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| Sierra Ancha Cliff Dwelling Site V164, AZ | |
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| | Sierra Ancha Cliff Dwelling Site V164, AZ | | | |
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Sierra Ancha Cliff Dwelling Site V164, AZ
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| partners | | One of our resident HAZ historians, Sierra Ancha ruins site explorer, and numerous hike description author- Randal Schulhauser, had previously published some very interesting history regarding ancient ruins of our Sierra Ancha Wilderness that I thought worth restating:
The Sierra Ancha (Spanish for "Wide Mountain") is an archeologically rich wilderness area known for some remarkable cliff dwellings made famous by Dr. Emil W. Haury and the Gila Pueblo Project starting in 1930. Dr. Richard C. Lange has continued that legacy with the Sierra Ancha Project starting in 1983 and continuing to present day. The Cherry Creek drainage comes to mind as the primary location of these cliff dwellings. The earliest record of visitation to the Sierra Ancha can be found inscribed within the remains of one of the Coon Creek cliff dwellings located near the Bull Canyon trail head. William Hope and Walter Nordhoff visited the site on November 19, 1880 while conducting a mineral assessment of the area for the United States Geological Survey. Dewey Peterson was a rancher who lived on Aztec Peak circa 1900 - 1950. He supplemented his income guiding tourists to many of the Sierra Ancha cliff dwellings. Some of the visitors left their inscriptions in Pueblo Canyon (1914) and Cooper Forks (1919) cliff dwellings. In 1921 Peterson guided cinematographer Victor Ackland into this wilderness. Ackland filmed the never publicly viewed "Ancient Cliff Dwellings of America". This film has recently surfaced and the Arizona State Museum has entered negotiations to have this work restored. Dewey Peterson went on to serve as Dr. Emil W. Haury's guide during many of the Gila Pueblo Project expeditions. Remains of the Peterson ranch can be seen today (see HAZ hike description Aztec Peak via Abbey's Way 151 Loop).
An opportunity to visit this ancient (~1315 thru 1318), lesser visited, very remote, and very difficult to reach Salado Indian Cliff Dwelling Site V:164 was worth all the effort and pain required (to date I'm still extracting prickly pear spines and healing from tree-high New Mexico Locust Plant thorns  ).
Our HAZ- Joel deserves much credit for all his years of dedicated research and serious exploration efforts with long days bushwhacking difficult terrain to finally locate this prize with its most stunning near and distant Sierra Ancha rugged area views  
Joel, I thank you for the opportunity to visit and share all this with you, your dad, and Larry. Nice too finally meeting you, your dad, and your special dog- Muesli !! Last but not least, thanks to our HAZ- coanbru(Bruce) for answering our evening phone call to help guide us in the correct Globe driving direction to locate our 1st choice for Mexican Food- "Libby's El Rey Cafe"  igallery/image_page.php?id=4822 to help celebrate the end of another very rewarding day in our Sierra Ancha Wilderness.
P.S.- I did forgot to mention that I'm also still healing from the required "blood oath"  we all took to help keep this site respected and lesser known by not publishing revealing triplog and picset details. |
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| (Outside.. "there is No Place Like It!!") |
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