Monsoon Season at Chaco

I had heard that July and particularly August bring substantial rain to Chaco. This time of year we have a daily "10 % chance of isolated thunderstorms." These monsoon rains usually come up in the late afternoon and into the evening. We recently had .65 inches of rain in one evening's storm.
Water was cascading over the canyon wall and into the wash. Roads were pretty slippery and this brought out the grating crew to smooth and taper them a bit. A storm in this part of the country is pretty dramatic. The storm last night brought an incredible display of lightning flashes - sky to ground, cloud to cloud - just tremendous bursts. There wasn't much rain here at Chaco associated with the display but it sure was dramatic.

Roasting Chiles

The best way to get a great "bang for the buck" and be assured your chiles are properly roasted is to do them yourself. Not complicated but it takes a bit of time. Purchase your Hatch chiles in bulk and set to work slowly roasting them over a fire - in this case a small propane with an excellent view. After they are sufficiently heated and blackened on the outside you scrape off the burnt portion of the skin, cut off the stem side, slit open the chile and scrape out the seeds. The result is a thin and spicey addition to any recipe.

Carson Trading Post

I had occasion to visit the Carson Trading Post south of Farmington, NM. It has had better days. Navajos came to the trading post as pretty much the sole source of goods after relocating back to their native lands from Fort Sumner. It was well located along an active wash and close to the local Chapter House. The trading post is built into the side of a sandstone cliff and the main room has a substantial ceiling braced by pondersa pines not unlike those that brace the ceilings in the Great Houses at Chaco Canyon. Petrified wood was used to supplement materials for the walls. Once bustling, today it is pretty quiet except for folks in cars and trucks passing by on the black top road toward town to do their shopping.

Coyotes at Chaco

Coyotes are quite prevalent in this area and provide a valuable service by keeping the rodent population in check. We often hear them at night and just before dawn. This coyote was just ambling off to the side of the road. There is a particular young, scraggly looking coyote which scoops the area just to the south of my residence.

Rain at Chaco

Chaco gets about eight to nine inches of rain a year. Occasionally there are isolated and very heavy thunderstorms which reek havoc with the not paved roads and often leave them impassable. This particular burst of rain and hail lasted about twenty minutes and dropped one quarter of an inch of rain fall. Not having been at Chaco during the "monsoon" season, it was pretty exciting.

Crown Point Rug Auction

Crown Point is about an hour drive south of Chaco (very skillful local driver going very fast). There is a rug auction which takes place on a monthly basis. Navajo weavers bring their work to the auction which tends to be filled with Anglo consumers from all over the world. It is an exciting event with spirited bidding for some beautiful and skillfully done items. Craft person also display and sell their jewelry and bead work.

Researchers at Chaco

Recently a group of students from the Colorado School of Mines were at Chaco doing some scanning of the plaza at Chetro Ketl. While many of their colleagues had chosen research in the oil or gas area they chose to come to Chaco. I appreciated their values and commitment.

Return to Chaco

Back at Chaco Canyon National Historical Park.
We say that a bad day at Chaco beats the heck out of a good day just about anyplace else.