Attaining New Heights in the Gila Mountain Cliffs

There is a really cool cliff dwelling in the Gila Mountains

and its a National Monument.

One you can actually go in.

It's really really HIGH.

And we all know I feel about heights....

(hate them)

However, here's the beginning of the path that is a 1/2 mile

hike and and 1/2 mile hike out.

 Mostly on steps and narrow paths like this.

 It was soooo amazing to see up close and personal

and it was quite modern really for the times.

I seriously can't believe I did it.

The hike was a piece of cake I could physically do.

It was the narrow path and serious drop offs

that scared me.

However, once I started and took one step at a time

and watched where I placed my feet

it wasn't as scary as I thought and

I was in the cliffs before I knew it.

However, there were a couple of scary (to me) pieces.

 There were 5-6 rooms in this cave - some weren't available

but these were.

 And see that narrow ledge???

This was really the first real test up there.

I sat for a moment took a breath...and

 became quite the rock hugger in traversing that ledge.

 There was another ladder that one had

to climb down to get to the path to return to civilization.

It was straighter down than the one above

and it felt like I was hanging over the edge of the cliff

while clambering down very very carefully.

Then once I got to the bottom it was so

narrow and close to the edge I literally hugged more rock.

Because does this path look wide???

 No it wasn't AND  quite close to the edge. So

more rock and I became BFFs.

And see that itty bitty piece of orange there??

That's our car in the lot.

And that's how high we were.

And I did it...

Swooooon.

Oh and I was carrying a pack with 5 water bottles and a camera.