3 Highlights:
• Stunning views through Gila Canyon and ancient caves
• Epic sunset from a mountaintop after a grueling climb
• Pushing through one of the toughest—and most beautiful—days so far
Daily Summary:
• Distance hiked: 49 km
• Starting point: Gila 57
• Ending point: Gila 8
• Weather conditions: Sunny
Reflections (Challenges, Insights, Musings):
Last night? Couldn’t sleep a wink. Every rustle outside sounded like a bear ready to crash the party. Add to that the food overload from yesterday, and you’ve got a recipe for zero sleep and lots of regret.
We hit the trail around 7:15 a.m., diving into what turned into 40 freezing river crossings in the first four hours. And let’s not forget the thorns. New Mexico decided to throw every last thorn in existence at us, and one 5 km stretch felt like nature’s obstacle course from hell.
Finally, we reached a nice spot for lunch right before the big climb. Forced myself to eat just enough to fuel up without dragging myself down, and man, did it work. I felt strong—really strong. Passed Semper Dry on the way up; he’s dealing with an injury, but I hope he powered through okay.
Today? One of the hardest and most beautiful days on this hike so far. Between the Gila Canyon, the caves, and that sunset… wow. I’m wiped out but feeling accomplished. Got 24 km to cover tomorrow morning if I want to hit the post office in time. Alarm is set for 5 a.m.
Good night.
