Daily Miles: 15.4, Total Miles: 670.4 I flew into Durango yesterday and a friend picked me up and took me back up to Chama. Thanks Melissa! I fortified myself with good Mexican food and a Marble IPA at Fosters. Thunderstorms for the next several days but a nice cool evening in Chama. I took the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad back to Cumbres Pass. A late but unique start, well worth the ride on a narrow gauge up the steep…
I had breakfast here in Chama with Trivia, Kevin and Rest Stop this morning. Some hikers are picking up snowshoes today and heading out tomorrow. Some are waiting for more snow to melt and avalanche danger to subside. Me, I’m going home but plan to return in a few weeks to pick up again. Who knows, by then the mud may be worse than the snow but at least a bit warmer. I definitely do not want to bypass or…
Daily Miles: 0, Total Miles: 655.0 A day of rest and working towards a decision on what’s next. Avalanche danger has been warned in the next section to Wolf Creek Pass. The trail from Cumbres Pass quickly climbs to 12,000 ft and the snow is getting soft. Most hikers at this point are waiting for melt or trying alternative lower elevation routes or even jumping ahead to Wyoming. The other option is to forge ahead with snowshoes. I looked at…
Daily Miles: 21.8, Total Miles: 655.0 I felt quite civilized having a picnic table last night and this morning. Headed up to Brazos Ridge Overlook and then onto a trail in progress following pink flagging from tree to tree. I got to a fence and a sign indicating I was leaving Carson NF and entering Rio Grande NF, then realizing I was straddling the NM-CO border. New Mexico is in the bag! Encountered deep snow on parts of the trail…
Daily Miles: 25.5, Total Miles: 633.2 Only five miles to Hopewell Lake on a bright and sunny morning – stocked up on water and dried out my gear on a picnic table. I stayed between 9,500 to 10,500 ft elevation all day hiking through green meadows and forests. Saw several more elk today but it was the one I didn’t see that scared the crap out of me. I was climbing a hill and had just pivoted at a switchback…
Daily Miles: 22.7, Total Miles: 607.7 I continued hiking along high mountain ridges through large meadows, aspens and pines, seeing more elk, deer and a large gobbler. Thunderstorms threatened early but cleared in the afternoon and dried out a bit. Some snow above 10,000 ft with just a little postholing. Went off trail several times today and had to backtrack or bushwhack to the trail. Not a well-marked trail in this section.
Daily Miles: 23.3, Total Miles: 585.0 I was awakened at 6:15am by what sounded like an air horn and someone ringing a cowbell. There are a lot of kids here attending various camps so I assume it was a wake-up call. After a big breakfast of corned beef hash, scrambled eggs and strong coffee, I reluctantly left peaceful (except for the air horn) Ghost Ranch. A beautiful hike this morning up through Upper Box Canyon and onto Mesa Montoso. Then…
Daily Miles: 7.7, Total Miles: 561.7 No rush this morning so splurged and had two cups of coffee before I even got out of my tent. I left the Rio Chama and skirted around the scenic canyon walls of Mesa Montosa leading to highway 84. Missed the trail on the other side of the highway and I headed cross-country in the direction of Ghost Ranch. Got stopped by a creek and headed downstream looking for a place to cross. Just…
Daily Miles: 23.0, Total Miles: 554.0 A nice hike today climbing up and then descending to Ojitos Canyon and good water. I entered the colorful Rio Chama Wilderness and Chama River valley, crossing the Skull Bridge over the silty Chama River. I took the Ghost Ranch alternative following the Rio Chama upstream and found a nice spot overlooking the valley. Not far from someone else who admired the view. An artist had set up an easel and painted until the…
Daily Miles: 22.5, Total Miles: 531.0 I walked up Los Pinos Road about 11 miles to the TH and Santa Fe National Forest. A short time later I entered the San Pedro Parks Wilderness. A steady climb got me to 10,500 ft following the Rio Puerco which looked to be chock full of little trout. The trail leveled off on top with large meadows, some soggy wet with snowmelt and creek headwaters. Saw a large bull elk feeding on new…
