CDT 8: Cuba NM to Ghost Ranch

May 5 to May 7:

Day 34 to Day 36:

After a short paved road and dirt road walk, the San Pedro Wilderness area was a refreshing lush forest complete with plenty of gurgling streams and thick underbrush. It was a pleasure to be hiking a trail with grassy berms to rest upon.

After 10,000′ we ran into snow still covering portions of the trail from the recent snowstorm.

It was a warm cloudless day with a beautiful blue sky. I was thinking “days of Heaven”.

Everyday the CDT throws a curve just to remind us it is a brutal trail. The top of the mountains wide open meadows gave the impression of easy walking except under the grass stood three inches of water to slug through.

The next day was all on trail through tall pine forest ending with a climb onto Mesa Camino.

In the early morning we descended the Mesa at sunrise as the golden morning sun glints off red, orange, and columns in the distance. We climbed down into the Rio Chama valley through the Ojitos Canyon.

This is Georgia O’Keeffe country.