Crazy Cook

  • CDT NM 2025 Day 1, April 7
  • Start Crazy Cook mile 0
  • End post and cairns mile 20.5
  • Miles walked: 20.5

The Greyhound bus arrives in Lordsburg at 5:45AM, and the CDTC Shuttle departs at 6:30AM to the beginning of the CDT at the Mexico border, at Crazy Cook National Monument, arriving around 9AM.

The monument gets its name from a murder at a cowboy camp in 1865, marked by a nearby crude stone marker.

The hikers starting off with me are Pancho, Mud Duck, Pikachu, Jess, and Tenderfoot.

We start off walking among creosote bush on well-defined tread.

Soon the trail heads toward a gap in the hills. Tenderfoot and I pass each other several times during the day.

The first water cache is near mile 14, in a bear box.

The trail here splits for a few miles, with one option continuing in a dry rocky creek bed, and another climbing up, marked with post-and-cairns. Tenderfoot and I choose the high route.

The next water cache box is near mile 44 (though there might be other water opportunities). My goal is to put in more miles today, to make it easier tomorrow.

Sometimes it is hard to spot the next post marking the trail, and the tread is light and hard to follow. The route frequently goes down and up arroyos. I start to slow down, low on energy, and Tenderfoot is far ahead. I pause for a siesta, fall asleep for a few minutes, and eat first dinner. Continuing on, refreshed, I stop at dusk just after spotting Tenderfoot’s tent.

Loppoween

  • GET 2024 day 31, Oct 31, Thursday
  • Start Springtime Campground
  • End HOME!
  • Lopped upper part of Apache Kid Trail between Springtime Campground and Shipman Trail junction, 0.3 miles

The night was cold, even at lower elevation of the campground, but sleeping inside the Subaru was comfy. Climbing up to the top of the ridge, I appreciated the fine views during the last day of my adventure.

I lop Gambel oak for a half-day where it is thickest, near the top of the ridge.

Finished audiobook 3 SF Stories by Jack Williamson.

Continue reading “Loppoween”

Loptitude

  • GET 2024 day 30, Oct 30, Wednesday
  • Start San Mateo Spring campsite
  • End Springtime Campground
  • Lopped 0.5 miles Shipman Trail starting at the junction with Apache Kid, cleared 4 fresh blowdowns on Apache Kid Trail between the junction with Shipman Trail and the campground

What a cold windy night! The wind did not decrease in the evening, and I did not dare put up a tent, and instead cowboy-camped under clear skies. Steady cold wind continues all day, until I climb down to a lower altitude.

The north part of Shipman has Gambel oak, and lopping should make the trail easier to follow.

In places the oak leaves have dropped off, making lopping easier.

When the sun gets low, I head towards the campground, clearing blowdowns along the way, Normally I skip leaners, but this one was an easy fix.

Finished audiobook A Strange Disappearance, by Anna Katharine Green, a Gryce novel.