- CDT NM 2025 Day 26, Friday May 2
- Start mile 656.4 past stream
- End mile 682.6 near Mesa View Trail
- Miles walked: 26.3
The route begins today on a mesa, through thinned Ponderosa forest.
Starting to descend the mesa, I notice a high number of standing snags, with a sharp transition on when the snags begin.
Thinking about it, I realize the standing dead trees probably resulted from a fire.
Continuing to descend, the route follows a stream for a while.
Coming out of forest, I can enjoy sandstone cliffs of many colors, among the sagebrush.
A rattlesnake on the trail makes no noise at all, though the rattle is visible. I am hearing anecdotally that more silent rattlesnakes are being encountered because misguided persons kill this useful predator when they hear them, so quiet rattlesnakes are becoming more numerous due to natural selection.
The trail crosses the Chama River at Skull Bridge.
Most hikers will now take the Ghost Ranch alternate for resupply, which stays at low elevation. On this hike I am trying to take alternates which I have not done before, so I stay on the main CDT, which climbs up a mesa, past cliffs, going from 6.4k elevation at Skull Bridge to 8.0k.
The route follows along the edge of the mesa, with fine views of landforms below for many miles.
I can see Abiquiu Reservoir.
And I can also see some of the sandstone cliffs near Ghost Ranch.
I try to get to the intersection with Mesa View Trail, but lightning and rain threaten. Tomorrow I will be able to take this trail towards Ghost Ranch. The trail is not on the app that most hikers are using to navigate the CDT, but it probably should be.
Finished audiobook A Trace of Memory, By Keith Laumer.
Happy anniversary.