Bandelier reopens Alcove House to public
Historic kiva is protected by fence
That thrilling ladder climb at Bandelier National Monument is back, for now.
Just three weeks after announcing an indefinite closure of the Alcove House, a niche in a dramatic cliff that features a reconstructed kiva, the site was reopened to visitors on Friday.
“It’s such an iconic site, we really didn’t want to have it closed all summer,” said Bandelier ranger Claudia Brookshire.
The cave and its spectacular views are accessible only by a series of ladders and stairways that reach the equivalent of 14 stories above the floor of the monument’s Frijoles Canyon.
Structural instability at Alcove House, particularly in the kiva, led to the shutdown on April 10.
Park officials said then that the closure could last many months.
But now the kiva has been fenced off to keep visitors from walking around it and signs have been posted telling climbers to stay away from the structure, as a public safety measure as well as a preservation effort.
Alcove House was first reconstructed in 1910 and further stabilized in the 1930s.
“We had people going up there today and people were really happy to see the site,” Brookshire said. “So many people really love to climb the ladders, we really wanted to find a way to keep it opened up for the public.”
She said there had been “no formal complaints” from those who’ve missed out on making
the Alcove House climb in recent weeks.
“I’d say they were disappointed,” Brookshire said.
Park officials now expect to close Alcove House again in the fall, when crews will repair the cracks in the walls of the kiva. Stones have loosened and its wall is cracking, exhibiting the effects of severe erosion.
The erosion is mostly caused by people walking around the kiva, Brookshire said. “There’s the constant foot traffic, and that starts to erode the dirt,” undercutting the structure, she said.
The plan is for a contractor to come in during the fall, assess the erosion and build a supportive retaining wall, but the project depends on funding, Brookshire said.
Alcove House became an emblem for Bandelier after the Depression-era Works Progress Administration created a classic poster featuring the kiva.