Ghost Ranch to Chama, NM

After a restless nights sleep on the floor in the crowded  Ghost Ranch room, I woke and took my gear quietly out the door so as not to wake anyone. Twisted heard me and joined me outside where we walked to the visitor center, got water made coffee and ate some food. A few other hikers joined us to use the wi-fi . We said our goodbyes and were hiking by 7 am.

We walked the road north out of the ranch through some established trails past a few more buildings and up a hill where we saw some old sweat lodges (probably from the O’Keefe property), preserved for posterity. We hiked through and over a small steam and ascended a beautiful canyon with steep rock walls surrounding us. If I didn’t know any better I’d have again thought we were in Utah. After four miles we began to top out on the mesa and follow dirt roads. At six miles we stopped for a short break at Yeso Tank, another earthen cattle tank.

After Yeso Tank another two miles of uphill grade followed. To our left appeared a cairn marking a short and steep x-country section that led to a broad ridge and a view of the Sangre De Cristos. Following this we ate lunch then continued for miles to Harris Bear Spring and took another break at 15 miles down.

The trail and terrain were beautiful at this point: massive stands of aspen among high, rolling terrain. Perfect elk habitat and we saw several small groups of elk over the corse of the day. The trail followed primaries road and single track over the next few miles and we slowly made it way toward Canjilon lakes which turned out to be a long abandoned lake with a lone concrete picnic table. Before reaching the lake however, the trail woke up and down through more alpine plains and aspen the climbed up and through a long section of trees dead from beetle kill and dozens of downed trees. Our pace was slower and the hiking was beer physical. Nearing the lake we saw England a hike from… England. Reach the lake we set up camp and watched two migrating waterfowl doing aerial fly bus. England joined is at the lake for dinner and we all cooked while watching small trout feed on the lake surface. Another spectacular sunset followed and I made hot chocolate mixed with Crown Royal (thanks Julie!) and we all headed off to sleep.

After a 22 degree temperature overnight we lazily woke ad look our time with our morning routine. Still, we managed to start hiking by 7:30 am. The trail went behind upper Canjilon lake, through a dense wooded area and past many small spring runoff streams. We followed Canjilon creek for a several miles through the cool morning with a constant cool breeze. I can tell already the Colorado weather is upon us and was very pleased that I added a Patagonia Nano Air Light vest to my clothing system (and subtracted the Patagonia R1 pullover now that I also have my Feathered Friends down hooded jacket). Hiking gets you sweating but the constant wind keeps your core chilled so tactful layering is a must.

After hiking over a small ridge we had a brief view of the Sangre De Cristos to the east and a hazy view of the San Juans to the north, then dropped into thick forrest again: Douglas Fir and Western Hemlocks primarily. This would continue through most of the day. After 10 miles we took a break at Canjada Jarosita and grabbed water. After a few more trail miles and primitive road connections through some nice small valleys we dropped to Rio Vallecitos where we had to cross over a large downed tree and then took lunch.
I was feeling rather sluggish up to this point but was energized when we hit the trail again at 2pm. Channeling my inner Righteous/Kirby/Per – the three hikers I spent a week or so with on the Arizona Trail last fall, I set off on a fairly strong pace and hiked straight through for the next three hours with no breaks. Climbing a hillside after Rock Creek, I passed Twisted at a cattle pond and continued up a long winding hill for a mile which then turned into steep switchbacks up and past Burned Mountain. Through intimate meadows I hiked and I was looking for Elk in this ideal ground, purposefully without music or and distraction so I could spot some but I never did. After two hours of ridge walking I came upon a something that sounded like music and approached an enormous group of 5-6 big trucks, 5th wheels and ATV trailers. I waved and walked right passed. At 5 Instopped at a junction to wait for Twisted but after 15 minutes it began to shower and I picked up and moved on. One and a half miles later I made it to Hopewell Lake and waited for Twisted at a camp spot but he never showed. I tried several water spigots but they were all still off for the season and decided to defend to the lake where I got water and wires out another shower while watching locals manhandle the stocked trout they fished for in the lake. I climbed back to the campground and still no Twisted. I approach some car campers who said he’d been looking for me so I tried another direction. Finally, a good hour and a half after each of us arrived, we ran into each other, laughed at ourselves for looking for each other walking in circles then made our dinners and camped.

In the morning the rising sun in the east touched our camp spot early and we were up and hiking at 6:30 am. Twisted needed water so he headed to the lake. I exited the campground onto NM highway 64 for a half a mile then rejoined the CDT headed northwest and waited for him to catch up. I watched a coyote walking across the headwaters of the lake, cross under a fence, cross the highway and head up in the direction of the trail. I watched two fisherman in a canoe glide across the lake with the early morning sun.

The first part of the trail ascended up to a nice open valley and we could see small rock outcroppings near the top of where we were heading. Walking a 4×4 road the trail skirted past these high points of Jawbone Mountain but climbed higher to join a higher valley via another toad closed to motorized use. We walked over muddy sections and chatted as a few snow patches began to show and we jiggled closer to 10,000 feet. After a few miles the trail descend to a small earthen cattle tank filled with snowmelt but it also drained out the bottom end and the water was. good for filtering. We took a lunch break and headed on down another small drainage and another cattle tank and past an intermittent creek just below 10,000 feet.

We the. dropped elevation down toward Rio San Antonio with Olguin Mesa above us. We missed a turn gazing at this gorgeous terrain but quickly found trail again and started a long climb with a breathtaking view of all the uppermost headwaters of Rio San Antionio. We walked two miles on the edge of cliffs with a hard cold wind blasting us all the way but the view was worth the price!

Gaining the top the trail headed north and the wind died as we entered thick wooded area. I stopped to look at an old shoe insert someone had discarded on the trail. When I looked up again a mid sized elk started right back, then bounded away into the woods. We dropped to another small drainage and took a water and snack break then started climbing again.

After a while we reached a road and walked this to lower Lagunitas then upper Lagunitas campground surrounded by several small lakes. The campground toad was closed so it was just Twisted and I the. suddenly at the uppermost lake we ran into Isabella, a young student from Bavaria who we’d originally met in Pie Town and tried to talk with several times when encountering her on the trail. We all sort of just sat in silence while filtering water and when I was finished I said, “Isabella, you’re a very good hiker.” At this she smiled and nodded. Twisted then asked he a few questions and she responded this time as they had a short chat.

After this we ascended above the campground and climbed over four more miles up over 10,000’feet and through a dense forest with lots of dead downed trees to navigate. We crossed an old dirt road and took it instead for a mile into a high alpine flat near 11,000 feet where we had our dirt clear views of the south San Juan mountains we were heading toward in the next stretch. Opting to duck into a small stand of pines to get out of the wind we made camp, cooked while sitting in the remaining sun and then hit the sack.

The morning of day four started at our usual time: up at 5-ish and on the trail by 6:30 am. The overnight temperature had not been nearly as bad as we’d expected at only 38 degrees and this was due to taking cover in the dense tree stand that we encountered. I took a few beautiful shots of the sunrise as we finally had our first clear view towards the South San Juan’s and Colorado!

The trail took us over Brazos Ridge right at 11,000 feet and a view east into the Brazos Wilderness area. With only about 14 miles to go at this point, we dropped down into another gorgeous valley where we crossed a stream and gathered water. We passed another earthen cattle tank  and then a long, slow climb up a broad basin and past Yonderland ranch and through a gate past the top. We stopped at another small stream where England passed us by, then proceeded down to the headwaters of the Brazos river and (you guessed it), back up again.

We entered another large wooded area over 10,000 feet heavily damaged by beetle kill with a lot of downed trees and patches of snow. We carefully, and slowly wound up and down this section as we’d lose the trail, find it again, follow the wrong footsteps and find our own way all in the course of the late morning. Finally, we reached a logging road and walked that for two miles to avoid another dense wooded section. We reached a rusted, fallen barbed wire gate and saw the sign to Rio Grande National Forest. This was the border between Colorado where the Carson National Forest ended in New Mexico and the Rio Grand began in Colorado! We took a photo and signed the “register:” a Kraft Parmesean Cheese can with notebook paper stuffed inside. It was sweet to reach Colorado on my 47th birthday!

This energized us and with three miles to highway 17 we picked up the pace hiking over some muddy sections of trail damaged by elk, some snow patches and along a rocky ridge where the wind blew hard: 50 miles an hour hard! I leaned in and at times it blew me off step as we watched the highway get closer and the pass and station where the Cumbres and Toltec Railroad stops. Once out of the wind we dropped down switchbacks to the highway and walked up 1/8 of a mile to the pass and began to hitchhike with no luck on the first 5-6 cars passing by.

After 30 minutes England and Isabella showed up and stood directly beside us. After 50 minutes we were picked up by a couple in a big truck with a child up front and a dog in a crate in the rear. The three boys piled in the back with the packs and Isabella rode in the crew cab. We were dropped off at the Chama post office, gathered packages and went straight to Fosters for a burger.

As we walked south towards the Y Motel we ran into another bubble of hikers who’d arrived either that day or the day before and introduced ourselves. They were getting drinks and beer but we wanted showers, food, and a bed. After an entertaining conversation with the motel owner I learned it was also her husband’s birthday. We paid for two nights and headed to our room.

Life Happens. A Break From the CDT.

This is a public blog and Iv’e purposefully held back on some personal thoughts and opinions as I’ve been writing up to this point. However, I’m going to share a bit of the things that simply happen in life with all who may be reading…

The next day in Chama, our first of two rest days, I caught up with a family member and learned that their health had taken a turn for the worse. They’ve been recovering from cancer surgery and recently recovering from a double pneumonia. They’ve made a really encouraging recovery, but I’ve decided to hike the next section from Cumbres Pass to Wolf Creek Pass and then make my way to Denver to visit family from 5/24 and get back to Denver on 5/29. Then I’ll make my way back to Wolf Creek Pass and continue my thru hike of the CDT.

In terms of the trail and the people I’ve been hiking with and around for the past 36 days… it’s going to be hard to step away and into an airport so suddenly. It will also be hard to say goodbye. But, life happens, and while I’ve spent my entire adult life a bit nomadically – rarely going back home to visit friends and family – it’s important to do. I also credit and thank my wife Julia for she is very close with her family and extended family. I’ve learned from her and reprioritized to spend time with what little bit of family I do have. While these awesome folks I’ve met on the trail will be moving forward, the trail isn’t going anywhere and I will be back on it very soon. In fact, I’ll probably hike like hell to catch back up with them once I do return!

I’ll keep adding blog posts during this part of my trip as I feel that this travel is just as much part of my journey on my CDT thru-hike as the actual miles on the trail.

As I type this, I’m a few minutes away from a ride back up to Cumbres Pass to hike the next stretch!

We’ll talk again soon.

~Steel