Hotel Rock II

2024-05-26

Bears Ears XV

We have climbed a gradual slope, somewhere around 1200 feet near our campsite at Arch Canyon. The rock surface has given way to a plain (See the previous post “Hotel Rock”)

In the distance, I see what has to be Hotel Rock.

It is a massive bubble of colorful stone, seemingly popped out of the flat terrain to prominence. There are ruins placed into its structure. People used to live here.

As we approach, two people are seen, but no vehicle. They walk along the rim at the base and disappear around the north corner, whereabouts unknown.

I follow to investigate, but find no distinct path and turn around.

It has been a good hike. Before we explore we decide to have a snack lunch.

We feel comfortable enough to strip back into appropriate attire and enjoy the air. There is a solid rock ledge to sit on and use as a table.

As soon as we are nude, a tornado of a wind engulfs us. I have to hold on tight to my cap, as I begin to feel the sand sting and consider covering. It ends its assault, as quickly as it had begun. It is as though spirit has spoken, a great being has met us at the mouth of its domain. It’s like a grand nogales and the time to stuff your belly button (Refer to Carlos Casteneda) .

The ruins are some small rooms and granaries. I look around. It doesn’t look like fields of corn, or wheat would ever grow here to justify this.

There is no water source. I find later that it is speculated that there were great fields up here. Most agriculture was in places like this. Then, it occurs to me that the climate has changed a few times. It has been surmised that that change may be a reason why people have abandoned these habitations, over the millennia. Some moved south, as far as near Tucson. We begin to look around. Remnants of edible vegetation are scattered around. Agave, berry bushes, medicinal plants, the pinyon berries, yucca, Mormon Tea. What catches our surprised eyes is a form of primitive wheat, still growing by the road.

There is a mud pack still intact on the small openings of the granaries.

These had to be sealed tight in a world of pests, critters, or thieving enemies.

There is soot on the ceilings of some of the small rooms, identifying that they sheltered in them.

We take some photos. DF with her long dark hair and deep brown tan, seems to fit in. It’s as if she is of the lean ancestry of the ancients.

We gather our stuff and wander around the south end of the hotel to explore, never wanting to miss a thing, or a surprise discovery. There are more structural spots in the rock creases on a ledge, here.

We climb up.

The view here elevates enough to see the expanse of this mesa. Throughout, for miles, we can see the meandering wandering cracks that are the many canyon’s rims.

We take a picture of an arch above the canyon.

We look down into Arch Canyon from here, looking for our previous day’s trip and admiring the natural sculpture.

As we head back down the road from where we came, we see the two human figures are back. A big guy is waving! We give a friendly wave back.

As we stroll along the road, we speculate about the past. We anticipate another whiff of that lovely yellow white flowering bush.

We identify the animal tracks in the sand, all bunnies and lizards. A tall jackrabbit bolts.

Where did the water for the adobe mud come from? Water should be a seasonal precious commodity. What makes the sand pack, the glue in the paste? Was there evidence of seasonal damming like we’d find in the monsoon drenched hills of Tortolita? What did they keep in their granaries?

We find more entertainment from the remnants of 4×4 vehicles on our way back. There are makeshift roads, of piles of rock to ramp over steep waist high drop offs.

We see where we missed the intersection this morning. We’re led directly to it. At the base of the hill, sits a sedan with Utah plates parked on some broken rocks. Could it be the Hotel Rock’s couple? There are no footprints. Large feet could be a clue. Where could these owners be, anyway? This reminds me of our state of casual nudity, but there are no concerns.

We find a shortcut behind the big rock structure next to the camp. This conveniently allows us to be freely undressed all the way to our campsite. It has been a good day. We are satisfied to have hiked a good ten miles in rough terrain. We are feeling that we can handle any hike that we need to and our state of health is validated.

Oh, about the arch! It is an arch, but just tiny.

I am on the forum of FreeRangeNaturism.com often, if you would like to converse.

© The owners of TheFreeRangeNaturist.org as of the year 2015 declare. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to TheFreeRangeNaturist.org with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.