Well, we’ve come to the end of the San Juan section and the end of this year’s segment of the Continental Divide Trail.
The San Juans were certainly a highlight, and not only because the trail seldom dipped below 11,000 feet in the last week. The trail also took us through some rugged and beautiful terrain. Steep peaks, deep valleys, high plateaus, well defined ridgelines, wildflowers and WATER. Flowing creeks, high alpine lakes, snowpack, rain, hail and frost: we found water in all it’s natural forms. Of course, some of these forms of water depend on COLD, and we had that too.
The wildflowers were simply stunning, bold and beautiful, …
It was a brief section from Cumbres Pass to Wolf Creek Pass, short on days (only four hiking days) but long on scenery and trip “firsts”.
The Colorado Rockies of the South San Juan Wilderness are wild and rugged lands. Stunning scenery and sensational summer wildflowers, unfolded in greater dimensions with every step.
For us, since leaving the Mexican border, it was the first time we hiked above 12,000 feet (hitting 12,700 for those who are counting numbers); crossed our first snow fields; and hiked our first days without a jeep (or other) road in sight, or under foot. We traversed the first areas above timberline and enjoyed our first true …
After 640 miles, +/- a few for mapping and walking inconsistancies, we now have New Mexico squarely in the rear view mirror. We crosed the NM/CO border yesterday, arrived at Cumbres Pass about 4 miles later and then hitched a ride back into New Mexico. Not because we missed it so much, nor for a last dose of green chiles, but because Chama is the town nearest to the pass. (Although we did like NM, after 6 weeks we are ready to move on.)
The CDT began a transition upon leaving Cuba. Entering the high country of the San Pedro Parks Wilderness was only a first taste of the high country …
We’re in Grants NM; generally, our halfway mark, about one month and almost 400 miles done and about the same to go this year. June sure went by fast.
Since leaving Reserve, for the last week we have been mostly hiking on roads, some asphalt, some gravel, some dirt, some slippery clay, but all were made for other purposes.
Water - either not enough, or too much, has been a constant concern. It has been a long dry sections of “trail” where there is no natural water. We’ve had to rely mainly on stock tanks fed by windmills and have had to deal with the uncertainty of their availability by carrying 2 …
Reporting from Reserve New Mexico, where we’re relaxing (if you call busy getting resupply chores done a form of relaxing). We’re 3 weeks and 270 miles done, about a third of the way for this summer’s walk.
In Sheep Corral Canyon, north of Silver City we came across a well fed, but easily spooked, Black Bear. He would have stayed hidden in the dry stream bed where he was feeding, but got startled at our approach and ran straight up the canyon wall, answering an important question - yes, they do, in woods, even on a dead run.
Without a doubt, the highlight of this last section was the Gila Wilderness …
