URARA 2016 Symposium

I just go back from my first attendance at the Utah Rock Art Research Association (URARA) annual symposium.  This year it was held in Delta, Utah.  It was one of the funnest experiences I've had in a long time.

Sheep from Miller Canyon

I drove up on Thursday afternoon and checked into the Antelope Valley RV Park in Delta.  After setting up the trailer I headed out to visit some local sites.  First I hit Fort Deseret and then the Great Stone Face which had a nice pictograph panel nearby.  I met a fellow URARA member, Jim King, there.  I finished up the day at the WWII Topaz Internment Camp.

Friday was a URARA Field Trip to Miller Canyon in the House Range west of Delta and the Tule Valley further west of that.  Our trip leaders were Oscar Olson and Dennis DeVore and they did a great job of herding us around and showing us some spectacular rock art.

Tule Valley on Friday

The following photos are from sites in Tule Valley:

These photos are from sites around the ghost town of Ibex:

From a Site in the Confusion Range

Saturday and Sunday were the symposium itself in Delta held at the Community Center.  The presentations were all very interesting, even the ones I didn't agree with.  I learned a lot about rock art!

Monday (today) I went on the first part of another field trip to Black Rock Mesa.  I had to check out of the RV park by 1:00 p.m., so I only saw the first two sites on the south side of the mesa, but they were awesome.  Hundreds of pictographs scattered over basalt boulders.  In some places it seemed like every boulder had something on it.

I'll definitely be going on the December Field Trip in Moab and to next year's symposium!