By Science Moab, originally published on Soundcloud and with KZMU and the Moab Sun News
From the perspective of an archaeologist, the physical body of an ancient person is a gift because a body is a time capsule of the past. They lived in that space and that time, and their bodies are manifestations of what was there. We talk with archaeologist Erin Baxter, teacher and Curator of Anthropology at Denver Museum of Nature and Science, about her work unraveling the ancient southwest culture and her fascination with the archaeology of death.
Science Moab: What is the relationship between archaeology and anthropology?
Baxter: It depends on where you study anthropology. If you study it in Europe, you actually major in archaeology. If you study it in the United States, you study anthropology with sub-disciplines. So if you can imagine a big umbrella that is anthropology, under that fits four different fields: linguistics, biological anthropology, cultural anthropology, and archaeology. Linguistics is the study of language, cultural anthropology is the study of living groups of people, biological anthropology is the study of the body and how it evolved, and archaeology is the things that people have left behind.
Science Moab: What part of the interactions of these sciences do you enjoy most?
Baxter: I love the archeology bit – that’s what got me into it. It’s outside, it’s teamwork, it’s problem solving, it’s mystery-finding, and it’s interactive. As I’ve gotten into Southwest archaeology I’ve realized that archaeology doesn’t stand alone.
I’m particularly interested in the practice of ancient burial practices, and… there’s a long history of archaeologists behaving not as we should with human remains. But what I’ve learned is that I work with biological anthropologists who study the body, and then I [also] work with Indigenous descendant communities, and their wishes and their own histories and oral histories about how ancient people lived. We can’t stay in our bubbles. We’re still learning to be the best archaeologists we can be. We’re not great at it yet, but we are miles better than I think we were 100 years ago. So it’s a learning process every day and it’s relationship building.
Science Moab: Tell us about your research on death.
Baxter: I don’t love death, but… a body is a time capsule of the past: [that person] lived in that time and their bodies are manifestations of what was there. So not only can you learn sex, we can learn about height, we can learn general health, if they were injured or maybe had a disease—all of those are written in the bones. We can also now learn more things and this is where science is really fascinating. DNA studies give us hugely important information about migration patterns, occupations, and relationships of individuals across time and space.
Science Moab: So you’re trying to uncover clues and the mystery of how these ancient people lived. How do you go about doing that, scientifically? What are you looking for?
Baxter: My research question when I was in school was [about] how ancient people in the US Southwest lived. You go to…where many descendant communities live to this day… Hopi, Zuni, Acoma, and 23 living tribes in New Mexico and Arizona and others…and you see [Ancestral Puebloan sites like] Mesa Verde or Chaco Canyon or Wupatki and you sort of can’t imagine what it was like.
I wanted to get at the hierarchy of the ancient past… was there one, is it testable?… We can see hierarchy in the archaeological record. People who are better off are physically healthier, they’re taller since they have access to better foods, better proteins. They tend to live in bigger houses, and they tend to be buried with nicer things. Those are three really simple ways of [looking at the question].
There are other ways to approach these questions. If you look at a place like Chaco Canyon, which has 12 buildings called great houses of five stories, [with many hundreds of] rooms—one great house, Pueblo Bonito, was the biggest building in the United States until about the 1880s when a [larger] tenement was built in New York City. You would think that might be a place where lots of people lived, but we don’t see a lot of trash, or burials, or other stuff there. So people living in big houses that [don’t show those signs of occupation]…who are those people? The hypothesis was that those are people who are in charge of things who are important for a variety of reasons.
I think in our Western, white nation, when we see museum displays about Native American communities, there is stagnation without vibrancy and color. There has been the myth of stasis—a myth of a group of humans who haven’t changed much over time. But yet there are histories with hierarchies, kings and queens, witchcraft, death and violence and unpleasant things. Unpleasant things, unfortunately, are the ones that [tend to] show up in the archaeological record. But, with those unpleasant things, you imagine the really lovely things that might have come on the other side of that. You can see the vibrancy of history.
I thought, by studying the hierarchies and the power structures of ancient groups of people, you might actually [be able to] return a [piece] of what a Westerner would call ‘history,’ which we’ve whitewashed for a variety of reasons… to colonize, to subjugate. But you have to do that not as a white person, you have to do that as a collaborator. And so these studies become complicated.
I think I have arguments to be made for [a record of hierarchy in these ancient societies], but my arguments come from historical burial data found by people who dug this 100 years ago…white archaeologists, largely from the East Coast…and it’s not okay to talk about that [because] I am not of the position or internal to various groups of tribal representatives to be able to say that. So, it’s science, but it’s science with a level of 20th and 21st-century complexity that comes from our colonial past. In the post-colonial world, where do we [white archaeologists] fit in?
It’s going to take relationship building, and I think it’s going to be interesting to publish on this [question] one day when trust has been rebuilt. I think archaeologists in the 21st century are making great strides to do that because we’ve got a lot to make up for.
Science Moab is a nonprofit dedicated to engaging community members and visitors with the science happening in Southeast Utah and the Colorado Plateau. To learn more and listen to the rest of Tim Graham’s interview, visit www.sciencemoab.org/radio. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Watch Tim Graham explore pothole ecosystems with Discover Moab!
Have a press release or story you’d like to see published on Discover Moab? Email asst. marketing director Alison Harford at aharford@discovermoab.com.
A pothole shrimp, captured by Mark Finley in Moab.
Potholes abound on the Colorado Plateau — and not the ones associated with road work. Rather, natural potholes are depressions that occur primarily in sandstone. These depressions house ephemeral pools of water and tiny, unique ecosystems. In this episode, Science Moab speaks with biologist and ecologist Tim Graham about these fleeting environments and the organisms that have evolved to live in them.
Science Moab: So what’s happening inside potholes?
Graham: Potholes are small depressions in rock that form temporary aquatic environments. Many have dark biofilms, which are probably formed by a community of cryptobiotic algae and cyanobacteria.
Science Moab: How do these potholes support living organisms when they are prone to drying out?
Graham: Organisms living in those potholes have three main strategies to survive dry periods. Most insects and amphibians escape the pool when it starts to dry up. That creates some hazard, because the organisms have to reach adulthood before they’re capable of leaving the pool. If the pool dries out before a tadpole can metamorphose into an adult, the tadpole will die.
The next strategy is called the “tupperware” strategy. Organisms seal their surface from water loss and stay wet inside. It’s a good strategy for the short term, because as soon as water falls back into the pool, they can become active within seconds. But it’s really tough to be completely waterproof if you’re trying to remain alive. It works for a few months, maybe up to a year. If you’re dry longer than that, chances are that that strategy will fail and you’ll die.
The third strategy is the one I find most interesting and most bizarre. It’s often referred to as cryptobiosis. “Crypto” means hidden, and “biosis” means life. Organisms stay alive, but you can’t measure that they’re alive because the amounts of heat and gas released are so small. These organisms can lose up to 92% of the water in their cells and remain alive.
The organisms in the big puddles that use this are the eggs of crustaceans: fairy shrimp, tadpole shrimp, and clam shrimp. The egg makes a sugar called trehalose. There are parts of the trehalose sugar structure that mimic a water molecule. So as the egg dries out, trehalose molecules are plugged in where the water molecules would be. Then, when water comes back in, the water molecules replace the trehalose.
Science Moab: How else have pothole species evolved to survive in this limited habitat?
Graham: We all know the saying “don’t put all your eggs in one basket.” But the pothole critters are stuck in one basket. Mark Twain had a different perspective: “Put all your eggs in one basket and watch that basket,” he said. The way these critters “watch” their basket is by laying eggs with different kinds of hatching criteria. Crustaceans will produce eggs that hatch after one water filling, or after two or three. They’re in the same physical basket, but they’re in different response baskets.
Science Moab: How do humans impact these potholes by running over or in them?
Graham: Dry potholes get a physical crust on the surface. The crust is resistant to erosion by wind, so anything that breaks that crust is going to make sediment susceptible to being eroded out of the pothole, including organisms waiting for the next rain event.
In the wet potholes I’ve been studying in the Sand Flats area, I’ll be up there and the pools look like they’re doing fine. They’ve got tadpole shrimp and fairy shrimp and maybe some insects. I’ll come back a few days later, and there will be particular pools that are very cloudy. I found a pair of mountain bike gloves sitting next to a cloudy pothole. Chances are some mountain biker decided to take a dip.
These depressions can be quite small. But if you look around, there are a plethora of organisms in there. That’s an ecosystem, and if you walk on it, ride your bike on it, drive on it, then you will wear that system down and kill those organisms. So try to stay out of those potholes.
People who have studied alpine vegetation know the term “belly plant,” where the plant is so short that you have to lay your belly to study it. That’s why I like studying potholes: they’re belly ecosystems.
Science Moab is a nonprofit dedicated to engaging community members and visitors with the science happening in Southeast Utah and the Colorado Plateau. To learn more and listen to the rest of Tim Graham’s interview, visit www.sciencemoab.org/radio. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Watch Tim Graham explore pothole ecosystems with Discover Moab!
Have a press release or story you’d like to see published on Discover Moab? Email asst. marketing director Alison Harford at aharford@discovermoab.com.
A dinosaur track at the Mill Creek dinosaur tracksite.
The world that existed when dinosaurs roamed the Moab area was vastly different than the world today. Science Moab talked with Dr. John Foster about what this region was like 150 million years ago during the late Jurassic period, when a geologic layer called the Morrison Formation was being deposited.
Foster is a paleontologist and former director of the Moab Museum. His work involves excavating the oldest known dinosaur skeleton, right here in Moab.
Science Moab: Tell us about the geologic layer you study called the Morrison Formation.
Foster: Most of the really famous dinosaurs were found in the Morrison Formation starting back in the 1870s, like Brontosaurus, Stegosaurus, Allosaurus and Brachiosaurus, which was actually first found in what is now Grand Junction. So it’s a pretty well-known formation for dinosaurs. At that time, none of the mountains were here. What is now the Rocky Mountain region was essentially flat. So the whole region that we see now, the Colorado Plateau, all the canyons, the mountains of the Rockies, all that was basically just a big flat floodplain. So it was a very different world.
Science Moab: When was the Morrison Formation being deposited?
Foster: Roughly 100 and 50 million years ago. The Morrison represents a time that’s about 7 million years long. It’s late Jurassic, but we’re lucky in that there were mountains off to the West that had a lot of volcanoes in them. That means they pumped a lot of ash into the mudstones in the floodplain and it’s because of those ashes that we can get the dates on how old the rock is.
Science Moab: What was Moab like 100 to 50 million years ago?
Foster: We’d be probably at least 100 miles or so from the mountains. There would have been rivers flowing through this area and there were also a lot of wetlands. The environment would have been not quite a rainforest or anything like that, but it was certainly a lot wetter than it is today. We have a plant study site down by Blanding that we’ve been working, and one that was found about 25 years ago down by Bluff, that show abundant ginkgoes and ferns and conifer wood and a number of different plants that are a lot more wet-adapted than plants we see now.
Science Moab: And what were the animals like?
Foster: There were a lot of animals. I think they were probably about 20 to 25 different types of dinosaurs at least. There was a diversity of the big long neck, long tail guys, some of which have been found near Moab. Among non-dinosaurs, there was everything: fish and frogs and salamanders, turtles, lizards, crocodiles, pterosaurs and about as many species of small mammals as there are dinosaurs. In total, there were a little over 100 different species of vertebrates known from the Morrison Formation. And then, of course, there are snails and clams and crayfish and other invertebrates.
Science Moab: So if we were standing right here during the Jurassic, we would be surrounded by a lot of life?
Foster: Yes, there’s a good chance we’d be standing in the mud with a lot of conifers around, a lot of little burrowing water-dwelling animals, and few dinosaurs probably in the distance. The neat thing about a lot of animals that we’ve been finding recently is that we thought they were all just little herbivores that scurried around at night, but their ecologies were not that simple. In fact, many of them turn out to be quite similar to animals around today.
Science Moab: What does it feel like to find a fossil?
Foster: Sometimes you actually do have to stop and remind yourself that this thing has not seen the light of the sun for 100 or 50 million years and you just exposed it. You forget that sometimes. But of course, every once in a while you find something really rare that shocks you. And you get really excited about that.
Science Moab: What value do you find in the study of paleontology?
Foster: I think the biggest thing is understanding the way past ecosystems function. As jealous as we get of modern biologists being able to actually see these things interacting, I think the value is in the long-term perspective on ecosystems: How they react to change and how the animals and plants really can influence the physical environment as well. Providing that long-term input on biology, in general, is probably the most important part of it.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity. To learn more about Science Moab and listen to the rest of John Foster’s interview, visit www.sciencemoab.org/where-dinosaurs-roamed. You can also find this interview on KZMU and in the Moab Sun News.
Have a press release or story you’d like to see published on Discover Moab? Email asst. marketing director Alison Harford at aharford@discovermoab.com.
Media Contact:
Mark Sevenoff, Marketing Director at Western Spirit Cycling: mark@westernspirit.com, 435 259 8732
For immediate release
[Moab, UT] — Western Spirit Cycling is thrilled to announce the return of our highly popular Ladies-Only White Rim Trail trip, set for April 16-19, 2025.
This exclusive adventure offers women the chance to experience one of Moab’s most iconic mountain biking routes, guided by our expert female guides and supported with all the signature amenities that have made Western Spirit trips legendary for over 35 years. Once again they are partnering with the women’s outdoor apparel company
SHREDLY.
The White Rim Trail is the quintessential Moab mountain biking experience, featuring breathtaking canyon vistas, awe-inspiring geological formations, and access to remote slot canyon hikes and ancient ruins. This guided adventure provides an opportunity to unplug, recharge, and immerse yourself in the vast open spaces of Canyonlands National Park—all while enjoying top-tier hospitality and support.
Trip Highlights:
– Unparalleled camaraderie and outdoor adventure in a women’s-only setting
– SHREDLY gift pack for each guest
– Four-day guided mountain biking adventure through Canyonlands National Park
– Led by two of Western Spirit’s expert female guides
– All meals prepared fresh by guides, with dietary needs accommodated
– Gear transport and full camp support—including solar showers
But that’s not all. On this unique date we’re partnering with our friends at SHREDLY to offer all participants some super fun swag so the whole crew can all Adventure in Style. At SHREDLY “Style” has deeper meaning, and it is about more than your gear. It’s leading in a way that inspires others to follow. Welcoming new faces and celebrating self-expression. Taking care of the places we share. Building community that fosters a future we can all look forward to.
“This trip is all about empowerment, adventure, and the joy of being in nature,” says Ashley Korenblat, Owner at Western Spirit Cycling. “Our guests always leave feeling stronger, happier, and rejuvenated—not to mention with a great tan!”
Spots for this unforgettable journey are limited. Riders looking to start the 2025 season with an incredible adventure are encouraged to reserve their place soon. For more details or to book, visit
https://westernspirit.com/white-rim-ladies-ride/ or contact our Moab office at (435) 259-8732, Monday through Friday, 9 AM – 5 PM MST.
About Western Spirit Cycling Western Spirit Cycling has been leading world-class mountain biking adventures for over 35 years, providing expertly guided trips through some of the most scenic landscapes in North America. With a focus on fun, adventure, and impeccable service, Western Spirit creates unforgettable experiences for riders of all levels.
About SHREDLY SHREDLY is a women’s outdoor apparel company that specializes in mountain bike clothing. SHREDLY creates women’s bike and active apparel that transitions seamlessly from the comfort of home to the trail, and everywhere in between.
Have a press release or story you’d like to see published on Discover Moab? Email asst. marketing director Alison Harford at aharford@discovermoab.com.
Photo by Kegen Benson, BLM Wildlife Biologist.
Media Contacts:
JD Mallory – BLM Utah, jmallory@blm.gov, 801-539-4089
Robyn Macduff – RINS, rmacduff@rins.org, 801-554-0807
For immediate release
Need an excuse to spend more time in Moab this year? The Bureau of Land Management’s Utah State Office is calling for community involvement in the Raptor Inventory Nest Survey (RINS), a unique opportunity to participate in a critical citizen science project focused on the state’s raptors, including eagles, hawks, falcons, osprey, and owls.
Through the RINS programs, citizens help collect data on these birds of prey, including identifying their presence and nesting behaviors. The data collected is crucial for the management and protection of these species in Utah.
Volunteers for this project do not need a scientific background. The program is open to anyone with a love for Utah’s natural landscapes, especially remote areas, and a commitment to conserving raptors. The key requirement is a willingness to engage in this important environmental initiative.
Training workshops for prospective volunteers are scheduled for February and March. These sessions will provide the necessary skills for identifying raptor nests and collecting vital data. Participants are encouraged to have their own binoculars, GPS unit, digital camera, and an active email address. The commitment involves regular monitoring visits to an assigned area from March through July.
For more information on the workshop locations, timings, and training details, interested individuals are encouraged to contact RINS at 801-554-0807 or via email at info@rins.org. Additional information about the Raptor Inventory Nest Survey can be found at
http://rins.org/.
Have a press release or story you’d like to see published on Discover Moab? Email asst. marketing director Alison Harford at aharford@discovermoab.com.
Contact: Kai Palmer at Desert Highlights – info@deserthighlights.com, 435-259-4433
[Moab, UT] – Since the opening of Desert Highlights in 1997, the guide company has been a cornerstone of adventure tourism in southeast Utah. The company was Moab’s first canyoneering guide service in town, and many of today’s adventures still follow original Desert Highlights routes.
For nearly three decades, Desert Highlights has been offering unique and personalized experiences. All trips are private, allowing guides to travel in small groups to ensure that trips minimize impacts and adhere to Leave No Trace principles.
“We are fortunate to have a huge backyard with endless amounts of public land,” says Desert Highlights team member, Kai Palmer. “We strive to care for this environment, educating our guests about low impact travel in canyon country.”
What Desert Highlights offers:
● Private Guided ½ day, full day, and multi-day Canyoneering Trips
● Canyoneering & Climbing courses
● Private rock climbing trips, & tower climbing
● Packrafting trips & rentals
● Guided hiking in Arches & Canyonlands National Parks
● Custom private trips (single day to multi day adventures, the sky’s the limit!)
Visit Desert Highlights, call 435-259-4433, or stop by the shop at 16 S. 100 E. in Moab to learn more about guided tours and availability.
Have a press release or story you’d like to see published on Discover Moab? Email asst. marketing director Alison Harford at aharford@grandcountyutah.net.
Press Release
Contact: Tammy Howland, airport director (airport@grandcountyutah.net); Riley Musial, Contour Airlines marketing coordinator (615-534-4567)
For immediate release
[Moab, UT] – The Canyonlands Regional Airport in Moab, Utah, is pleased to announce daily flights between CNY and the Denver International Airport (DEN) in Denver, Colorado starting April 1.
The flights will be operated by Contour Airlines, the regional airline brand of Contour Aviation, which has operated flights out of CNY since early 2024. The flight is partnered with United Airlines, enabling passengers to book a single United ticket to fly between Moab, Denver, and any connecting destinations.
Contour will continue to operate daily flights between CNY and the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) in Phoenix, Arizona.
“We are excited to now offer non-stop service from Moab to both Denver and Phoenix,” says Ben Munson, Contour Airlines President. “In addition to convenient access to these cities, with easy connections to partner airlines Alaska, American, and United, visitors and residents of Moab can better connect across the country and around the world.”
The return of the Denver to Moab route is a great benefit to the community, whether you are traveling for business or pleasure. The Denver International Airport provides passengers with a large hub airport experience to connect to the entire world. Additionally, the connection between Denver and Moab is crucial for healthcare services, ensuring that medical professionals can efficiently commute to provide essential care.
“I would like to express my gratitude to the management of Contour Airlines for their dedicated efforts in collaborating with United Airlines to bring this opportunity to Moab,” says Tammy Howland, CNY airport director. “Their commitment to enhancing travel options for the community is greatly appreciated.”
Flights depart from Moab each day at 2:50 p.m., landing in Denver at 4:20 p.m. Flights depart from Denver at 5:40 p.m., landing in Moab at 7:15 p.m. Rates start at $79 one-way.
Book your flights at
ContourAirlines.com
The view of the Colorado River from the Moab Rim Trail.
By local experts at Discover Moab
My favorite place in the world is just a few minutes outside of downtown Moab, Utah. I turn off Main Street at Kane Creek Boulevard, a street that winds past the movie theater and through a few small neighborhoods before it lands next to the Colorado River. The road leads to campsites, canyons, hiking trails, biking trails, petroglyphs, off-road routes, climbing crags – Kane Creek Boulevard is one of Moab’s hidden gems, and it’d be easy to spend days here, especially if you snag a camping spot. It’s well-worth adding a day to your Moab trip just to explore this unique zone.
Something to keep in mind with activities down Kane Creek: there is very spotty cell service in this area! Download your maps beforehand and consider bringing a satellite communications device.
And another note: many of the trails get very hot in the summer – there isn’t a ton of shade out here – so be ready for the weather and bring snacks and water with you.
Places to camp along Kane Creek: Kings Bottom, Hunter Canyon/Spring Canyon, The Ledge
Things to do along Kane Creek Boulevard – choose your own adventure style
Hike or off-road the Moab Rim Trail
Keep an eye out for a trailhead shortly after the road turns left and starts following the Colorado River. This is the Moab Rim Trail, a hiking and off-roading route that offers stunning views of the Colorado River and the town of Moab. It’s one mile to reach the stop, but it’s a steep mile – the hiking route is called
“The Escalator” for a reason. Watch for local Moabites who run it.
Explore Moonflower Canyon
Just after Kings Bottom campground is Moonflower Canyon, which provides a shaded and cool walk through a beautiful, tree-lined canyon. This canyon floods during monsoon season in late summer: when you make it to the end, peer up at the canyon walls and you’ll get an idea of how large the cascade of water falls down into the canyon.
Before leaving the parking lot, head over to the right side (as you’re looking at the canyon) to spot your first petroglyphs of the day. Here’s
what to know about petroglyphs before you go.
Hike or off-road at Pritchett Canyon
Pritchett Canyon provides another thrilling off-road or hiking experience. It’s the hardest off-road trail in Moab, so you may prefer to hike it–hiking three miles (six out and back) will get you near a number of arches and bridges formed in the rocks. The start of the canyon passes through private land, so you have to pay a small fee. These trails are a bit harder to follow, so make sure you do your
research beforehand.
Explore Jackson’s Trail
Park at a large parking lot just past Pritchett Canyon for access to Jackson’s Trail. This is a bike-accessible trail as well, but mountain bikers will be coming down the trail, so keep an eye out for them as you explore. The
trail follows the Colorado River for a mile or so, then switchbacks its way up to the top of a mesa, where it’ll connect to a few other trails. Stop here to take in views of the river, or continue on to the Rockstacker trail to find Pothole Arch. Beware of getting lost, and of a short icy stretch in the winter.
Bike, hike, climb, off-road, and watch basejumpers at the Amasa Back/Captain Ahab/Hymasa trailhead
Pull off at the Amasa Back/Captain Ahab/Hymasa trailhead on a nice, not-windy day and you’ll likely be able to spot basejumpers leaping from Tombstone Rock across the road. This trailhead is a hub of activity: It leads to a world-class mountain biking trail system and a popular off-road route. The most popular mountain biking trail accessible here is
HyMasa/Captain Ahab: if you’re an expert-level mountain biker, this trail is not to be missed. Thousands of bikers come to this area each year to experience it! If you’re not on a bike, this trail makes for a lovely hike or trail run as well. You’ll likely pass by off-roaders testing their skills along the Cliffhanger road.
Rock climbers can also spend a few hours enjoying the
Abraxas Wall, accessible from this trailhead, which has 10 trad climbs ranging from 5.10 to 5.11d.
This is a good spot for a picnic lunch!
Peer into the past at the Birthing Scene petroglyph
One of the most captivating petroglyphs in Moab (in this writer’s opinion) is the birthing scene petroglyph, which was carved onto a large boulder. The petroglyph shows, as you can guess, a birthing scene: there are two humanoid figures depicted, along with depictions of feet and animals. It’s a beautiful glimpse into the past and the lives of the people who first lived in this area.
Remember: do not touch the petroglyphs! We want to
preserve these rocks as long as we can. Scratching on rocks causes irreparable damage and is illegal.
Scramble up to Funnel Arch (only if you have route-finding skills)
Continuing past the Birthing Scene petroglyph, you’ll find a small pull-off on the road to the left. This is the small trailhead to the Funnel Arch trail, a short and fun trail that leads to an impressive arch. This trail requires significant route-finding skills – the trail dips in and out of sight – and there’s a challenging rock climbing scramble right at the start.
Rock climb at the Ice Cream Parlor climbing wall
The
Ice Cream Parlor climbing wall offers 45 sport and trad climbs from beginner 5.7 routes to a few challenging 5.12 PG13s. It’s south facing, so if you plan to climb, get here early to avoid the scorching sun – or visit during a sunny winter day, when the warm rock provides balmy respite from cold temperatures. This wall truly provides something for everyone, no matter what skill level climber you are.
Continue on to watch the canyon open up into a wide desert landscape – and find a few more camping options
The Ledge campsites are further down the road. Past here, the road turns into a 4×4 road – off-roaders will enjoy going through Hurrah Pass and along Lockhart Basin road as part of the
Chicken Corners route.
Lizzie Larsen at Westwater Ranch with angora chaps. [J. Willard Marriott Library Archives]
“The right to ride astride,” was a movement founded in practicality and a rejection of misogynist cultural norms. Historic cowgirls in Moab participated in the movement in their own ways!
Riding horses sidesaddle was criticized during the women’s suffrage movement for prioritizing fashion over the safety, independence, and control of the female rider. While it is uncommon to find photos of women riding astride prior to 1930, when only sidesaddle was socially acceptable, women on the range were breaking down this particular social structure even before the 1913 Woman Suffrage Procession (the march on Washington D.C. that took place on March 3, 1913, in part for which we designate March as Women’s History Month).
From the wives and daughters of the Indian Creek Cattle Company (est. 1885) to the present, the women of this region are just as full of spirit and grit as their male counterparts. Gertrude “Gertie” Goudelock (1880-1933) was a partner to her husband David Lafayette Goudelock (1866-1952) as much on the range as in marriage—not only did she run the household at Moab’s old Darrow Hotel and raise their family, but she also saddled up alongside David to move livestock, cut cows, and brand hides. She also fulfilled duties as a civic leader in Moab. Gertrude instilled her many merits in her daughter Helen (1907-2003), who would inherit her mother’s ranch saddle and join her own husband, Lester Taylor (1905-1987), in raising their children and livestock. Helen also became a local civic leader and school superintendent.
Cowboys drive Scorup-Somerville cattle. [Moab Museum Collection]
The community of Moab can thank the men and women of the Indian Creek Cattle Co. for providing much of the city’s original infrastructure. Today, the surrounding range lands are still stewarded by the cowgirls of Canyonlands: conservationist Heidi Redd runs the Dugout Ranch in partnership with The Nature Conservancy and the Canyonlands Research Center; and local equine expert Kandace Peterson runs The Cowgirls Secret, an equine wellness retreat company which employs all women.
“Twenty years ago, a girl who rode astride was looked on as a creature with a shocking lack of modesty whose only reason for adopting this style must be a desire to ape masculine ways and make herself duly conspicuous.” –Ivy Maddison, 1923. This quote is included in the Museum’s “Spirit and Grit: Ranching in Canyonlands” exhibit on display at
Dead Horse Point State Park. The exhibit highlights women who were involved as cowgirls on family ranches and who held board seats on land and cattle companies—the narrative of cowboys riding the range is so ingrained in us by historic filmmakers like John Ford that the idea of women as cattle hands, rather than as just token sideshows, may seem implausible. But while dime store novels and Hollywood Westerns omitted these tough-as-nails women from their stories, the truth is that women have always rode the range with the same grit as any cowboy.
The Moab Museum is dedicated to sharing stories of the natural and human history of the Moab area. To explore more of Moab’s stories and artifacts and find out about upcoming programs, visit MoabMuseum.org
