Ghost Ranch Grants: A Full and Wonderful Routine

I’m writing to you all from Ghost Ranch, former summer home of Georgia O’Keeffe, a high incidence of coelophysis fossils (New Mexico state fossil!) and backdrop to apparently several movies, including Red Dawn, Oppenheimer and Cowboys vs. Aliens. So how do we get here? Let’s discuss…

Days 1 and 2: Mount Taylor

Leaving Lava Flow Hostel was slow, as I’m a fan of good coffee and conversation. I chatted for a while with fellow hiker Pudding, as well as Great Divide riders Jax and Jess, before being forcibly ejected at 11:00. The goal of the day was to hike thirty kilometers to the top of Mount Taylor; More than 5,000 feet of vertical gain was accumulated primarily toward the end of those twenty to reach 11,300 feet. This was going to be the first real mountain of the trip, so I was excited to get to it! The last 3 miles or so were tremendously steep, and the slightly thinner air made me stop to remember my courage around each turn, but it was immensely rewarding to get to the top!

Pit Stop and Shaggy’s were also at the top, where there was enough space between the pine trees to comfortably accommodate our three tents. We were treated to both a beautiful sunset and an even better sunrise, as well as the shadow of Mount Taylor cast on the horizon. Views like these are a great reminder of one of the many reasons I am here.

Sunset is coming on Mount Taylor!

A beautiful morning mountain shadow!

It was a good thing that the summit was able to recharge my wonderful battery, because the next day I had on the agenda a 31-mile trek down the mountain and through fairly rough and rugged forest service roads with few redeeming qualities. It also affected my feet, which at the end of the day screamed fury at me with every step. Not every day on the trail is sunshine and paddles. I couldn’t wait to leave it behind!

Days 3 and 4: Oasis Camp and the Colorado Plateau

Later, I had no idea that the landscape would change so suddenly and dramatically. One day I was cursing the ground I walked on, and the next I was in awe of the beautifully colored sandstone mesas, stunning canyon views, and gravity-defying voodoo; We had entered the Colorado Plateau. In areas like this, it can be difficult not to trip, as you constantly take your eyes off your feet to try to take in the scenery around you. However, you should remain alert to avoid tripping over or stepping on the occasional cactus or rattlesnake.

Summarized in one photo: the Plateau!

CDT Snake #13!

In the middle of this section, we enjoyed the magic of the trails at Camp Oasis. It was a true miracle in the desert, performed by volunteers every year during the month of May. This included water, soft drinks, snacks, first aid supplies, a shady place to sit, and most importantly, a menu of home-cooked meals! I planned my day camping near here and was impressed by the kindness and generosity of the people there. The company was great and once again it was hard to tear myself away in the morning!

CDT’s Best Magical Trail: Camp Oasis!

The next day, I had the honor and privilege of removing a dead coyote from one of the water sources along the trail. Fun fact: I have no sense of smell (never have!), so I considered myself the perfect person for this vile job. I grabbed a nearby fallen branch, pulled it out of the mud, and tossed it to the side, where it clattered to the ground like a soggy towel. It was just one of the many surprises that the CDT has in store for you.

RIP Wiley…

Days 5, 6 and 7: Cuba, change of scenery and rain

That night, I camped with Peach Pit near the highway, leaving us a 5-mile road hike toward Cuba, New Mexico, where we planned to take a closer route. We had a great breakfast at Café Cubano, where we were joined by Pit Stop, who would also be sharing our room. It’s great to walk with other people since you can split expenses like hotel rooms and laundry. In town, we also meet other hikers like BlackBerry, Spook, Temu, and Joker. Also, Weasel and Sidewinder very generously gave us some extra food from their resupply, big shout out to them (the tart cherries were delicious)!

Through the Cuba Hiker Laundry Show!

Rested and recharged from a stay at The Frontier Inn, we headed out the next day for a mostly uphill day that took us once again to a whole new biome. As we ascended over the desert, things became much greener as we began to see aspen, spruce, and spruce trees separated by open meadows with streams. The surface water was a real change, as I was beginning to believe that the only sources of water in New Mexico were the cow troughs. That night we camped at over 10,000 feet; only the second time since Mount Taylor. It was great, cool weather to sleep in!

An alpine meadow! What a change!

Camp among the pines!

The next day was cloudy, something we hadn’t seen much of on this trail until now. As I descended the mountain toward the Chama River (my projected end point for the day at 40 kilometers), the sky constantly threatened rain. So far, I hadn’t had rain in 600 miles, but I realized today was the day… I was a little nervous because much of the latter part of the day was in flash flood areas, which had a lot of evidence of previous flooding.

Branches and debris accumulated on the upstream side of trees in the flash flood area!

As I realized that the rain was approaching quickly, I quickened my pace so I could reach the Chama River, where I assumed there would be a bridge under which I could hide. He was right and I got there just as the light drizzle turned into a sustained downpour. I hung out under the bridge, nice and dry while I cooked a hot meal and watched downloaded content on my phone. When the rain finally let up, I walked a couple more miles, where I knew there was at least a dry toilet I could take shelter in if I needed it. Later, Pit Stop caught up with us and we shared a cozy bathroom for dinner; real hiker trash.

Me being a troll under the Chama River bridge!

Hiker Trash Pit Bathroom Dinner!

After a rainy night, we only had 8 miles left to reach Ghost Ranch, where I had a resupply pack with food and new shoes. Congratulations to my first pair of shoes for going over 600 miles. They deserved a Viking funeral, but the hotel trash had to do. They were basically toast, with little to no prints, holes in the foam, and the top starting to crack.

Old vs. New: What 600 Miles Will Do to a Hoka!

Knowing it was going to rain more overnight, it didn’t take much effort to convince me to spend the night at Ghost Ranch. We split one room between four, which made the stay here very reasonable, especially as the room had all you could eat in the dining room during our stay! At dinner we met some great people; one of whom lives in Salina, CO, so we may see them again! All the visitors here seem very happy to be here and everyone is very friendly. It’s been great to be able to rest close to here with friends and fellow travelers!

Georgia O’Keeffe’s former studio/summer cabin!

Next steps

Next time I’ll write to you all from Chama, NM, last stop in the first state of the CDT! From Ghost Ranch, the Colorado border is just 91 miles away and promises a whole new set of challenges and adventures. There’s been a lot of talk about snow levels in the San Juan Mountains (bring ice axes and microspikes, or not?), but I guess we’ll never have a straight answer about conditions until we get there and see for ourselves. As for this morning, we’ll see how long my weakness for coffee and good company can delay my return to the road. I’ll update you all later! Thanks for reading!

Alpine out! 🫡