We began our day at Ghost Ranch with breakfast in the dining hall. Breakfast was a basic cold breakfast but satisfying with plenty of coffee, which we lingered over until the office opened at 9am. Our supply box was waiting as planned. We picked up the box, returned to our campsite and reorganized our food and supplies.
Originally we’d planned on a day off here at Ghost Ranch, but since we took an unnexpected day off in Cuba just three days ago, we were both behind schedule and still reasonably rested. We decided to spend the morning getting stuff done, have lunch and then get in a half day of …
Continuing the road walk we began the night before we left the small canyon and rolled along with ups an downs along the west slope of a ridge. The CDT turned to trail and dropped precipitously along a series of switchbacks overgrown with oak into Ojitas Canyon.
A small but lovely stream flowed in the canyon and we took advantage of the water to restock before the flow of the creek left the mouth of the canyon and drained away completley to the desert sands.
Crossing a sea of sagebrush we passed canyon walls with layers of red and yellow rock until we were out on the flats. We crossed the …
We awoke to clear skies, packed up and continued our walk across the rolling plateau of San Pedro Park. It’s good to be back in the highlands again. The trail crosses the head of
Rio Puerco in an area of shallow marshy grass. There are posts to guide the way but no actual trail through the wetlands. “Wetlands”, something that has been non existant, except for the Gila river canyons, so far on our walk through New Mexico. We relish the experience, wet feet and all.
The CDT uses a series of existing trails in the San Pedro Wilderness. One of these is the “Vaca” trail. Sure enough, before …
Leaving Cuba the CDT follows a paved county road past houses, farms and fields until it rises out of the valley and turns into a dirt forest service road in pine and oak country. Eventually that road keeps rising and ends at a trailhead. Then the trail keeps rising and crosses the “Rito de los Pinos” stream (yeah running water!!!) and continues up valley into the San Pedro Park Wilderness.
During a luxurious streamside break we were passed by a family on horseback out for an afternoon ride into the high country.
The valley is lush, stands of Aspens, Pines and Firs, mix with an abundant understory of greenery. Thimbleberry plants, …
The 120 miles from Grants to Cuba has been the nicest section of the CDT in New Mexico, other than the Gila, that we’ve hiked so far. Canyons, mesas, mountains, arroyos and finally more trail than roads! Stunning beauty, scenery featuring the banded rock formations which back up New Mexico’s claim to be the Land of Enchantment.
Mt Taylor was the high point, literally, at 11,301 feet. We arrived at the summit only after a long climb out of Grants up into and through the clouds which have been hovering above us for several weeks. On top, we actually had to wear our fleece jackets!
North and east of MT Taylor we …
