Black Friday in Nine Mile Canyon

Black Friday | Friday, November 25, 2011

I wanted to get back to Nine Mile Canyon one more time before the year was over, so I figured that Black Friday would be the perfect time. Instead of getting up early to try and score a deal at a big box store, I was up early and on my way to Wellington and then into Nine Mile Canyon. As I drove into the canyon I found that part of the road was under construction. Luckily no one was working today, so I did not encounter and delays this time.

I was unable to visit the Owl Panel the last time I was in the canyon, so that was my first destination this time. It’s an amazing panel that’s in great shape.

Nine Mile Owl Petroglyphs by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr

Bear Paw & Owl by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr

Besides the very large and unique owl, there are also two smaller ones.

Three Owls by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr

This is another new panel I stumbled across this trip with a cool looking hunter with a bow and arrow.

Hunter Panel by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr

Here’s a panel that I have searched for before but come up empty handed. I was just about to give up again this time when it finally caught my eye. I wasn’t looking quite high enough to find it originally.

Some believe that this scene depicts Coyote in the act of placing the stars. According to one Hopi creation myth, Old Spider Woman provides Coyote with with a sack filled with stars. After climbing to the top of a mountain he begins to distribute them neatly in the heavens, including creating the well-known constellations. Soon, he grows tired of this work and picks up the bag to throw its contents into the sky. This is the reason why many of the stars are not arranged in an orderly fashion.

Looking at this petroglyph site you can see many dots surrounding the coyote-like figure that could represent the stars and the bag-like object that is held in one of its hands.

Placing the Stars by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr

Bighorn sheep and dots are common in Nine Mile Canyon. Just to the left of the large dot matrix there appears to be a faint centipede figure.

Centipede & Sheep by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr

These panels have a horizontal line that is carved across them. It looks like an anthropomorph on the right side might even be pulling on that line?

Line Panels by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr

A close look at the Sandhill Crane Panel.

Sandhill Crane Panel by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr

I’ve never had time before to explore the Dry Fork, so that was another of my goals on this trip. The following three photos are of panels I found in that canyon.

Block Petroglyphs by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr

Designs by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr

Spirals & Snakes by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr

A small panel with a cool elk near Rasmussen Cave.

Small Elk Panel by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr

Of course I visited the Family Panel again to try and get a better photo than last time since I was running out of light that trip. I was a little late this time and part of the left side of the panel was in the shade. I guess I will have to try again next time.

The Family by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr

This is one of my favorite serpent petroglyphs.

Coiled Horned-Snake by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr

A few very vibrant pictographs.

Corner Pictographs by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr

I revisited the Pregnant Buffalo, another of my favorite petroglyphs.

Pregnant Buffalo by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr

An overview of the nearby Big Buffalo site.

Big Buffalo Panel by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr

I really thought about not stopping at The Great Hunt Panel again, but I just couldn’t resist…

Great Hunt by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr

The sheep’s spiral tail is very cool in this panel.

Spiral Tail Sheep by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr

On my way back out of Nine Mile Canyon I stopped at these small Fremont pictographs.

Fremont Figures by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr

I also stopped at the First Site again so I could check out the damage from the recent vandalism. It appears that it has been cleaned up and I didn’t really notice any new permanent damage. Before leaving I took this photo of the petroglyphs located there that I somehow managed to miss before!

First Site Petroglyphs by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr

After leaving the First Site I continued driving out of Nine Mile Canyon and back to the highway in the dark. I continued on to Green River where I would be spending the night so I could get an early start exploring some new areas of the San Rafael Swell on Saturday.

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