On September 24^th, 2005, volunteers from the City of Flagstaff Waste Water Treatment Staff, Southwest Industrial Rigging Employees and Northern Arizona Trail Runners and Kaibab National Forest commenced the restoration of Picture Canyon. City of Flagstaff employees, El Paso Natural Gas, State Lands Department and Coconino County staff worked together to make this day happen. For thousands of years, people have passed through Picture Canyon and left evidence of their presence. Around AD 1100, it became home for people who archaeologists call the Sinagua. Around AD 1100, just after the eruption of Sunset Crater, the Sinagua constructed small pueblos (houses) along the canyon. Several habitation caves and hundreds of petroglyphs (images pecked in stone) are scattered along this rocky canyon located behind the City of Flagstaff Waste Water treatment plant. Since then, this area has become dumping grounds for trash and abandoned vehicles making this beautiful canyon an eyesore.

In order to protect the sensitive pueblo ruins and petroglyphs throughout the canyon, Southwest Industrial Rigging donated their time and four-wheel drive, rubber-tired crane. In addition, an archaeologist from the Kaibab National Forest volunteered to monitor and ensure that the operations would not affect any of the ruins or petroglyphs. When extended, the boom of the crane reached far enough into the canyon so that lifting the abandoned vehicles created no effects to any of the ruins or pertroglyphs. The volunteers removed four abandoned vehicles and two engine blocks out of the canyon. State and Federal laws prohibit dumping trash or disturbing the ruins. Please help preserve this special place by taking only pictures and leaving only footprints. The carvings pecked in stone are very sensitive so please, do not touch them. If you would like to help further restore Picture Canyon, you can sign up to pick up trash on “Make a Difference Day.” Download and mail in the registration form.

Thanks to employees from Southwest Industrial Rigging who donated their time and crane.

Rick Thomas and NATRA runner David McKee secure a vehicle for the crane lift.

David proudly watches yet another vehicle pulled out of Picture Canyon for good!

Volunteers from the City of Flagstaff Waste Water Treatment Staff, Southwest Industrial Rigging Employees and Northern Arizona Trail Runners (including Bear!).