Daily Miles: 10.0, Total Miles: 23.5 Slow start by my usual standards but left camp on a beautiful, sunny morning. From Willow Springs I headed into Upper Courthouse Wash, no trail, just followed the twisting, narrow canyon. Ankle deep water was flowing through much of the canyon and the wash bottom was often the most direct route. Had my first experience with quicksand today. No warning, took a step off solid ground and the next thing I knew I was…
Daily Miles: 13.5, Total Miles: 13.5 I flew to Moab on Tuesday with what felt like the beginnings of a head cold. It was in full force by the time I went to bed. The next morning wasn’t much better but my only task was a trip to the Arches Visitors Center to get my backcountry camping permit. I was in bed by 6pm loaded up with on nighttime NyQuil so got a pretty decent sleep. Randy from Trail Taxi…
I noticed that rain and snow were forecast for my planned caching trip. Stood a much better chance of accessing the backcountry road crossings in good weather with dry roads. So I apologized to Mrs. Haze and quickly got my act together. I left early Saturday and got to Canyonland’s Needle Outpost late in the afternoon. The new owners graciously agreed to hold my resupply box and told me a few Hayduke hikers had just arrived. Took a spin through…
Took a bit of inventory on gear this past month. As for the Big 3, my Zpacks Arc Blast pack is frayed and even the patches are wearing thin. I’ll go with my trusty old ULA Catalyst, a bit heavier but sturdy enough for the desert canyons, rocky environment and expected long water carries. I replaced all zippers on my ZPacks sleeping bag and Hexamid Solo Plus Tent. They had completely gummed up on the GET hike due to age…
Planning for the Hayduke Trail (HDT) is different and more challenging than for popular National Scenic Trails. The bible remains The Hayduke Trail – A Guide to the Backcountry Hiking Trail on the Colorado Plateau written by Mike and Joe in 2005. I got it for Christmas five years ago – Mrs. Haze doesn’t like to be reminded of that fact! I recently bought and downloaded the Hayduke Trail Hiking Resources Bundle put together by Andrew Skurka (andrewskurka.com). This handy…
After the GET hike, Mrs. Haze and I headed to the San Juans and spent the July 4th in Salida. We then circumvented the Zirkel Wilderness in Northern Colorado and the Wind River Range in Wyoming. Had a great time re-visiting some of my favorite ranges on the CDT. We even got to be trail angels for some CDT hikers. Speaking of ankle busting, just before my GET hike, I was playing tennis and felt a pop at the bottom…
One week off the trail and still feeling somewhat fatigued. Finally got up early enough to go for a walk this morning before it gets too hot. I can really feel the peroneal tendon under my ankle that I damaged before I started the hike. Probably didn’t help the recovery process by going on a long, sometimes punishing hike. I also swam some laps yesterday but was going so slow I felt like I was swimming in place. It did…
Daily miles: 22.0, Total Miles: 760.0 I always get a bit antsy at the end of the hike and today was no exception. I was on the trail by 4am guided by my headlamp. Even had to wait for the Subway at Tijeras to open up because I was too early. Then it was up, up and up into the Sandia Mountains. At least 5,000 ft of total elevation gain, finishing at 10,00 ft Sandia Peak at about 2pm. Great…
Daily Miles: 28.5, Total Miles: 738.0 An overcast and chilly morning on the road walk into the small community of Tanique. While Beardoh, Sweet Pea and I were gorging on pastries and microwaved chimichangas, our sad entertainment across the street was a loud argument between a couple. The guy was getting kicked out of the trailer and the cops were called to the scene. A combination of walks and a short hitch got me back on the trail at Southern…
Daily Miles: 23.0, Total Miles: 709.5 I followed the Crest Trail high up in the Manzano Mountains almost all day. I met Beardoh and Sweet Pea at Spruce Spring and we hiked together for most of the day. We all agreed the hiking today was much tougher than expected (almost always is!) with a lot of elevation gain, blowdowns in the burnt sections, and a long stretch of faint and overgrown trail. The GPS got a workout. We got much…
