This is the fifth diary installment of The Dkos Road Tour Series. See explanation at the close of this diary. I trust you will find the information enjoyable and educational. Our destinations today will take us, first, to southeastern New Mexico, then to the southern sector of Arizona, and from there to southeast Arizona. As a reminder, the information herein is “layered.” Meaning, the reader chooses how much or how little read, graduating from the essentials to more in-depth details.
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CARLSBAD CAVERNS NATIONAL PARK
Location/Geography: Southeast New Mexico. Eddy County. Closet City or Town: Artesia; Carlsbad. In the shadow of the Guadalupe Mountains (8,749 feet/ 2,656 m), on a plateau at the south side of Walnut Canyon. Entrance is 18 miles (29 m) southwest of Carlsbad. Area: 46,765 acres (73 square miles/189 km²).
Coordinates: 32°10′31′′N 104°26′38′′W (http://bitly/STRYJr)
Google images/maps: http://bitly/1lirkQR
√ Spotlight: Take me to the bat cave! (But Batman doesn’t live here. Instead, zillions of bats are the only residents for part of the year. A subterranean haven of colossal chambers called “rooms.” But refrain from touching any spectacles on display!. Carlsbad is one of the premier limestone caverns in North America; also premier for an exhilarating evening bat show (in season). Focus: geology, human history, and bat ecology.
√ Snapshot: Carlsbad Caverns, “The Show CaveTour,” begins rather dramatically in the Underground Lunchroom some 750 feet (230 m) below the entrance. Approximately two-thirds of the park has been set aside as a wilderness and preserves a fragile habitat of Carlsbad’s subterranean environs, as a world unto itself. The interior of the caverns is illuminated (at least, to some degree), which highlights the formations. A literal cavernous chamber––the Big Room––is one of the caverns most frequently visited setting and gathering place for gawking tourists. This natural limestone showcase is nearly 4,000 feet (1,219 m) long, 625 feet (190.5 m) wide and 350 feet (about 107 m) high at the highest point ranks as the third largest chamber in North America and the seventh largest in the world. (For Jeopardy aficionados––Where is the largest chamber? Answer: in Malaysia––the Sarawak Chamber.) At Carlsbad, the tour includes well over two dozen chambers––rooms. Most tours are, therefore, escorted by knowledgeable guides (or docents may be the better word for it). However, there are some sectors of Carlsbad one can tour on his or her own. Hence, self-guided. These are also the more squeeze-tighter places, which spelunkers (aka “cavers”) enjoy exploring. The exercise also includes belly swimming in some sectors and not the kind of places for people who are prone to claustrophobia. The town of Carlsbad, New Mexico, which lends its name to the celebrated caverns and the national park, is, in turn, named after a Czech town formerly known by the German name, “Carlsbad” (whose modern spelling is Karlsbad). In 1923, this fascinating subterranean world became popular, and, therefore, deemed important by the government to protect its nocturnal sanctuary. Eventually, the environs earned a national monument designation, and seven years later, a national park. In 1978, Carlsbad Caverns Wilderness was additionally established with the National Parks and Recreation Act.
√ Guided Tour Essentials: Carlsbad is all about the underground, including bats that live in extreme darkness. The story of this massive underground world begins about 200 and 50 million years ago, with the creation of a 400-mile-long (643 km) reef in an inland sea that once inundated the region. This horseshoe-shaped reef was formed from the remains of sponges, algae, and seashells; also from calcite that precipitated directly from the salty water. Cracks eventually developed in the reef as it grew seaward. Later in time, the sea evaporated, and the reef was buried under deposits of salt and gypsum. After a mere few million years, uplift and erosion began to uncover the buried rock reef. Rainwater, which was made slightly acidic from the air and soil, seeped down into the cracks of the reef dissolving the limestone over the eons. Incredibly, this simple and timely process would eventually form large underground chambers though free of water. At the same time, hydrogen sulfide gas migrated upward from vast oil and natural gas deposits beneath the ancient reef. The chemistry reaction is important to note because the gas dissolved in the percolating ground water. Consequently, the process created sulfuric acid. The collateral effect of this potent corrosive substance explains the size of the passageways. Over time, the exposed reef became part of the nearby Guadalupe Mountains, and the underground chambers (called “solution caves”) became the marvel of Carlsbad Cavern.
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The Nightly Show Of Shows: In season, the spectacular twilight flight begins with a few bats fluttering out of the natural entrance of Carlsbad Cavern, which is almost a tentative show of force. Soon the bats emerge en masse in a denser group, whose black swarm painted against the twilight sky commences the late evening show for spectators. At breakneck speed though graceful in their well-practiced (instinctual) ballet, thousands of these winged acrobats corkscrew upwards and counterclockwise. It does seem as though the bats are intent on putting on a stunning show meant to please the audience below the seeming turbulent and constantly changing flight path. But this is not the case.
Thus, and in a matter of minutes, a whirlwind of spiraling bats enhances the faint shroud of an advancing darkness. The fluttering bat spectacle leaving the cave can last twenty minutes or as long as two hours. (But the latter figure is more likely the case.) This wait, watch and enjoy period also marks the eating frenzy of these ravenous avian ecologists. Once the colony is out of the cave, the undulating mass of bats departs––in serpentine fashion––toward the southeast to feed in the Pecos and Black River valleys. Once there, the busy swarm begins gorging on moths and other night-flying insects. The last stragglers wonʼt return until just before dawn. Using reliable sonar, each bat on its hunting foray may catch and eat several stomachfuls of insects in a single night! With the coming of dawn, the bats migrate back to the cave individually or in small groups. They re-enter the cave at dusk in a fashion almost as remarkable as their departure. Once inside each bat positions itself high above the cave entrance and folds its wing. Itʼs time to digest the food and rest and sleep until the next show begins. The bats will continue performing at twilight for as long as they remain Carlsbad residents for part of the year.
Directions: NM Hwy. 7 and turn north from Hwy. 62/180 at Whites City (16 miles/25 km) southwest of Carlsbad, then 150 miles (240 km) northeast of El Paso TX. Entrance follows a 7-mile (11.3 km) route from the park gate at Whites City to the Visitor Center.
Contact Information: Carlsbad Caverns National Park 3225 National Parks Highway Carlsbad NM 88220. Phone (general park Information): 575-785.2232; for Bat Flight information: 785.3012; Fax: 785.2133
Here's my recommendation for a follow-up URL: http://1.usa.gov/QlJZn7
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CASA GRANDE RUINS
Location/Geography: Southern sector of Arizona. Pinal County. Closet City or Town: Coolidge; Casa Grande; Chandler. Area: 472.5 acres (1,912 square meters). North of Coolidge on a flat plain of central Arizona between the Gila and Santa Cruz rivers (the Gila Valley).
Coordinates: 32°53′9′′N 111°44′38′′W (http://bitly/1ltS59L)
Google images: http://bitly/1hRxdJS
Maps: http://bitly/1oYSBh8
√ Spotlight: Ruins that come with a mystery (meaning the functional purpose of this archaeological site). Possibly, these ruins mark an astronomical observatory. Unique construction methods. Legendary canal builders, the Hohokam, built this place. Dubbed highly successful in agriculture, as well. Focus: human history, archaeoastronomy, and archeology.
√ Snapshot: Casa Grande Ruins NM features multiple structures surrounded by a compound wall. An inscrutable site constructed by people who irrigated and farmed the Gila Valley in the early 1200s. Casa Grande is Spanish for “big house.” The derivative of the name also refers to the largest structure on the site. The site may have been abandoned by the mid-1400s and what’s left standing of this four-story structure is impressive. Made out of caliche mud (i.e., sedimentary rock and hardened deposit of calcium carbonate), the walls of the tower are 4.5 feet (1.3 m) thick at the base. Because of telltale openings in three walls, the structure is thought to have been used for astronomical observation. Well-built in every respect, this fascinating, tall structure has managed to survive the extreme weather in this part of the country for about seven centuries. The site was designated a national monument in 1918 and is managed by the NPS.
√ Guided Tour Essentials: Casa Grande was built by a highly successful Sonoran Desert agricultural society, the Hohokam. Their designation comes from a Pima Indian perspective and means all gone, all used up, which is not to be taken in a pejorative sense. Their ancestors are the Tohono Oʼodham people of southern Arizona (aka the “Papago”). The many miles of irrigation canals these industrious people built is indeed impressive. In fact, “superlative” is a better word for it. Hands down the Hohokam were one of the most advanced cultures of their time. They also knew how to tame the desert; at least, they understand its ways and how to form a symbiosis with nature that ensured sustainability for their culture over many centuries. The layout and purpose of Casa Grande’s ruins remain obscure. A chiefʼs dwelling, storage facility, temple or palace, administrative center and observatory for stargazing are just some of the interpretations archeologists have offered. The enduring riddle of Casa Grande remains just that––a riddle. The only thing archeologists know is who constructed these structures and when the compound was built.
Directions: From I-10 south of Phoenix take the Coolidge exit, then Hwy. 87/287 for 15 miles (24 km) to the park entrance.
Contact Information: Casa Grande Ruins National Monument 1100 West Ruins Drive Coolidge AZ 85128. Phone (visitor information): 520-723.3172; Fax 723-7209
Here's my recommendation for a follow-up URL: http://1.usa.gov/1p2Z2Ol
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CASA MALPAÍS RUINS
Location/Geography: Southeast Arizona. Apache County. Closet City or Town: Springerville; Show Low. Volcanic field situated on a series of basaltic terraces, overlooking the upper Little Colorado River and the White Mountains.
Coordinates: 34°09′0″N 109°18′0″W (http://bitly/1vc3Ogj)
Google images: http://bitly/SGZGX2
Map: http://bitly/1jphRYt
√ Spotlight: Translation of these ruins means House of the Bad Lands, whose prehistoric ruins relate specifically to the Mogollon (pronounced "moo-gee-own") culture. Astronomical survey site and unique kiva construction. Likely constructed for tracking solstice and equinox events. Thus, an archaeoastronomy site, say, similar to Chaco Canyon but on a far smaller scale. Focus: human history, archaeological ruins overlooking an expansive volcanic lava field and archaeoastronomy.
√ Snapshot: In 1964, Casa Malpaís was designated a national historic landmark. This Mogollon site was built sometime around 1260 and inhabited until around 1400. Situated on a fallen terrace of a basalt cliff, its setting is one of the latest dated Mogollon archaeological sites and includes ruins of an astronomical observatory. This dubbed House of the badlands was a Basque designation referring to itinerant sheepherders, who grazed ruminants in large sectors of the Four Corners region, including south of the Colorado Plateau. More than likely, the name bequeathed to Casa Malpaís referred to the austere volcanic lava field that encompasses the setting. Indeed, the entire Springerville volcanic field contains over four hundred outlets within a 50-mile (80 km) radius of the town, making it the third largest volcanic field in North America. The Great Kiva found in the ruins and is the centerpiece of this archaeological ruins. This ceremonial chamber is also noteworthy in that it's entirely constructed of volcanic rock. Straddling the top of a prominent mesa, a steep basalt staircase set into a crevice of a high cliff wall leads to the summit. From there, an impressive view of the lava field surrounds the broad layout of Casa Malpaís’ environs. The dark contour of the landscape is singular in all respects. One also has to wonder why these people built the site in such a desolate location. Measuring 85 feet (26 m) in diameter, the observatory is circular and has five openings. Four of the eyelets cut through the basaltic citadel point to the heavens and are meant to align with solstices, equinoxes, or both. The fifth, however, is perfectly aligned to Polaris, the North Star. This portal is also lined up with a foundation stone at the center of the observatory's south wall.
√ Guided Tour Essentials: The Mogollon culture is one of four major prehistoric archaeological indigenous cultural areas of the Southwest and northern Mexico. Although their origins remain a matter of speculation for archeologists, it is thought these people lived in the Southwest from approximately 150 through 1400, and possibly up to 1450. One popular theory holds that these so-named southern people emerged from a preceding "Desert Archaic" tradition, thereby linking Mogollon ancestry with the first prehistoric human occupations in this part of North America, and possibly as far back as 900 BCE. This date also equates with the late (or Upper) Pleistocene Period (roughly, 126,000 to 10,000 years ago). In this view, cultural distinctions emerged in the larger region when Mogollon populations expanded, and their communities and villages were established. Another theory holds they were descendants of archaic farmers who migrated from cultivation regions in central Mexico sometime around 3500 BCE and displaced descendants of the antecedent Desert Archaic people. Of course, the problem with any prehistoric people is the fact there is no prehistoric record; only oral tradition handed down over the centuries. As such, said tradition might as well be a whisper, for relatively little is known about these people.
Directions: Take Hwy. 60 (Hwy. 80/191) from Show Low, Arizona, to Springerville (ruins just off E. Main Street).
Contact Information: Casa Malpaís The Visitor Center and museum, 318 E. Main Street, Springerville AZ 85938. Phone (general information): 928-333.5375
Here's my recommendation for a follow-up URL: http://bitly/1ltGmYB
FYI: This latest installment of THE DKOS ROAD TOUR SERIES provides an excerpt from the larger text, SCENIC ICONS OF THE SOUTHWEST (http://amzn.to/2on3z89). The soft cover 8.5 x 11 format (491 pages) provides the same information but also includes a thorough background on geology, natural and human history and miscellaneous subject matter. Additionally, there is an Android app available and the less expensive Kindle version. For information about myself and my books featured on Amazon, feel free to drop by www.richholtzin.com and leave a comment. I also write under the nom de plume, RK ALLEMAN. For more background about this tour series, please read the 3/29/2017 diary, HIT THE ROAD TOUR SERIES: An Introduction.
Another installment of this series will be next Sunday. Hopefully, every Sunday there will be a trio of new scenic icons for the reader’s enjoyment and enlightenment. (For those who want to know where they’re going in these upcoming tours, the previously mentioned introduction lists a Table of Contents (in alphabetical order).
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About The Author: Rich, who writes under the nom de plume, RK ALLEMAN, has worked in the field as an outdoors educator and interpreter for the likes of the Grand Canyon Field Institute (nearly 20 years), Northern Arizona University (Flagstaff), and Yavapai College (Prescott, AZ). For nearly 40 years, he has backpacked some 8,000 miles, not including hiking sorties. Most of his works focus on the geosciences (mainly, geology, archaeology, and ecology), human and natural history applicable to the Colorado Plateau Province (aka the “Four Corners Region of the Southwest).
FYI: Previous diaries:
Intro diary http://bit.ly/2nu738O
1st diary http://bit.ly/2opAB6Y
2nd diary http://bit.ly/2oe49Cm
3rd diary http://bit.ly/2pFVvMo
4th diary http://bit.ly/2oVFGDQ