The following photos are just a few from a recent visit over Good Friday-Easter Sunday weekend @ Cañada Alamosa, Rio Alamosa, the old Ojo Caliente (Warm Springs), Southern Apache Agency, near Monticello, New Mexico. There has been some debate, over time, as to whether it is appropriate to use the term "Warm Spring," or "Warm Springs." Much to my surprise, I was shown a less known Ojo Caliente, within half a mile of the much more well known warm spring.
It seemed to me that the latter was not quite as "warm" as the one most people are accustomed to visiting. The second confirms that for the area in general, for the area certainly enclosed on the BLM Map for Truth or Consquences, NM, there are at least TWO Springs that are warm.
However, the gushing waters you will see on this post are from EL Ojo Caliente: THE Warm Spring. Homeland to the Chihene N'de Apache, I've been to these lovey springs a half dozen times now. I first saw them on Labor Day weekend, 2002. Working @ the Cliff Dwellings National Monument, my friend Bob Bissett and I visited them.
The waters were deeper near the "dam" that has been erected, and cleaner (no surface algae to speak of). Bob and I camped there two & a half days, and we bathed four times. To me, the air wasn't warm enough to do that this time.
Here are a few more photos of El Ojo Caliente.



Included today are just a few pictographs of what I personally believe are Apache pictographs. I've seen one similar to the pictographs at the right.
I've seen one that I call "Toad Man," or "Toad Spirit," which is remarkable in the same colors, but far, far more detail. There are two hoops being "held" by the Toad, which also has a symbol, I believe, on the back.
Those pictographs were found about 10 or 20 miles south and west of Ojo Caliente. Under an overhang, they were far better protected from the elements.
The photos also include one of Montoya Butte, which is, without a doubt, one of the Strongholds of the Chihene I know the owners and might be able to take folks there, if they want to do a hard climb. In my mind, there's no doubt that was a stronghold. It might
as well also have had terraces on some of the less steep slopes. To have tried to climb those slopes, under fire, would have been very, very costly for any attackers.
I would like to ask any Apache who view these photos to write me, and give me your best thoughts on what these, and other pictographs I may post in the near future. There are some that I simply "feel" are Apache v. Mogollon, or Mimbres, or even earlier art works. It's only a feeling. As far as I can tell, there simply haven't been many Apache comment on the reasons they believe certain rock art are Apache v. Mogollon. If you have any thoughts, please let me know.
One thing I will do, soon, will be to assemble a 12, 13 or 14 month calendar of rock art I've photographed over the eight + years I've been here. I will sell these, more than likely, @ between $19.95 & $21.95. The difference will be whether it's a 12 month or 14 month calendar. I would propose giving Chihene N'de a discounted price on these that are "screen savers." In other words, they'd change every day, and they'd have captions. In honor of the artists, I never say, specifically, where any of these rock art petroglyphs or pictographs are to be found. I know them, and know how
to get there, but would never publicly post directions.
I feel very strongly that the only people I'd take there would be very, very good friends, my son, or Apaches. Over the years, I've "found" many such sites (not just rock art, but other evidence of habitation, or fighting positions). I don't map them. I am certainly claiming to be the first to ever see them. From what I've seen, cowboys or pot hunters were ahead of me by decades. Many are "well known" to hikers, but not because I've shared where they're at to hiking groups.
Some of you have been with me to these places. They are YOUR rock art, not mine or anyone else's. They show me that artistic talents the First Generation Peoples & Chihene N'de had. It's a shame that so many are ripped literally off the rock faces where they've been painted or pecked. Hence, if I were to die tomorrow, there'd be dozens of these places that no one else could take you there. They'd return to the "ancestor/artists" who made them.
I hope Chihene N'de understand that I try to respect their art, culture and history.
It looks like I'll be on KVOI-AM, 1030, Tucson, "Voices Of The West," Saturday, April 10. I'll probably be over in
Tucson several days, returning to Silver City after the interview on "Voices Of The West." http://www.voicesofthewest.net/