Brian1
Elite Explorer
- Joined
- February 2, 2000
- Messages
- 5,387
- Reaction score
- 644
- City, State
- Albuquerque, NM
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- 1991 XLT
- Callsign
- KG5BAQ
First a little back story - last year over Memorial Weekend my friend Mike and I drove from the CO/NM border South to Grants, NM on the Continental Divide Trail (CDT) which overlaps the hiking trail in spots. This year we wanted to drive from Grants south towards Silver City, NM to finish up the other part of the trail we didn't do. A few days prior to our departure a massive wildfire broke out in the Southern Portion, less than 20 miles from a stretch of the trail. We had to change our plans due to the heavy smoke and ash in the area so we decided to go North on a modified version of the CDT and hopefully drive a portion that was blocked by snow last year that we had to go around.
We met in Cuba, NM and headed into the forest. Our first stop would be an old copper mine with a few tunnels that you could drive into and actually turn around in. The trail was very overgrown and narrow but we made it to the top and walked around in the tunnels and looked at the view back down the valley.
We went back down and picked up the CDT again and took it to Tea Kettle Arch/Rock and that is where we diverted from the actual CDT. We headed North towards El Vado Lake and along the way I had heard about some old cliff dwelling ruins. I found the turnoff on a dirt road and then we parked near some oil and gas equipment where there were plenty of no open flame or smoking signs. To get to the ruins, called Nogales Cliff Dwellings, it was a 0.5 mile hike down a wash and then a 0.25 hike up a 600-ish ft tall canyon. We knew there was going to be something there when we saw some Forest Service signs about protecting America's Heritage wrapped around a tree on the side of the narrow footpath.
These ruins date to the mid 1200s and were inhabited by the Gallinas, a much smaller and isolated group of people than the Chacoans and others of the time period.
The second level and tower
We hiked back down and then headed to El Vado lake where we crossed the dam. We were looking for a campsite but since it was a State Park and a Holiday Weekend it was busy as well as a fee area.
The shore
The Dam we crossed
We decided to head for Hopewell Lake and camp below it on Placer stream
Hazy sunset from the forest fire smoke moving north
Our camp, around 9500 ft.
The next morning we decided to find the waterfall in the area, it was just a small one
We went North again and at this point we were back on the CDT. Soon we came to the section we had to bypass last year.
A forest road marker with the CDT sticker
We were making good time and surprised at the lack of snow but then it came, we thought we would have to turn around. There were 2 drifts that we could see, this one was a good 6' tall and about 20' across and another one a hundred yards down the trail. We gave it a try but couldnt make it, we would have probably sunk in anyway.
We found a bypass and eventually met back with the trail. We took a quick break at the Cruces Basin Wilderness border.
Not sure what this could have been
Soon we dropped into the valley just below Highway 17 and crossed the Cumbress and Toltec Narrow Gauge RR. Our timing was off, it would have been neat to see the steam engine come by.
We then took the highway to Antonito, CO to refuel and get some lunch. To be continued...
We met in Cuba, NM and headed into the forest. Our first stop would be an old copper mine with a few tunnels that you could drive into and actually turn around in. The trail was very overgrown and narrow but we made it to the top and walked around in the tunnels and looked at the view back down the valley.
We went back down and picked up the CDT again and took it to Tea Kettle Arch/Rock and that is where we diverted from the actual CDT. We headed North towards El Vado Lake and along the way I had heard about some old cliff dwelling ruins. I found the turnoff on a dirt road and then we parked near some oil and gas equipment where there were plenty of no open flame or smoking signs. To get to the ruins, called Nogales Cliff Dwellings, it was a 0.5 mile hike down a wash and then a 0.25 hike up a 600-ish ft tall canyon. We knew there was going to be something there when we saw some Forest Service signs about protecting America's Heritage wrapped around a tree on the side of the narrow footpath.
These ruins date to the mid 1200s and were inhabited by the Gallinas, a much smaller and isolated group of people than the Chacoans and others of the time period.
The second level and tower
We hiked back down and then headed to El Vado lake where we crossed the dam. We were looking for a campsite but since it was a State Park and a Holiday Weekend it was busy as well as a fee area.
The shore
The Dam we crossed
We decided to head for Hopewell Lake and camp below it on Placer stream
Hazy sunset from the forest fire smoke moving north
Our camp, around 9500 ft.
The next morning we decided to find the waterfall in the area, it was just a small one
We went North again and at this point we were back on the CDT. Soon we came to the section we had to bypass last year.
A forest road marker with the CDT sticker
We were making good time and surprised at the lack of snow but then it came, we thought we would have to turn around. There were 2 drifts that we could see, this one was a good 6' tall and about 20' across and another one a hundred yards down the trail. We gave it a try but couldnt make it, we would have probably sunk in anyway.
We found a bypass and eventually met back with the trail. We took a quick break at the Cruces Basin Wilderness border.
Not sure what this could have been
Soon we dropped into the valley just below Highway 17 and crossed the Cumbress and Toltec Narrow Gauge RR. Our timing was off, it would have been neat to see the steam engine come by.
We then took the highway to Antonito, CO to refuel and get some lunch. To be continued...
