a very long day hike to see All American Man in Salt Creek Canyon
My hike in Salt Creek canyon had the objective of reaching the All American Man and Four Faces pictographs. This makes this a very long day hike, but I have read so much about All American Man that I had to see it for myself.
I drive like I am going towards the Needles District but then I take a dirt road. Careful, since those roads are not labeled and there are lots of them, better be prepared with a GPS that you can pre-program and follow. I made a mistake, took the wrong road and had to backtrack.
After a few miles, you will reach the trailhead and start descending into the canyon. The trail is primitive.
The first place of interest that I wanted to see (there are lots of ruins that I skipped) was Kirk’s Cabin.
it was an accident that the pic of the interior had that window view, so I decide edit a rustic effect.
All American Man
The story behind this pictograph ….
Oshach Payatuma (Keresan for Sun Youth) is believed to represent the Sun Youth because of the consistent between its symbols and the description of Sun Youth in Keresan Pueblo mythology. The Keresan people now live in pueblos along the Rio Grande.
The pictograph figure has an elongated neck, rectangular mouth, round eyes, and parrot feather'-like ornament on its head. The face, neck, and head are blue. The mouth, eyes, and neck collar haven been outlined in chalk by vandals.
The figure stands behind a large shield, which is painted red, white, and blue; and inside the red band are two white rectangles and a dark blue square, from which read and white vertical stripes descend. The figure’s legs are painted white.
It is common knowledge among Keresan Pueblo people that the symbols on Sun Youth’s shield represent the sky, sky pathway, rain clouds, and the descending rain. The face is blue because he lives in the sky.and the top of the shield is blue to symbolize the sky. The broad wide white band his shield symbolizes the sky pathway Sun Youth travels.
The two white rectangles represent storm clouds that he arouses in the sky, while the red area and vertical red and white lines stand for rain that falls from the clouds. Sun Youth’s legs and feet are painted white to indicate where he stands, in the clouds.
There, that is the explanation. Now, there is a BLM box where you can sign your name, I didn’t and later realized (someone pointed that out) that the box also contained a note saying not to climb to see the pictograph. You see, it is in a cave like about 10-20 feet from ground level. Getting up was pretty easy. There was a ruin to the right of the pictograph (I think I forgot to take a pic of it). I made absolutely sure not to get close to it.
On the way down I realized that it was very slippery and the only way down was to take a nasty jump. I almost miscalculated the landing and barely missed a large rock.
Four Faces
I kept hiking and went past a break in the rock wall to another area, where you see a creek flowing. If you reach the creek, you hiked past the pictographs. I edited the images for effect.
A closer look at the individual faces ……..
