Tag: Chaco Culture National Historical Park

Fajada Butte, Chaco Canyon, Other Doors. 03-06-2024

Geraint March 5, 2024 12 Comments

Greetings from San Cristobal, NM. This week Fajada Butte. This iconic mesa is the focal point of Chaco Culture National Historical Park, typically abbreviated to Chaco Canyon.

Fajada Butte can be seen from many locations in the park. Have you been?

I’m returning after a few years of absence, and I’m looking forward to it later this month. It will be a treat after four years since my last trip. I’ll be camping but well prepared. Once, I spent a few days in Chaco Canyon on the winter solstice. Now that was cold. The largest great house is known as Pueblo Bonito. There’s a lot to see there and it can occupy your time, especially as a photographer.

Fajada Butte Chaco Canyon — Fajada Butte, Chaco Canyon, NM.

Sunset on the mesas in Chaco Canyon — Sunset in Chaco Canyon.

If you’d like to see some interior shots, keep scrolling.

Repeating doorways, Chaco Culture National Historical Park — Repeating doorways, Pueblo Bonito.

Room with a view of moon in Chaco Culture National Historical Park — Room with a view of the moon.

Doorways in Chaco Culture National Historical Park — Doorways in Pueblo Bonito, Chaco Canyon.

Below is one of my favorite shots of Pueblo Bonito taken on my last trip there. Confusion?

Building geometry in Chaco Culture National Historical Park — Building Geometry accented by the shadows and light.

If you go there at a time of year when the heat is almost unbearable, step inside one of the small rooms. You will soon realize what works to stay cool in the desert. Pause for a few moments, you may find a few ancient ones hanging around with you. You may or may not be joined by other travelers.

Moving on to more doors. I stopped in Los Cerrillos NM, on the Turquoise Trail last week. I stopped in other locations as well but was impressed with the following two doors/gates in Cerrillos.

You may recognize the town from a movie named “Young Guns” that was filmed there. On this day I was there purely for the pleasure of the place on my detour drive.

Blue door and red chilies, Cerrillos, NM — Blue door and red chilies, Los Cerrillos, NM.

Milagro door/gate Cerrillos, NM — Milagro door/gate Los Cerrillos, NM.

Join me on a photo tour/workshop, I’ll take you to this and many other locations.

Lastly, a little closer to home, another blue door with painted red chiles and snow falling. These chiles stay fresh all year long and beyond.

Blue door and painted chiles, Costilla — Blue door and painted red chiles, Costilla, NM

As always, thanks for looking. Have a great week. G

Northern New Mexico, Archive Selections. 03-15-2023

Geraint March 15, 2023 10 Comments

Greetings from San Cristobal in the beautiful mountains of northern New Mexico.

I threw virtual darts at the archives this week, and the following images popped up. Northern New Mexico has continued to excite me for forty years. Here’s to many more.

The first two shots were taken during drives around the extended neighborhood, with the first on an evening photo shoot with friends from Kansas City.

Reflections in a large snow melt puddle Arroyo Seco, Northern New Mexico — Reflections in a large snow melt puddle, Arroyo Seco, New Mexico.

Nearby is a more expansive view across the meadow to the mountains with winter colors.

Des Montes and Taos mountains — Des Montes and the mountains of Taos.

I did a one-day shoot for AAA New Mexico Journeys Magazine eight years ago in Bandelier National Monument. The Alcove House pictured was accessible with an exciting climb up numerous, 30′ ladders. It was well worth the ascent with a backpack and tripod.

Alcove House Bandelier National Monument NM — Alcove House, Bandelier National Monument, New Mexico.

The Quarai Ruins at the Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument yielded this image on my third visit to the site. I created this image with three shots stitched vertically, in effect, a vertical panorama. This location isn’t technically northern New Mexico, more like central NM but I like it.

Quarai Salinas Pueblo Missions — Quarai Ruins, Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument.

Refrain from stacking stones in Chaco Culture National Historical Park. I heard the Park Service tore it down shortly after I shot it. I know it wasn’t there on my next visit.

Cairn, Chaco Culture National Historical Park, Northern New Mexico — Cairn, Chaco Culture National Historical Park, NM.

I enjoy a nice glass of wine when reading a book. Reading “House of Rain”, in the landscape it depicts was a perfect pairing. Thanks to Craig Childs for the many virtual adventures.

House of Rain, Craig Childs — Reading “House of Rain” by Craig Childs, and drinking wine.

One of the first panoramic shots I made of our mountains has been hanging in the waiting room at our local hospital ever since.

Taos Mountains of northern New Mexico — Taos Mountains sunset shot from across the plateau.

Below is the full moon shot in the Rio Grande Gorge. I love that I can stand on top of the highest point (Wheeler Peak) in New Mexico in the morning and spend the evening deep in the Rio Grande Gorge, watching the full moon grace the ridge cradled by a bare piñon tree.

Moon rise over the Rio Grande Gorge Pilar, NM — Moonrise over the Rio Grande Gorge in Pilar, New Mexico.

As I become more mobile I’m looking forward to working with a number of new and repeat photographer/clients. Join me this spring, summer, and fall on a photo trek around some of the best photo locations northern New Mexico has to offer.

Photography tour workshops — On location in…

As always, thank you for looking. Enjoy your week. G

Full Moon, Eclipse, Fajada Butte, Chaco Canyon

Geraint May 26, 2021 16 Comments

The moon was nearly full when it rose over the Columbine-Hondo Wilderness in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. I’m a proponent of as little travel as possible when the presentation is before me. Dewitt Jones said, “The banquet is spread constantly, with no thought of whether anyone will attend. If I were receptive enough, perhaps I would see it in everything. But I’m not, so photography is one of the tools I use to help me concentrate, to help me see deeply, to block out all that is extraneous and see that which is essential.” I shot the moon rise last night and the following two images looking out from our deck early this morning. The potential for a vibrant eclipse diminished through the night as clouds moved in. Around 3 am the moon vanished altogether. At 4:30 am, my alarm went off. There was a faint moon with clouds surrounding it. I nodded off. By 4:55 am I was dressed and standing outside with the camera set up. I surmised that the moon would perhaps emerge from and disappear behind intermittent banks of clouds. It did as I thought but not with the resounding determination I’d hoped for. It seemed to pulse faintly as it set and then it was gone. At 5:45 I was back in bed. I woke up at 7:15 am with a feeling that I had traveled miles. In effect, at that moment I had hitched a ride with the moon. I think I’ll also need a nap later.

Full moon rise over the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, NM — Nearly full moon rising over the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, NM

Lunar eclipse, NM — Lunar eclipse, this morning from San Cristobal, NM

Full moon Lunar eclipse, setting this morning over the Taos Plateau — Full moon, Lunar eclipse, setting this morning over the Taos Plateau.

Below is a new print I’m working on. It’s a very large panorama of the sacred Fajada Butte in Chaco Culture National Historical Park. I’ll have this image ready for purchase on my fine art prints landscape page this weekend.

As always thanks for looking. G

Cactus, Pueblo Alto Trail, Chaco Canyon

Geraint September 1, 2020 No Comments

Cactus on the Pueblo Alto trail in Chaco Canyon, New Mexico. There is much to see in Chaco Culture Historical Park, up, down and all points in between. If I find the photo of the piece of pottery we found near this spot I’ll post. We pick it up look and marvel at it, then put it back down where we found it for others to enjoy. This cactus was perfect right where it was. Thanks for looking. G

Fajada Butte, Chaco Canyon, New Mexico

Geraint August 20, 2020 4 Comments

Fajada Butte sunset at the end of a hot summer day hiking in Chaco Canyon, New Mexico. Summer is a good time to visit Chaco Culture National Historical Park. Yes, it is hot, very hot, but very few people. Winter is great too, very few people. We’ll spend one more day in NM tomorrow and then who knows where we’ll wind up? Thanks for looking. G

Pueblo Bonito, Chaco Canyon, New Mexico

Geraint August 8, 2020 6 Comments

Pueblo Bonito, Chaco Culture National Historical Park, New Mexico. I pulled this one from the archives last week and seeing as park is temporarily closed now, this view will suffice. I never go too far from home anyway so I’m not really limited in my travel. There are plenty more places to visit nearby and discover a few new ones while I’m at it. I’m very fortunate, pretty much everything I enjoy is here in my northern New Mexico backyard. Thanks for looking. G

Glyphs, Signs, Rio Grande Del Norte

Geraint May 23, 2020 9 Comments

Glyphs, signs, an encrypted language, lines of code? in the Chaco Culture National Historical Park, NM. I have no clue what, who, or why? It spoke to me so I made an image! Thanks for looking. Be safe out there this weekend. G

Elk, Chaco Culture, National Historical Park, NM

Geraint April 17, 2020 2 Comments

Elk, Chaco Culture, National Historical Park, NM. Elk can be seen year round here in the canyon. I’ve photographed them on many visits over the years. Here’s another image of a herd of elk after a spring snow. And one more of an elk and calf on a winter assignment in the canyon. Thanks for looking. G

Feather, Casa Rinconada, Chaco Canyon

Geraint April 11, 2020 4 Comments

Feather, Casa Rinconada, Chaco Canyon. When I caught sight of the feather it was tumbling along through the sage and other sundry brush around the great kiva at Casa Rinconada. In a lull in the wind, it settled on a sage bush. I picked it up and held it so the sun back lighted it. I made a few images, as it continued to flutter in the breeze, before casting it back in the air and the will of the wind. Thanks for looking. G

Fajada Butte, Chaco Canyon, NM

Geraint February 19, 2020 6 Comments

Fajada Butte, Chaco Culture National Historical Park, New Mexico. I revisit images from time to time. Sometimes they speak to me differently than they first did. I shot this image ten years ago for a story on the celestial alignments that occur in Chaco Canyon. Looking at it now, I am reminded of the many nights I’ve spent in the canyon gazing on this scene in silence, solitude and gratitude. Making this image I was the only soul present except for, perhaps, the ancient spirits. Thanks for looking. G