Part 2: CFI Field Trip to Cedar Mesa

The group went off-pavement and ventured along the route of the Hole in the Rock Expedition led by Jens Neilsen. Stopping near a prehistoric cave that has been utilized for years for both shelter and proximity to a natural spring, we ate a quick lunch and began hiking into an area marked as wilderness area. Almost immediately, Gene identified a metate on the side of the trail. As we continued on, Gene found a rock scraper or knife that had been flintknapped to produce a sharp edge. All along the way Gene pointed out various plants, types of and layers of rock, lichens, and other points of interest. We ventured on our way to the edge of a canyon to see Ancestral Puebloan ruins.


After the hike, and a quick watering, we went to see a natural spring before working our way along the rough 4wd dirt road, bouncing along like a load of beach balls in the back of a truck. Once we arrived in Bluff, happy to be back on pavement and ready to eat, we all went to eat at the local San Juan Kitchen for some excellent mexican food.

Once we were all back to our rooms for the night, I thought I would read a bit before turning in for the night...I made it through perhaps 3 pages before I was asleep at 8:45pm.

The next morning we went to the upper edge of Comb Ridge to follow the Posey Trail. Posey is the name of the Native American who is attributed with the last of the 'Indian' wars in the United States. The war amounts to a series of skirmishes that ultimately led to the capture of Posey and some of his fellow natives.

The trucks shuttled us up the rough 4wd road, providing us with spectacular views of the Comb Ridge and Comb Wash and their tributaries. We were dropped off and we hiked to the edge of the ridge where we were able to see the Posey Trail. As the trail is extremely steep and rough, we opted to take the longer route down off of the ridge and head into Butler Wash, meeting the vehicles back on the tarmac.
We shuttled our group to the head of Arch Canyon where we reflected on the weekend and the history of the area, all the while sitting under a canopy of golden Cottonwood trees.

We were shuttled up the 4wd road to the rim of the