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| Looking Handsome On Day 10 |
Friday, May 4
I stayed at the Comfort Inn in Silver City and they treated me like a thru-hiking god! Laundry (the dryer was free), a computer in the lobby, pool and spa, fresh cookies and milk in the evening, and a full breakfast! If only I had time for a zero (no hiking)!
Nevertheless, I pried myself away from the comfort of my motel room and began the 10 mile road walk out of town. I had good cell service so I called Eva and she provided a most excellent distraction to the cars wizzing by. After the road walk I completed 8 more miles of trail. It was warm and water is scarce in this section. After lunch, I filtered 3.5 liters at the only water source for the day so I had plenty to dry camp and hike 6 miles in the morning to the next water source. I stopped at 6:00 PM and was in my tent reading at 7:30. My right ankle is a bit tender so I wanted to give it plenty of rest.
Saturday, May 5
In the morning I tackled the second serious climb on the CDT (the first was Burro Peak) and then dropped steeply down to the Gila River in the afternoon. Following the Gila River is a popular alternate to the "official route" through the Black Range. The Black Range is longer, dryer, and doesn't have a good resupply option.
The hike along the Gila River also has it's challenges. The river is in a steep canyon and requires wading across the river dozens of times. Hiking in soaked shoes filled with sand and gravel is uncomfortable and hard on the feet (socks too). The trail is washed out in many areas so bushwhacking is often required. In general, the miles are slow and hard on the Gila, but for the first time on the CDT, I'm not worried about having enough water.
I waited too long to find a campsite and after hiking for an hour without finding anything appealing, I simply stopped at the first flat sandy area and set up my tent in the dark. I was too tired to cook, so I ate some trail mix and pop tarts while listening to the river and went to bed. I slept well, woke up to wet/frozen shoes and socks, and completed the last 5 miles of the Gila River to Highway 15. A brief road walk along the highway brought me to Doc Campbell's Trading Post where I picked up my resupply box and some homemade ICE-CREAM! Check out the link below to my YouTube CDT 2018 videos. I posted one of the Gila River!
For additional content, check out Flickr for images, YouTube for video, SoundCloud for audio, and the Postholer Map with my most recent location.Thanks for following along!
Comments
Congratulations on making it through the Gila, and continued success as you press north. Your Brother, Ouzel