Urraca Mesa
| Urraca Mesa | |
|---|---|
 The mesa as seen from Tooth Ridge | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 8,594 ft (2,619 m) NAVD 88[1] |
| Coordinates | 36°24′49″N 104°59′53″W / 36.4136471°N 104.9980592°W[2] |
| Geography | |
  Urraca Mesa | |
| Location | Colfax County, New Mexico, U.S. |
| Topo map | USGS Coyote Mesa |
Urraca Mesa is a large mesa located in Colfax County in northern New Mexico, U.S., on the property of Philmont Scout Ranch. It reaches an elevation of 8,594 feet (2,619 m).
Legends
[edit]Urraca Mesa is considered haunted.[3] Legend has it that the mesa has a long history of mythical and supernatural associations, including that the Navajo believe the mesa is a gateway to the demon world.[citation needed] Many people claim to have had strange experiences on the mesa including being attacked by invisible forces. There are also rumored to be a number of ghosts including that of a Boy Scout who can never return to base camp, and of a Navajo shaman who protects the two remaining cat totems[4] on the mesa to keep the demons from escaping.
Another persistent legend is that the mesa is the site of a high number of lightning strikes, although in fact a map published by the Philmont GIS Department shows it receives relatively fewer strikes than many other high points on the ranch.[5]
At the foot of Urraca Mesa is Casa del Gavilan, a historic inn built in 1911 by John "Jack" Nairn in the Pueblo Revival style. Nairn was a renowned storyteller who is believed to have fostered legends about the mesa before his death.[6] The Casa del Gavilan Inn is visible from Philmont Scout Ranch tent city as an inexplicable white structure apparently suspended in mid-air below the mesa. At night lights can be seen emanating from the structure.
Name
[edit]The name comes from the Spanish word for magpie reflecting ancient Native American legends that flying magpies once inhabited the mesa.
Flora and fauna
[edit]The mesa is covered in ponderosa pine. Black bears, wild turkeys, deer and mountain lions are among its inhabitants. Also black-billed magpies may occasionally be seen levitating between trees although others may consider this them to simply be flying.
Topography
[edit]Urraca Mesa is relatively flat with the exception of a protruding plateau, which contains a small intermittent spring at the base.
References
[edit]- ^ "Urraca Mesa, New Mexico". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved 2014-02-17.
- ^ "Urraca Mesa". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved 2014-02-17.
- ^ Ghost, John (2020-03-11). "15 Scariest Places in New Mexico for Ghost-Spotting". When In Your State. Retrieved 2023-07-11.
- ^ Bird, Fire (2021-08-02). "Cat Totem & Symbolism – The Spirit of Psychic Protection". AnimalTotem.com. Retrieved 2023-07-11.
- ^ Segler, Jeff; Steuver, Mary; Shaw, Daniel; Smith, Warren (2010). "Thunderstorms and Lightning". The Philmont Field Guide. Irving, Texas: Boy Scouts of America. p. 153.
- ^ "Casa del Gavilan". Archived from the original on 2010-12-07. Retrieved 2010-12-14.
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