CDT + GDT: Cuba to Chama – Crossing into Colorado and Preparing for Snow

Resupply 6 | Cuba to Chama

Day 21, 30.2 miles.

The hiker hunger has set in. I am now ravenous to the point of near nausea if I don’t eat on the hour. The good news though, for anyone who also bleeds, is that I’ve maintained my period! Which may be uncomfortable for some to hear but to me it’s a sign my body thinks I’m healthy. I’m thrilled. In the Rio Chama area there’s suddenly a lot of water all around the trail. There’s also a bit of snow now around 10,000 feet in the San Pedro mountains. At first it was patchy, then in some places it was quite deep. I postholed up to my knees which makes for very slow going. I splashed through lots of icy puddles. Eventually I had to switch to neoprene socks because my feet were freezing. I had been anticipating the snow for a long time. I knew it was coming. And this was only patches for about ten miles. So it’ll get worse. And I’m not sure many people are going into the snow before me, so I’ll probably have to navigate and set boot track alone. I’ve done this before and I can do it again. But it’s gonna be terrible. On the other side there was a lush forest of pines and aspens. Suddenly the aspens seemed to have baby leaves. I felt I had just walked from winter into spring. It’s a wholly different New Mexico than what I started with. That’s the beauty of thru hiking. 

Day 22, 31.1 miles.

I struggled today. Nothing even happened. I was probably just hungry. I really wanted to be at Ghost Ranch and I still had an 11 mile exposed roadwalk to get there. I had one thought: I don’t wanna be here. I stewed in my own sweat.

On my phone I jotted down:
I’m tired of stopping every two hours to apply sunscreen.
I’m tired of dirt sticking to the sunscreen on my legs.
I’m tired of going from wet feet all day to once again having water anxiety.
I’m tired of trying to time the opening hours.
I’m tired of getting here only to think about getting there.
I’m tired of my food always crushed into crumbs.
I’m tired of sniffling so hard I can’t eat and breathe.
I’m tired of rationing.
I miss couches.
I miss salads, and fruit, and water on tap.

There is a moment like this in every thru hike. Or maybe several. You think, is this it?
Now I have to spend three hours of my life hiking on this dumb road with no shoulder and no shade?
I would never walk this if I had a choice.

And that’s the thing: you don’t have a choice.

So the adult in my head says: Are you done?
Because none of what you’re saying changes anything. You want it to be different?
The ranch is there. You are here. That distance is non negotiable. So quit resisting.
Yes, right now life looks like a brutal roadwalk. Soon it will not be.

And once I had accepted this, I looked up and thought, it really is beautiful out here.

Many cars passed me, but one stopped and rolled down a window.
You all right? they asked.
I’d love a little water, I said.
He poured me a liter. Then he said, Want some grape tomatoes?
You have grape tomatoes?
And so I sat in the shade of his truck and downed two liters of water and a bunch of homemade goodies leftover from their river trip.
The trail provides.

And when I did get to the ranch, I found a crowd of hikers around a table spread with fresh food that one of their off-trail friends had brought from Taos.
And on that table there was a salad, and fruit.
And in the visitor center, there was water on tap.

Day 23, 32.2 miles.

I didn’t sleep enough yesterday because I had service where I camped and used it to look at snow conditions for southern Colorado until quite late. I can’t really sleep in because I wake at dawn with the birds and the light. Then it was so windy today I barely stopped to take breaks, and I never took a break longer than 7 minutes or so because I didn’t want to get cold. There was no way I’d nap today. So I shuffled along all day somewhat dazed. Today had it all. There were wide open meadows, flowing aspens, dense deadfall, and patchy snow with accompanying mud. It looks like the snow is melting fast so I’m hopeful that the recent fresh snow won’t be much of a problem as I continue north. I’m now 32 miles from where the significant snow is supposed to start. I finished my day earlier than normal and didn’t night hike today so I can sleep earlier. Since I’m camped in a valley where cold air settles, I wanted to camp with some tree cover to trap some warmth. It’s not windy now but since it was so windy today I was also keen to avoid dead trees that might drop branches overnight if the wind picks up again.

Day 24, 27.5 miles.

I was convinced today that I was developing shin splints. I thought maybe it was from pushing too hard to Ghost Ranch. Now that I’m in my quilt with my shoes off, I think it’s actually an ankle issue because flexing the ankle is what hurts. I’ve had this before on the front of my ankle at my anterior tibialis tendon. This is a big relief because a tendon can be taped but a shin splint needs rest. You can’t outhike an overuse injury. I spent all day walking at a much slower pace to reduce impact and cut miles from my day. Sometimes I even used my poles like crutches to reduce impact. So far it doesn’t hurt much but I don’t want it to get worse. Once again today was windy and I went through some small snow patches with some deep postholing. There were wide open meadows and it’s looking more and more like southern Colorado. Golden hour today was breathtaking and I couldn’t believe how gorgeous the light filtering through the trees looked. I tried to hike slowly as far as I could, but I didn’t want to fight the wind in the dark so I camped at the last protected nook I found before the windy ridge. 

Day 25, 26.4 miles into Chama, including crossing into Colorado

When I first started planning for this hike, I called my friend Lookout, who triple crowned on the CDT last year. He said he thought I could do New Mexico in under 30 days, and I didn’t believe him. But I’m at the border of Colorado now, and it’s day 25. Thanks Lookout.

The thing about snow is that you want it to freeze so it’s stable to walk on but you also want it to thaw out so that it goes away. I was glad to see my bottles froze overnight. It meant that the snow quality held for most of today, which was cloudy. It only started getting messy after 3pm or so. I didn’t show the worst parts because I was busy. This is my third day in a row battling wind. Pick your poison: find shelter from the wind in the trees but you’ll be in the snow protected by the shade, or get out of the snow into the open meadows but then you’ll be in the wind. Overall the snow wasn’t too bad for the day. It was just a problem to solve for several hours. Postholing repeatedly in the ice crystals left by the freeze-thaw cycles did cut up my legs. Maybe I’ll wear pants next time. I made it out to Chama and got a ride in with Mitch from Tumble On Outfitters. They’re the Kennedy Meadows South of the CDT: right where you’ll prepare to get into snow. I’m staying with them tonight and I got to see their workshops where they make custom packs and custom fleeces. JJ, the other half of this pair, is attempting a self supported PCT FKT this year starting in June with three of his own packs! It’s nice to be in a house.