Thru-Hiking
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Collegiate West: mountain passes and sunny skies
Monarch Pass to Twin Lakes. Days 59 to 62. Miles 1084 to 1167. The section of the Continental Divide Trail between Monarch Pass and Twin Lakes is known as the Collegiate West. This section contains multiple mountain passes, long stretches… Continue reading
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Adaptations of altitude and plans in the San Juans
Pagosa Springs to Monarch Pass. Days 53 to 58. CDT miles 866 to 1084. After Pagosa Springs (Wolf Creek Pass), the Continental Divide Trail continues through the San Juans and enters the Weminuche Wilderness. This is a high area where… Continue reading
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Return to the CDT
~ After two and a half weeks off trail ~ Days 36 to 52. Tomorrow, I will return to Wolf Creek Pass after two and a half weeks away from the CDT. After post-holing in deep snow between Cumbres Pass… Continue reading
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A Post-Holing Misadventure: bailing off the Continental Divide in the snow!
Chama to Pagosa Springs. Days 31 to 35. Miles 797 to 866. Cumbres Pass, near Chama, NM, marks the beginning of a new phase in a thru-hiker’s journey. Here, the trail enters the South San Juans – some of the… Continue reading
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So Long, Land of Enchantment!
~Ghost Ranch to Chama. Days 25 to 30. Ghost Ranch Alt Mile 8 to CDT Mile 797. From Ghost Ranch, the Alt route climbs up through a box canyon and onto a mesa. From there, it gradually ascends into the… Continue reading
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San Pedro Parks Wilderness and Rio Chama
~Cuba to ~Ghost Ranch. Days 23 to 24. Miles 636 to Ghost Ranch Alt Mile 8. Leaving Cuba, hikers face 8 miles on paved and gravel roads. But soon they’re rewarded for their persistence with a long climb up into… Continue reading
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From the Mountain to the Mesa
Grants to ~Cuba. Days 19 to 22. Miles 534 to 636. 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… Continue reading
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Walking on highway shoulders in the freezing rain
Pie Town to Grants. Days 16 to 18. Miles 423 to 534 (via Cebolla & Bonita-Zuni Alts; actual mileage ~85 miles). There are several ways Continental Divide Trail (CDT) thru-hikers can get from Pie Town to Grants. All of them… Continue reading
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Bye-bye Gila: cliff dwellings, hot springs, and a wildfire closure
Doc Campbell’s to Pie Town. Days 10 to 15. Gila River Alt Mile 40 to CDT Mile 423. After Doc Campbell’s, the Gila River Alt continues crossing back and forth across the river for many miles. Hikers have the option… Continue reading
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Walking into the Gila River
Silver City to Doc Campbell’s. Days 8 to 9. Mile 161 to Gila River Alt. Mile 40. After Silver City, CDT hikers face a choice. They can continue on the CDT main route, or, take the popular Gila River Alt.… Continue reading
Adventures with Val 