Peter on the CDT – Emory Pass to Doc Campbells (Segment 3)

For 2013 Hyperlite Mountain Gear is sponsoring one thru-hiker on each of the Appalachian Trail (AT), Continental Divide Trail (CDT) and Pacific Coastal Trail (PCT). Here’s the third update from the trail by Peter, Hyperlite Mountain Gear’s sponsored CDT hiker. Peter (trail name, “CzechXpress”) will keep all of us up do date with periodic posts and pictures from his journey. We hope you’ll check in regularly to follow Peter along the trail!

After a well deserved zero day (no miles logged) in Silver City, it was time to leave the comforts of the city and get back on the trail. We packed up our gear which was scattered around the hotel room and grabbed our freshly made sign “Hikers to Emory Pass” to hitch out of town. I stood right outside of the Motel 6 after seeing other hikers getting hitches from that same spot the day before. After about 2 hours in the morning sun a nice lady in a pickup stopped and said she could take us the 15 miles to the intersection with the highway that leads to the pass. We hoped into the back of the truck, trying to hide our bodies from the passing cars not knowing if it was legal to ride in the back of pickups in New Mexico.

Hikers laying in bed of pickup truck — Hunkered down in the bed of a pick-up.

After getting dropped off, another car that had seen us hitching earlier gave us a ride a further 15 miles to the final intersection of the road. At this point any passing car would have to go by the pass. It was another 2 1/2 hours of standing now in the beating afternoon sun to get our final ride to the pass, ending our 5 hr hitch back to where we’d gotten off the trail.

Wooden sign for Gila National Forest — Into the Gila Nat’l Forest after a well deserved zero day.

Lizard on dirt path — The local wildlife seemed happy to see me back and making progress along the CDT.

After a quick snack I hiked 5 miles up to the summit of Hillsboro Peak which stands at 10,011 feet and has a fire lookout tower and an open cabin that anyone can stay in.

Fire tower and hiker's cabin on Hillsboro peak — The 10,011 foot summit of Hillsboro Peak complete with fire tower and hikers cabin.

Mountain view — View from the Hillsboro Peak fire tower at sunset.

Selfie of Peter — At over 10,000 feet there’s snow left in the shady spots on Hillsboro Peak, even this far south!

Its cabin at the summit of Hillsboro Peak is great, with a wood stove, two chairs, bunk beds and a front porch that invites you to sit and stay for awhile.

Ultralight backpacker in hiker's cabin — “Nicotine” checking out the luxurious digs at the summit cabin on Hillsboro Peak.

The night on Hillsboro was my best night of the CDT so far. A hiker known by the trail name Nicotine and I hung out and made dinner, then played poker under the beam of my headlamp using rocks as poker chips. The wind howled outside as we sat comfortably inside snacking on our newest resupply and wishing we had a six-pack to go with this game.

Small wooden table with cards — All you need for a few hands of hiker’s poker.

In the morning we headed down the mountain. It was tough going. The trails were indistinct and and hard to follow because of many merging trails and seemingly misplaced cairns that made things even more confusing.

View from a mountain

We continued regardless just checking our maps frequently to make sure our eyes matched what the map & compass was saying. Taking an alternate trail that we could tell was newer then the rest, saving us what we thought would be 4 miles, ended up taking us up and over more peaks then we thought it would.

Dirt hiking trail

After a couple of hours and a lot more elevation logged than we originally planned, we popped out at the road that we had to reach to make it down into Mimbres. We walked the ridge road until about 5 miles from Mimbres.

Sign for wilderness ranger station in Gila National Forest

While walking the road into Mimbres and a pickup stopped close by. The driver introduced himself as Steve, told us he’d hosted hikers in the past, offered a shower at his place and clean water — I couldn’t turn that down!

Ultralight backpacker on the porch of a house — Posing on the porch with Steve, another “trail angel” who provided a much needed shower.

After a quick shower I continued on my way stopping by the Elk X-ing Café, where I destroyed a burger.

Sign for Elk X-ing Cafe — The Elk X-Ing Cafe, purveyors of fine burgers.

Elk X-ing Cafe — Burger inhaled, now back to the trail.

Continuing the hike up Allie Canyon and then connecting with Sheeps Coral Canyon, and then finally hooking up with the official route we headed towards the the lower Gila. The lower Gila was like entering the garden of Eden with its flowing clear water that was the most abundant source of water on the trail.

backcountry stream

The area around the river was such a welcomed change from the scarcity I’d been facing since the start. The lower Gila was gorgeous with its beautiful water, tall trees and canyon walls that change colors depending on the time of day.

Ultralight backpacker

There are numerous spots where a river crossing is necessary, a refreshing change from the sand and heat that had been attacking my feet. Hiking the next 2 days along the Gila on the way to Doc Campbells recharged my batteries and brought me back to hiking and away from just the daily grind of making miles.

Getting to Docs was another step in this long process but I feel refreshed and ready to tackle the next section.

Sign for Doc Campbell's Post

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