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  • Wikiups

    Over the years I have seen many Wikiups. Most are nothing more than remnants of poles or branches piled up in a wall like fashion. Most of what is seen as a teepee shape is nothing more than a corner to a bigger structure, but a few are a single dwelling structure. That is to say most needed to house a family or more, and most structures were more or less 20 to 30 feet. An ideal location would have two to four trees out in the northwest of Colorado and the trees may be of Pinion pine for anchor posts that are somewhat spaced for anchors to build a structure of wood poles and branches. The juniper would have the foliage still intact to make a barrier from the elements. The floor is filled with Juniper bark at depths of up to 10 inches thick for comfort of sitting and sleeping. These structures are seasonal and may not have been used every year. This is from my own observations and I am sure there is more in depth information.

    This wikiup is a single dwelling with the maximum of occupation three for sleeping only. For the encampment that is large, this wikiup is isolated from the rest. Discussion as to why may be a menstrual wikiup or something to that nature.
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    These structures are more of what you can expect to find. This encampment is a stop over site. That is to say a place to rest before going over a pass most likely only used for a night coming and going.
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ID:	250380 I will be posting more structures to this thread.
    Look to the ground for it holds the past!

  • #2
    A high altitude structure this is more of a single structure and may have been used for a hunting camp base with very little use.
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    Look to the ground for it holds the past!

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    • #3
      The evidence that I look for is not just structures but the evidence of alteration This is a view of what I expect to find which has no intact structures. But shows the tell tail signs of occupation.
      Here is a tree that was chopped down with stone for either firewood or for materials for wall structure.
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      This is a look at what would be a location of how the trees need to be spaced to build a bigger structure. Click image for larger version

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      These are the broken choppers and hammer stones very common in all camps.
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      Remnants of the fallen poles. Click image for larger version

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      Look to the ground for it holds the past!

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      • #4
        This is part of a big encampment that spans over a quarter of a mile.
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        Look to the ground for it holds the past!

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        • #5
          Pretty amazing that those things are still standing. How old are they? 1800s?

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          • #6
            It is hard to pin down but the 1800's to the 1900's for a short period. Even thou they were on reservations I am sure they did not abandon their cultural ways and lived off the grid. I have heard of stories of them visiting Steamboat Springs and of course the Meeker massacre with the Utes going off the Reservation and went into hiding. The coins that I have recovered in some of these encampments support this.
            Look to the ground for it holds the past!

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            • #7
              Thanks for updating. Something most of us won't come across throughout most of the country. Can you imagine what the camps actually looked like while inhabited?
              Searching the fields of NW Indiana and SW Michigan

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              • #8
                Wow, Chase, these are amazing! Here in the SE where cut wood rots from humidity or eaten by termites or carpenter ants, or torn apart by woodpeckers in just a few years, it's almost unbelievable to imagine cut wood lasting a century or more. Thanks for the history lesson & the photos!
                Child of the tides

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                • #9
                  The broken rock looks fire cracked to me. Always a good sign on campsites to find fire cracked rock.
                  TN formerly CT Visit our store http://stores.arrowheads.com/store.p...m-Trading-Post

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                  • #10
                    Excellent thread! Enjoyed every post.
                    South Dakota

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                    • #11
                      Awesome pics Chase, I know this is an old thread but it’s fun to discuss wickiups.
                      I too live amongst wickiup camps, my own property is covered with ax cut stumps and remnants of wickiups. Lots of points and tools too.

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                      • #12

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                        • #13
                          Dave old or new this is all interesting to me as I am sure it is to others . Share more photos when you have a chance . I know nothing of this other then goggle and this site . What do you date these at . Chase has old stories of people seeing the fires from a hill .
                          Any first hand information is greatly appreciated .

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                          • #14

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                            • #15

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