Excursions provide an opportunity, especially for registrants coming from a distance, to experience the host city under the guidance of the local archaeological community. The Local Advisory Committee organizes excursions to highlight archaeological sites, museums, and locations of interest in Denver. Excursions are first come, first served. Attendees can sign up for excursions online or with the advance registration form. All excursions are in person only.

If a guest is accompanying a registered attendee on an excursion, the guest must be registered (as a guest) and must also purchase an excursion ticket. Only adult guests may accompany attendees on the excursions.

In order for an excursion to go forward, the minimum number of participants must be fulfilled during the advance registration process. Space in all excursions is limited; sign up as early as possible but before March 1.

All participants in SAA excursions will be required to sign a release of claims prior to joining the excursion. No participant will be able to join without a completed release of claims form. The forms will be emailed to you in advance.

Wednesday, April 23

Geoarchaeology and Paleoenvironmental Context of Deeply Stratified Early Paleoindian Sites at the Kanorado Locality, Northwestern Kansas

Sponsored by the SAA Geoarchaeology Interest Group

7:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m.; 30 minimum, 36 maximum; $30 per person

This field trip will involve traveling to the Kanorado Locality on the High Plains along the Kansas-Colorado border. Three stratified Early Paleoindian sites at Kanorado have yielded the remains of Pleistocene fauna, including mammoth and camel, as well as Clovis-age and Folsom lithic artifacts. Also, a potential pre-Clovis cultural component has been recorded at one of the sites. The stop at Kanorado will focus on the soil-stratigraphic and paleoenvironmental context of the three sites. Also, deeply buried late Pleistocene and early Holocene landscapes that may harbor the early archaeological record will be examined in outcrops along streams near Kanorado. Attendees will stop for lunch, included in the registration fee, but are encouraged to bring snacks and water.

Climate Change Connects the Disciplines: A Tour of the National Center for Atmospheric Research

Sponsored by the SAA Committee on Climate Change Strategies and Archaeological Resources

8:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m.; 20 minimum, 25 maximum; $80 per person

The Committee on Climate Change Strategies for Archaeological Resources (CCSAR) invites SAA members to join a private tour of the NSF-sponsored National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) in Boulder, Colorado (https://ncar.ucar.edu/). Focused on earth system science, NCAR is a center of research excellence that, for 60 years, has led research critical to our understanding of climate and global dynamics. Its eight labs cover topics that include modeling, earth observation, education, and applications. While lead researchers are experts in atmospheric science, they also collaborate with scholars from other fields to extend the use of their findings. CCSAR’s commitment to “getting archaeology to the table” includes a recognition of the importance of interdisciplinary work like that carried out at NCAR, and its staff welcomes our visit. Attendees will have lunch at the Mesa Lab Café before returning to the hotel.

Thursday, April 24

Franktown Cave Artifacts at the Douglas County History Repository and Archaeology at Cherokee Ranch & Castle

8:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.; 45 minimum, 55 maximum; $58 per person

Come see one of the best-preserved precontact collections in Colorado. The Franktown Cave site (https://coloradoencyclopedia.org/article/franktown-cave) located east of Castle Rock was first excavated in 1941, and some of the findings included rare perishable artifacts manufactured from hide, wood, and fibers. For this excursion we will have expertly selected artifacts available to view at the Douglas County History Repository. The tour includes information on recent interpretations, protection efforts made for this site, and information on Douglas County’s official archaeology repository. After the repository, touring continues to Cherokee Ranch (https://cherokeeranch.org). Built in 1924 this majestic 1450s Scotland-style castle features exquisite collections of art and antiques with breathtaking views of the Rockies on 3,400 pristine acres and is a wildlife sanctuary. In 1954 Tweet Kimball purchased the castle and created Cherokee Ranch to raise Santa Gertrudis cattle. In the 1990s she established a conservation easement protecting the land in perpetuity and the legacy Cherokee Ranch & Castle Foundation to provide the community a cultural and educational resource. Enjoy a castle tour, lunch, and hiking to a precontact site on the property (weather permitting). Excursion attendees should be able to conduct a short hike, wear appropriate shoes/clothing, and bring extra water suitable for hiking. Attendees will have lunch, included in the registration fee, at the Cherokee Ranch before returning to the hotel.

Friday, April 25

United States Airforce Academy in Colorado Springs

Sponsored by the SAA Military Archaeological Resources Stewardship (MARS) Interest Group

8:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.; 40 minimum, 50 maximum; $51 per person

Join MARS for a tour of the US Air Force Academy. Highlights will include a walking tour of the Cadet Area including the historic chapel. The chapel is currently under major rebuilding and may not be visible, but the group will be given a briefing of the work entailed with the rebuilding efforts. This is a unique and historic preservation effort to protect a Colorado landmark. There will also be a driving tour of the overall site. The academy is perched on the edge of the mountains, providing beautiful vistas and clusters of mid-century buildings. Snacks and water will be provided.

Denver Museum of Nature and Science

Sponsored by the SAA Fiber Perishables Interest Group

9:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.; 15 minimum, 20 maximum; $84 per person

The Denver Museum of Nature and Science has recently expanded their textile and fibers perishable conservation endeavors. The excursion will include a tour of their Avenir Conservation Center, providing attendees with background in the techniques used in conservation and storage, ethics in treatment, and current projects in textile and fibers perishable preservation.

Saturday, April 26

Archaeology in the Front Range

8:00 a.m.–1:30 p.m.; 25 minimum, 30 maximum; $125 per person

Join us on an archaeological tour along the Front Range, moving from south to north across the hogbacks. This area has been a crucial transportation hub between the prairies to the east and the Southern Rocky Mountains to the west for centuries. Our tour begins at Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre, where you’ll learn about the Civilian Conservation Corps work that shaped the park as we see it today. Nearby, we’ll visit Magic Mountain, an Archaic and early ceramic complex site with a history that includes a 1950s amusement park. Our final stop is the Mahaffy Cache in Boulder, where we will enjoy a reception with light hors d’oeuvres. This Clovis cache, now housed in the University of Colorado’s Anthropology Hall, offers a fascinating end to our tour. Hosted by Community Connections LLC in partnership with dedicated site stewards, this tour provides an enriching look at the Front Range’s archaeological sites.