Wednesday, April 16, 2025
Miles: 30.0 miles
Gain/Loss: 942’/1555′
I was up at 6:15am, and hiking by 6:45am, trying to slow down a little bit. Early on, I had my final climb and enjoyed variation in my terrain quite a bit. I saw a large herd of mule deer early on in the beautiful canyon I was walking through. Around 10am, I Yogi’d some water from a passing 4×4.
My last filtered water was from a solar cow tank that required me to do a 3-point balancing act to get to the clear water coming out of a pipe at the very center. I enjoyed resting in the shade for a bit around 11:30am, and had a snack. I carried enough water with me to get to the ranger station, ~18 hot miles away.
I arrived at NM-117 around 12pm, and was walking on paved roads thereafter. But the paved highway offered incredibly beautiful views and fast walking, so I was much happier than yesterday. I tried to balance my pace with all of the extra time I had, so I stopped for a rest in the shade at a picnic area around 2pm. I enjoyed having a clean privy nearby, dropped my trash in a bin there, and dried my socks in the sun while I relaxed on top of a picnic table.
Just after rejoining the road after my rest, I called 911 for a woman in a small car accident – she had gone off the edge of the road and gotten pulled in by the sand. I hiked up the road to get service and then called 911 to make sure someone was aware, since she would need a tow truck to get out and seemed a bit disoriented. As I walked, I saw emergency vehicles come and go, as well as a tow truck bring her van towards town.
I arrived at the closed ranger station/welcome center by 6:45pm. I luxuriated in all the time and sunlight left to me. I found an outdoor electrical outlet to charge my devices, and cowboy camped on the sidewalk. The potable water tasted a bit weird, but it was nice to have immediately accessible water. I enjoyed a pre-town day feast, and chatted on the phone with friends. Sadly, I didn’t have the wifi information, but my cell service was solid. I got myself to sleep by 9:30pm.
Transcending Mountains 