Comb Ridge

The Comb rises slowly from the east. It’s sandstone surface is cut into a series of canyons rich with archeological details. Approaching the Comb from the west as pictured above, is a challenge with a vertical drop of 500 feet. The Anasazi were not intimidated by the Comb, the vertical drop was navigated by moqui steps, hand holds carved into the steep face. The placement of the moqui steps was dictated not by the easiest route down, rather by the alignment with other important markers generally following a straight line.

Metate at Cold Cave

This trip into the Comb took us to known sites, Fishmouth Cave and Cold Springs Cave, as well as exploring in and around nearby canyons. Cold Springs Cave held a few interesting surprises most notably the metates that were lined up for production. One was set deeper into the cave, near a stone engraved with IAEE Cold Springs Cave 1892. A reference to an earlier explorer, Warren K. Moorehead, who led an expedition into Grand Gulch for Illustrated American. Moorehead surveyed many of the sites before Wetherill, but unfortunately Illustrated American went bust leaving Moorehead to pay the bills.

After investigating Cold Springs Cave we spent sometime looking for a good route out of the canyon and onto Comb Ridge. For us we returned down canyon until we found an easy egress out. We then found ourselves walking the upper surfaces, and quickly spied Eagles Nest, and another ruin in a second canyon north.

Eagles Nest is located high on the south facing canyon wall. Certainly not accessible from the canyon floor. Getting in and out requires incredible dexterity and although not visible in my binoculars there had to be hand holds leading into the dwelling and storage areas.

Below Eagles Nest

The next day we set up through Eagles Nest canyon in hopes of find our way to the top of the Comb. The canyon is quite narrow and there is one spot with petroglyph carved on a patinated rock. In what appears to be an uninhabited alcove there are a few more petroglyphs. As the canyon walls rose the stream bed narrowed and became clogged with rocks. Within in a few minutes, I could see the sky broadening and the canyon floor rising slowly upward as we came over a mound of boulders.

Within a few minutes there was no more canyon, and we followed the sandstone walls on the right. Near the crest of the Comb rose two structures perched on top column like sandstone forms. They certainly were not granaries or living structures. The twin “towers” faced west over the Comb. The obvious

Tower on Crest of Comb Ridge

thought is either lookout towers or signal towers. From a distance there is no evidences of fire on the walls. At the base of one the towers is a handful of petroglyphs. Not the best quality, but a couple of interesting details. The yucca pictured is quite elegant, and quietly placed in a corner with a continuous shadow. There is a small, 2 foot, procession complete with canes and a figure clutching an atlatla. Was it a study for Procession Panel or a common response to the elegant panel within a mile of our current location.

Getting down was initially quite easy. Just follow the water runoff and we veered north toward another canyon. At the head of this canyon was another alcove ruin. In another quarter mile or so was the obstacle. A 40 foot pour off with a steep smooth sandstone wall on the north and a possible option on the southside. It was either back the way we came or find a route on the south side wall. Fortunately the south wall had a few benches each one extending a bit further. We followed each as far as possible then retreated a bit and went up to the next. Eventually one bench lead to some scree which provided a path down. At the bottom of the pour off is what appeared to be another site. Not much left given the amount of water that rushes through during a thunderstorm. It is an easy walk down the center of the canyon, not only for us, but the turkeys we surprised along the way. They didn’t hang around too long scurrying out of the canyon and across the Comb.