CDT Southern Terminus to Silver City: Ups and downs

Many people would look at the start of the CDT and the desert and think: oh yeah, that’s flat. However, along our trail, we went up and down these streams at the foot of the mountains. Some of them are small, but others are steep and full of scree, ready to make you fall.

For me, this has been my beginning of the CDT: flat desert with complicated ups and downs that I didn’t expect.

Lordsburg border

As all the fresh and excited hikers got off the two ferries, we were amazed at the construction as the big border walls were being built. We took our photos strategically as we tried to capture the moment when the vast expanse of desert stretched out before us.

Adrenaline hit me in the first five miles and I walked faster to keep up with those around me. Soon, however, the heat began to increase throughout the day, and JC and I needed to find a shady nap spot to wait out the heat of the day. As the night progressed, the heat dissipated and we were able to continue our hike through the desert and ended up camping at the first water reservoir.

We took a nice walk the next morning and found a tree perfect for a nap. Eventually my feet started to hurt from the hard and tiring hike, as the flat terrain and large amount of water were not a great combination. We ended the second night early, with JC’s cane nearly landing on a docile rattlesnake.

The next day consisted of a beautiful hike along a dirt road and I felt my spirits lifted. We took a nap with other CDT hikers who we found next to a shady cow pond and a fresh water tank. It felt like a perfect day, ending with a beautiful campsite at sunrise.

When we woke up, we found a day much windier and cooler than we expected. This meant we could walk all day. The morning flew by and we accelerated, until we reached a rocky stretch that tested my feet again. Luckily the rocky section ended with some surprising trail magic, which I wasn’t expecting at all on the CDT! We bought Cokes and sat in comfy camp chairs for a while. The trail seemed to change immediately after the magic of the trail to an almost barren wasteland. We stopped at what looked like our first cow tank filled with green water, thinking that was our only source of water. However, after sticking our hand into the green algae-filled water, we found another tank with much cleaner water. Within minutes, we had cuts, things blowing away, shoes full of cow dung, and more barren, windy terrain to walk on. For about a mile, JC and I walked in a 25 mph wind, our sneakers covering our noses and mouths from all the flying dust and sand. We finally found a washing place to camp away from the strong wind.

As we continued passing windier sections and sullen cows protecting their babies, my feet began to get worse and worse. Not only did my feet hurt from not walking for ten months, but also from rashes caused by Leukotape, multiple blisters on each foot, and sharp pains in my heels and toes. He was willing to go to Lordsburg to find a solution.

Lordsburg to Silver City

JC and I walked to Lordsburg, desperate for refreshments. We decided not to spend the night and spend the day in the city, camping on the outskirts for the night. I searched for insoles with no luck and got blisters squeezed out with a safety pin in a grocery store parking lot. Very hiker trash.

We hit the road and walked back to the desert. We were hoping to camp like cowboys, as we had been unlucky enough to find a good spot free of bugs and critters. We set up our place in the desert, with nothing for miles around. We get ready for bed under the stars, then our headlights fall on two of the biggest spiders we’ve ever seen (and I’ve been to Australia). In the middle of the night we set up our tents.

The next day was perfect. I hadn’t liked the low desert, so I was elated to discover that our path led into the mountains. It was beautiful, with hills and trees. JC said it reminded him a lot of the SoCal section of the PCT and he was very nostalgic. However, when we reached our only water source of the day, we discovered that it was dry. We had to struggle 8 more miles to reach a water tank. We were able to do it and ran into some hiking friends who had two extra Cokes from the trail angels who left the water tank. JC and I continued walking into the evening, where we found a beautiful campsite surrounded by large trees.

I loved being back in the woods, but the problems with my feet persisted. Since we were going slower than planned, we had to find alternatives so that JC and I could get to the water on time. We ended up wandering around for a bit at Burro Mountain Homestead, a beautiful stop on the trail that allowed hikers to camp for free, as well as do laundry and showers. We also detoured to Ravenswing Farm Brewery, which was usually closed during the week, but they opened for a large group of CDT hikers looking for a cold midday beer. It was incredible how many hikers showed up, and it almost seemed like a stop you’d find in the bubble of the Appalachian Trail. It’s been amazing to meet so many other amazing hikers, when JC and I thought we’d be alone most of the time on this trail.

The next day, JC and I got an amazing ride to Silver City, with two fire officers and their little dog sitting between them. Finally, I could go to a supplier and try on some new shoes to see if that helps my foot problem.

I hope my new shoes can help with the ups and downs.

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