Lower Cliff Dwellings Jan 11

We went to visit the lower cliff dwelling in Tonto National Forest near Roosevelt Arizona

 The Salado Indians built these cave dwelling around 1300. There were 20 rooms and housed approximately 40 people. The dwelling is 40 feet high, 85 feet long, and 48 feet deep. Each family occupied one room with a fire pit and a hatchway to access the second floor. The 2nd floor was constructed of local timber, and then covered with a latus , then finished with a clay mortar. 

The caves opening faces south east, so in the winter it would receive the heat from the sun , but in the summer would avoid the heat in the afternoon.

Some of the mortar walls are still intact. The cliff overhang prevented an rainfall from entering the living area.

The holes in the walls about 6 feet up would have supported the beams for the 2nd floor. The larger opening at the bottom was the entrance to the rooms. There were no doors

Interior cave walls

The wooden structure shows how the second floor would have been constructed.

The hike was 1/2 mile up and a 350 foot elevation. 
That is our gypsy wagon in the parking lot at the bottom

Overlooking Roosevelt Lake which is 24 miles long

It was 17 degrees, just a beautiful day to hike. Today was the first time this year that we have seen any desert flowers in bloom

A cactus of this type can grow up to 50 feet in height

 and live from 75 to 200 years

After our hike we dropped in for a visit with Pierre and Chantal Hince in Mesa, part of Phoenix.

Pierre and his guitar instructor   LOL