High on the side of the hill, the slick rock has preserved a bit of the history of Ft Bayard, Grant Co, NM.
The fort was established in 1866 and manned primarily by Buffalo Soldiers as a protection for settlers in the region against the Apache. Ft Bayard has a storied history, though it is now unused and falling into ruin.
At the time of the Buffalo Soldiers, Ft Bayard was powered by wood. The surrounding hills provided an unending (or so it seemed) source of trees to be cut and transported down to the fort for firewood; wood hauled in wagons with wooden wheels, which had iron rims.
Even stone cannot resist repeated friction forever.
