Mileage: 34.1 miles (380.2-414.3)
Today I walked on thousands of years old lava, explored the depths of a cave, stepped in the tracks as Pueblo Indians, and saw a gigantic sandstone arch!
Quite the day and I'm actually writing this the next day because I was too exhausted last night after getting to my camp spot at the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) ranger station around 10:00pm. How I ended up there with a sheriff asking me for identification is kind of a long story, but I'll try to summarize.
I made the quick nine-mile road walk to the National Park Service (NPS) Malpais Visitor Center by 9am and read more about the geologic history of the park and conversed with the rangers for awhile. I also washed my face and my socks, ate my breakfast, and filled up my water bottles since I wouldn't have water for another 16 miles before the water cache at the other end of the Acoma-Zuni trail. The rangers happily informed me I was the first CDT hiker of the year for them! The few in front of me must have taken the other shorter, alternate route...
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| Some really awesome 1,000 year-old lava rock |
The rangers also told me about some caves in the park created by the lava flows and issued me a free caving permit to enter. After walking a few more miles I found Junction Cave, supposedly a great 'beginners cave' so I dropped my pack at the entrance and headed on in. It immediately cooled down as I entered through the cave's mouth, which was a nice break from the midday sun. Just 200 yards into the cave, as I descended into a large chamber, it became pitch black and completely silent. I sat for a few minutes in sensory deprivation before I turned my headlamp back on and headed back towards the exit. I didn't want to go too deep since I was alone.
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| View from inside Junction cave |
Once I reemerged, it quickly became hot again as the sun's rays beat down on me. Unfortunately, the more clothing you wear for sun protection, the hotter you are and more you sweat. I really wished I had gotten a light hat and shirt for the trip, instead of the blue I brought along. As it was, I could feel myself getting dehydrated as I crossed the lava debris towards the Acoma-Zuni trail, no matter how much water I guzzled. It seems like after a certain amount of time walking in the sun, the only way to stave off dehydration is to sit in the shade and chug water. But sometimes there isn't shade or water to chug.
I got to the Acoma-Zuni trailhead by 3pm and was prepared for a long haul. Even though it was only 7 miles, the ranger told me it was an 'all-day hike' and I really should leave a full day for it because there were no camp spots once you started. I didn't have enough food for that, so I just started when I got there.
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| I'm not sure how many more step ladders I'm going to see on the CDT! |
It turned out that the first mile or two weren't on lava rock at all, and was actually quite nice trail, including passing by a bunch of caves that weren't on any map. Gradually, there was more and more lava rock until it was the only thing I was walking on for about three miles. No matter what you do, you're gonna trip on it occasionally because it's really loose and just seems to reach out and grab ya. I was always able to catch myself with my trekking poles though, so it wasn't a huge issue.
I made it through the Acoma-Zuni trail in less than three hours, once again showing how our National Park rangers are completely out of touch with reality, either because they've never hiked the trail or they're so scared of liability that they want to scare everyone into staying on or close to the roads. Now, I don't care because I don't listen to them anyways, but I sure do feel bad for all the people dissuaded from taking a walk because the park ranger said it's really safer viewing from the car (...and don't roll your windows down either!)
I don't even blame the rangers, because the funding for our National Park system is so paltry, half of the rangers are seasonal and the rest are volunteers anyways. And nowadays, most of their job is paperwork and making sure folks don't feed the bears. It's too bad Congress is happy to hand out subsidies to big business and agriculture, but we can't sustain our most valued national treasures because it's too expensive.
Anyways, where was I? After I finished the Acoma-Zuni trail (and got freaked out by some very close lightning along the way!), following the footsteps of the Pueblo Indians, I made a little detour south 2.5 miles to the Cebolla Wilderness Natural Arch, a huge sandstone arch like you find in Arches National Park. I was able to hitch down there, but couldn't get a ride back, so I had to fit in a few extra miles in an already packed day. By the time I got to the BLM ranger station it was well past 9 o'clock, but I figured I needed to make it there so I would only have sixteen miles before the post office in the morning. Again, closing at noon on Saturday is the bane of my existence.
Of course, the second I lay down my pack, take off my pants, and start rinsing my socks I saw some headlights on the hill in front of me and hear the sound of a radio as a car door slams. Next thing I know there is a bright flashlight in my face and the policeman is asking me what the heck I'm doing walking on the road in the middle of the night and now not wearing pants. I'm sure he thought I was a vagrant, but once I explained I was a CDT hiker and showed him my ID he seemed to be satisfied and took off. He offered to take me to town, which I grudgingly had to turn down (...I'm WALKING from Mexico to Canada, no on-trail rides allowed ... hitchhiking only for detours and emergencies!)
By the time I got to sleep it was 10:45 and I knew I had to wake up in less than six hours to get the sixteen miles in before noon. Yeehaw!
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