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APRIL 24-30, 2006
$1095
Sandy Hildreth, Leader
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Sign
up for this outing and become and archaeologist! It's the
unforgettable chance of a life-time! You will not only learn
about and investigate ancient ruins in Butler Wash, near Monument
Valley, Utah, with trained archaeologists - you will have the
opportunity to search for undiscovered ruins, and map, photograph,
and/or sketch artifacts, rock art, and cliff dwellings. Training
will be provided and you may choose which task you participate
in. Truly a unique experience -- and, because it is a research
program, costs are tax-deductible, as allowed by the IRS. Program Overview: Butler Wash runs along the eastern side of the dramatic redrock crest of Comb Ridge, one of the longest monoclines in the Southwest, running perpendicular to the San Juan River in southeast Utah. Due to relatively abundant water sources and a myriad of small side canyons, this area was one of the most densely populated areas for the Ancestral Pueblo people and those who preceded them. Containing over 200 sites per square mile, Comb Ridge is rich in Basketmaker and Archaic sites, including extensive rock art, dating from around 8,000 BC to 1150 AD. This program is the continuation of a multi-year project with the Bureau of Land Management and archaeologists Doug Bowman and Mick Robins to document archaeological sites in Butler Wash. We will be locating/surveying cliff dwellings, surface ruins and rock art sites, then fully recording them for future testing to determine their age. We will hike 2 to 4 miles daily with daypacks from a basecamp. Site documentation will include mapping, photographing, and sketching sites to professional standards. Relax in the evenings following dinner with discussions of the region's deep prehistory, along with demonstrations of primitive technology. Demonstrations will include flintknapping, fire making, atlatl throwing, cordage making, and the use of a wide variety of stone tools. Naturally, we will also be enjoying the delicate interplay of changing light on the multicolored sandstone of Comb Ridge, Butler Wash, and the Abajo Mountains to the north. (Tentative Itinerary) Note: Because this outing occurs fairly early in the year, deposits need to be received by January 1, 2006, with the balance due by February 1. A minimum of 10 participants is necessary, otherwise the outing will have to be cancelled. Don’t miss out on this unique trip. Expert Staff: Michael "Mick" Robins, MA Mick is an archaeologist for the Navajo Nation's department of archaeology on the campus of Northern Arizona University. This office trains Navajo students in cultural resource management, as well as conducting surveys and excavations for the Navajo Nation. He is also involved with the Butler Wash Rockshelter Project, an ongoing joint project between Northern Arizona University and the BLM, that investigates looted rockshelters in the Butler Wash/Comb Ridge area. In addition to having published articles about archaeology and rock art in this region, Mick is an accomplished flintknapper. Price of $1095 ($175 non refundable) includes: Food from dinner Day 1 through breakfast Day 7, expert and guide staff, transportation from/to Cortez, CO, supplies, fees and group equipment. Not included: airfare, individual camping equipment, sodas/alcoholic beverages and personal items. For more information and to sign up, contact the leader, Sandy Hildreth, 182 Lake Street, Saranac Lake, NY 12983, telephone 518-891-1388, E-mail shildreth@adelphia.net. |