Friday, April 11, 2025
Miles: 29.3 miles
Gain/Loss: 2451’/1677′
I was up at 545am and out by 6:20am. I quickly found myself at the Gila River. The first few miles were beyond terrible bushwhacking, full of prickers, scratches, and blood. There was no decernible trail to follow, not even deer herd paths. It was very frustrating and painfully slow. I dispared of making any kind of timely miles. But things slowly started getting better as I got away from the most flood damaged area. Last year’s high water seemed to have rerouted that section of the river, hence no trail of any kind. I quickly learned there was no point in emptying my shoes of sand and grit, since I’d be walking through the river and then back out onto the dirt again in 200 yards. So I only washed out my shoes and rinsed my socks when I was about to start my 5-6mi road walk. I made it to Doc Campbell’s outpost by 1:15 or so; and left around 2:45pm after resupplying, doing some town chores, and having lunch. I skipped showering and laundry because I felt there wasn’t enough time and it wasn’t obvious where to find those amenities at the outpost.
The road walk was in the heat of the day and very hot. Once I got off the road, the middle fork of the Gila River was fairly shaded, with more open space than the first section. It was also much more popular than the first section, with a clear trail in most places. I saw hikers out for the day and weekend. I also saw so many birds (including a brown-headed cowbird), fish, and bullfrog tadpoles.
I stopped at 7:30pm (at sunset), took time for a little wash in the river, and got to bed by 9:15pm.
Transcending Mountains 