Tag: CDT2025

Landforms

  • CDT NM 2025 Day 23, Tuesday April 29
  • Start mile 586.2 down from mesa
  • End mile 613.1 near spring
  • Miles walked: 26.9

I start the day crossing a deep river channel, dry. Could this be the Rio Puerco?

All day the route follows cairns past strange shapes formed out of sandstone and shale.

I pass the camp for Stitch and Machete.

A pileup of tumbleweeds blocks the route. Tiny tumbleweed sprouts are thick in the tread.

I pass castles, towers, cathedrals, and moats formed out of stone.

For the first time on this trip I see sagebrush, a narrow-leaf variety.

The route follows along the edge of cliffs, traverses slickrock, and makes an intricate path through the sandstone maze.

Finished audiobook The War of the Worlds, by H G Wells.

Descent

  • CDT NM 2025 Day 22, Monday April 28
  • Start mile 555.6
  • End mile 586.2 down from mesa
  • Miles walked: 30.6

For several miles I walk along dirt road, meh. More green grass is appearing as I journey northbound.

Near the Los Indios Spring, which involves a challenging scramble down, a trail angel has left a water cache. There’s enough water left for one or two hikers, after I get my allotment.

After going from Cibola National Forest to BLM, the route transitions from road to well-designed footpath. At a viewpoint one can observe that we have been hiking on top of a mesa, with cool landforms below.

I meet Brian, a southbound flip-flopping thru-hiker. He says he met several hikers today.

The route descends from the mesa, with breathtaking views, more than my camera can capture.

Down below I meet Creed, who is hiking with her dog Creed…

… and two horses!

I am afraid this journal might start getting filled with photos of landforms.

In the deep river channel I can see water flowing.

Clouds think about rain, but don’t bother.

New Mexico can suddenly change geology and ecosystems, perhaps more than any other state on the CDT.

Finished audiobook South Sea Tales, by Jack London.

Near Taylor

  • CDT NM 2025 Day 21, Sunday April 27
  • Start CDT mile 530.5, in heights after trailhead north of town
  • End mile 555.6
  • Miles walked: 25.1

A view of Grants rewards an early morning climb.

Someone added a bell to a cairn post, as the route continues on a mesa.

An alternate trail goes to the summit of Mt Taylor, but I stay on the red line.

The route goes on some bewildering ups and downs today, with trees hiding the shape of the terrain. We are often at an elevation to have aspens, too early to leaf out.

Thick forest with Ponderosa suggests a history of fire suppression, but I am just guessing.

I meet a hiker, Kangaroo, the first I have seen for days.

Gradually we are losing elevation. I see an elk grazing on green grass. We haven’t seen grass actually green much on this trip.

Gradually w

I meet someone filling a water cache at the end of the day: Thanks for helping us hikers! It is several miles until the next good water.

Finished audiobook Star Ship, by Poul Anderson.