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 …
A short segment, so a short report.
A front moved through Lordsburg on our day off, cooling temps by about ten degrees, so our walk out was under a less intense sun, but still hot. The first day we walked on a long flat, but tilted, plain towards the next range of mountans. A dry and desolate landscape with fewer plants, critters and arroyos, obviously a place where less rain falls. Ute markers disappeared, but it was prety simple to walk a stright line to the hill marking the canyon we would walk up, ducking over and under the occasinal barbed wire fence. We camped in a high …
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 …
