie, or Gloria, or Sandy, or Firejumper (It changes often!). Oh, Kyle says her name is Rosie - today.

The land is fun! You are all welcome to come join us anytime!