Winter solstice tour reveals mystery of the ancients' sun calendars

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Winter solstice tour reveals mystery of the ancients' sun calendars

A pointed shadow moves across ancient petroglyphs depicting gods of the sun, death and water. This is one of several sun calendars at the Ute Mountain Tribal Park that marks the winter solstice. The park was open for a special tour Saturday guided by Virginia Wolf, an expert in archaeoastronomy who has done extensive work documenting sun calendars in the park.
Virginia Wolf, tour guide/archaeologist, points out the meaning of the wall art on the winter solstice tour.
Pottery shards have been found from several different time periods.
The tour group heads up to the first site that was featured on the tour.
Laura Hall, Sissy Seeley and Dan Gerhardt look at the side of the Mesa, using binoculars to view the spirals that are engraved on the cliff face.
Heather D’Agnese/The Mancos Times
Peggy Youngs and Price Coleman look on as the sun creates a unique shadow on the turtle rock formation. The shadows shown on the rocks during this tour only happen during Winter Solstice.
Virginia Wolf, the tour guide and archaeologist, points out the meaning of the wall art on the Winter Solstice Tour.
Sissy Seeley and Joan Snater look at the different shards of pottery left behind from long ago.

Winter solstice tour reveals mystery of the ancients' sun calendars

A pointed shadow moves across ancient petroglyphs depicting gods of the sun, death and water. This is one of several sun calendars at the Ute Mountain Tribal Park that marks the winter solstice. The park was open for a special tour Saturday guided by Virginia Wolf, an expert in archaeoastronomy who has done extensive work documenting sun calendars in the park.
Virginia Wolf, tour guide/archaeologist, points out the meaning of the wall art on the winter solstice tour.
Pottery shards have been found from several different time periods.
The tour group heads up to the first site that was featured on the tour.
Laura Hall, Sissy Seeley and Dan Gerhardt look at the side of the Mesa, using binoculars to view the spirals that are engraved on the cliff face.
Heather D’Agnese/The Mancos Times
Peggy Youngs and Price Coleman look on as the sun creates a unique shadow on the turtle rock formation. The shadows shown on the rocks during this tour only happen during Winter Solstice.
Virginia Wolf, the tour guide and archaeologist, points out the meaning of the wall art on the Winter Solstice Tour.
Sissy Seeley and Joan Snater look at the different shards of pottery left behind from long ago.
If you go

What: Tours to the sun calendars and ruins at the Ute Mountain Tribal Park are scheduled daily during the summer months.
Where: Tours leave from the Ute Mountain Tribal Park Visitor Center at the junction of highways 160 and 491.
Cost: Half-day tours are $29 per person. Full-day tours are $48 per person. Private tours are $100 per person.
Transportation: Visitors may ride along in a van for an extra fee or follow the escort in their own vehicle.
To book: Reservations can be made by calling 1-800-847-5485.
Important notes: Pack a lunch and drinking water. The hikes to the sites are short, but moderate in difficulty. The park is not open to unescorted visitors.

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