Balcony House and more

Mesa Verde’s Balcony House is a very memorable — and challenging — place to visit. It certainly isn’t for those who have a fear of heights or a problem with tight spaces. Those with health problems that prevent strenuous activity should not attempt this tour.

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From the park website: The Balcony House tour requires visitors to descend a 100 foot staircase into the canyon; climb a 32 foot ladder; crawl through a 12 foot, 18 inches wide tunnel; and clamber up an additional 60 feet on ladders and stone steps.

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The climb out:

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Rain in Montezuma Valley:

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Tansy Aster against a ruin wall:

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Mesa Verde National Park, September 14, 2009

We had tickets for a 10 AM ranger guided tour of Balcony House. We had been to this ruin at least two other times before, the first in 1986, when we were in our mid-thirties.

To get into the ruin requires a bit of a climb, shown in the two views below and the one on the right, which exaggerates the steepness of the ladder because I had to rotate the image a little to get it all in.

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Waiting to go through the small passage:

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A hungry coyote zeros in on food — found on road:

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Rabbitbrush with Sleeping Ute Mountain in the background:

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Commentary and images from the road

image and information from September 14, 2009

This post is being simultaneously published on Exit78 and Haw Creek Out ‘n About

Comments on this entry are closed.

  • Donna Dec 6, 2009 @ 21:21

    Hi Mike, We did this about 4 years ago and it was a lot of fun… Great place to visit and great tour. Thanks for the memories and thanks for coming by and visiting my blog… Have a great day and Travel Safe!
    Donna
    .-= Donna´s last blog ..~~~A Day with a President~~~ =-.

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