SPRING 2016
CREATE A LEGACY
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Young and restless: Great leap forward for newest Colorado Archaeology Society chapter
CAS-GJ members view a petroglyph panel during an organized field trip. By Sandy Nelson
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or an organization that deals with really old stuff, the Colorado Archaeology Society’s Grand Junction chapter is young: It turns 1 year old in March. Doug Van Etten launched the organization after 70 people showed up at an informational meeting to determine local interest; Van Etten expected only about 25 would attend. Since then the group has been on a tear, holding monthly meetings and organizing a variety of recreational, educational and community service activities. In October, it hosts the annual conference of the Colorado Archaeology Society.
Sharing knowledge In March 2011 Van Etten and his wife, Mary Hertert, moved to Grand Junction from Anchorage, Alaska because the red-rock country of Colorado and Utah provided endless opportunities for outdoor recreation. He works as a Realtor for Coldwell Banker, and she owns Color Creek Fiber Art.
Outside their work hours, the couple didn’t waste time getting involved in the community. Hearing that an earlier chapter of CAS had folded in 2001, they committed to resurrecting the organization. (They also turned an informal meetup group into Western Slope Adventurers.) To maintain its membership, the CAS chapter had to have at least 15 dues-paying members. Within a month, nearly three dozen had signed on, and today the chapter has about 150 paid members (annual dues are $32 for individuals, $40 for couples and $15 for members of the state’s other CAS chapters; visit cas-gj.weebly.com to sign up). CAS-GJ meets at 7 p.m. on the third Tuesday of each month — typically in the city hall council chambers. Meetings feature a presentation by an agency or academic expert on a topic related to archaeology or history. The meetings are open to the public, but only members can participate in field trips. Besides dues, membership requires only
an interest in the archaeology and history of western Colorado and eastern Utah and a commitment to preserve and protect cultural sites and adhere to wilderness ethics. In its brief existence, chapter members have visited rock art sites in Delta, Dolores River Canyon, Dominguez Canyon and numerous places in Utah, including Seven Mile Canyon and Kane Creek near Moab and Nine Mile Canyon in the Wellington area. To be as inclusive as possible, the chapter often plans parallel treks to the same destination to ensure that people of varying fitness levels can take part, Van Etten said. Some hikes are rigorous and others less so. While many outdoors lovers prefer solitary or small-group outings, participating as a group provides “safety in numbers, more eyeballs— you see things that somebody else didn’t see—and interpretive benefits,” he said. Members can take classes in the Program for Avocational Archaeological Certification—a 38-year-old collaboration between CAS and the state archaeologist’s office that allows hobbyists and professional archaeologists to earn formal, nonacademic recognition for their expertise. And members have
Above: CAS-GJ members rest after a tour of Calamity Camp, a former uranium mining site on the Uncompahgre Plateau. Right: Alma Evans, Ph.D. explains the details of a petroglyph at Shavano Valley Rock Art Conservation Easement during a field trip. Photos by Katherine Lopez
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opportunities to be part of regional archaeological projects.
Statewide spotlight Van Etten recently stepped down from the chapter presidency to turn his energies toward coordinating the statewide conference, set for October 7-10, 2016. The schedule includes expert presentations about rock art of the Colorado Plateau, Paradox Valley and Shavano Valley and lectures by local archaeologists, Colorado Mesa University Assistant Professor John Seebach and Assistant State Archaeologist Kevin Black. After a screening of The Mystery of Chaco Canyon, the audience will hear what’s being done to protect cultural resources around Chaco Culture National Historical Park from damage due to oil and gas development. Also on the agenda are demonstrations of flintknapping and geographic information system (GIS) mapping. Outings include a bike tour of archaeological sites. For the most comprehensive and up-to-date schedule of events, visit the organization’s website at www.meetup.com/GAS-GJ. Email questions about the conference or local chapter activities to CASGJinfo@gmail.com. ■