Canyon de Chelly, Nov 2015

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White House Ruin from the rim overlook.

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Cottonwoods along Chinle Creek in front of White House Ruin

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White House Ruin in Canyon de Chelly

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Broad curve of Chinle Creek through Canyon de Chelly, just above White House Ruin

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A smooth expanse of de Chelly Sandstone near the beginning of the White House Trail

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Pothole water reflections, White House Trail

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Sue exiting one of the tunnels built to accomodate the White House Trail. This is the only trail in Canyon de Chelly that visitors can hike without a guide.

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Cottonwoods and sandstone monolith from the canyon floor

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Sue is crossing a footbridge across Chinle Creek. This is one of the few places where the creek is bridged here in the Monument.

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Our first view of White House Ruin, in the cave left of center, from the canyon floor

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The lower portion of White House Ruin

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White House Ruin from the canyon floor

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Cottonwood and cliffs, Canyon de Chelly

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Rock art on the wall between lower and upper White House Ruin

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Lone cottonwood with fall color at White House Ruin

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The upper portion of the ruin, showing the name-sake White House. Note the grafiti covering the white wall

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Details of the masonary near the left end of the upper ruin.

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Lone cottonwood with fall color at White House Ruin

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White House Ruin, in black and white

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Autumn sun, late afternoon, White House Ruin

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Cottonwood reflections on Chinle Creek

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Leaning Cottonwood along Chinle Creek

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Afternoon shadows at White House Ruin

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Sandstone detail as we hike out in the late afternoon

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Sue is waving from one of the walled sections of the White House trail

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Cross-bedding, de Chelly Sandstone

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A series of pour-off pools in a ravine below the trail

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In several areas, the trail makes use of perfect steps carved into the sandstone. I believe the trail was built by largely-Navaho CCC workers.

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Sunset light and shadows at the rim of Canyon de Chelly

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View across the canyon at sunset

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A small pool on the rim of Canyon de Chelly

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On Saturday morning, we took a ranger-led hike down the White Sands trail, which is not normally open to Monument visitors

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Yes, there was a small amount of snow and ice on the trail

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At the bottom of this steep section is our guide, Ravis Henry. Ravis is a Navaho, who grew up in the canyon. Sue had met him previously, through her volunteer work at Chimney Rock. We were joined by 2 women from Quebec.

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White Sands ruin

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Sliding House Ruin

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Cholla tunas

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Hiking down Canyon de Chelly.

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Rock art, near Spring Canyon Ruin

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Spring Canyon Ruin.

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Close up of Spring Canyon Ruin. You can see part of a wood pole ladder extending through the top of the ruin.

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Big horn sheep pictographs

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A relatively modern Navaho drawing of a horse

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Canyon walls. The walls through this section of canyon are around 650-700 ft deep

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Chinle Wash reflections. Yes, that's ice on the surface