<div dir="ltr">Hi everyone-<div><br></div><div>This was the press release from the Gila National Forest today regarding the Catwalk section in the area in question. While not addressing the various routes specifically, this may help with some understanding of the area in question. Second - I encourage specific questions be sent to the Glenwood Ranger District, for at least the official status of trails in the area, so closure orders, if in place, are not violated if you choose this route.</div>
<div><br></div><div>Hope this helps.</div><div><br></div><div>Teresa Martinez</div><div>CDTC </div><div><br></div><div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Repairs Underway at Catwalk
</b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b> </b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Glenwood, NM; January
17, 2014</b>—Following assessments of flood damage to the popular Catwalk
National Recreation Trail this fall, U.S. Forest Service personnel have been
working with N.M. Department of Transportation personnel to improve road
conditions along N.M. Highway 174. These improvements have now allowed Forest
Service equipment to access the Catwalk, where additional work is scheduled. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“Damage to the parking lot, picnic area, and trail system is
extensive. Work will be completed in phases, beginning with a short term plan
to provide access to the picnic areas and approximately ½ mile of the older
trail along the northwest side of Whitewater Creek, ” District Ranger Debbie
Cress said. She adds that the Forest Service hopes to reopen a portion of the
Catwalk by April, and intends to work with community members and interested
agencies throughout upcoming months to develop a long term plan for the
Catwalk. Community members can expect opportunties to participate in public meetings
and open house forums to provide their input.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Short term efforts to restore the Catwalk area include:</p>
<ul style="margin-top:0in" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal">Channel work to return
Whitewater Creek flows to the upper low water crossing. Currently, water
is diverted to the southeast and running along a portion of the highway.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Clearing sediment, logs,
and other debris away from picnic tables. </li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Clearing landslides and
stabilizing handrails along the old trail in to the steps constructed by
the Civilian Conservation Corps. </li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Removing metal debris from
the picnic area and channel.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Interpretive signing. </li>
</ul>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“I understand the community’s concerns about reopening this
popular site as soon as possible,” adds Ranger Cress. “My concern is ensuring
the picnic area and trail are safe for the public’s enjoyment. Planning our
work in phases will allow people to come and enjoy the area again as quickly as
possible, while providing the community an opportunity to participate in
creating a long term plan to continue the tradition of the Catwalk.” Please
contact the Glenwood Ranger District office for further information,
575.539.2481. </p>
</div></div><div class="gmail_extra"><br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Thu, Jan 16, 2014 at 10:29 AM, Shian Sung <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:shian.sung@gmail.com" target="_blank">shian.sung@gmail.com</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr"><div>I was hiking with Tom Holz (AKA Bigfoot) and we took the high-water route from Snow Lake to Doc's exactly as Jerry describes. This was on the advice of locals in Pie Town who had been down to check it out as well as the ranger's office for the Gila Wilderness. When we crossed over at the Meadows it did not look terrible, just slow going. If I had to do it again I might have just gone for it, especially after I read an account from another SOBO who went through maybe 1-2 weeks after we did:</div>
<div><br></div><a href="http://marks-talesfromthetrails.blogspot.com/2013/12/middle-fork-of-gila-river-cdt-2013.html" target="_blank">http://marks-talesfromthetrails.blogspot.com/2013/12/middle-fork-of-gila-river-cdt-2013.html</a><br>
<div>
<br></div><div>He averaged around 10 miles a day (down from probably what was a high-20's to low-30's daily pace) through that section, so it was slow going but sounded very rewarding.</div><div><br></div><div>We completely bypassed the southern section of Middle Fork south of Doc Campbell's after doing a lot of research (rangers who were being honest with us, other hikers, forest service trail crews) that said that while the stretch from Snow Lake to Doc's was doable, the section south of there had portions that were not only nearly impassable but also dangerous, with logs stacked on top of each other (a lot of the trees that get swept down the Gila end up getting jammed up in that section).</div>
<div><br></div><div>There will be some northbounders next season who slog through that soon and we'll know what exactly it looks like - I don't know any other sobos from 2013 who did the southern Gila section - maybe Huck or one of the people in the front of the pack.</div>
<div><br></div><div>-Shian (Barrel Roll)</div></div>
</div><br></div>
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<br></blockquote></div><br><br clear="all"><div><br></div>-- <br><span style="border-collapse:collapse"><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><p style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left:0px">
<font><br></font></p></font></span><span style="border-collapse:collapse;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:arial,sans-serif"><i><p style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left:0px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">About Risk – Jeep Gaskin<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left:0px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left:0px">
<span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">“49, 3 kids, all of whom climb. in fact we're going sunday. I'm going to die and so are you. so are my kids. in the perfect world I'll die before they do, but there aren't any guarantees. so I prepare them for life the best way I know how, doing the things that prepared me to massage my mother’s feet and tell her not to be scared, that it was her time to go. and that made it possible to kiss my dad one last time and tell him I loved him, and walk away. if you have depth to your soul and insights into life's lessons and you didn't get them from risk then congratulations but I can't relate. climbing can be deltoids or it can be zen; it can be runout or short safe falls; it can be skies filled with lightning or crisp air ahead of mare's tails. It is never standing in a grocery line.”</span></p>
</i></span>
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