I wish I could tell you that on our visit to Chaco Culture National Historical Park we arrived in time to be one of the first 100 people in line at 6am. On September 22nd, those early risers join a special tour to watch the sun align through the ancient doorways signaling the arrival of the autumnal equinox. Joining that group requires us to forsake our warm, comfy beds at 3:00am and follow the stars north. Instead we join a small expedition of Balloon Fiesta Volunteers departing for Chaco Culture at the more civilized hour of 7am.
Not to worry though, thanks to Matt and Sherry we receive a personal tour of the park. Guided by Snow, a volunteer friend from their stint at the LBJ Ranch, we crawl through the magnificent Pueblo Bonito. Snow volunteers summers in Chaco Culture NHP as a tour guide. Her perseverance in camping all summer at a site so remotely located astounds us. For example a trip to town requires a long, tortuous trip over sometimes impassable, always pot-hole peppered and seemingly endless dirt roads. Snow minimizes the frequency of such trips by ordering her food staples online allowing UPS (the post office doesn’t deliver here) to deliver. We admire her passion for this site. and envy her access to the night sky view and moonlight tours here.
Chaco Culture Pictures
