Estimated time and labor efforts for Chaco residents to transport maize to the canyon based on varying population sizes, carrying capacities, and travel times.

Round trip lengths are based on a distance of 85 km between Chaco Canyon and the Chuska Mountains. Six-day trips were suggested by Benson [33] based on traveling 26.67 km/day, while 9.5 and 27 days—assuming a speed of 18 km/day and 6.34 km/day respectively—were derived from travel times determined by Malville [137] and reported by Windes and McKenna ([142] p136). Drennan [132] used loads of 20 and 50 kilograms in his studies of long distance transport, both of which are paired with Benson’s assertion that the trip could be made in six days. The second two weight estimates derive from Malville [131], as reported in Windes and McKenna ([142] p136) and are directly linked to the trip lengths determined in the first column. Number of trips and travel days are rounded based on the completion of an entire trip.