Day 13: Snow Lake and Beyond

Mileage: 24.7 miles (225.2-249.9)

It started raining pretty hard by about 11:30pm last night. I woke up immediately and started moving my stuff over. Natty, my hiking partner for the last few days, had a broken tent pole and therefore no way to stay out of the rain, so we had planned for him to come into my tent if it stormed that night. Of course, it did. I scooted over to the far end of the tent and we fit okay given that we are both north of 6'1". The only problem was that by morning me and my sleeping bag were pretty drenched from touching the tent wall all night (...any single wall tarp/tent gets condensation, especially with two bodies creating moisture and rain doesn't help).

When we woke up around 6:30 I let Natty get his stuff together as literally two people couldn't move at once without getting more soaked. Once he finished and got out of the tent, I started hearing hard thumps against the tent walls. It had started hailing. The hail alternated with freezing rain and snow for the next hour pretty much rendering our hands and feet into blocks of ice. On top of that, we still had a number of river crossings before Snow Lake which made things even colder. It's crazy that just a few days ago it was close to 90 degrees in the shade and I hadn't seen running water for 130 miles. That's the CDT for ya.

Luckily, the sun poked out from behind the puffy clouds once we reached Snow Lake and we were able to lay out some of our things to dry. They also had running water and trash cans there, which was a nice for an easy drink and to unload some extra weight. After a few miles of cross-country up a nice little canyon we popped out on a forest road, which we followed the rest of the day. The road was a good respite from all the stream crossings and we were able to make bigger miles because of it. I still have about 71 to Pie Town which I need to do in the next three days before I run out of food.

For the last four miles of the day there was a wicked strong headwind over a barren stretch of road which pummeled us into submission. By 6:45 we had all we could take and also had reached a stream for water. I helped Natty rig up his rain fly as an emergency shelter, which proved surprisingly difficult, mostly because of it's irregular shape. Finally, with something passable, we both headed to bed exhausted from another long day. I really hope I don't wake up to snow.

Day 12: The Upper Gila, Middle Fork

Mileage: 21.5 miles (203.7-225.2)

Natty and I got an early start this morning, hiking by 7am. He apparently had shouted over three times before I heard him at 6:30 asking if I was dead. The morning light struck the pinnacles in different hues of orange and red. The sun reached them long before it got down to the river bottom, so the first few crossings were ice cold. The rock formations surrounding us on either side almost seemed like upside-down icicles, melting from the top. The wind and rain has weathered the rock over tens of thousands of years giving the spires their unique shape.

It almost seemed like we were at church, with all the cupolas lit up. As we walked up the canyon, making more stream crossings than we could count, we realized we were following a bear's trail as his oversized paw prints were perfectly pressed in the wet mud on almost every river bank. We were worries we might run into him, but eventually the tracks disappeared up another canyon, perhaps towards one of the many caves tucked into the sheer cliffs.

I also roused a pretty good sized mule deer and he ran upstream to get away. I read the other day that bear will sometimes take a mule deer, so hopefully he didn't run into the bear either. Natty was a real trooper keeping up with me and I did my best to not push too hard. He's 59, but he can really hike. I'm headed all the way to Pie Town, while he's getting out at a day earlier and hitching, so we just need to keep up 20+ mile days so I don't run out of food.

It should get easier tomorrow as we hit the headwaters of the Middle Fork at Snow Lake after 3.5 more miles. After that we won't have to deal with stream crossings all the time and hopefully there will actually be a trail sometimes. 

All in all I'll have done 100+ stream crossing in 2.5 days, and walked more than 50 miles along (mostly in) the Gila River. It'll be sad to leave it since it's been incredibly beautiful, but man, it's been tiring so I'll be ready for a regular trail again and not ice cold feet! 

Natty and I stopped at 6:30 so we should get a good night sleep. Hopefully he won't need to ask me if I'm dead tomorrow to wake me up! 

Day 11: To the Middle Fork of the Gila

Mileage: 14 miles (189.7-203.7)

Another day where the miles didn't really reflect the difficulty and in fact, we probably hiked more than this as we had to do a road walk more than once going back between the campsite, the Cliff dwellings, and Doc's store (...about 4 miles apart). Luckily, we were able to get two rides which definitely saved us some time back and forth.

We set out for the Cliff Dwellings by about 7am and walked all the way there from the campsite. We visited the visitor center after the 4 mile walk and consulted with a ranger about our potential route. She told us there were 10 foot piles of blowdown and other debris which had completely wiped out our intended route down the Middle Fork of the Gila, so we decided to take a different route, Little Bear Canyon, which met up with the Middle Fork after a few miles and skipped the worst section of trail.

But first went over to the Cliff Dwellings and were not disappointed! The dwellings were pristinely preserved, including the walls with the mortar and many of the rooms inside the caves. Immediately when you walk into the caves you realize why the Mimbres and other Puebloan people made then their homes. It was so much cooler inside the cave and sheltered from the hot sun. They also built their rock walls such that the sun would hit them during the day, heat them up, and then when it got cold overnight the walls would release the heat they'd stored in the daytime. Probably one of the first ever passive solar designs, really incredible! 

We had a great interpreter who gave us some neat insights to how the people lived and also pointed out some cool pictographs (...just like from my cave a few days before). It's insane, but they only used these structures for about 25 years before they moved on due to drought or other circumstances. There are actually more questions than answers when it comes to the Cliff Dwellings, as looters in the mid-nineteenth century pillaged so many valuable artifacts.

After visiting the dwellings, we went back to Doc's, got Natty's poles ordered, and each had a burrito. I also was able to call Laura which was really nice even for just a few minutes, knowing I might not have service for another five or six days.

We set off back toward Little Bear Canyon and got to the trailhead by about 2pm. Definitely, a late start but I had planned on taking a zero day (hike zero miles)cat the hot springs anyhow, so I didn't mind a late start. After hiking up for awhile, we ran into another CDT hiker, Cody, who was actually from New Mexico. He was carrying a rather large gun to shoot rabbits, which I'm not too comfortable with as I'm sure it's against the law to do so in the wilderness area. Of course, I didn't tell him so because he had a gun and I just met him.

He asked to hike with us for a bit which we were happy to oblige but his pack was so big (50+ lbs) he quickly fell behind. As we descended, Little Bear Canyon, quickly narrowed into a slot canyon with steep burnt orange cliffs on each side. Then we popped out onto the Middle Fork of the Gila and were completely in awe. Sheer cliffs towered over us like sentinels in the sky. They reminded me a lot of the Hoodoos in Bryce Canyon National Park, except we were at the bottom of a river bed which had helped carve these out over tens of thousands of years.

We heard about another set of hot springs, Jordon Hot Springs, and planned to stop there to make dinner and take a quick soak before moving on. Little did we know how beautiful it would be. We went up the small side trail where the Jordon Creek met the Middle Fork and came upon an idyllic scene: a crystal clear pool with a waterfall in one corner, perfectly shaded by a grove of trees. The temperature was a perfect 90F, which made it perfect for sitting in while I ate my dinner. The only mistake I made was apparently you aren't supposed to submerge your head as certain organisms in the water could give you meningitis. I really wish the other people hadn't told me that, but I quickly rinsed my nose and eyes with clean water and am hoping I'm meningitis free.

After we ate and soaked, we headed up trail just in time to see the evening light bathe the pinnacles. Even though we had plenty of crossings the Middle Fork never got above my knees and trail was much better defined than on the Lower Gila. Me and Natty found a good spot to camp, and I laid down with the water singing in my ears.

Day 10: To Doc Campell's and Gila Hot Springs

Mileage: 11.2 miles (178.5-189.7)

The day was a lot harder than the 11 miles might indicate. I woke up to nearly frozen shoes and wet socks, all before the sun had reached the canyon floor. I probably had another 25 river crossings, the first of which at 7:30am long before the sun's rays could warm me up. I shivered for the 45 minutes of walking and actually wore my down coat while I hiked for warmth.

Again, it was beautiful walking and the trail improved significantly as I went further north. There were actually cairns (piles of rocks to mark the trail) at most of the river crossings and a real foot tread to follow at the edge of either side of the canyon. I was driven by thought of Doc Campbell's store, where I had sent my resupply package and I'd heard rumors of homemade ice cream. I had to push because Doc's had variable hours and I had no idea how late he'd stay open.

After a lot of slogging through the river I made it to Highway 18 and the Gila River bridge which was just about a mile from Doc's store. I arrived there by about 2pm, and thankfully they were open. I even had a surprise there as my mom had sent me a care package. With my mom's additions I had WAYY too much food, but I hate to waste anything so I attempted to eat my way through it. I got through seven Marie Calendar cookies, a cup of Doc's ice cream, a bottle of Gatorade, and half a bag of crackers before I began feeling full. I hadn't eaten nearly enough so I had to leave some of the food behind in the hiker box so everything would fit in my pack (...a hiker box is a free bin for other CDT hikers). 

While at the store I met another CDT hiker, Natty, a recently retired family physician from Wisconsin. It turned out he'd gotten pretty badly lost the day before and had to bushwack about 15 miles out of a canyon. On the bushwack he'd lost his tent poles and had no way to order new ones (we had no service and you needed a calling card for the pay phone). 

That night, we realized Doc's had wifi, so I told him I'd let him use my phone the next day to make the order via amazon (...he didn't have a smart phone either). I also offered to help reformat his GPS because he didn't have any of the waypoints for the alternate routes (like the Gila) or adequate maps. Problem was we needed a computer for that so that might be awhile.

We camped right along the river at the the Gila Hot Springs for $6 each, including the hot springs. I soaked that evening, in what was probably the cleanest hot pools I've ever seen. The temp was about 104F which was just hot enough I could only stay in for 15-20 mins at a time. Natty and I resolved to check out the Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument in the morning and then head to Doc's to order his tent poles and maybe hike out together after that. For the first time, I fell asleep with the prospect of having a hiking buddy.

Day 9: The Gila River

Mileage: 17.4 miles (161.1-178.5)

Got a late start this morning after coffee with Doug the hermit. He showed me his Native American artifacts before I left including a bunch of arrowheads, which were pretty incredible as well as some needle and thread made from an agave plant.

Pretty much immediately after Doug's the trail started making a steep ascent to Tadpole ridge, where the Columbus alternate route joins the Gila River route. I accidentally took the Columbus route for a few miles before I realized I was headed back towards Mexico. 

When I got back to the intersection I understood why -- a couple trees had blown down across the Gila route, completely blocking it and the sign marking it. Once back on trail I did quite a bit of downhill back towards Sheep Corral canyon and eventually to the Gila River. 

I had heard there was some cliff dwellings where we met the Gila, so I scrambles up about 50 ft to a cave and at the time was very disappointed because I saw what I thought was some orange graffiti on the ceiling. I thought to myself, 'the nerve of some people, defacing a beautiful cave like this.' Two days later, when I visited the Gila Cliff Dwellings national monument I realized what I had seen were pictographs from more than 800 years ago. The nerve of those Mimbres Indians! I guess I was more dehydrated than I thought...

As I hiked down the Gila River I realized it was less hiking along the river and more hiking IN the river. Over the five hours I must have crossed the river 25 times, sometimes up to my waist in the current. Luckily, the current wasn't ever too swift and I never felt unsafe, stabilized by both my trekking poles.

It really was exhausting making all the river crossings and for the majority of the time, there was no trail. I just knew I had to go upstream for 16 miles and needed to go through whatever brush, fallen down tree, or sand that lay ahead. Of course, I haven't mentioned how beautiful it was. It was really amazing seeing the canyon walls rising so steeply on each side, with lush greenery at the bottom to give some respite from the sun. 

By about 6:30 the sun had started to recede behind the west canyon wall. I took a look at my GPS and saw a note that there had previously been a hot spring just about 500 feet from where I just passed. Being the fiend I am for hot springs, I had to check it out, even if it meant backtracking a bit. As I headed south, down a long and straight meadow looking for the spring, I spotted a momma bear and her cub crossing the river not more than 100 yards away. They didn't notice me at all since I was downwind and perched on top of the grassy spot. I quickly fumbled for my camera (my phone), but it was too dark and too far away for my iPhone to get anything. 

I put down the phone and realized the only way to remember this would be to savor it and watch carefully. Since the spring was supposedly just where the bears crossed the river, I decided it wasn't worth it and headed back north to find a camp spot. I setup under a stand of cottonwoods and drifted to sleep with bears walking through my dreams.

Day 8: Doug the Hermit

Mileage: 0

Here's one sentence I never thought I'd say, and still don't quite believe: 'I had wine and cheese and maybe the best cup of coffee I've ever had with a hermit in the Gila Mountains.' Definitely not what I expected when I left Silver City on Saturday morning. It all started when I met some ATVers while I was taking a break by Bear Creek. 

They were two older men who struck up a conversation. They knew about the CDT and we talked about that for a bit. When I asked what they were doing, they said they were helping out a hermit to resupply. They said he only comes out once a year and they had just dropped him back off with a year's worth of goods. The younger of the two men told me that the hermit would be 'delighted' if I stopped by and 'he wasn't what I'd expect.' He gave me instructions on how to find him (go right when you see the 'COT' written in sticks).

Well, I wasn't going to pass up talking to a hermit! So, by around 6:30pm I came to the sticks and sure enough when I took the ATV track right I came to the hermit'a cabin (side note: to call it a cabin would be exaggeration ... it has a gas and wood stove, a bed, and plenty of food, but in reality it's more like four pieces of plywood nailed together with the insulation still showing and a corrugated metal roof on top).

Anyhow, the hermit, who introduced himself as Doug, was definitely happy to see me. He was a tall, wiry guy probably in his mid 60's but definitely in shape.. Though I scared him a bit when I walked up, you could immediately tell he loved people. In fact, we stayed up until 11:30pm talking (wayyyy past hiker bedtime) and I barely even got a word in. 

But first, he showed me around his property, including the well that he dug by hand (with the pipe he also buried by hand 1/4 mile all the way to his 1000 gallon water tank), the garden with raised beds, and miles and miles of trail he'd built himself.

It was amazing because he did all this without any prior knowledge of carpentry, well digging, gardening, or trail maintenance ... and no access to the internet. I mean can you imagine learning anything without first using Wikipedia or Google? He literally learned everything he did by doing. It's not the fastest method, but it's fascinating to see his approach to problem solving. For example, after the garden did so poorly his second year (all the nutrients were used up), he started experimenting with different methods of composting at high altitude and through trial and error over the past 10 years he probably knows more about gardening at high altitude than almost anyone in New Mexico.

And he was like this in everything he did - truly fastidious and exacting. He made his coffee in just a certain way (4 tablespoons into a gold filter with just the right amount of water). He cooked his rice in the same portion every night. For dinner, all he had was that rice and a handful of sprouted beans ... every single day.

He was thrilled I knew something about gardening and I promised to try and find him some seeds adapted to high altitude. He had some starts he'd found in town but we both agreed he'd be better off if he could have plants better adapted to his climate. 

It's hard to describe his energy. He just was a non-stop talker and at times I couldn't tell if he was a little crazy or just really excited to see another human. He invited me into his cabin and insisted on opening his only box of wine he had gotten at resupply. Remember, this was all he had since he only goes out once a year. I went and got my cheese from my bag and with his ritz crackers we ate like kings and sipped our wine (it turns out he loved cheese, but hadn't gotten any at resupply so I left him with the block afterwards).

Doug had been out there for 16 years in one shelter or another. He is very religious, almost like a monk without the vow of silence. He believed hermitage was God's calling for him so that's what he did and never looked back. When he's not praying or doing his rosaries he does trail work or fixes whatever needs fixing. It's a very simple life, but he said he didn't miss a thing in the outside world. What got me is how he obviously loved people - he couldn't stop telling me about the other handful of hikers who've stumbled into him. But it's almost like he treats it as sinful to be with people ... I even saw him cursing himself a few times when he thought he was talking too much. It was such a pleasant and bizarre experience - on the one hand it felt so normal but then I remembered I'm hanging out with a hermit who sees only a handful of people a year and insisted he was gaining 'new revelations about Mary' that the church would never believe.

The next morning, we woke up and he had a cup of coffee ready for me done just right. It was amazing. It was incredibly smooth and almost oily. The coffee had a hint of sweetness and required neither milk nor sugar. I want coffee like that every morning - and I've never had a cup like it even at the fanciest coffee shops (Laura, it's worth the trip just for the coffee ... Mom, since you're the only one actually reading this -- the coffee was from Costco as was all his food pretty much.

After socializing for a few more hours, I set off in the morning promising to send him a postcard and some seeds. You never know who you'll meet on the CDT...

Day 8, Part 1: Off to the Gila

Mileage: 17.4 miles (143.7-161.1)

I spent some time just hanging out in Silver this morning just drinking coffee and talking to my dad. The coffee shop was cute and had a killer egg and green chile breakfast sandwich. I met an older woman there who was a fire lookout in the Gila for a long time and also who had ridden her horse from Mexico to Canada (not on the CDT, but a route she made up herself .... back in the '70s ... which is way more badass). She gave me some numbers, including her own, and told me I could call her no matter where I was in New Mexico and she would help me out - such a sweet lady!

I took the Walnut Creek Alternate out of town - it is a more direct route to the Gila National Forest and cut a few miles off. After a 7 mile road walk which gradually went from two lane and well-paved down to one lane dirt. I passed the signs for the CDT on my right and left and for the first-time on the trip I was taking an alternate route.

The Gila River and Cliff dwellings are supposed to be one of the most spectacular parts of New Mexico, home to abundant history, wildlife, and water year-round. The water alone sold me as the official route through the Black range is basically waterless.

I followed jeep track most of the way to Bear Creek and then met up with a Forest service trail. I was enveloped by Ponderosa and Pinyon pines, for some of the best shade on the trip so far. Lethe clouds looked a little ominous but it only a amounted to a few a sprinkles and was clear again. 

I ran into two horseback riders and their dogs while I was walking over a crest in the trail. At first I saw three or four hounds and was like wow, they have a lot of dogs! Then, about 15 more came from behind - all hounds - and I was like, 'holy shit!'. At the time I just figured they must love animas haha. However, a guy down the trail pointed out that they were actually lion hunters (or possibly bear). So I'm thinking, 'oh, how cute, they love dogs' and in fact they were trying to tear a mountain lion to shreds. I guess the radio collars should have set me off ... or the guns, but I don't remember seeing any.

Anyways, I started following an ATV track that overlooked the whole valley, with massive red rocks vaulting up from below. I came to an intersection where the ATV track turned off to the right and in big stick letters someone had written 'CDT' with an arrow straight ahead. I followed the ATV path right, saw a little house, and that's where I met the Doug the Hermit (...continued in pt 2)