Grants to Cuba.
Days 19 to 22.
Miles 534 to 641.
The section between Grants and Cuba features both mountains and high desert. After Grants, the Continental Divide Trail gains elevation quickly. It rises above 9,000 feet as it traverses the side of Mount Taylor. The summit can be hiked as a side trip. The trail drops from Mount Taylor onto a high-elevation plateau, and eventually makes its way down into a maze of sandy canyons and sandstone buttes.
Day 19
I left my very comfy motel room in Grants this morning and started hiking out of town. The walk began with 5 miles on the shoulder of a paved highway going past cow pastures and the Western New Mexico Correctional Facility. Just another scenic day on the CDT, folks!
However, the trail improved significantly after that. I eventually turned off the highway onto a single-track trail. I gained a couple of thousand feet of elevation as the trail climbed onto the shoulder of Mount Taylor, an 11,000-foot peak.
Mount Taylor can be hiked as a side trip/alt from the CDT. However, I decided to skip the peak and take the lower trail (the main CDT route). There were some nasty-looking gray clouds over the peak and storms in the forecast. Yesterday, the peak got a fresh layer of snow.
Speaking of which, it snowed briefly today as I was hiking. Not heavily enough to accumulate. It started as a pellet-like snow and transitioned into flakes. It is very cold. I hiked in my rain jacket for warmth.
Tonight, I camp on the side of Mt Taylor at over 9,000 feet. It is already freezing. I think I’m in for a chilly night. A low temperature in the upper 20s is forecasted. While my quilt is rated to 20 degrees, I typically don’t find it comfortable below 30.
Despite the freezing temperatures, today was a nice day. I really enjoyed getting up higher into the mountains. I started seeing stands of Aspen trees. They are just starting to put out tiny green leaves – a reminder that winter is barely over at this elevation.
Day 20
I stayed cocooned in my quilt until the sun hit my tarp this morning. It was a chilly night. When I woke, frost covered the grass and my water bottles were half frozen. I drank a Mio Energy slushy with my breakfast.
I hiked in my puffy jacket for the first several miles this morning. It was a lovely walk. The air was still cool and crisp from yesterday’s storm, but sunlight streamed down through the pines. Birds were singing. There were still little bits of yesterday’s snow on the ground here and there. It feels like the storm is finally over.
After the first few beautiful miles through forested mountains, the trail descended and deposited me onto a mesa top.
This mesa was so expensive that I couldn’t see the edge in any direction. It was also fairly high elevation – 8,000 feet or so. I spent most of today crossing this mesa on a long, straight, flat dirt road. Classic New Mexico CDT.
This mesa was also quite dry. One of my water bottles leaked this morning, and I lost nearly a liter of water. I was very thankful to find a water cache where I could top off my bottle. A water cache is a place where a trail angel leaves jugs of water for hikers. I usually try not to rely on water caches or even use them if I can avoid it, especially small ones. It is nice to leave water for those who might need it more than me. But due to my leaky bottle, today I felt in need.
In the afternoon, I found another water source, which was just some clear puddles of rainwater pooled in depressions in volcanic rocks.
By the end of the day, I finally reached the edge of the mesa. Nothing particularly memorable happened today. But if I remember one thing about today, it will be my awesome campsite.
I found the perfect little campsite for one on the edge of a cliff at the mesa’s end. I set up my cowboy camp. It’s my first time cowboy camping since the Gila River. I’ve been setting up my tarp a lot on this trail because I’ve been rained/sleeted/hailed/snowed on 9 times in less than 3 weeks. I enjoyed watching the sunset from the mesa over the canyons below.
Day 21
The sunrise was even more majestic than the sunset, from my campsite on the ledge. However, it was very early, so I went back to sleep for a little bit after watching the sunrise.
This morning, I dropped down from the mesa into a maze of canyons and buttes. Suddenly, I was surrounded by desert vegetation that I hadn’t seen in a while, while I’ve been up higher. My favorite was the tiny pincushion-shaped cacti, no bigger than my thumb, supporting massive magenta flowers.
I filled up my water bottles at a very clean-looking cow trough surrounded by some of the chillest cows I’ve met so far. These cows were lying on the ground around the trough. They didn’t even bother to stand up as I walked over and filled my bottles.
I greatly enjoyed the change of scenery today as I dropped in elevation. It was fun to wind through canyons and climb up ridges of sandstone on small buttes.
My hike came to an early end today, when I reached trail magic in the afternoon. And this wasn’t just any trail magic. They call it “the Oasis”. It’s an operation that lasts the whole month of May, with a rotating crew of volunteers. They have a large tent, porta-potties, water, charging stations, and tons of food.
Trail angels Bill, Marie, Jim, Heather, David, and Sunny fed me lunch and dinner. I sat and chatted with them in the big tent for hours. Three other thru-hikers showed up too.
Tonight, I camp near the trail magic, so that I can enjoy coffee and pancakes in the morning. Then, I continue my walk through this desert.
Day 22
When I woke, I wandered back over to the trail magic tent for coffee and pancakes. Then, I continued on my journey through the canyons and buttes.
Today there was lots more walking along cool sandstone ridges above increasingly large canyons. 16 miles flew by before lunch, with such wonderful views to enjoy.
I stopped at a natural spring for lunch and tanked up on water. Then I took a nap in the shade under a tree. It is warm enough today that I prefer to avoid walking in the afternoon as much as possible.
After my break, I tackled a steep climb up onto a mesa. I got very hot and took some breaks in the shade on the way up. It is amazing how warm it is now, considering that just a few days ago I was snowed on and spent a 27-degree night shivering under my quilt.
I met some section hikers walking in the opposite direction right before I reached camp today. They said they tried to begin their trip in Silverton, Colorado about a month ago, but there was way too much snow.
As I approach the Colorado border, I am beginning to get a little nervous about the snow situation.
This has been a record-low snow year in Colorado. However, the snow they got seems to be sticking around. Considering how little snowpack there was, I assumed that it would all be melted out by the time I reached the big mountains in southern Colorado. But only time will tell. A lot of melting might happen in the next week or so.
I camped shortly before the beginning of a 5-mile paved road walk. This road walk will take me into the town of Cuba, where I will resupply tomorrow morning.
Adventures with Val 
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