Tag: CDT

CDT Day 18: May 23, 2025

Start: Gila Alternate mile 60.1

Stop: Gila Alternate mile 78.6

Today’s Miles: 18.5

Total CDT miles: 228.8

Once more ibuprofen (and some Tylenol) kicked in, I slept pretty well, considering. I had to lift up with my feet and legs and physically push my hips to be able to roll over-I couldn’t just turn. That was a scary feeling. I’m a side sleeper, and that didn’t go over so well with my back hurting like it was. 

I felt fine when I woke up, but then when I sat up, my back reminded me that it wasn’t feeling so hot. I could barely pack up my stuff, each stretch of my arm or turn sending shooting fire down my spine. Once I did get packed, Pebbles graciously picked up my backpack and put it on me. The pain was still there, but not as intense as it was when I was bending-so, we started hiking. I mean, what else is there to do?

Today was the same song and dance as yesterday: millions of river crossings with massive canyon walls sharply jutting out of the water all around. It was stunning, thankfully, because the terrain was tough at times-with overgrown sharp grasses and bushes when you weren’t walking through the water itself. Being amazed at the scenery definitely distracted from the pain in my back! And the cold water on my feet made them feel wonderful, too. 

We ate lunch in the shadow of a huge rock canyon wall, and a couple section hikers passed by while we ate. They’d stop and chat-then keep moving. This is apparently a pretty popular area to do a weekend hike, especially with it being Memorial Day Weekend. Who knew?

It’s HOT, so the water is a relief. It’s not very deep at all, only coming up to mid calf at the most-besides maybe once, where it came all the way up passed my shorts and barely shy of my butt. That’s thanks to beavers in the area steadily making progress on their new homes and blocked river passages. There was twice when we just walked over the beaver dam itself, praying their construction would hold us. We’re quite grateful for their attention to detail!

As the afternoon progressed, the trail weaved away from the river, and got much easier. Right before this though, in one of the last river crossing sections, Pebbles ended up on one side of the river and I was on the other-both of us apparently walking on trails. Whoops! He yelled at me from the other side and we both stopped to check our phones. He ended up bushwhacking across to me-scaring 4 javelinas in the process. Those suckers sure run fast!

We eventually made it to Snow Lake and decided to cowboy camp at the campground right above the lake. It’s obvious that it’s been a dry year, because the lake water level is really low. I joked about jumping off the dock into the water, and Pebbles pointed out that I would be jumping into hard dirt. Welp. It’s a little too chilly for swimming anyway, I guess. Ha. 

The wind is a little nuts at the moment, and the campsites are all covered in ground squirrel holes and mazes-you take a step and then crunch through a few inches, smashing their tunnel systems. Sorry buddies. I ended up putting my pack on top of the campsite grill hoping that the squirrels wouldn’t attempt to seek revenge and chew into my pack for my food. Fingers crossed. 

My back is still sore, but I’ve taken so much ibuprofen today that it’s currently only really painful if I bend or turn certain ways, so I’m just doing my best to not make those moves. Having a picnic table and the grill does help, as I can stand and go through my stuff instead of bending and reaching. Any little thing to help, I’ll take! 

There are a few other people camping here tonight, one older man with a motorbike and camper that’s pretty close to the bathrooms, and then a couple with a dog that we got to pet when they did their evening walk. We were trying to manifest some trail magic, from either party, but no dice. Haha, sad times! Oh well, it’s time for some sleep! I think we’re officially out of the Gila River area and getting real close to the end of the Gila Alternate. Here’s to popping more ibuprofen and hoping for the best! 

CDT Day 17: May 22, 2025

Start: Lower Scorpion Campground 

Stop: Gila Alternate mile 60.1

Today’s Miles: 18.4

Total CDT miles: 210.3

I think I hit the majority of all the different feelings today. Pure awe, excitement, happiness, pure misery and pain, and several others in between. 

The night sky was so unbelievably beautiful last night. Once I finally fell asleep, I slept hard. I woke up to both Special K and Pebbles being mostly packed and starting to walk out of camp. It was 6:25. Lord have mercy. 

I quickly packed and started walking to where they went: Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument. I left camp at 6:45. Pretty quick, especially for me! Not even half way down the road to the dwellings, Special K was walking back towards me. Odd.

“They don’t open until 9am,” she calls over to me. Hmm. So glad I rushed then. She hiked out, I continued walking and saw Pebbles sitting on a bench outside the gift shop/dwellings entrance.

We both quickly agreed that we’d wait for the cliff dwellings to open, because we’ve never been here before and who knows if we’ll ever make it back. The trail isn’t going anywhere and we’re here now. So, I sat down next to him and we hung out until they opened. Just before the rangers started rolling in, along with other guests coming too, I saw 2 javelinas behind the building. Pretty cool!

I went into the gift shop when it opened and looked around.. and got my “national monument” stamp to send home. Then, we followed the trail to the cliff dwellings once the ranger opened it up. It was really cool to see how the people native to this land lived-how they created their homes into the rocky cliffs. We got to walk through the simple rooms and imagine what it would be like to live up there, with views for miles and safety within the rocks. 

We got back to the visitors center and gift shop before 10am, used the bathroom, filled up water, and said our goodbyes to the sweet ranger standing out front. By 10am, it was already so hot-with the high getting up to 91 degrees! We had to walk down the main road, join the High Route, which meant climbing up and across hot, exposed grasslands (the grasses were dried out and brown), only to start making our way down into the canyon to rejoin the Gila Alternate Low Route. 

The trail that connects the high route with the low route is called “Little Bear Canyon” and it was beautiful. It’s a slot canyon with the huge canyon walls jutting up all around, casting shade.. thank the good lord! The creek running down the middle was low enough that our feet never got wet. Before we knew it, it was spitting us out at the Gila River and the trail for the low route along the river itself. 

We spotting some flat spots to eat our lunch and hide in the shade. My feet were SORE already from carrying so much food, eating lunch meant getting to lighten the load. However, when we finished and I picked my pack up to get ready to go, I pulled a muscle in my back that immediately brought tears to my eyes. I had my pack on my back, afraid to move or breathe for fear of that pain shooting through my back again. 

After a couple minutes of feeling paralyzed, I decided to start walking, as there’s really not anything else to do. If I needed help of some sort, I’d still have to hike out of this canyon. So, I followed behind Pebbles, my back throbbing and snagging with every breath. The views were so stunning, but I couldn’t truly enjoy it with my pain and fear constantly rearing its head. 

We must have crossed back and forth over the river more than 60 times! It was different from yesterday though-these views were dramatic. Yesterday was beautiful and serene, these were out of this world! The canyon walls looked to be a thousand feet high, and we’re passing practically right on it. They rose up out of the water like magic. There were still meadows and forests and lush greenery, but it felt much more condensed-less wide open space, if that makes sense. 

As the afternoon wore on, my back pain and my feet pain were competing. I was so physically exhausted, I started to stumble more. I even took a tumble into the water, for my first fall on trail. Hey-I made it 17 days without falling-that’s gotta be some kind of record!

 We were hiking towards a specific area to camp, and nothing was looking too great on the way there. The trail was a mess, and the river crossings only seemed to get more difficult in my exhaustion and pain. At some point, very close to where we thought we were headed to camp, I spot a trail of switchbacks heading up and away from the river. There was a small forest of trees on this high outlook, and I decided that was going to be it for me.

Pebbles and I toted our water up the switchbacks, and only after getting up there and deciding where to camp did we realize that this isn’t the place we were aiming for. Whatever. I was committed. Pebbles recommended we cowboy camp again, and honestly, it’s perfect, because I don’t think I could bend to put up my tent. My back is hurting THAT BAD. I’m pretty concerned. 

So, we’re lying here, under a perfect night sky. I’ve already seen 2 shooting stars and maybe a StarLink satellite. It’s so astounding how truly gorgeous nature is. I know I’m hurting, but I still feel so lucky to be able to witness everything I’ve gotten to see today. These stars. The cliff dwellings, the sheer size of these canyon walls. The river. Just. Wow. 

Anyway. Prayers for an ok back in the morning. Time to let these ibuprofen kick in and get some sleep, if I can! Goodnight yall. 

CDT Day 16: May 21, 2025

Start: 22.3 (Gila Alternate)

Stop: Lower Scorpion Campground 

Today’s Miles: 21.6 

Total CDT miles: 191.9 

Y’all!! Today has been my absolute favorite day on trail (so far). I had no good expectations for the Gila River, from everything I’ve seen so far. I thought it would be stagnant pools of water surrounded by rocks, and we’d be trudging through it. Boy was I wrong! 

After we left camp, sometime around 7:30, it was less than 6 minutes before my feet were in cold river water. The river itself was wide, cool, easy flowing, mostly shallow, and gentle. It weaves along the floor of the canyon we’re in, and it’s absolutely breathtaking. Trees and open meadows, deer and rabbits, and so many birds. This place is so full of life. Water brings life-water IS life. 

Pebbles and I counted, we crossed the river 55 times before getting to Doc Campbell’s today! And yall, that water felt so good on our achy feet! It was cold in the morning, and as the day warmed up, the water took its time doing the same. 

We stopped to eat lunch and swim a little just after noon. “Swim” is maybe the wrong word. I briefly soaked in the river, up to my neck, and then got out to dry off in the shade of a tree while I ate my lunch. Pebbles did the same. As incredible and refreshing as the water is, especially in the heat of the sun-it’s also still very cold.. my teeth were chattering! 

As we were packing up from lunch, Special K came walking up. We saw her on her day 1 (only 8 days ago-she’s been booking it). We chatted while we finished putting our food away, and then walked the rest of the day together. We got to Doc Campbell’s around 4pm. There was a couple sitting at the store front, with the only car in the small gravel lot. We chatted with them while we waited for the store owner to come over. They’re usually closed at this time, but for hikers, if you get on their WiFi and call them, they’ll come over and open everything up! That is so incredibly kind. 

They made each of us a pizza, and while they were cooking, Pebbles and I did our laundry.  We ate in our rain gear, while the clothes washed. After eating, we did our 7 day resupply to pie town. Holy Jesus carrying that bag is going to be miserable for the first few days! 

When the clothes were in the dryer, we went to shower. They have a wash room with two shower rooms and the open space between the rooms has left overs from other hikers and new packets of shampoos and soaps. Plus TOWELS!! God, I love a towel! I was able to find some Lemongrass scented shampoo and conditioner. Hopefully it will help with the bugs! (They aren’t really bad at all yet but still). 

When we were all finished with our chores (our electronics had been charging this whole time, too), we got everything in our packs and left  Doc’s around 6:45pm. The 3 of us walked 4.2 miles to the campground I’m currently laying in. It’s called Little Scorpion Campground, and is free on a first come first served basis. The three of us are cowboy camping in one spot. The stars are out of this world, literally. Ha. 

Tomorrow we’ll see the cliff dwellings nearby which are a national monument. And then we’ll continue hiking on the Gila High Route, take a connector trail back to the Low Route, and continue north. Today was a great day. 

Oh! And there has been so much wildlife between yesterday and today! Bunnies, squirrels with pointy ears, snakes, lizards, deer, elk, a fox, lynx, and a javenla! So flipping cool! And soooo many birds! I have a feeling I’m about 20 seconds from officially being a birder. 

Anyway. Even the best days come to an end! Sweet dreams!!