Ghost Ranch
Today we got back on trail. A bit later of a start, getting to trail about 11:30. However, considering its about an hour and a half drive, not too terrible.
I woke up and showered and packed up my kit. Cleaned up my room and took and then made my way to another coffee shop, where I did in fact have two breakfasts (eggs Benedict and a egg/bagel sandwich) plus a few iced coffees.
Jesse was helping unload some food in the morning, so I had some time to kill. The Santa Fe International Hostel is a non-profit, and Whole Foods supports them by donating a hefty amount of food once a week.
We then picked up RT and made our way back to trail. This particular section is the Ghost Ranch alternate, where you wind through some beautiful lands with lots of history. It is an established, and private, area, so in order to hike through you need to pay ten bucks. There’s a little gift shop and concession stand, so I got a mango fruit popsicle and an iced tea. I’m sure as a day walker it woulda been nice to explore and learn a bit more about the history, but especially with our late start we wanted to truck on.
Eventually find find ourselves scrambling up a canyon, and the trail dead ends. We made a booboo. Another hiker pointed out there was a fork just down the way where the CDT goes up a different canyon. Yay for backtracking! Luckily it wasn’t terribly far.
However, we then did have a decent bit of uphill. With my heavy food intake (and especially heavy alcohol intake) I was definitely struggling a bit. I’m fairly slow uphill, especially for a thruhiker, anyway. But add those elements I was was svitzing and huffing and puffing real bad.
Eventually, RT (a former smoke jumper) cruised on not to be see again. Not terribly surprised as he tends to hike until just before dark, where I’m more of a get to camp and chill for a bit kinda fella. That pored with his lack of slowness with the ascent meant bye bye RT. To be seen another day, I’m sure.
After the ascent, the trail was fairly relaxed and smooth. Beautiful views behind us of the valleys and flat land the highway cut through where we were dropped off.
The trail followed a well packed gravel road for a while, and then cut off to the side. I saw notes the turn off was easily missed, but even still I got in the zone and trucked on right passed it. By the time I opened up the maps to see where it was, I was half a mile passed. I already back tracked once today, and I didn’t want to again if I could avoid it.
Looking at the map, it appeared the road would reconnect with the trail a few miles up. It might add about a mile, but if I were to backtrack that half mile, I would have done an extra mile anyway. So I continued on.
Before I knew it, I had come to the junction where the road would lead to the trail. I waited a few minutes to open up the maps as I thought it was around the bend, but when I did I realized I had passed it. There was no road. I went back (luckily only a tenth of a mile or so) and saw an old animal path that seemed like it was going the right way. Without any other option I trek up it. A bit of a steep grade, but nothing crazy, and only about half a mile to where it meets with the trail, I crossed my fingers and continued on.
A little frustrated and annoyed, I finally made it back to trail. As I crested the hill, I saw four gents on four atvs. The curiously looked at me coming from the middle of nowhere, also in the middle of nowhere. We chatted for a minute and they were just out hanging for the day. Just as I was about to leave, they offered up a beer. The trail provides, when you’re down.
The beer got me the last few miles to the water source, and I considered camping there (about 15-16 miles on the day). However, I really wanted a few more in there. So I filled up my extra bottles and continued for another 45 mins or so.
After about mile 18, I found a nice place to pitch the tent and called it a day. Looking at reports up trail, it seems the snow is about to really begin... I got a small taste a few days ago with dispersed mounds, but as of only 3 days ago there’s reports of waist high snow for many miles straight. I.e. slow going, and early mornings to hopefully get the snow that’ll support my weight rather than post hole.
Fingers crossed it melts in the next few days, and the 5-6 days since those reports show some significant decline in snow. But realistically speaking, I’ll be going through quite a bit. BUT it’s the last 75 miles in New Mexico, so that’s very exciting.
Also, today is my sister Tess’ 28th birthday! Happy birthday!
