[cdt-l] Ghost Ranch to Cumbres Pass

[Slyatpct at aol.com]

Hey, reporting from Nean's place in Pagosa Springs  Tthere's no  Internet 
here  I'm on my laptop)but lots of wire/wireless in town.
 
As mentioned in the Wolf guidebook, water, or lack of it, will be of  no 
concern after Harris Bear spring.  Expect wet feet.  You'll find  snow in patches 
from Mogote Ridge north but none will pose any problems.
 
The route out of GH was fairly easy to follow (Box Canyon/Upper Camp and  
beyond) with the only tricky part being able to recognize when to leave the  
wagon trail (bushwhack) near the base of the cliff to the rock outcrop viewpoint  
above at 2.9 (Carson National Forest Segment, section 4, pg. 28).  If you  
come to a cairn to the right past the sage brush, you've gone a bit too  far.
 
I had problems trying to cross the Rio Valencia (deep, cold,  fast) and 
turned back twice.  Rainman found a fallen tree across the river  near where we 
thought the flagged FS crossing was.  I really should have  got a waypoint but I 
think this was a bit down stream of the Wolf  crossing.  There's a segment of 
signed trail in this area that  starts prior to the river crossing that leaves 
you hanging (junction N 36  36.298 W 106 13.450)(it looks like a short cut on 
the map).  I'm not sure  where the two routes rejoin, it was a long, wet day. 
 We descended steeply  to the river at what may have been the end of the same 
road (FR 274E?).
 
There's a couple miles along the Tierra Amarilla Land  Grant fenchline where 
the fence has been laid down.  Unfortunately,  it's across the trail.  Without 
guilt, regret or remorse, we stepped across  and hiked the other side.  From 
mi 23.7 we continued along the fence rather  than hiking Rio San Antonio 
canyon (Ley map NM 2).
 
A good GPS reference point is mile marker 202 on Hwy. US 64 (N 36  43.164' W 
106 15.369') separating segments 1 and 2 .
 
The view from Brazo Ridge on a clear morning into Colorado was  outstanding.  
There still quite a bit of snow, but should be much better by  the time the 
majority of thru-hikers get here.  Later today or tomorrow  I'll be driving up 
to Wolf Creek Pass and will let you know how it looks.
 
Although, Rainman and Vicki, joined by Pieps and Becca will be heading  north 
from Cumbres June 1st, I still intend on flipping to MT. Whether, I hike  
from Cumbres to Wolf Creek or do some other trails around here prior to heading  
north remains to be seen.
 
Overall, northern NM has been great and is the most diverse section on  the 
entire trail.  I'm looking foward to returning to finish from Pie Town  to the 
border in the fall. 
 
BTW, if you're into live music, Indiefest is going to be here in PS June  
9-10.  _http://www.folkwest.com/_ (http://www.folkwest.com/) 
 
Don't forget to get ahold of Nean when you reach town...   504-250-1791
 
Sly
 
 
 



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