[Cdt-l] Gooseberry Spring near Grants, New Mexico

[david booth]

Gooseberry Spring is a key water source on Jonathan Ley Map NM18 and  
in the Wolf Guide, Northern New Mexico (page 60 Volume 6). This is on  
the preferred alternative route via Mt Taylor.

Gooseberry Spring is now cow polluted and possibly should only be  
considered as an emergency supply. For SOBO hikers on this route it  
is the last reliable water before Grants (the Forest Service Spigot  
on the northern outskirts of Grants) approximately 18 miles. For NOBO  
hikers this is the only reliable water until American Canyon Spring a  
further 9 miles (approx) after Gooseberry Spring.

The good news is that two Grants residents, Hugo and Carole,  have  
volunteered to place a water cache near Gooseberry Spring and it is  
now operating. The location of this cache is right on the trail so  
you will not waste time searching for the spring.

The Gooseberry Spring at the location on the Garmin GPS Map is  
defunct and the actual pipe is downstream from that location. (at Ley  
"5"). However, as mentioned above, the water is possibly polluted.

Location of the cache is (SOBO) 2 miles after Mt Taylor at the  jeep  
road where the trail  turns sharply right. There is a signpost which  
says "Mt Taylor 2 miles" and the cache is next to this post. The  
cache will be regularly restocked. The cache location is at point "4"  
on the Ley Map NM18. In the Wolf Guide page 60, it is described as  
"After crossing a jeep road at 15.2, make a sharp turn back to the  
right to the grassy gully......"

The GPS location of the cache is N35 13.346 W107 37.813.

The cache is located (NOBO) as follows: Proceeding along FS193 you  
reach a junction with FS501 on your right, just as the FS 193 road  
makes a sweeping left turn.  After meeting the junction continue on  
FS 193 until you reach a turn out (on the left) and flat campsite 
(dry) on the right ("2" on Ley Map) . From the campsite you enter the  
forest on a marked trail that switchbacks uphill. When the trail  
enters a small valley with grassy meadow and a (possibly) flowing  
creek (cow polluted) you cross the valley and reach the jeep track.  
The sign and cache are here at the jeep track where the trail bends  
sharply left.("4" on Ley Map)

I also have a Garmin map of the location, if you want this map please  
email me.

Thanks again to Hugo and Carole for the hard work on behalf of the  
CDT Hikers.

best regards
Aussie Dave
Canberra Australia