Dbagnall - Continental Divide Trail Journal - 2012

The End is Near!

Here we are in Mimbres, NM with only about 150 miles to go until the border! We are taking a zero today - to rest the road weary feet - at trail angels Lynnae's home; a great place for a zero! I believe we are the only SOBO's taking the Columbus route. The Gila was wonderful but we hit the area during a cold spell. We hiked the middle fork which gave us 85 river fords in 20 miles. The next day we awoke to temps in the low teens, frozen shoes, and many more fords through freezing water - OUCH! The river canyon is beautiful with fall colors and crazy rock formations. We saw a good sized bear crossing the river just downstream from us.

We were a little food stressed in the area and when we arrived at the campground near the Cliff Dwellings we yogi'd a can of refried beans from a car camper. As hungry as we were they tasted like filet migon! After watching us scarf down the beans, cold out of the can hike two hungry wolves, the car camper brought us half a cantelope! OMG soooo good.

Tomorrow we get back on the trail heading east over more near 10,000 peaks and then descend southward into the desert and into Deming, NM just 60 miles from the end. After our experience north of the Gila (not documented here but we nearly had a 50mile waterless stretch) we are concerned about the water sources. The area is very dry after a few years of drought.

New wildlife sightings: Owl, Pigs (both firsts for me), Tarantulas

Entry 18 of 18
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