Daily Miles: 20.8, Total Miles: 559.8 First order of business today was another climb, this time to Blue Mountain at over 10,000 ft. Great 360-degree views of where I’ve been and where I’m going. Worked my way down to Water Canyon to Pothole Spring and filled up for a long dry spell. Now that I’ve lost all my elevation there was nowhere to go but up. I followed Indian Creek up a wash then switchbacked up to Grassy Lookout at…
Daily Miles: 16.6, Total Miles: 539.0 The steep, uphill bushwhack got me to Burma Road which seemed to take me forever to get me from the foothills to Monticello Spur and the start of the Apache Kid Wilderness in the rugged San Mateo Mountains. I really enjoyed the hike today up between two 10,000 ft peaks, dipping down into the canyons and then back up to almost the top of San Mateo Peak. The downside was plenty of elevation gain…
Daily Miles: 12.5, Total Miles: 522.4 The PO didn’t open until 9:30am so a late start. Said goodbye to Josh and Heather drove me to the PO and then to where I left off on NM Hwy 52 south of Dusty. Thanks again for the hospitality! Near the drop off point were two GET hikers, Beardoh and Sweet Pea, looking for a ride into Winston. I may see them again as they were going to pick up their resupply box…
Daily Miles: 0, Total Miles: 509.9 A pleasant, peaceful, restful day in Chloride. Heather brought me over a big piece of delicious quiche for breakfast. I strolled around town looking at old buildings and equipment, visited the Chloride museum and had a chat with Linda, without a doubt, the resident historian (so informative), and walked up to the cemetery on the hill overlooking town. This kind of tuckered me out so I returned to my cabin and had a nice…
Daily Miles: 1.5, Total Miles: 509.9 Only a few miles to get to Hwy 52, a dirt road, known to be a difficult hitch to Winston. My plan was to hopefully get a ride to town before the PO closes at 11am (Saturday hours). I walked down to a ranch residence that had an old Cat D7G dozer across the highway that I could use for shade. In five hours, only one pickup came in the right direction. The rancher…
Daily Miles: 23.9, Total Miles: 508.4 I frequently hear coyotes howling and yipping in the early morning at home. What I heard howling this morning were not coyotes – they were a local wolf pack. I call today the “Gate and Fence Day” – passed through at least a dozen gates and spent much of the day walking along various fences. I continued my journey through the Black Range eventually turning east and leaving the CDT and a short time…
Daily Miles: 22.6, Total Miles: 484.5 Cold last night – even wore my gloves to bed. I was hoping for a bit less strenuous day and I got that for the most part. Contouring on or near the crest of the Black Range for the better part of the day. Only a puddle of water in Chloride Creek and I spooked the deer and elk that were hanging out there. Mostly wet leaves anyway so I didn’t try to filter….
Daily Miles: 20.5, Total Miles: 461.9 Woke up to gusty winds and a few sprinkles. Didn’t get any better – snow flurries off and on all day and a cold wind. Despite the weather, it was a pretty hike entering the Aldo Leopold Wilderness and climbing up aptly named Burnt Canyon. Saw a small cliff dwelling high up on one side that would have been interesting to explore. I left Burnt Canyon and climbed to the official CDT through the…
Daily Miles: 25.9, Total Miles: 441.40 I road walked to the Gila Cliff Dwelling Visitor’s Center and took the Middle Fork Highwater Bypass, not because of high water but I’d already hiked the Middle Fork on my CDT hike. I connected to the main CDT and continued on to the East Fork Gila River, only one ford, and then Diamond Creek which I followed for four miles, crossing several times. After lunch and restocking water, I made it to Tom…
Daily Miles: 0, Total Miles: 415.5 Not a whole lot of effort extended today except for a short walk to the Gila Hot Springs on the river. Three individual pools have been developed – mild, medium and hot. The hot pool was off limits because it was 125 degrees. I had a good soak and was just fine with 103 degrees. Got to Doc’s a few times today to take advantage of WiFi, download a few podcasts, eat some homemade…
