Gate Canyon East - Colorado Plateau Archaeological Alliance

110 Pages·2004·23.35 MB·English

THE NUTTER RANCH PROJECT:
A Preliminary Report of the 2008
Intuitive Surveys
by
Jerry D. Spangler
Colorado Plateau
Archaeological
Alliance
2009
The Nutter Ranch Project:
A Preliminary Report of the 2008 Intuitive Surveys
in the Currant Canyon, Gate Canyon
and Water Canyon Areas, Duchesne and Carbon Counties, Utah
By
Jerry D. Spangler, MA RPA
Colorado Plateau Archaeological Alliance
Ogden, Utah
State Project U-08-C1-0010, b,p,s
Department of Interior Permit 05UT82469
2009
Report prepared under grants provided by Hunt Oil Company, Dallas, Texas, and the
Utah Division of State History, Salt Lake City.
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Abstract
In September 2008, the Colorado Plateau Archaeological Alliance (CPAA) initiated investigations
in Nine Mile Canyon near the mouths of Currant Canyon, Gate Canyon and Water Canyon, all northern
tributaries to Nine Mile Canyon, at the request of the current land owner, Hunt Oil of Dallas, Texas. Re-
search was initiated under terms of grants provided by Hunt Oil and the Utah Division of State History. A
total of 75 sites were documented during this phase of research. This preliminary report constitutes a de-
scription of the 75 historic properties that were documented in 2008, as well as one additional site docu-
mented in 1996 by the Castle Valley chapter of the Utah Statewide Archaeological Society (USAS) that
was not re-identified but is located within the study area.
As with other areas of Nine Mile Canyon, sites in the Currant, Gate and Water Canyon areas with
rock art components statistically overwhelm all other site types. Of the 76 sites reported here, 60 were ex-
clusively rock art localities (79 percent). In addition, one sheltered site with a D-shaped structure and two
other rockshelters with residential detritus had rock art components. Other prehistoric sites included one
granary, two open structural sites, and two rockshelters with a small amount of residential detritus but no
associated rock art. Eight sites were exclusively historic in nature and included two trails, two rock walls
(probably drift fences) and four sites with historic inscriptions. These sites are located at every canyon
level investigated to at least 125 meters vertical distance above the floodplain.
This report also describes the nature and extent of adverse impacts to historic properties that were
precipitated by human activities, primarily recreation, vehicle traffic and vandalism. Generally, sites lo-
cated in close proximity to the Nine Mile Canyon Road (first and second cliff levels) are in considerably
worse condition than are sites located at the third cliff level or higher. These lower sites have suffered
from the cumulative effects of generations of graffiti, looting and the accumulation of road dust. Sites lo-
cated above the second cliff level exhibit very few if any adverse impacts from human-related activities
and most are in good to excellent condition with minimal evidence of any recreational visitation. Some
dust accumulation at higher sites was observed.
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Table of Contents
Introduction ……………………………………………… 1
Methods ……………………………………………… 1
Environment ……………………………………………… 2
Local Biota ……………………………………………… 4
Hydrology and Climate ……………………………………… 7
Previous Research ……………………………………………… 9
Currant Canyon Sites ……………………………………………… 14
First Cliff Level ……………………………………………… 16
42Dc2490 ……………………………………………… 16
42Dc2492 ……………………………………………… 16
42Dc2495 ……………………………………………… 17
42Dc2496 ……………………………………………… 18
42Dc2498 ……………………………………………… 19
Second Cliff Level ……………………………………………… 19
42Dc2488 ……………………………………………… 20
42Dc2489 ……………………………………………… 20
42Dc2497 ……………………………………………… 21
Third Cliff Level and Higher ……………………………… 21
42Dc2491 ……………………………………………… 21
42Dc2493 ……………………………………………… 22
42Dc2494 ……………………………………………… 23
42Dc2499 ……………………………………………… 24
42Dc2500 ……………………………………………… 24
42Dc2501 ……………………………………………… 25
42Dc22502 ……………………………………………… 26
Gate Canyon Sites ……………………………………………… 26
First Cliff Level ……………………………………………… 29
42Dc1104 ……………………………………………… 29
42Dc1105 ……………………………………………… 30
42Dc1106 ……………………………………………… 31
42Dc1107 ……………………………………………… 32
42Dc1108 ……………………………………………… 33
42Dc1109 ……………………………………………… 33
42Dc1110 ……………………………………………… 35
42Dc1111 ……………………………………………… 35
42Dc1112 ……………………………………………… 36
42Dc1113 ……………………………………………… 36
42Dc1114 ……………………………………………… 37
42Dc2272 ……………………………………………… 37
42Dc2475 ……………………………………………… 38
Second Cliff Level ……………………………………………… 39
42Dc1081 ……………………………………………… 39
42Dc1082 ……………………………………………… 39
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42Dc1083 ……………………………………………… 41
42Dc1085 ……………………………………………… 41
42Dc1086 ……………………………………………… 42
42Dc1087 ……………………………………………… 43
42Dc1088 ……………………………………………… 44
42Dc1089 ……………………………………………… 44
42Dc1090 ……………………………………………… 45
42Dc1091 ……………………………………………… 46
42Dc2473 ……………………………………………… 47
42Dc2476 ……………………………………………… 47
42Dc2478 ……………………………………………… 48
42Dc2479 ……………………………………………… 49
42Dc2480 ……………………………………………… 49
42Dc2481 ……………………………………………… 50
42Dc2482 ……………………………………………… 52
42Dc2487 ……………………………………………… 53
Third Cliff Level and Above ……………………………… 54
42Dc1084 ……………………………………………… 54
42Dc2474 ……………………………………………… 56
42Dc2477 ……………………………………………… 56
42Dc2483 ……………………………………………… 57
42Dc2484 ……………………………………………… 58
42Dc2485 ……………………………………………… 58
42Dc2486 ……………………………………………… 59
42Dc2597 ……………………………………………… 59
42Dc2598 ……………………………………………… 60
42Dc2599 ……………………………………………… 60
42Dc2600 ……………………………………………… 61
42Dc2601 ……………………………………………… 62
42Dc2602 ……………………………………………… 62
42Dc2603 ……………………………………………… 63
42Dc2604 ……………………………………………… 64
42Dc2605 ……………………………………………… 65
42Dc2606 ……………………………………………… 66
Water Canyon Sites ……………………………………………… 66
42Dc1639 ……………………………………………… 70
42Dc1640 ……………………………………………… 70
42Dc1641 ……………………………………………… 71
42Dc1642 ……………………………………………… 72
42Dc2273 ……………………………………………… 73
42Dc2274 ……………………………………………… 73
42Dc2275 ……………………………………………… 74
42Dc2607 ……………………………………………… 75
42Cb2007 ……………………………………………… 76
42Cb2010 ……………………………………………… 78
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42Cb2011 ……………………………………………… 78
42Cb2765 ……………………………………………… 78
42Cb2766 ……………………………………………… 79
Discussion ……………………………………………… 79
Culture History ……………………………………………… 81
Cultural Affinity ……………………………………………… 85
Artifacts and Architecture ……………………………… 86
Rock Art ……………………………………………… 86
Historic Resources ……………………………………………… 88
Discussion: Site Condition ……………………………………………… 88
Currant Canyon ……………………………………………… 89
Gate Canyon ……………………………………………… 90
Water Canyon ……………………………………………… 94
Summary and Recommendations ……………………………………… 94
References Cited ……………………………………………… 98
List of Figures
Figure 1 Map indicating locations of study areas with the Nutter Ranch 3
Figure 2 Rock art representation of bighorn sheep ………………… 4
Figure 3 Rock art representation of deer or elk ………………… 5
Figure 4 Rock art representation of a bison ………………… 5
Figure 5 Rock art representation of birds ………………… 5
Figure 6 Rock art representation of horned snakes ………………… 6
Figure 7 Environmental view of the sparse vegetation ………… 7
Figure 8 Environmental view of Nine Mile floodplain ………… 7
Figure 9 Albert Reagan’s site N-P7 ………………………………… 9
Figure 10 Maze figure at Reagan’s site N-P7 ………………… 10
Figure 11 Albert Reagan’s N-P8 ………………………………… 10
Figure 12 Albert Reagan’s N-P9 ………………………………… 11
Figure 13 Albert Reagan’s N-P2 ………………………………… 11
Figure 14 Albert Reagan’s N-P3A ………………………………… 12
Figure 15 Albert Reagan’s N-P3B ………………………………… 12
Figure 16 Albert Reagan’s N-P3C ………………………………… 13
Figure 17 Albert Reagan’s N-P3E ………………………………… 13
Figure 18 Albert Reagan’s N-P10 ………………………………… 14
Figure 19 General location of sites in the Currant Canyon area………… 15
Figure 20 Panel 1 at 42Dc2492 ………………………………… 17
Figure 21 Red and white pictographs at 42Dc2495 ………………… 17
Figure 22 Panel 1 at 42Dc2496 ………………………………………… 18
Figure 23 Panel 3 at 42Dc2498 ………………………………………… 19
Figure 24 Panel 4 at 42Dc2498 ………………………………………… 19
Figure 25 White pictographs at 42Dc2488 ………………………… 20
Figure 26 Dot matrix at 42Dc2489 ………………………………… 20
Figure 27 Panel 1 at 42Dc2497 ………………………………… 21
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Figure 28 Composite view of Panel 2 at 42Dc2493 ………………… 22
Figure 29 View of granary at 42Dc2494 ………………………… 23
Figure 30 Shaped capstone at 42Dc2494 ………………………… 23
Figure 31 Rock art panel at 42Dc2499 ………………………… 24
Figure 32 Panel 3 at 42Dc2500 ………………………………… 25
Figure 33 Single-room structure at 42Dc2501 ………………………… 25
Figure 34 Panel 2 at 42Dc2502 ………………………………… 26
Figure 35 General location of sites in the Gate Canyon area ………… 28
Figure 36 Graffiti at 42Dc1105 ………………………………… 30
Figure 37 Panel 1 at 42Dc1106 ………………………………… 31
Figure 38 Panel 6 at 42Dc1106 ………………………………… 31
Figure 39 Panel 5 at 42Dc1107 ………………………………… 32
Figure 40 Dust-obscured Panel 8 at 42Dc1107 ………………… 32
Figure 41 Cluster 9 at 42Dc1109…………………………………........... 34
Figure 42 Panel 1 at 42Dc1111 ………………………………… 35
Figure 43 Cowboy art at 42Dc1109 ………………………………… 35
Figure 44 Solitary image at 42Dc1112 ………………………………… 36
Figure 45 Panel 1 at 42Dc1114 ………………………………… 37
Figure 46 Rock wall at 42Dc2272 ………………………………… 38
Figure 47 Panel 2 at 42Dc2475 ………………………………… 38
Figure 48 View of 42Dc1081 ………………………………… 39
Figure 49 D-shaped structure at 42Dc1083 ………………………… 41
Figure 50 Panel 3 at 42Dc1085 ………………………………………… 42
Figure 51 Panel 2 at 42Dc1086 ………………………………………… 42
Figure 52 Panel 2 at 42Dc1087 ………………………………………… 43
Figure 53 Shelter interior at 42Dc1088 ………………………………… 44
Figure 54 Rock art inside Shelter 1 at 42Dc1089 ………………… 45
Figure 55 Rock wall at 42Dc1090 ………………………………… 46
Figure 56 Center portion of panel at 42Dc1091 ………………… 46
Figure 57 Portion of panel at 42Dc2473 ………………………… 47
Figure 58 Trail section at 42Dc2476 ………………………………… 48
Figure 59 Panel 2 at 42Dc2478 ………………………………………… 48
Figure 60 Panel 2 at 42Dc2479 ………………………………………… 49
Figure 61 Panel 2 at 42Dc2480 ………………………………………… 50
Figure 62 Panel 1 at 42Dc2481 ………………………………………… 50
Figure 63 Shelter 1 interior at 42Dc2481 ………………………… 51
Figure 64 Panel 1 at 42Dc2482 ………………………………………… 52
Figure 65 Panel 2 at 42Dc2482 ………………………………………… 53
Figure 66 Rock art at 42Dc2487 ………………………………… 53
Figure 67 Possible cist at 42Dc1084 ………………………………… 54
Figure 68 Panel 3 at 42Dc1084 ………………………………………… 55
Figure 69 Bedrock metate at 42Dc1084 ………………………………… 55
Figure 70 White pictographs at 42Dc2474 ………………………… 56
Figure 71 Petroglyphs at 42Dc2477 ………………………………… 56
Figure 72 Panel 1 at 42Dc2483 ………………………………………… 57
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Figure 73 Panel 2 at 42Dc2483 ………………………………………… 57
Figure 74 Petroglyphs at 42Dc2485 ………………………………… 58
Figure 75 Panel 1 at 42Dc2486 ………………………………………… 59
Figure 76 Rockshelter at 42Dc2597 ………………………………… 59
Figure 77 Anthropomorph at 42Dc2598………………………………… 60
Figure 78 Panel 2 at 42Dc2599 ………………………………………… 60
Figure 79 Portion of Panel 2 at 42Dc2600 ………………………… 61
Figure 80 Graffiti at 42Dc2600 ………………………………………… 61
Figure 81 Panel 2 at 42Dc2601 ………………………………………… 62
Figure 82 Feature 1 single-room structure at 42Dc2602 ………… 63
Figure 83 Feature 2 single-room structure at 42Dc2602 ………… 63
Figure 84 Petroglyphs at 42Dc2603 ………………………………… 64
Figure 85 Portion of historic trail at 42Dc2604 ………………………… 64
Figure 86 Looted shelter at 42Dc2605 ………………………………… 65
Figure 87 Wooden poles discarded at 42Dc2605 ………………… 65
Figure 88 Vertical slab from slab-lined cist at 42Dc2606 ………… 66
Figure 89 Sketch of rock art at 42Dc2606 ………………………… 66
Figure 90 General location of sites in Water Canyon area ………… 69
Figure 91 Portion of Panel 1 at 42Dc1639 ………………………… 70
Figure 92 Historic inscriptions at 42Dc1640 ………………………… 71
Figure 93 Panel 1 and Panel 2 at 42Dc1641 ………………………… 71
Figure 94 Panel 2 at 42Dc1642 ………………………………………… 72
Figure 95 Petroglyphs at 42Dc2273 ………………………………… 73
Figure 96 Panel 1 at 42Dc2274 ………………………………… 74
Figure 97 Historic inscriptions at 42Dc2274 ………………………… 74
Figure 98 Panel 1 at 42Dc2275 ………………………………… 75
Figure 99 Historic inscriptions at 42Dc2607 ………………………… 75
Figure 100 Historic zoomorph near 42Dc1642 and 42Dc2607 ………… 76
Figure 101 Panel 2 at 42Cb2007 ………………………………………… 76
Figure 102 Panel 4 at 42Cb2007 ………………………………………… 77
Figure 103 Petroglyphs at 42Cb2011 ………………………………… 78
Figure 104 Petroglyphs at 42Cb2766 ………………………………… 79
Figure 105 Graffiti near 42Dc2766 ………………………………… 79
Figure 106 Truck traffic with dust plumes at Currant Canyon ………… 91
List of Tables
Table 1 Summary of sites in the Currant Canyon area ………........... 27
Table 2 Summary of sites in the Gate Canyon area ………............ 67
Table 3 Summary of sites in the Water Canyon area ………............ 80
Table 4 Summary of artifacts observed ………………............ 86
Table 5 Summary of historic inscriptions ………………............ 89
Table 6 Summary of Currant Canyon site conditions …………........ 90
Table 7 Summary of Gate Canyon site conditions …………........ 92
Table 8 Summary of Water Canyon site conditions …………........ 94
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Introduction cultural resources under their juridsiction and
control, and to foster practices that will promul-
In September 2008, the Colorado gate long-term preservation of these resources.
Plateau Archaeological Alliance (CPAA) initi-
ated investigations in Nine Mile Canyon near the Methods
mouths of Currant Canyon, Gate Canyon and
Water Canyon, all northern tributaries to Nine A review of research previously initiated
Mile Canyon (U-08-C1-0010b,p,s), at the re- in the study area was conducted at various times
quest of the current land owner, Hunt Oil Com- over the past two years. Copies of site forms and
pany based in Dallas, Texas. Research was reports were generously provided by the Antiqui-
initiated under terms of grants provided by Hunt ties Section of the Utah Division of State History
Oil and the Utah Division of State History, and and the Price Field Office of the Bureau of Land
was focused primarily on lands owned by Hunt Management. A total of 33 sites had been previ-
Oil. A small number of sites were documented ously documented in the Gate Canyon and Water
on adjacent lands managed by the Utah School Canyon areas considered here, although many of
and Institutional Trust Lands Administration these site forms are currently missing from state
(SITLA) and the Bureau of Land Management files and in several instances the site forms were
(BLM). A total of 75 sites were documented dur- never completed or formally submitted to the
ing the 2008 phase of research, which was con- State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO). No
ducted with the assistance of archaeology previously recorded sites were located in the
students at the University of Utah, historic spe- Currant Canyon portion of the study area.
cialist James Aton of Southern Utah University,
and volunteers from Price and Cedar City, Utah, Field work was initiated on September
as well as CPAA crews. 4, 2008, and completed on September 28, 2008,
although certain additional data were gathered
This preliminary report constitutes a de- during periodic returns to the canyon through
scription of the 75 historic properties docu- May 2009. All sites were documented to cur-
mented in 2008, as well as one additional site rently acceptable scientific standards (IMACS)
documented in 1996 by the Castle Valley chapter that included complete descriptions, feature and
of the Utah Statewide Archaeological Society site sketches, photographic documentation and
(USAS) that was not re-identified but is located GPS coordinates. The nature and extent of the sur-
within the study area and included in the discus- veys was comprehensive in that most targeted
sion. This report also describes the nature and areas were examined in considerable detail. These
extent of adverse impacts to historic properties surveys were nonetheless intuitive in that system-
that were precipitated by human activities, pri- atic Class III survey methods were not employed,
marily recreation, vehicle traffic and vandalism. and efforts were instead focused on cliff faces,
It is not intended to be a detailed analysis, and a benches, outcrops, rockshelters and other topo-
more comprehensive examination of these data graphic features determined to have a greater like-
will be reported in the future as a more valid lihood of having cultural resources. Steep slopes
sample of sites are documented in other loca- and dangerously precarious cliff ledges were only
tions in Nine Mile Canyon. The 2008 efforts cursorily inspected, if at all. When the terrain per-
constitute the second year of research into ad- mitted (e.g. bench areas), crew members were
verse effects in Nine Mile Canyon (see Spangler spaced at 15-meter intervals.
2008 for a description of 2007 efforts in Cotton-
wood Canyon), and it is anticipated the project In addition to relevant cultural data, each
will be ongoing over the next five years. The in- site was analyzed for evidence of human activities
tent of the study is to provide baseline data that that are or could be degrading the integrity of the
will assist private land owners and state and fed- sites. More than 30 different data sets were col-
eral land managers to more proactively manage lected. Among the most relevant to this discussion:
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Environment
l Vertical and horizontal distance from an ex-
isting road, including site visibility from the road. Nine Mile Creek is a west-to-east tribu-
l Comparative ease or difficulty of access tary of the Green River and one of only four
from an existing road. perennial streams that debouch into the Green
l The presence of pedestrian trails and/or River from the West Tavaputs Plateau. The Nine
footprints to indicate recent visitation. Mile Canyon drainage is located on the northern
l The presence of graffiti (e.g., names, ini- periphery of the West Tavaputs Plateau and fea-
tials, dates, art images). tures environmental zones ranging from shad-
l The nature and extent of illegal or improper scale environments at lower elevations at about
excavation of cultural deposits. 4,400 feet elevation to alpine meadows at 9,000
l The nature and extent of other destructive to 10,000 feet. The West Tavaputs Plateau lies
activities (e.g., bullet holes, chalking of prehis- within the northern extension of the Colorado
toric images, rock art defacement, modification Plateau physiographic province, and is sub-
of prehistoric sites). sumed within the Book Cliffs-Roan Plateau
l The presence of litter on or near the site. physiographic region (Stokes 1986). The Book
l Evidence of camping on or near the site. Cliffs define the western and southern edges of
l Evidence of economic activities on or near the plateau, and they form the southern edge of
the site (e.g., oil and gas, ranching) the Uinta Basin section of the Colorado Plateau,
l Evidence of dust accumulation that is proba- as traditionally defined.
bly attributed, at least in part, to vehicular traffic
on the Nine Mile and Gate Canyon roads. Generally, the West Tavaputs Plateau is
l The nature and extent of site degradation re- bounded by the Uinta Basin on the north and the
sulting from previous archaeological research, Mancos Badlands on the south. Geological for-
including cultural materials that were removed. mations are primarily Tertiary deposits domi-
nated by Green River Formation sandstones with
A primary purpose of the 2008 investi- limited outcrops of Colton Formation sandstones
gations was to focus on upper bench and cliff in the upper reaches of Nine Mile Canyon
levels that have never been examined during the (Witkind 1988). The local topography consists
course of previous research in Nine Mile of friable sandstones, all of them lacustrine de-
Canyon, thereby providing baseline data now posits attributed to the Tertiary period of geolog-
absent from the archaeological record in this re- ical history, with a south-to-north tilt
gion. Currant Canyon was selected for intuitive characterized by dramatically deep canyons that
surveys due to absence of any earlier research in ultimately drain into the Green River, usually
this area, either at lower or upper levels. The from west to east. The study area considered
east side of Gate Canyon was selected due to the here is entirely Green River Formation sand-
abundance of previously recorded sites at lower stone characterized by layers of soft and hard
levels, but an absence of survey data above the deposits that differentially erode to create as-
second cliff level whereby overall canyon site cending cliff levels with multiple outcrops,
density could be better projected. Water Canyon ledges and rockshelters.
was selected at the request of BLM archaeolo-
gist Blaine Miller, who sought assistance to In most areas, the canyon walls rise in
complete site documentation for more than a multiple levels to several hundred meters above
dozen sites identified in 1999 by USAS volun- the floodplain, creating a grand terraced effect
teers. Due to time constraints, upper bench and on both sides of the canyon. The canyon is bi-
cliff levels in the Water Canyon area were not sected by Nine Mile Creek that in places has cre-
investigated. The location of the three targeted ated a relatively broad floodplain. The canyon’s
areas is indicated in Figure 1. gentle slope has resulted in deep alluvial de-
posits that are well suited for prehistoric and his-
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