Start: fs road 94 Stop: Valle Tio Outhouse Miles: 23.5 Total miles: 287.7 It’s about 25F as we pack up our gear. My water has ice crystals in it. A few snow flakes fall and accumulate on my tent. After rejoining the main trail we climb straight up a mountain towards a dark cloud. It’s … More Day 15: Outhouse Campout
Start: bursum and eckle canyon roads Stop: fs road 94 26 miles Total miles: 264.2 I forget to take a picture out my front window of the dozer parked nearby but nonetheless, foot hits road by 6:30am. It’s roads all morning, first dropping into the WIDE open valley and then climbing back into the mountains. … More Day 14: Squirrel Crossing
Start: past flying v canyon Stop: bursum and eckle canyon roads Miles: 20.2 Total miles: 238.2 I believe that hiking up the Gila River is quite an accomplishment. A test of strength and endurance. I awake to partially frozen socks and shoes which is like the cherry on the top of this challenge cake. I … More Day 13: Right Of Passage
Start: Jordan Hot Springs Stop: just past Flying V Canyon 20 miles Total miles: 218 Beads wants to leave at 6am but at 545am I hear nothing from her tent. Despite being mostly ready to pack up, I get back in my sleeping bag and wait for her rustlings. Besides, it’s still a little too … More Day 12: Gila Is For The Birds
Start: Hwy 15 Gila River Bridge Stop: Jordan Hot Springs 12 miles Total miles: 198 My tent is soaked. Every time my head touches it my animal beanie gets wet. I put dry socks on my feet but they go into my soaking wet shoes. I slog the 1 mile down the road to Doc … More Day 11: Gila Cliff Dwellings
Start: Goat Canyon Stop: Hwy 15/Doc Campbell’s Post 20 miles Total miles: 186 Overnight sprinkles leave the tent wet but luckily it’s not raining when we wake. Sunny skies soon darken as we drop 5 miles to the Gila River. Beads and I both are not thrilled at the idea of hiking in water all … More Day 10: Gila Feet
Start: Silver City Stop: Goat Canyon 26 miles Total miles: 166 On the road by 6am. Yes, more road walking. It beats down my moral and I focus on all the pain. What I really want to do is hitch. But somehow I push through. The next thing I know, a truck slows to a … More Day 9: Climbing Up To Thunderclouds
Start: somewhere along hwy 90 Stop: Silver City 7 miles Total: 140 What can I say? Got up before cars could see my stealth camp. Road walked. Found Beads, Addy and Gretchen and had breakfast. Checked into Motel 6. Explored Silver City. Spent 8 hours at the Little Toad Creek Brewery and met up with … More Day 8: Tour Of The Gila and Little Toad Creek Brews
Start: hwy 90 at mile 108 Stop: stealth camp on 90 25 miles Total: 133 It’s a leisurely start. 7am. It’s going to be an easy day. But within the first half mile, I’m so engrossed in my snickers bar that I miss the road/trail junction. I go at least a half mile round trip … More Day 7: The Crows of Burro Peak
Start: Lordsburg Stop: Hwy 90 23.3 miles 108 total miles The walk out of Lordsburg follows a paved road for several miles before heading off through open pasture desert. A cow and her calf are running towards me and I think, oh shit. Forget bears, this cow is going to kill me. I quicken my … More Day 6: Desert Rabbits For Y
Journey Return 