It is said the mountaintops and high ridge lines are conducive to spiritual awareness and activity. Walpert Ridge radiates this kind of energy.
16 unique sites and 182 bedrock mortars that we know of Rock alignments and prayer circles all over the place.
Possible RoundHouse setting.
The rock alignment in front borders an ancient footpath leading to another prayer circle.
Large unique bowls at the Chinese Tree of Heaven. So named because early Chinese settlers/laborers occupied this site for a time in the 1800s.
Rock alignment near the high point of the ridge. The barbed wire fence came later.
The view south on the ridge. Lots more going on in those trees than you might imagine.
Prayer circle mid ridge.
Heading into Ryan’s Hideaway gully. We were getting kicked off the ridge by Ryan the Cowboy,told him what we were up to and he pointed down the hill and said “Oh yeah, there’s a bunch of mortar holes down there”. it turned out to be a real nice spot.
Pestle at Ryan’s Hideaway.
We call this the Ceremonial Site on the south ridge. Looking towards Santa Cruz mountains.
Mortar pair at the Ceremonial Site.
Rock alignment leading to a camp at a spring source.
Mortar and Pestle at spring source.
Most of Walpert Ridge (but not all) is land banked, presumably to be opened soon to the public,whose taxpayer dollars paid for it. Pre contact it was Jalquin Territory, and had been for probably thousands of years.