Nine Mile Canyon X: Pipeline Canyon

In late March I went with Alan on another trip to Nine Mile Canyon. We checked out both sides of the mouth of Pipeline Canyon, then moved farther down Nine Mile to briefly view another site as the sun set. It was a typical exploration for us: park, hike and scramble up into the ledges, and try to spot all the rock art along the way. We found a lot.

Requisite dots and lines

Ute petroglyphs

Outstretched arms and bulbous head

Unusual petroglyphs

White sheep and crescent pictographs

A common theme in Fremont rock art–not sure what it’s supposed to represent

Backwards horns

Large panel

Human, sheep, dots, lines, barbell, circles, etc.

Wacky panel

Dog/coyote and snakes

George with a towering load of hay

Moon rising

Horned figure with long, snake-like arm

Emergency vehicles began passing below us while checking out the eastern mouth of the canyon. So many went past that we assumed another distaster had occurred, similar to the compressor station explosion in 2012. We later found out that a semi had rolled over, but the driver only had minor injuries. The rock art at the eastern mouth of the canyon differed from the west. On the west side there were a lot more lines and dots, and on the east side were mostly animals.

Wellington Police

High, distant panel

Carbon County Ambulance

Sheep named Chuck

Legless sheep

Cool sheep

Fat sheep

Deer or elk petroglyph

Carbon County Sheriff Hazmat

After exploring Pipeline Canyon we drove farther down Nine Mile Canyon and checked out some petroglyphs that Alan had heard about near a somewhat well-known site. Neither of us knew what to expect except that it was a “good” site. Well, it was. 🙂 There were some very unique petroglyphs with disembodied limbs and decorations that formed abstract bodies. One very well-made figure was pecked into the sandstone sideways. We watched the shadows creep up the canyon walls, then headed home into the sunset.

Drowning