[John Morrow]

The What, Where, When, Why, Who of this special landscape that has been a place of gathering and joyful adventure for me for the past ten years. What: A New National Monument created by Barack Obama Rising from the center of the southeastern Utah landscape and visible from every direction are twin buttes so distinctive that in each of the native languages of the region their name is the same: Hoon'Naqvut, Shash Jáa, Kwiyagatu Nukavachi, Ansh An Lashokdiwe, or "Bears Ears." For hundreds of generations, native peoples lived in the surrounding deep sandstone canyons, desert mesas, and meadow mountaintops, which constitute one of the densest and most significant cultural landscapes in the United States. Abundant rock art, ancient cliff dwellings, ceremonial sites, and countless other artifacts provide an extraordinary archaeological and cultural record that is important to us all, but most notably the land is profoundly sacred to many Native American tribes, including the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, Navajo Nation, Ute Indian Tribe of the Uintah Ouray, Hopi Nation, and Zuni Tribe.---Barack Obama Where: The area we have long known that incorporates unique landscapes of the Comb Ridge, Indian Creek, Grand Gulch, Cedar Mesa. When: December 28, 2016. Complete text: https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2016/12/28/proclamation-establishment-bears-ears-national-monument Why: For irreplaceable archaeological, ecological, aesthetic, spiritual, and recreational values among many others. Who: The persistenct efforts of the Native tribes mentioned above, many conservation groups, and numerous influential locals. If you look back at my past trip reports (and Abert's) you will see many references to the places known as Comb Ridge, Cedar Mesa, Natural Bridges, Grand Gulch, etc. This is my latest exploration of this area along with Abert and other friends equally passionate about this special land. April 18, 2017: After many days on the (Cedar) Mesa, we have become content with simply exploring the lesser known or documented areas to see whatever we may see. This is one such day. Our friend and amateur archaeologist April joined us. I had never noticed Fortress Canyon, a tributary to the well recognized Grand Gulch, on the map. Well then, let's go there! We had hoped to descend the short and steep Fortress Canyon into Grand Gulch. I incorrectly chose the wrong side of the canyon do descend. I got us onto its' east ledges which have no clear route to the bottom. Instead, it put us on the buttress point separating the two canyons a ledge level below the rim. No problem, for those who find it interesting. In such deep canyons, often most ancestral puebloan cliff dwelling occupation occurred nearer to the rim for faster access to the tillable mesas above. After turning the corner into Grand Gulch at above mid-canyon level, we walked four or five miles on various ledges for views and discovery. It was rich with what those who are passionate about ancestral puebloan cultures simply refer to as, "stuff".

First view of GG from Fortress

April admires GG above Turkey Pen Ruin

David transitioning between ledges

Grand Gulch Kane Gulch junction

Upper Grand Gulch tough access

Hmm, what's ahead?

Bears Ear pops out

Big sherd, black on white

April 19, 2017: Comb Ridge is a massive 40 mile long anticline formed reef. Reef meaning an uplift, exposing the sandstone layers of the earth, eroded vertical on one side, and gently sloped on the other, along the arc of the anticline. Deep side canyons form perpendicular to the reef. They were home to many ancestral puebloans in the many alcoves formed in the sandstone of these canyons. Our goal for the day was to connect as much pueblo cultural evidence with three peaklets on the crest, exposed and divided by the side canyons. Very fun exploration on endless expanses of up tilted Navajo Formation slickrock that long ago formed from ancient petrified sand dunes.

Monarch Ruin

Monarch

cherd collection

The Comb

Approaching Peak 5405'

Navajo Domes on crest

Moving to Point 5320'

Must descend

See the ancient steps above David?

Climbing up to Point 5320'

Still toward 5320'

On Comb Ridge. Bears Ears National Monument, UT

Top of Point 5320'

The Reef

Looking south

Top of 5360'

View north

Descending slickrock

cacti

A neat canyon

April 20, 2017: Back to Grand Gulch. Abert and I headed to another trib canyon of GG known as Collins Canyon. Another rapidly descending canyon dropping to meet the Grand Gulch with the aid of a blasted and constructed historical cattle trail. Rumors of abundant rock art proved true and a noteable cliff dwelling known as Bannister Ruin was our turnaround in Grand Gulch.

Descending Collins Canyon

Arch in Collins

The Narrows of Grand Gulch

Narrows view; Grand Gulch Primitive Area

Big alcove

biggest barrel I've seen

abandoned meander buttress

Through the Narrows

water scene

Rincon

great find in wash

Bannister House

Door within door

kiva vent

late afternoon return

vertical in Grand Gulch

ascending Collins Canyon

April 21, 2017. Abert and April departed and my friends Kathy and Larry arrived. They took me to two canyons once inhabited by the ancient ones on their favorite location: back on the "Comb".

A Comb Ridge site

patio below inside door

fine kiva

wall and pictograph hands

buck petro

walls

kiva view

big picto morph (24") and atlatl

Comb view

The Comb Ridge canyons

Some rock art and ruins:

green painted hands

bighorn

Little Feat

snake

the "Ladder"

sandals?

morphs

nice panel

floor petros

detail

Many hands

In a few weeks I'll add much more art in a Flickr set. Long live the Bears Ears National Monument! Protect it, be gentle in it, and defend it!

[Gimpilator]

Wow! I think I must go to this place. Never heard of it. Thank you.

[puzzlr]

Some of those spots are achingly beautiful. Thanks for sharing. If I lived in that part of the country I would surely visit often and join the efforts to protect it. At least I get a week in Sedona this spring (not the same, but similar).

[carlb328]

Looks like a very hot area. So what is the difference between a sherd and a shard? I always thought sherd was a bogus word started by someone who didn't know the correct word. Sort of like people who say careering instead of careening?

[Randy]

Great stuff, John. Thanks. Just got back from Grand Staircase and CRNP ourselves. Our 5th year in a row to southern UT. Need to explore BE next!

[gb]

Be sure to call Congressmen to support Bears Ears, particularly if they are on the fence (like several in Washington state.)

[Bryan K]

[nordique]

Patagonia has been sponsoring regular public service messages on PBS during the Newshour for months now. What a spectacular place! The new administration will probably cede that area to Utah, a state likely to open the area to mining, grazing, and commercial development and exploitation.