Doc Campbell's Trading Post, NM

Had breakfast at the Daily Pie, and tried their amazing New Mexican Apple Pie! We chatted up the owner, who gave us some bumper stickers, sent out our packages, then hiked out. Not a whole lost happened, as it was all dirt road walking. We had a great view of Alegras Mt., and other perfectly conical hills. We got water from a cache at the Fur & Feathers Animal Shelter, and had to chase off one of the dogs who wanted to follow us. We also got water 10 miles up at Gene's electric pump. Really good water, too! We took the turn to Chavez Canyon and the Apache National Forest, and camped near FR11.

The wind pulled out two stakes last night. The joys of a tarp. Moved out before first light, though noth DP and I weren't feeling the hike today. Just felt blah. Went up and over Mangas Mt., then down to Valle Tio Vinces spring, which was a huge disappointment. It looked to be vandalized, and our first fill up revealed giant dead bugs. We filtered and treated, and hoped our next water was decent. We followed FS214 to FS218 through ponderosa forests. We went up Barreras Canyon, through the Mangas Mt. Range and down to Tularosa Canyon, where we were glad to see the windmill well moving. We looked in the bottom tank - bone dry. We looked in the upper tank - bone dry. Then we noticed the pump attached to the windmill was broken (on purpose?) and really felt our situation was getting dire. We knew of a spring six miles and hoped there was something there. We took the jeep road towards Wagontongue Mt. and turned towards Damian Spring. We had to go up the entire canyon before finding a tiny trickle and a small pool. Better than nothing. I tried climbing further up the canyon, and saw some kind of animal on the rock ledge. At first I thought it was a mountain lion, but on further reflection decided it probably wasn't (but I still don't know what it was.) We took what water we could get, climbed over Wagontongue and down into Govina Canyon. Much of this was a 'shwack and we passed some manky stock ponds (we weren't that desperate yet!) We got to a couple of abandoned cabins at dusk and fumbled around in the dark until we found the water supply. Yes! We decided to camp in one of the cabins, completely forgetting the risk of HONTA virus. Here's to hoping....

The stars were shining bright as we left the cabin. We followed the dirt road to FR289 and took that past John Kerr Peak. We came to a junction with FR47 and saw a CDT sign showing the actual trail! We weaved across the Divide, climbing and descending nameless bumps and passes. We came to a fence, walked through a broken gate, then followed the fence to FR94. This was a well maintained gravel road, and we were passed by many trucks. We found Dutchman Spring, but it was so fouled by stock that we decided to wait until Davis Spring. When we got to it, the hose had no water flowing from it, the metal trough had about five inches of water and three bloated bodies of squirrels in it. Gross. DP went to the source and was able to get water for us, then we moved on. We ran into some hunters from Arkansas and chatted with them a bit. We continued on FR94 to Collins Park, where we left the road and went cross country to FR28. We walked this a ways then ran into Wrong Way again. We chatted a while, exchanging water info, then wished him well. We got tot he junction of FR141 and took the road between the two main roads. We came out of the woods into a great expanse of grassy hills and saw one antelope and about 40 elk. We scrambled down into T-Bar Canyon, just as the light was failing and I fell on a hidden rock and bruised my left ham hock. We found as decent a spot as we were likely to get and made a pitiful camp.

Ice covered the tarp. We made coffee to warm up, packed up and moved. It was very cold, so wanting to be in the sunlight we ditched the canyon and climbed the adjacent hill. We carefully picked our way through lave rock hidden in the waist deep grass to Loco Mt. Road, which led to the Snow Lake Campground. We hung the tarp to dry and ditched our trash. Knowing we were entering the Gila, we no longer needed to worry about water, so our packs were really light!! We started down the Middle Fork, crossing back and forth to avoid cliff sides. We same to Iron Creek, crossed that and proceeded downstream to Clayton Creek and on to Moonshine Canyon. At some point, I dropped our guidebook, so had to drop my pack and run 3/4 mile back to get it! We came to Trotter Meadows, where a group of 60 people were setting up camp. We moved along, passing Flying V Canyon and Canyon Creek. We made our 56th ford of the river, when both of my feet slipped out from beneath me, and I landed in the water. Thankfully my pack hit the rocks before I did, so I wasn't hurt, just really we. Too bad it was late in the day, so I could have dried before going to sleep. We found a great, warm campsite under some ponderosas right next to the river.

We have been sleeping in, because neither of us have been hearing the alarm. Oh well! We started out in wet shoes and socks, and a ford. The water felt icy, and our feet were numb and hurting badly. We stopped to put extra plastic bags on our feet to help with the cold. It helped immensely!!! We came to The Meadows, where we met three gentlemen who were very interested in our trek, and we chatted as we climbed out of the Gila. We would have liked to stay longer, but were running out of food. We eventually came to the West Gila and followed that to the entrance of the Gila Cliff Dwellings. We decided not to check out the dwellings, since DP's parents are going to pick us up and we thought they would want to see them too. We walked the road to Doc Campbell's, where we ate home made ice cream, microwaved burritos, Cheetos, Gatorade, soda and ham sandwiches. We picked up our food box and walked further on the road. At one point, I heard a little rattle behind me, so I took a step back and in the grass right next to the road was a small rattlesnake. DP and I almost stepped on it! We got back to the Gila River, crossed it 13 more times before finding a place to camp. We hoped to find Melanie Hot Springs, but obliviously passed it.