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 …
From the CDT trailhead at Crazy Cook (on the Mexican border) to Lordsburg we walked through 84 desolate miles of dry, arid desert along a route marked by a few posts, following old jeep roads or cactus whacking all the way. It was a physically, mentally and emotionally challenging bit of hiking, pushing us to certain limits of endurance. The heat, rocks and rough terrain took their toll on our legs and feet. Carrying 2+ gallons of water, while necessary, added weight and stress.
Our approach has been to rise at first light and walk until late morning, find or create shade for a long mid day break from the …
Dear Friends and Family,
After finally clearing some potential hurdles, Deb, (the Walking Carrot) and I are taking off again this summer on another long hike. Our intention is to walk an unbroken path which will cover roughly the “southern third” of the CDT. We plan to spend June and July along the Continental Divide Trail (CDT), starting at the “official” CDTA monument at “Crazy Cook” at the Mexican border and heading north. We intend to be hiking until the end of July and aiming, if all goes well, for Spring Creek Pass in Colorado, about 8 weeks and 820 miles of hiking. You can check our …
Deb and I are back home, at least for the time being. We left Togwotee Pass (pronounced “TOE-guh-tee”) on Sunday with the intent to spend 9 days hiking through the Wind River Mountain range.
“Togwotee” means “from here we can go anywhere”, so named for its promise and possibilities. The Absoroka Mountains to the north are eroded volcanic formations, the Wind River mountains to the south are granitic. Dubois and the Wyoming “badlands” lie to the east, while Jackson Hole and other large valleys with lots of water lie to the west. Togwotee pass is more than a geologic crossroads, it’s at a convergence of wildlife habitats, forming both natural …
Greetings from Dubois; that’s “Dew-boyzs” unless you want to get sent packing back to Paris by the local cowboys, in which case go ahead and say “Du-bwah”.
We’re closing in on 1,000 miles. But, one lesson the trail teaches is to not get too set on an expected outcome. Surprises are always in store, so it’s best to remain open to all possibilities and let the hike unfold.
During this last week, since leaving Old Faithful, we’ve continued to have cold nights, frosty morning and frozen water bottles. It’s rained, hailed and snowed some, but that’s all to be expected in September at our 7,500 to 10,000 foot elevation playground.
Southeastern …
