Application for the Holt and Picture Canyon Project, September 10-September 14, 2024

Holt and Picture Canyon Project Details

PCRG membership is not required to participate; however PCRG members get priority to participate in our field projects. If you are interested in becoming a member please click here https://paleocultural.org/support/.

More than 50 years ago, Colorado College students and faculty conducted a multi-year archaeological inventory and testing project in Picture Canyon and Holt Canyon, adjacent tributaries of the Cimarron River in southwestern Baca County, Colorado. Data from several of the sites they investigated have been important to the development of archaeological research in southeastern Colorado. However, the full results of the project have never been reported and site forms have been prepared for just 9 of the 22 sites they documented. Crucially, most of their excavation data remain unreported.

PCRG will revisit and re-record the sites documented by Colorado College to assess their current condition and to evaluate their potential for future research. These sites include rock shelters, lithic quarries, and stone features that likely were foundations for habitation structures. The field assessment will include small block surveys to confirm site locations and boundaries, along with limited testing at selected sites to assess the extent and integrity of subsurface cultural deposits. 

Participants should expect to hike 3-5 miles per day, mostly over moderate terrain, and should be prepared for daily temperatures in the 80s, possibly higher. Participants will camp around a Forest Service bunk house located approximately 20 miles from the project area. Participants are required to wear long pants during fieldwork, and sturdy, closed-toe hiking shoes are recommended. Open-toe shoes and sandals are not allowed to be worn during fieldwork, but may be worn at camp. A list of all required and recommended gear can be found on our website, https://paleocultural.org/participate/volunteer-information/. A project-specific gear list will be provided for participants closer to the project. 

Fieldwork will begin on Tuesday, September 10 and continue through Saturday, September 14. Participants should plan to arrive the afternoon of September 9 (or the day prior to their first fieldwork day if choosing to start in the middle of the project) to set up their personal camp and for a project orientation and dinner. PCRG will depart from the project area the morning of September 15.

Health and Safety Protocols:

PCRG has a comprehensive set of safety protocols for field and camp. Please feel free to reach out to us at Chris.Johnston@paleocultural.org or 303-439-4098 if you have specific questions about safety protocols. 

PCRG strongly encourages you to be up-to-date with all CDC recommended vaccinations. A tetanus booster is highly recommended if it has been more than nine (9) years since your last booster. 

If you are feeling ill prior to the start of the project, please contact us and stay home until you are feeling better. This is to protect other participants but also the integrity of the project depends on healthy and active participation within the project date window. 

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First Name *
Last Name *
Email *
Phone number (cell phone preferred) *
When is your birthday? *
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Availability
Please select all the dates you are available to participate. If would like to participate in the entirety of the project please select "Full Project".

To be considered for this project, you must sign up for at least 3 consecutive days.

*Keep in mind that the dates below represent field work days only. You will be need to arrive to camp the evening prior to your first field day.
Project Dates (Please plan to arrive the late afternoon/early evening the day before you are starting.) September 9 and September 15 will be arrival & departure days for PCRG staff.  Please select all dates you are ABLE to attend. Your final dates may not include all of your selection, please indicate only dates you are available to attend.  *
Required
Please select the maximum number of days you are WANTING to participate. (Note: There is a minimum three-day commitment to participate. Due to space limitations, the number of days you are selected to participate may be fewer than your answer here.)
Is there anything we should know when selecting your participation dates (such as job or work schedule, travel logistics, or something else)? 
If you are applying for more than one PCRG project, please rank your desire to participate in this one versus the others. (Space is often limited and we do our best to accommodate everyone's desire to participate in our projects.) *
About You
Acceptance onto our projects is based on the amount of applicants as well as experience and interest. No experience is necessary to participate; however, we do try and have a mix of experience levels for each project. Please answer the following questions to help us learn more about you. 
How would you describe your training as an archaeologist? *
If you have not participated in a PCRG project before, please tell us a little about yourself. Why do you want to participate? Have you previously participated in any type of archaeological fieldwork? (If not, that's OK! We love welcoming new volunteers on our projects!)
Are you a PCRG member? (Note, PCRG membership is not required to participate, but PCRG members do receive priority if projects have too many applicants.) *
Please add any additional comments or information we should know here. (We will collect dietary and health information in a later form if you are selected for the project.)
I acknowledge that filling out this application does not confirm my participation in this or any PCRG project. *
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If you have any questions or concerns about the project or your waitlist status please contact Chris.Johnston@paleocultural.org or call our office at 303-439-4098
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