I've always enjoyed the "Two Schools of Thought" cliché!

As an ancient Club Professional/Tennis, I'm out there backpacking
for the leg strength! So, that when I came up with a 50 lb pack ..I
stopped counting after 31 lbs. until I got back home..then weighed!
I'm now very grateful that I was about to do this excursion on the
Continental Divide Trail from Coyote to Cuba, New Mexico ..some 19 miles
and thru the San Pedro Parks Wilderness ..with nearly all lifes'
essentials for comfort in the back country!

We felt that this leg of the CD-T would be at least 17.5 mi and as much
as 25 mi ..depending upon where it was easiest for Gabriela to extract
us. It was to be a 3 day/2 night excursion with LOTS of ascent and LOTS
of descent. The we was my-own-self ..and Steve Ginsberg, noted
Journalist (much of his 30 years of back country experience to chronicle
environmental issues on many continents); and also Club
Professional/Tennis!

Our beginning point NOT the trail head for this hike, but about 2.5
miles distant, as I wanted to begin where we'll also begin for our
September excursion on the CD-T from Coyote to Ghost Ranch, NM. About 8
miles NW of the Village of Coyote on FR103 ..as it intersects the newly
posted CD-T. This section in the Coyote RD newly "blazed"..with
much of the work overseen by Evelyn Lujan ..to whom we were very
grateful for not only a great job ..but logistics support. We began at
just over 7,500 ft elevation.

Our first waypoint, Cecilia Springs, the actual Trailhead ..was
relatively friendly ..the trail RARELY used but blazed well:

Incredible wildflowers:

Creeks for trout fishing:

..Thick forest ..well posted

..with tons of fresh deer, elk, bear AND Mtn lion Tracks (see video).

As we entered into the approx 9,000ft elevation range and after about
4mi of hiking, our bodies now accustomed to their pack weights..and the
views became broad and spectacular:
Sierra Negra in the haze..near NMO ..some 30 miles of in the distance!!

Hawks circled on the updrafts:

..and at about 5mi in..time for lunch and navigational confirmations:

Our next goal of entering the San Pedro Parks Wilderness ..realized:

..the Trail Blazes became more interesting:
And we kept an open mind to finding a campsite in the upper 9K ft
elevations ..BUT stiving for the primary of reaching the San Pedro Peak
..OR even the SP Parks Peaks (not classic peaks up there):

The ONLY person we saw in the San Pedro Parks Wilderness ..we met on the
trail at about 10, 200 ft ..Dillon (see video) who was marching, ultra
light (17lbs) ..from Mexico to Canada on the CD-T!

We found a great, previously cut camp at 10,300 ft, overlooking Gallina
Canyon and just under San Pedro

As we had our dinner..and had an evening campfire..we felt great and
confident that we could backpack the approx 10 miles to a nice ..other
side extraction point..cutting the excursion by a day:


With Steve fast asleep, the sun set ..I gazed up out of my tent at the
Big Dipper, above ..but with a still lighted sky at about 9:30pm. All of
a sudden..I heard off, perhaps 100 yards or so..a crashing and trashing
in the forest..and before my mind could say "OMG..it's coming
this way" ..and a beast flew over my tent ..screaming!!!

I screamed!!..and sat up and exclaimed.."Steve" ..who was
saying.."YOU woke me up"! "Didn't you hear or see
that?"..He said.."You're dreaming". I said.."Maan..I
haven't been asleep at all …you'll see those tracks in the
morning"..of the chase I had witnessed! He said.."There
won't be any tracks". After now looking up and watching a bit of
the almost full moon..I dozed off, exhausted!

Waking early, I admit HOPING there'd be those tracks..and that was
my first move. Indeed: ..and I invited Steve to survey them..and with
his 30 yrs back country experience ..to assess what had happened here
last night. I moved away..and Steve ..scratching his chin said "With
my experience…I would say that it is likely that a mountain lion
chased a small deer thru our camp last night".

I'm sure many armchair outdoorsmen'll wanna debate these tracks!
J~

With LOTS of coffee, now, and the most exhilarating feeling of now being
in shape..pack feeling lighter..and the chase last night ..which
folks..lasted from beginning to end 1 ½ seconds ..we head off!
Beginning a 5-7 miles at 10,500ft..before descent: ..the overviews
spectacular (this one Cerro Pedernal) and the meadows huge and lush:
<Much Skunk Cabbage signaling marsh..even swamp!
..the endorphins kicking in on top of the caffeine made me run my mouth
too much ..and I'm sure scaring off all the wildlife (Dillon had
spotted herds of Elk). BUT we saw loads of fresh tracks ..Elk..Mule Deer
and Black Bear (see video)..the meadows seemed almost endless..and lush!
This meadow by the Rio Puerco actually a swamp with thousands of frogs
an acre: v

Finally..it was time to head back into the heavy forest and descend up
to 5 miles: <View down the Los Pinos Canyon Trail and into Cuba (u
can pick up cell service from this point)

The forest was soo thick..that believe it or not..in this pic..there are
a heard of about 10 cattle ..being driven to the upper pastures by 3
genuine Caballeros ..Spanish/American cowboys doing it the old fashioned
way:


After chatting with them awhile..we make the final descent to the
trailhead for extraction (see video)!

I recommend this excursion very highly! Pretty much all levels ..due to
the great work done by the Cuba/Coyote RS of the US Forest Service! Lots
of water and wildlife..but treat the water! Camp where others have
camped, don't cut new trails ..and "leave no trace". Dan



Video on link below:

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http://newmexicooutdoor.com/Hiking_Backpacking_Camping.php
<http://newmexicooutdoor.com/Hiking_Backpacking_Camping.php>


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