1. 1 Mesa Verde NP Geology of National Parks

2. 2 Mesa Verde Park Map

3. 3 Mesa Verde

4. 4 Organic-rich Mancos Shale Along Road

5. 5 Road Failure Cracks along the park entrance road, 1984

6. 6 Mesa Verde Group Point Lookout sandstone above Mancos shale formation Menefee shale and Cliffhouse sandstone are higher up in the sequence

7. 7 Spruce Tree House

8. 8 Natural Seep The porous Cliffhouse sandstone allows water to percolate down to a shale layer, providing a natural seep for the cliff dwellers

9. 9 Cliff Palace

10. 10 Spruce Tree House

11. 11 Spruce Tree House Interior

12. 12 Balcony House

13. 13 Details of Construction

14. 14 Interior of Kiva A fire was built behind the flat stone (left) It served as a radiator

15. 15 Modern Ladder The pueblo builders used foot and hand holds cut into the cliff The NPS feels this is too dangerous, so they provide ladders

16. 16 Round Kiva

17. 17 Excavation of Oldest Ruins Circa 800 A.D.