These earliest structures are round or oval, shallow, basin-shaped features about in diameter. Some have postholes. The best-preserved structures have interior hearths, bell-shaped storage features, and other pits in the floors. Residential houses were identified by floor features (fire pit, bell shaped storage pit and post holes) the pattern of outside features (hearth, storage pits and trash dump) the presence of certain artifacts (ground stone, bone needle, and stone knives) and the similarity to several other archaic features. A wide range of structure types is represented in this time period. A cribbed-log structure covered with brush and daub has been excavated and reported. Daub structures are reported, as well as basin-shaped structures. Test excavations in the trash deposit of one village site showed almost two meters' accumulation of charcoal, ash, bone, and stone tool debris. This evidence shows that these structures were occupied throughout the winter season. The post-Pleistocene soil deposits were shallow reaching the hard calcareous soil within or less. Surrounding pits were dug to check for deposits and only a few sites with additional cultural material were found in 1994. Radiocarbon samples were taken from 4 features on the edge of the site. Over 24,621 lithic artifacts mainly consisting of quartzites, cherts, and obsidian were recovered during excavation with analysis that designed to answer several questions about prehistoric technology. This type of analysis attempts to treat each artifact is recorded as a group of measurements. Variables that were measured to inform lithic technology included raw material, platform type, cortex on dorsal surface, condition, form and termination. All contents of features at Tenderfoot underwent flotation analysis using a standard water/aerator process. This process was interrupted by an unknown mineral within Gunnison soil that prevented some of the organic material from floating to the surface for analysis. After conducting several experiments the lead archaeologists on site found that floating a soil sample twice (double flotation) with complete drying between flotation’s solved the problem. Double flotation coupled with heavy fraction processing became the standard procedure at the site and increased the recovery of organic material. During the digs in 1991 several hundred visitors along with the Gunnison county public schools toured the site. From 1991-1999 Western State College has given tours, and gave presentations to K-12 students, civic groups and public forums. Placed on the State register of Historic Properties List of prehistoric sites in ColoradoTenderfoot has proved to be a significant archaeological site.