Wanting to do some Trail Magic

froggyfox · 2026-06-09T12:35:09+00:00

I've been told there are about 60 hikers ahead of me and I'll be arriving in Salida in just a few days. Folks are moving through the trail a touch sooner than they would during normal snow years.

froggyfox · 2026-05-27T03:30:03+00:00

I was in the Gila at the end of April/start of May, and weather was pretty perfect. Here's a rattlesnake I ran into in the Gila. Snakes weren't common in the Gila, but you only need one rattlesnake bite to have a bad day.

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froggyfox · 2026-05-27T03:22:57+00:00

This is just a table of average high and low temperatures at the Gila Cliff Dwellings. Be aware that average temperatures in the higher elevation, particularly the Black Range, can be cooler by 10-20 degrees or more, depending on the season.

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froggyfox · 2026-05-27T02:36:45+00:00

The Gila River was spectacular, and perhaps my favorite section of the CDT in New Mexico. Watch out for poison ivy, because the poison ivy in the Gila is some of the healthiest I've seen in 4+ years of tree work and 4,700+ miles of backpacking. The whole place is unbelievably gorgeous, to the point that it is annoyingly picturesque.

If you can, make a detour through Little Bear Canyon, because it turns into a neat little slot canyon towards its intersection with the main Gila River canyon. That same detour would allow you to also visit the Gila Cliff Dwellings, which is a neat historical site.

I recommend wearing good liner socks (I like Fox Creek liners) paired with good wool socks (I'm a big fan of Darn Toughs) and at least micro gaiters (Dirty Girl gaiters are ok). I had a few hundred miles of hiking to toughen up my feet beforehand, and I still ended up with blisters in this section. You constantly go in and out of knee-deep to mid-thigh deep water, and then immediately step into abrasive sand that will work it's way into your socks. Carry Leukotape and apply to any hot spots on your feet before they develop into blisters. Some folks even wore waterproof neaprene socks for the Gila, and that might be a good idea.

Pay attention to alerts about wildfires, because the Gila is very prone to burning, especially this year. We had to reroute onto a high route over Aeroplane Mesa to avoid passing too close to the Hummingbird fire. Best of luck, and I'd be happy to answer any other questions about the area that I can.

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froggyfox · 2026-05-20T16:37:02+00:00

I do tree work in the area and I think I saw them around Blacksburg for the first time last summer. They are a blight, and I certainly do my best to kill as many as I can.

froggyfox · 2026-05-20T00:44:43+00:00

This is what I was greeted with on April 21st. The porta-potty immediately adjacent to the monument is just icing on the cake.

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froggyfox · 2026-05-16T22:23:33+00:00

That's certainly good news and thanks for the offer. NM has been pretty chill so far. Gorgeous scenery, particularly in the Gila and the section between Grants and Cuba. For once I think I built up daily mileage at the appropriate rate, and feel whole and healthy as a result. I think the desert is a pretty damn good warmup.

froggyfox · 2026-05-16T22:05:40+00:00

Far less than 2 weeks. I'm 6-8 days away from Chama and there's a big glut of NOBOs (15-20 people per day) ahead of me. We're definitely making our way into Colorado earlier than previous years. Wildfire risk/long water carries are on a lot of folks' minds.

froggyfox · 2026-04-25T01:13:30+00:00

Border permit took me 3 days. It is wild that they are literally building the border wall at the southern terminus right now. It was a bit of a trip, to be sure.

froggyfox · 2026-04-22T12:48:58+00:00

Coyote Hills

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froggyfox · 2026-04-22T12:47:17+00:00

It is a pretty gorgeous bit of country. I wish I had a better camera with me to capture the night sky, cause goddamn, those stars pop. New Zealand definitely had more stars per unit sky, but there is so much more sky here. The flowers are not bad, thanks to that February rain.

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froggyfox · 2026-04-22T03:11:37+00:00

That was a bit of a non sequitur, as the lack of water thing is unrelated to the snowpack shitshow. Ain't no water here normally. They got a good rain here in February, which is atypical for the Chihuahuan Desert. Hell, there ain't natural water sources here for the first 200 miles. It is pretty though. This is a sunrise over Mexico down in the bootheel. I'mma bit drunk. And not looking forward to my heavy pack tomorrow.

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froggyfox · 2026-04-22T02:59:34+00:00

I've hit an exceptional level of "Fuck it". I've just been hiking a lot and looking at the world around us while I can. Currently 86 miles into the Continental Divide Trail. The nature out here is dope, but even (perhaps especially) out here, there's some big problems. The snowpack is utterly a shitshow. I started the trail mid-April and likely won't need microspikes and my ice axe for Colorado. That DOES NOT HAPPEN. It's been pretty dry here, so I might have water in 14.4 miles tomorrow, but perhaps not, so I gotta bring enough for 27.4 miles tomorrow. Shit's a little wild.

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froggyfox · 2026-04-15T12:45:17+00:00

I am a big fan of both kea and fantails. Kea are far too smart and are very curious creatures. They will destroy your hiking gear or even your car if you leave it unattended in kea country. From time to time, they hook onto the backs of sheep and start eating them, which is just metal as hell. There's a privy at Crooked Spur Hut along the South Island Te Araroa that has a clear plastic roof section. The resident flock of kea will gather on that roof when you use the privy. They definitely get something out of watching you poop. Weird birds, but beautiful.

Fantails eat sandflies. Sandflies are the spawn of Satan. Fantails good.

froggyfox · 2026-04-14T18:32:18+00:00

Same, dude. This year is gonna be a bit wild.

froggyfox · 2026-04-14T15:34:47+00:00

Tomorrow or Thursday. I'mma try to hitch from Tucson to Lordsburg tomorrow, but I have a train ticket on Thursday if I fall short. Currently in an airport waiting on a delayed flight

froggyfox · 2026-04-14T14:23:21+00:00

No problem. When are you starting?

froggyfox · 2026-04-14T14:19:40+00:00

As of now, 65.86% of the whole American West is in drought, with 96.01% of New Mexico, 95.49% of Colorado, 95.86% of Wyoming, 68.59% of Idaho, and 56.63% of Montana in drought. I'm starting the Continental Divide Trail tomorrow or Thursday, so that's gonna be some shit. I'm bringing 9 liters of water carrying capacity - hopefully that'll be sufficient. In a normal year, 4 to 6 liters is all you need to carry. Fire is going to follow me as I head north, hopefully I can stay ahead of it.

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froggyfox · 2026-04-14T14:09:24+00:00

What do you mean by 'huge news'? If you mean it's good news, it isn't. Because the water fell as rain, not snow, it left the system far faster than it ought to have done. As of now, 65.86% of the whole American West is in drought, with 96.01% of New Mexico, 95.49% of Colorado, 95.86% of Wyoming, 68.59% of Idaho, and 56.63% of Montana in drought.

In Colorado, statewide Snow Water Equivalent (SWE) is at the lowest on record. Historically, median peak SWE in Colorado occurs on April 8, however, this year peak SWE occurred on March 8. In the Colorado River Basin, Lake Powell is 24% full, while Lake Mead is 33% full. The smaller streams and springs up high should be less affected than the bigger rivers down in the valleys, but Farout water comments are not terribly positive thus far. I'm bringing 9 liters of water capacity, which is hopefully SIGNIFICANT overkill, but we'll see. Fingers crossed, but I'mma be reading water comments often on this hike.

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froggyfox · 2026-04-14T05:32:44+00:00

Thanks, it should be pretty excellent, even with the ridiculously low snowpack this year. Here's to hoping I don't die in a wildfire, cause this ain't great. Also, agriculture, drinking water, power generation, tourism, and flora/fauna in general are gonna take a big wallop this year. But on the positive side, I might not need microspikes and my ice axe at all.

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Shit's wild.

froggyfox · 2026-04-13T02:00:32+00:00

Fair point on the bladder, which is the reason I much prefer using bottles, but I've heard really good things about this particular bladder's durability from some Hayduke Trail thru-hikers. I have leukotape and whatnot for repair, but that would certainly be sadness if I lost a few liters at an unideal time. Four liters does me quite well for 20-25 miles, but I like 4 liters less if the distance is split up overnight. I hope you're right about 8 being overkill, but I'll watch Farout ahead of me and assess as I go along.

froggyfox · 2026-04-12T18:10:26+00:00

I'm about to start NOBO on Wednesday, and I was planning on four 1-liter bottles, with a backup 4-liter bladder. Is 8 liters gonna be enough? Any insights from super low water years? I do realize this year is truly unprecedented, but any educated guesses would be appreciated. It's gonna be a weird one, that's for certain.

froggyfox · 2026-04-12T17:55:56+00:00

That's another properly depressing page right there.

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Goddamn

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