Day 17 (May 12, 2021)

102.4 on Gila Alternate to near Aragon Well (2.8 to finish Gila Alternate, 21.3 on redline, 24.1 total)

Today was a big day that had concerned me. The big deal was a 22 mile water carry and very little of the trail would be dirt roads. My previous big mile days had been aided by significant amounts of at least ATV tracks. However, the trail today was mostly just that; real trail. It was rugged terrain with lots of up-and-downs, though none of it extreme.

With the extra mileage from yesterday I set my goal just short of Aragon Well, the next good water source 22 miles after Dutchman Spring. That would put me close to Hwy 12 for a hitch to Reserve, NM for resupply tomorrow morning.

I had about two miles from camp to Dutchman Spring. It was a cold morning so I did something rare and wore my lightweight fleece and gloves while hiking. (You generate a lot heat while moving and the backpack doesn’t allow your back to breathe.) The dirt road started climbing towards the intersection with the official CDT as this was the end of the Gila Alternate. I had all this in mind as I stopped to take off my fleece and gloves with the added work of the climb. I then continued. Nearly at the top of the climb, I realized I must be near Dutchman Spring. Checking Guthook, I found I had walked past the spring by .8 miles! Doubly frustrating was that it was across the road from where I had stopped to take off my fleece. I had to go back; no more water (this year) for 22 miles. Argh. And that meant trudging back up the hill again. Double argh. Had to do it.... My first bonus miles.

Water obtained (very good water from under a cover near the trough) and the hill re-climbed, I rejoined the CDT on actual trail tread. Yeah!

I must apologize now; between the bad and delayed start to the day and the rugged terrain, I did not take very many pictures, which is a shame. It was beautiful country and trail, winding over mountains and through saddles. I was blessed again with moderate temperatures as well. I found I struggled mentally with the steeper ascents, though physically I held up. Good training for later. At one point the trail went up to 9100 feet along a ridge line.

Navigation was relatively simple because the trail was well worn and maintained for the most part. Frustratingly though, the actual path didn’t always match Guthook. Apparently the trail had been re-routed recently and hasn’t been updated on the app. Only the last climb was not good trail. It literally looked like someone drove an ATV straight to the top to construct the trail. This then led to a long descent out of the mountains into a valley with Aragon Well.

My goal had been to camp at the bottom of the descent, several miles short of Aragon Well. However, I had covered the afternoon a little faster than anticipated and felt a little rested after the descent. Additionally, the trail was now a dirt road toward Aragon. Emboldened, I decided to press on to camp at or near Aragon well, calculating I would arrive just before sunset. So..... I set myself up for the second navigation error of the day. Pressing to make the distance by sunset, I failed to notice a detail on Guthook. The trail diverged from the dirt road at one point, and comments in Guthook said it wasn’t marked. Sure enough, I sped right past the junction, not realizing my error until a mile later.

Now what. Sunset was only minutes away. Though I could night hike, it is something I have not done and I was tired and doubly frustrated at this point. The map on Guthook showed the dirt road I was on ends at Highway 12, several miles from where the CDT intersects the same road. That is the road to get a hitch into Reseve, NM. Rather than backtracking to get the same results, I just went forward, with the intent to find a good campsite with enough light left to set up. I found a spot about 15 minutes after sunset on a ridge where I could hear cars on Highway 12. The only bad news was I was down to less than a liter of water, so no cooking tonight. Tomorrow was town day anyway, so I ate a snack with a couple of swigs of water, saving enough to do the same in the morning. I cowboy camped under another clear sky.

https://youtu.be/SPCc7ASv5Sg

This link is to a video of a hiker about a week in front of me. This day he covers almost the exact area I did on this day. He starts and ends several miles prior to my spots. WARNING: lots of foul language involved, part of his ‘brand’. Just turn down the audio and enjoy the otherwise excellent video. If the link doesn’t work, look for IB TAT CDT Episode #15 on You Tube.