P.S.

12/17/19 Appalachian Trail in 2020?

This trail scares the snot out of me. So why do it? And how? And why?

My main motivation is dumb really, I want the Triple Crown of hiking. The rain, the brutal trail rocks, the ups and downs without switchbacks, the crowds, the frequent towns, I have to immerse myself in a new hiking culture and try not to compare it to other trail cultures. That’s the true challenge, mentally reorienting myself. Will I become part of a so-called trail family, a “tramily?” Will I hunker for days in a hostel because I can’t face hiking out in rain? Well maybe if it’s warm rain, I’ll hike out, humidity doesn’t bother me, cold does. (I know, I know, I’m Alaskan, I surely love the cold and dark, right?)

I’ve been so accustomed to low numbers of humans on the CDT, enough companionship to make me happy but not so many as to make me nervous about filled up campsites or hostels in town.

I can’t start the AT till April 15. But what about weather and winter heading north in April? I just don’t know. I have a hard time leaving a nice comfy motel room when it’s raining and I think it rains a lot back East. I’ve become pretty good at figuring out logistics though. And I have a hiking umbrella with an extra long telescoping handle I can tuck into my pack for hands free hiking.

From social media it appears that huge numbers of prospective hikers know little about hiking or camping and live back East with the AT built into their conscience as a great thing to do. Attrition rate reaches 70% by the 1/2 way point. The PCT attrition rate is something like 50% by the end.

Why do it? The Ravens and Puff Puff, the people I’ve spent hundreds of miles hiking with, have commented in their blogs that I’d hate it. So I found a book, The Appalachian Trials, written for newbie hikers but applicable to me anyway, that says write a list of whys, laminate it, and read it on the trail when you feel in need of motivation. Top of my list, to get the Triple Crown of long distance hiking (PCT, CDT, AT) which is kind of lame but that’s my main motivator. Others: explore more history, give my snowboarding friends the chance to help me along the way while visiting their states, walk through new mountains, face my Northerner’s fear of the East, and experience the super hiker friendliness the people along the AT are known for.

The AT purist attitude is where the dumb “thru hike” phrase comes from, as in “I’m going to thru-hike a 31 mile section of the AT,” or “It’s not a thru-hike if you don’t… “. These people have yet to hear of the concept of connecting your footsteps even if not the actual blazed trail. Apparently somewhere there is a rule that you have 12 months to hike every foot of the current white-blazed trail in order to be a thru-hiker. I’m hiking the AT, I’m a long distance hiker, I intend to hike the entire AT, I connect my footsteps in an unbroken track, sometimes it will be wearing a daypack, sometimes I may take an alternate, and if a section of the trail is closed, for whatever reason, I won’t hike it.

The insanity of the social media sites devoted to discussing the AT is mind blowing. “What’s the best underwear?” “How many pairs?” Food storage is huge with people claiming their method is “perfect” and others countering with horror stories about said “perfect” method. Some people have never backpacked before and are building their entire kit from scratch and are understandably anxious and confused over what pack, bag, shoes or boots, tent or hammock, etc to get. “How many miles a day are you all going to hike?”

I started thinking about what scared me about other hikes I’ve done. I remember camping on my own many years ago, that scared me until I did it. My first PCT in 2015, I was terrified of starting in the desert at the Mexican border until I did it. Now I’m terrified of overflowing shelters and tent sites, until I do it.

What does not scare me about the AT? Snakes, ticks, sidearm packing Southerners, bear, coyotes, day trippers, pitching my tent, running out of food, blisters, sprains, snow, hiking 10-hour days, or crappy IPAs.

AT The End: Franklin, NC to Springer, GA

7/7-12/23 87 miles

Springer Mountain, GA

Flip pages to the end of the mystery book— I did it! I finished the Appalachian Trail at Springer Mountain on July 12, 2023.

I’ve been ridiculously anxious the last couple hundred miles about something happening that would make me get off trail. Maybe it’s weird but I just wanted to complete this trail. This time it hasn’t been about the journey, it’s been about the achievement. For myself. I did it.

The weather north on the AT has been really bad, the flooding in Vermont has washed out at least one bridge, and caused hikers to slog through “Vermud” where they could. Hikers have been asked to get off the trail for their own safety. I was so lucky last year to have way better conditions, just a couple of days where I was wet, cold and miserable.

Meanwhile the record snowfall in the Sierra has been a massive challenge for people trying to thru-hike the PCT.

My decision to walk these last 470 miles from Damascus to Springer in June and July means I’ve been in the lush rainforest, the green tunnel with very few other hikers. If I’d continued last October I would have had better views since the trees and bushes are deciduous and drop their leaves in the Fall. Doh. But I wanted to finish the AT in time to apply to get the Triple Crown of Hiking at the Fall Gathering of the American Long-Distance Hiking Association-West (ALDHA-West) this September. I did it.

I’ve barely had to pitch my tent the last few weeks. I’ve taken advantage of the unique situation along the AT. There are numerous shuttle operations that will pick me up, drop me off and pick me up again and bring me back to a motel or hostel for a dry comfortable place to sleep. It takes quite a bit of cash but I’m no purist, as anybody who’s hiked with me knows. I connect my footsteps so I’ve not missed a mile. Platinum blazing has kept me injury free and given me the social connections that keep my anxiety at bay.

The Hidden Pond Hostel was the last place I stayed. I hiked off trail about 0.5 miles and Potholder picked me up for the short ride. Along with M&M and Pootz, he’s keeping the place open for hikers. Many hostels are closed now since the NOBOs are long gone. Two women I’d met briefly a day or two previously, Strider and Feral, were staying there on their section hike from Hiawassee to Amicalola State Park just past the Springer terminus. Sitting in the common area, I expressed my dream that I wouldn’t have to pitch my tent again, that there was a slackpack option to get me 15 miles the next day, leaving just 9 for my last day. M&M and Pootz (2007 AT hikers) calmly started talking about it. And made it happen, yay!

GA, the 14th of the 14 states the AT travels through

Rock wall with culvert holding up the trail

Spider web

M&M, Pootz,Feral, Strider, Catwater celebrating at the top of Springer

M&M made me this sign!

P.S. I wrote a little essay in 2019 after I finished the CDT about hiking the AT in 2020. Which I didn’t do that year because of the pandemic. It follows this post, unedited.

AT Fontana to Franklin, NC

7/1-7/6/23 65.6 miles

I took a zero. Seems like every 5 or 6 days I just don’t feel like slogging down the trail all day. It really gets tedious actually, especially with the gray skies overhead and surrounded by wet, green vegetation. What does it mean when I start counting centipedes and then refine that to include which direction across the trail each is traveling?

This is an endurance event for sure. I picked this time of year to finish these last 470 miles to avoid crowds of NOBOs (north boulders) and to finish the AT in time (mid-August) to report to the American Long-Distance Hiking Association-West (ALDHA-West) and officially earn the Triple Crown of Hiking. It’s also the time of year when all the trees and bushes have their view shrouding foliage. Fall would have views, oh well.

The walking is hard of course, but not really hard. I mean I get assorted aches and pains, I get tired, I slip and fall, I get cold and wet. There are hikers out for a few days, not a lot, but nice to see them.

What a strange world I’ve created. Hike, boring and tedious, then get a shuttle to comfort. Only on the AT! Fontana, then Gorgeous Stays near the NOC, then Franklin and so on….

Anyway, my hike has recently been about wonderful shuttle providers and places to stay inside. “Platinum blazing” is getting me down the trail. There are drivers listed in the FarOut app who will pick me up, take me to a trail head, pick me up at a designated road access trailhead at the end of my day, then take me back to wherever I’m paying to stay. And then the thunder showers commence. It’s a cash transaction. Without exception, every driver has been prompt, courteous and professional. I’ve tried to stay at hostels that support hikers, but many are taking a break at this time since the NOBO bubble has passed through and there’s just a few hikers needing their services. So I’ve found hotels. I wanted to avoid the crowds and so I have. A bit lonely, but also rather pleasant to have these beautiful woods to myself. I’m happy to be here.

AT Gatlinburg, TN to Fontana Dam, NC

6/26-30/23 58 miles

So am I done with Tennessee?

David picked me up at 11:30 as he had to give another guy a ride to Cherokee, past Newfound Gap where he’d return me to the trail. Whoops. As we enter Great Smoky National Park, a road crew with an NPS person blocked the road. After crawling behind an enormous line of traffic, we learned there was a rockfall caused by yesterday’s storm blocking the road. So instead of a 30” drive, David drove us around the long way, 3 hours. We dropped the other passenger and headed into the Park. Whoops. Blocked. I finally saw on Google Maps that there were 2 closed sections but that the road in between was open. I hopped out with David and asked the NPS if there was a blockage between here and Newfound Gap. No. Was he letting any cars through since we were only going to the gigantic Newfound Gap parking lot. Yes, some hikers needed to be picked up and their driver was allowed through. I said I needed to be dropped off and David was a shuttle driver (his car has his business name and info on both sides). So we got permission as long as David promised to come back the same way and not try to get through the Park. Thank you! I finally started hiking at 2:30 pm with the Smoky NP dilemma. Since NPS requires hikers to stay at shelters, I can camp at 5:30 or 8:30. I have food for 3 nights anyway so no problem. I went to the near shelter. And there were 2 sisters there already, yay! More humans to run off bear. Then a hiker I met at Standing Bear Hostel who hiked out the day before me, in the rain, No. 2. Not that number 2, but because he always came in second playing games with other hikers. Super cool guy, very sociable on the trail, and hiking Damascus to Springer like me, although on a dirt bag budget, not platinum blazing budget like me.

The next day, I went up “the iconic” Clingman’s Dome, which was covered in clouds and tourists who drove up the now-opened Park road and walked a short paved pathway. A couple asked me what I was doing with the big pack and were so impressed with the combination of me being solo, old and fit, they took my picture. Yup, celebrity OG hiker woman once again. Pretty fun! I got to a shelter and eventually there were 5 women and No. 2. He builds a fire in the shelter fireplace to dry out his wet stuff, then pitches his tent.

Clingman’s Dome

Another short day because of the shelter staggering, but it’s my last night in the Park so afterwards I should have a little more flexibility in the miles I hike. Or….more slackpacking. I saw 4 wild hogs streak across the trail ahead of me. Snake Bite, from Mobile, Alabama, at Standing Bear Hostel had told me to look for torn up ground where the hogs rooted, so I’d been noticing that.

And down through the lush rainforest, across the Fontana Dam and the trail popped out by the Fontana Marina where I could get a shuttle the 2 paved miles to Fontana Lodge. I called at 2:40 and they said a shuttle would get me at 5. I was kinda rude since when I’d called for a lodging reservation a few days ago, I was told to “just call” when I got there and they’d send somebody. I was walking up to the parking area from the marina when Susan who was just packing up her stand up paddleboard (SUP) offered me a ride to the Lodge.Yes! I walked in and apologized for being grumpy on the phone and of course was compelled to suggest they be more clear when a hiker makes a reservation and asks about a ride. I’m off season from the NOBO hordes so probably the only hiker recently. Anyway, after 3 whole nights in a row of sleeping on the ground, I’m in a lovely, clean, quiet room washing off the accumulated sweat and grime from hiking in the heat and humidity. Quit your bitching, Catwater, you have beer. Plus Dan mailed my resupply box 6/27 and it’s already here at the Lodge on 6/29! Go USPS, right Tarcey?

The following morning I got a ride south about 14 miles to Stecoah Gap and slackpacked back to a Smashburger with jalapeños. I started hiking about 8:30 and it rained for 4 solid hours, then not. My rain gear kept me warm. When the rain stopped I put my fleece on instead, put in an earbud and continued listening to Fossil Men, The Quest For The Oldest Skeleton and the Origins of Humankind by Kermit Pattison. It’s fascinating and memorable, a true tale of the personalities, fossils and evolution of the science of paleo anthropology. We are an amazing creature. But wait, there’s more, let’s see what we become in another million years.

Then back to the Lodge to dry out and refuel for tomorrow.

Billy Goat Gruff Memorial Bridge

AT Hot Springs, NC to Gatlinburg, TN

6/21-25/23 67.6 miles

I took a zero in Hot Springs the day I got to visit with Bling and Darby and the next day I had Jason pick me up at 7 am and drop me off at Max Patch for a slackpack back to my motel. You never know what the actual tread on the trail will be like. The uphill and downhill profile looked modest, meaning mostly down, but my goal was to make it before dark.

There’s a lot of trail side headstones down here

“Happy Solstice” says the chubby white guy with bangs combed to his eyebrows like a Beatle and a towel clutched in front of his junk. Thanks for that at least.

“Oh, Hike Naked Day,” I grunted as I cruised past him without a pause. What, am I supposed to take a photo?

All I saw today were 10 hikers going the opposite direction to me with 2 dogs, 1 hiker starting her section hike going my way and 1 naked guy standing in the middle of the trail. Slack, rain, cloud, I did it! Great day!

I printed my Great Smokies NP permit at the outfitters across from my motel. You can only stay/camp at shelters, and you have to hang your bear canister or food bag on the provided cables. And there are a lot of bears and a lot of bear activity in the most visited Park in the National Park system. So planning the mileage from shelter to shelter will be a bit of a challenge.

Jason returned me to Max Patch the next day but couldn’t give me a ride till much later in the morning so I figured I might as well book another hostel for that night. The thunderstorms, clouds and humidity are a plague upon my hike. Standing Bear Farm has mixed reviews but I loved it. I think because this is not the busy season, I get what I want. I have a cute little space with a bed called the Upper Treehouse. There’s portapotties, outdoor shower, a bunkhouse with a few guys (and Dakota the bear-running-off dog gets his own bunk!), kitchen and other cool stuff. I had a beer and my freeze dried dinner in a thunderstorm which had held off all day as I hiked. I’m blissfully happy not being in my tent. The rain went on all night and into the next morning. I took a zero.

Next day I entered the Smokies. Lots of uphill in my future. Should I stay after a very short day at the shelter 7 miles in or go on to the shelter 18 miles in? When I got to the first one after mostly steep uphill, it creeped me out. There was a guy sound asleep at 2 pm, his hiking boots propped up nearby. Seeing as how this shelter was a short walk from an alternate trailhead, it reminded me of shelters up north on the AT where people kind of lived in them. So, I pushed on, eventually getting to Tri Knob around 6 pm (not bad!) with 12 of the 18 miles uphill. Nobody else was here, massive numbers of tent sites.

View

I pitched my tent, ate dinner, then started texting potential shuttle drivers to get a ride into Gatlinburg the next day—I have a box to pick up at the NOC outfitters there. Instant response from David, I estimated a 5 pm pickup after 16 miles.

The next morning I saw a few people in the morning, about 4, they must have stayed at the next closest shelter south of me. Then, 1 hiker who stayed at the shelter 3.25 miles, he informed me, from Newfound Gap where David will get me from a huge parking lot. Not a bad day, the trail in the Park has been constructed right on a knife edge ridge, like actually built with rock cribs and fill rock in many places. But it was “smoky” all day, clouds above and gathered in the lows below me. Ups and downs in lush rainforest. Everything was going great and as I got closer, day hikers started popping up which meant I was less than 5 miles from the trailhead as rain started falling. As I approached the top of the last climb and the shelter 3.25 miles from the parking lot, it started raining, hard. Thunder claps right overhead. I got rain gear on as day hikers in shorts and tees continued uphill. Dumb. The wind came up, the rain was torrential and the rocks were slippery as I went downhill as fast as I could. If I didn’t have a shuttle set up, this is the exact situation where I would have pitched my tent, crawled in, warmed up and waited it out. Even moving, I knew the signs of impending hyperthermia. I get cold too easily.

Made it to the bottom half an hour earlier than my estimated arrival time. I went into the big restroom (I’m so lucky there was a place out of the torrential rain!) and changed into dry clothes and waited 1/2 an hour for my ride. By the time we got to my motel all I could think about was getting into a hot shower. Check-in took forever as I waited in line.

And then, woo! I’m warm, and every wet piece of gear is drying. Now for some food!

.

AT Roan Mountain, TN to Hot Springs, NC

6/11-19/20 78.7 miles

Wow, calculating that mileage emphasizes what I already know—I gotta hike bigger miles.

I got dropped off back at Carver’s Gap and headed SOBO. As predicted, it started raining. No biggie. I camped and a couple of guys and their beautiful Aussiedoodle, Murphy, camped next to me. It rained all night and I was dry except it’s so warm and humid, the condensation built up. I packed up a damp sleeping bag and soaking wet tent. I wanted to hike 17 miles and get picked up and taken to Uncle Johnny’s Hostel but Unicoi Shuttle (the same great people that got me from the airport to Damascus!) were a tad busy so I got picked up a few miles earlier. No worries! I stayed in Cabin 3, facing away from the fire pit and outdoor speakers, quiet and super comfy. Just a little walk in the middle of the night to the bathroom/shower room. 2 more easy days of slackpacking and I had to pack 4 nights of food for the stretch to Hot Springs, NC.

Big Bald

Also Big Bald

So I’m hanging around on the covered deck with some hikers and one starts talking about meeting a Triple Crowner a couple days before, south of Uncle Johnny’s. “He was wearing a garbage bag! And doing big miles just for fun!” I had just read the Ravens latest update about what all 4 of them were up to. “Was his name Bling?” I asked. “Yes! Look at this photo! And he even autographed Elvis’ pack!” “I know him!” And told the story of meeting the whole family on the PCT in 2015 when Whisper was 9 and Bling 13. And hiking a bunch of the CDT with them in 2017. These hikers were so impressed and so excited that they’d met a Triple Crowner and that he was so friendly, cool and young! I texted Bling’s photo to Papa and Mama Raven. They texted Bling where I was and then Bling started planning how to meet me from Chattanooga where he’s visiting friends and climbing. He just hiked a 100 miles or so for fun!

So I headed out and camped at a lovely quiet site, no bear sign, no people, no problem. I do like having a bear canister so they can’t get my food and turn into habituated problem bears.

The next night, again a campsite to myself, all quiet until a couple of coyotes separated by a mile or two started howling at each other at 4:30 am. Took them a while to reunite I guess.

I’m seeing about 20 NOBOs a day, hiking sections of the AT.

There is a stretch of trail ahead closed to camping because of bear activity. USFS doesn’t want to have to kill any more bear because we humans can’t keep our food safely hung or contained away from their prying claws. The problem is the wording of the notice confused me. Fortunately I camped by a shelter and the hiker there, Meatball, heading in the opposite direction of me, had also been confused and called the agency. My plan now has to change because I can’t camp in a 13.5 stretch. My choice for camping tomorrow is to hike 7.3 miles or 21 and camp next to a busy road and then hike 5 into Hot Springs. Or…

Bling and Elvis

Ed and his little bear dog heading NOBO

2 Union soldiers killed here while visiting home in Tennessee during the war

It was a small butt and I didn’t bypass it

I called Jason for a pickup from Allen Gap in 12.3 miles and a night in Laughing Heart Hostel. It worked! Platinum blazing is the best.

Got a ride back to Allen Gap in the morning for a lovely (only rained 3 hours) 14.6 miles back to town. Within the first 20” of the hike I saw a healthy black bear munching her lush vegetarian breakfast next to the trail. She didn’t notice me until I greeted her calmly. “Hey bear” and she skedaddled downhill from me. “Good bear!”

Tiny rat snake behind Laughing Hearts Hostel

Slackpack from Allen Gap to Hot Springs because no camping due to “bear activity”encounters

An old dam, no power lines, just water for a bygone era

The other side of the dam

The rain stopped and I could see a long ways

My reward

Catwater and Bling reunite for the first time since 2018

Bling and his friend Darby drove 150 miles from Chattanooga to see me. It made me so happy. We ate lunch and talked hiking and family and reminisced. I sent this photo to Mama and Papa Raven!

CDT Grants, NM to AT Damascus, VA

5/10-6/2 0 miles walked, 6916 miles flown

The paved road walking was tough. I might be in the minority of CDT hikers who find New Mexico worth the pain of dirt road walking and paved highway walking, judging by their public comments. But it’s beautiful. Too many miles caused an overuse injury, or maybe it was the new shoes and insoles I picked up in Pie Town. A new model of the Altra Timp and a new model of the Super Feet insoles I’ve been using forever. Regardless, 3 zeros haven’t resolved the tendinitis in my left foot. I only had time left to hike the 5 day stretch to Cuba anyway. And the initial water haul would add unbearable weight to a 5 day food carry.

The Grand Canyon Rim to Rim and then back Rim to Rim has been postponed to 2024 because the Park’s North Rim is still closed so I’ll head back to Dan and the cats, rest up the foot and hope I can quit hobbling before getting back on the AT June 3, after a bunch of flying and assorted chores.

Dan and cat #3 of 4, Treadmill

I’m really sad about missing the stretch to Cuba by Mt Taylor, sacred to the local indigenous people. The cliffs and rock formations, the views, the history and prehistory, it’s amazing.

AT Damascus, VA to Roan Mountain, TN

6/3 to 6/10 90.2 miles

It took a couple weeks for my left foot and ankle to start working properly again. Two weeks of doing nothing but short limps around trying to get prepped for getting back on the AT. Then one morning I could walk without limping. Catwater is back!

I kind of love travel logistics and I really hate red eye flights. I flew Alaska Air to Atlanta, overnighted and got a Delta flight to TRI. I detest ATL, only been through there for international flights previously. Guess I could add that I detest most big airports, I ought to get paid to write and post proper signage in the airports of the world. As it is, I expected airport security to apprehend the tall old lady dropping F bombs as she exclaimed about the ridiculously inept signage at ATL. Good thing I’m a hiker, you have to walk miles in that airport to find baggage claim.

I’d contacted Unicoi shuttle company back East that helps Appalachian Trail hikers, and lined up a ride to Damascus. I booked a lovely room at Dancing Bear Inn in Damascus for a couple nights to get over jet lag.

In Damascus, this cute guy is fed cat food

I still have Waitin’ On (Freddie)’s phone number from Broken Fiddle Hostel last fall, so I called, arranged a short 15 mile slackpack from south of Damascus to make sure my foot was going to be OK on trail. I love that hostel, clean, great guys working there, good conversation on the covered porch where seemingly everybody but me smokes something. So I walked back in from the trail and spent a cozy night in the same room I’d been in last year. Freddie drove me back south the next morning.

Day 1 and he’s already walking off in a huff

Follow the blazes

I didn’t get a photo but the first NOBO I met was Chopper and her rescued and adorable leashed kitten Subway. That’s where Chopper found the little abandoned kitten who now cruises the trail cuddled in Chopper’s front sling. I stopped for the night at a shelter, camping as far away as possible.

The next day I was still low energy, no appetite, so I contacted Boot’s Off Hostel and got a ride a few miles before I would have walked in. I have a lovely little shed/cabin with portapotties nearby. They do a town shuttle every day at 5 pm so you can go to the store or grab McDonald’s or Subway for dinner.

I slept great that night for the first time in a week and did a super easy slackpack the next day. Amazingly I saw Survivor heading NOBO as I was going SOBO. He was one of the hikers I finished Katahdin with last August and the guy who hitched us a ride into Millinocket after the other hostel failed to pick us up on time. I kinda forgot he planned on doing the second half of the AT this year. We laughed and chatted for a bit then headed off in opposite directions!

Boots Off Hostel chat room

Lucky Moon at Boots Off easily convinced me to zero the next day because of the 90% chance of thundershowers. And so I was happy to wake up to relentless rain all day while I was dry and inside. Still have trouble with no appetite, argh.

A coffin shaped window? Door?

I got to give a guy his trail name the last night at Boot’s Off. These NOBOs I’m seeing are behind “the bubble” but there are still plenty of people to form a hiking group with. Some hikers are way faster and keep passing so they stay solo, some are just insecure about their social skills or identity or whatever and avoid bonding. Anyway, I started talking with young guy, Jin, heavily accented English but 10 years resident in Ohio working on Amazon robotics. He confessed he was totally clueless about hiking and the AT but here he is 400 miles in to it, mad respect! Anyhow in his first couple of days, he didn’t want to mess up and found himself trying to find a campsite in the dark at 9:30 pm, kinda wandering around lost until he finally found the trail with his headlamp and camped. I loved this story, so honest. I turned to the other people in the room and said, “Jin’s trail name should be Not Lost, what do y’all think?” “Lost and Found?” “Nah, Not Lost.” And Jin loved it!

I spent so much time at Boots Off I got to know Cap’n Ron, a sailor with long experience building and repairing wooden boats and tall ships. There are fascinating stories from the people who live and work the AT hostels. Since I’m going against traffic, south not north, and I actually love socializing with the hiker community, I feel happy opening these conversations and connections, another gift the AT gives me.

It stopped raining so I hiked 18.1 miles, camped and then cruised 15 miles into the next hostel the following day. Mountain Harbour, that also has a permanent food truck/bar area open at 5 pm every night. Ate my first really big dinner after 2 days of excellent trail tread.

The Fitzgeralds with proud papa and father-in-law Johnny listening at Mountain Harbour Hostel

The following day I slackpacked from the top of Carver’s Gap back down to the 19E road and the hostel. Easy and beautiful day. The Fitzgeralds, a local couple with beautiful harmonies and an acoustic guitar played for us at the hostel. I’m buying their album, due out in a couple of months, never thought I’d appreciate bluegrass/hillbilly but the live performance was stellar.

Mountain Harbour hostel manager

Mountain Harbour Hostel advice

Hostel hopping and slackpacking aka Platinum Blazing, doesn’t make for proper daily mileage. There are only so many places where the trail crosses an accessible road and where it’s worth the while of a shuttle driver. Combine that with the fact they need travel time added to their day just to come fetch up a hiker, so it’s extremely rare to get a ride at say 7 am so that I can have some confidence I can hike 20 miles before dark. That means my slackpack days finish too early. But! I get to sleep indoors and I’m not having to carry the full load of all my camping gear. This opportunity isn’t something I’ve found on the PCT or CDT or other shorter trails I’ve hiked. So I’m going to keep embracing what the AT has on offer.

Who lived here and when?

Foundations

CDT Pie Town to Grants

5/6 21.3 miles

More gravel road walking out of Pie Town. It went fine but I’m hurting. The water sources are different than before. This used to be cattle country with wind mills or solar wells to water them. I see very little evidence of cows, other than fences—-neither hoof prints nor fresh cow patties. What’s going on? Ranchers out of business? Meat market crash? Water supply dry up? The water tank where I camped with the Ravens, Endless and Queen Bee in ‘17–derelict. The solar well where I camped with Tinman, Earl Gray Goose, OT and the other OGs in ‘21–not functioning for awhile it looks like. And both are no longer listed as a water source on the FarOut app.

On the other hand, about 16-17 miles from Toaster House, a wonderful family has the TLC Ranch and puts out water and snacks for hikers. You could camp there but it was too early in the day when I caught up to Gonzo and we sat on chairs in the shade and chatted.

I plodded on a bit after picking up 2 1/2 liters of water from TLC to get me through dinner, breakfast and to the next water tomorrow.

Right now, I’m back on “the red line,” out of Pie Town, the official CDT, but coming up are a variety of alternates. With the Ravens, I took “the brown line,” the Cebolla Alternate, but I’ll do what I did the last time, just stay on the red line, join the paved 117, link back to the red line after skipping a 20 mile chunk of red line El Malpais (which I’ve never done) and either turn west to link with “the blue line,” the Bonita-Zuni Alternate, which I’ve done twice or stay north on the red line, the pavement, which I did with the Ravens, memorably camping with 2 friendly, curious horses. Follow that? Doesn’t matter.

5/7/23 19.5 miles

Martini and Catwater

Today was more gravel road, with a bit of wind starting around noon, so really comfortable temperature, although the dust sticks to my sunscreen and drips out my nose. At a new to me water source a bit off the road, I met Martini, a hiker from Slovakia, how cool is that? I got water, hiked on to the junction of red line/brown line and rested a bit. Alpaca, from Germany, stopped too, nice. She’s heading on the brown line, I’m not. After another 5-ish miles I got to pavement and walked on another 5 till I rejoined the brown line (short cutting essentially). A fair amount of traffic was going by both directions. I knew if I was running low on water, all I had to do was pause and hold up my water bottle pathetically and a car would stop. But I was fine. Within a few hundred yards of the dirt cattle pond I was going to intimidate cows to get to, a truck pulled over and asked if I needed water. It was Patricia (but with the Spanish pronunciation that I can’t channel on this blog: Pah-TREECE-e-ah), an unadvertised Trail Angel who had just given water and conversation to 3 hikers ahead of me, including the old French guy from Toaster House, whose room I got after he left. We had a lovely chat while she poured a liter into my Smart Water bottle to make 2 L I was carrying. She said she’d be driving back on the road later if I needed more. Dopamine rush, thank you!

Are you kidding me? Yes, I’m watching for water. Please.

I knew I’d need an additional 1L to camp if I stuck to the red line road walk to Grants, because the next water was at the Ranger Station tomorrow.

The water caches that have been maintained by Trail Angels since at least 2017, are no longer, I know from hiker comments in the Far Out app. That changes everything for me, hauling water at 2.2 lbs a liter is tough even when my modest consumption is 4L a day. The more weight I carry, the slower I go.

I finally stopped to rest, maybe 10 miles since the last rest. There’s no shade or place to pee when you’re on a highway with barbed wire fence on both sides and no trees to hide behind in the right-of-way. I stopped where the brown line joins the 117. There was a 5 gallon cache, empty, when suddenly, to this weary hiker, Hamish, drove off the highway, over the cattleguard and onto the dirt road where I rested against a road marker. He saw me, stopped and asked if I needed water. “Yes, can you spare 1 liter?” “As much as you want!” I grabbed my 2L platypus (not the 1L I also have) and he kept filling it—past the 2 L mark, so then I had 4L! Heavy. Great conversation even though I was not resting but standing up the whole time. He has volunteered in the area with the Albuquerque Wildlife Society for 30 years, working to restore water availability for wildlife. When I told him my observations and questions about cattle and well water for them, he appeared stunned. I quit babbling about them asking the indigenous people for their knowledge of water and wildlife pre-ranchers and why there’s so few cows the last few years and the impact on water that roads, drainage ditches and culverts have. Shut up Catwater. But I made both of us think about these water issues, I’m sure. He invited me to volunteer with his organization.

I scooted under barbed wire to make camp where the Ravens and I did. I miss you guys!

5/8 16.1 miles

View from my campsite

I got water at the Ranger Station after ducking the closed gate. I saw 3 people including 2 rangers and a guy working on concrete. The assistant ranger saw my Alaska flag hat and told me he’d spent 3 seasons in Chicken, AK, cool! The rangers introduced me to Walter, Acoma Pueblo, artist, who was sculpting an installation. The rangers said goodbye and hopped in their truck. Then one on one Walter described how he saw a request for proposal (RFP) for a sculpture at the Ranger Station. He is so stoked to be selected. He told me about Acoma energy, his sculpture will have a lightening bolt. He’d love to see Mt Taylor erupt. I know Mt Taylor is sacred to indigenous people—let’s revert to its proper name! But I didn’t say it, because I was listening to this beautiful Acoma man with Spina Bifida, “I can only carve 3-4 hours a day.” I have to come back when the sculpture is finished.

I ducked under barbed wire again to camp but just before the Boundary sign, whatever that means. It’s all fenced. I love them, but I don’t want to wake up again to horse snouts nosing under my tent fly like it happened when I was camping with the Ravens.

5/9 13.1 miles

I’m hobbling from walking for days on pavement.

Think I saw a javelina today, my first. I’ve heard they can be aggressive, so like when I’ve seen bear, I yelled something stupid. In this case, “Hey, you all alone?” and it ran back to my side of the road and then along the fence line away from me out of sight. I tracked the little footprints till there was a big enough hole under the fence and they vanished. Sure made the New Mexico Highway 117 road walk (the official route for the CDT National Scenic Trail) a little more interesting since previously I’d been counting the number of single gloves along the side of the pavement.

Stopped at Subway about halfway to Grants and Motel 6. Yum, sandwich and lemonade, seriously. I made it to the motel by 1:30. Had a reservation but the wonderful front desk told me to cancel it and gave me the hiker discount, $20 cheaper. Which I spent on beer at Walgreens.

Might be related to 2017 horses

CDT 2023 Reserve to Pie Town

At the Pie-O-Neer in Pie Town, upper right by the fireplace around the table clockwise: Container, Eager Beaver, Brittany, ?, Falcon, El Chapo, ?

I forgot to talk about the elevation in New Mexico. When I flew into Silver City , I was at 6000’. The day I hiked out towards Gila Hot Springs I topped out at 7200’. This last stretch I slept in Reserve at 5800’ after climbing to 9000’ the day before. The shuttle from Reserve dropped me at the trailhead at 7300’ and that day I climbed over Mangas Mountain at 9600’ before pitching my tent on the downside at 8300’. It doesn’t look like I’m at elevation, it looks like flat to hilly desert.

Hiking the Appalachian Trail north last year, I went up and down stunning mountain ranges, some of the oldest mountains I’ve ever been in, but their elevation is comparatively low. The Whites in New Hampshire have a calling to peak baggers—summit all 48 4000footers (4000’). That’s in contrast to Colorado’s challenge—bag all 58 14ers (14,000’). And I’ve spent quite a bit of time in California’s Sierra, including hiking Mt Whitney a few times, the highest peak in the Lower 48 at 14,505’.

5/1/23 zero

I’m still exhausted, even after a night in a quiet, comfy room—dammit!

Twigs and Foghorn took a zero yesterday and were going to hike out today but Twigs has a swollen, sore Achilles so she and Foghorn are going to rest up another day—the only hikers here until suddenly in the afternoon, they were swarming like flies. Or, you know, maybe flies were swarming stinky hiker trash.

Thor is camping behind the laundry room, then Auzzie and pup Waydoe (yes!). Falcon and his just trail named companion, Roadside Poopah (or just Roadside because the diarrhea next to the trail doesn’t need to be thought about every time you hear his name). Roadside has 2 sore Achilles and is going to get a ride ahead to Toaster House in Pie Town. Falcon will take a zero in Reserve.

We all went to the only place open for food, Bill’s Bar. I shot pool for the first time since Crystal Palace and Saloon in Juneau in the 70’s I think. I even made a few shots—me and Falcon vs Twigs and Foghorn. More hikers rolled in for food and beer—Tucker and Ian, Dr Doolittle and Sherpa (met at Doc’s). Fun!

Cats in Reserve

5/2/23 16.3 miles

So I got the shuttle (thanks again Darryl!), hiked a shortish day and am now drinking the Sante Fe 7K IPA I carried out of Reserve. I’m purposely doing 2 nights so I can hike into Toaster House on morning 3 in the hopes that hikers have cleared out and I can get a bunk inside. I’ve done it before and the plan has worked. The latest info is that new caretaker Dana is cleaning things up, and sticking to quiet hour and good behavior rules. If it’s overrun like in 2021, I can grab my resupply box and hitch to Quemado where there is a motel. Why do I stress about this?

1st snow I’ve seen, Mangas Mountain

Reward

Water source for the day

5/3/23 15.4 miles

An uneventful day of gravel road walking. I stopped at Davila Ranch at about noon and owner John was there. I met him way back when and I’d heard he’d had some health issues since. But he looked good and it was fun talking to him. Since I told him I’d been there before, he asked if I knew DogMa. Of course! She’d been at Davila just a week or so before, for the second time (the 1st was in 2019 when she and I met on the porch of Toaster House with her dog with the sprained tail from swimming the Gila River). John said he didn’t recognize DogMa but described her, not present this year, dog to perfection. Kinda like me, I’ll get the dog’s name and forget the hiker’s name. John dug a 500’ well so he could provide this hiker oasis. There’s a covered area with a refrigerator stocked with eggs and potatoes, 2 washers and dryers, a kitchen area, a wash station, flush toilet and shower complete with towels and loaner clothes. All for donation. What kindness!

I hung out an hour and a half, first with Forest Jill, and older hiker couple Home and Eric, and then with Twigs and Foghorn. I carried enough water to camp and went another 6 miles, ducking under a barbed wire fence and stealth camping in wind and clouds, hidden from the road, leaving no trace and perfectly comfortable.

Good morning sun!

5/4/23 8 miles

Cats in Pie Town

Made it to Toaster House by 10 am. Got my bunk on the ledge upstairs. No problems. Not wall to wall mattresses like in 2021, whew. The washer works again in the single bathroom with shower. Towels and sheets are clean. I did another load and hung them to dry outside in the wind—bone dry towels within an hour. Dana, the caretaker, is trying, stressing to make it a great hiker stop again, and we got along great. She’s only been here a week and is trying to get things straightened up as the hiker bubble keeps rolling in. Most want to zero, staying is by donation. Twigs and Foghorn went to eat at the cafe with me and then moved on, either hiking a ways or hitching to Grants I think. I’ll miss them.

5/5/23 zero

Hikers in the piano room at the Pie-O-Neer. Playing is Lamb, behind Container and El Chapo

Falcon arrived. There are lots of Germans here too. El Chapo and wife Brittany, physios from Toronto, awesome people! More food at the Pie-O-Neer with hikers including Lamb (Liam sounds like Lamb with his Aussie accent), Canister (German from Hamburg), sweet Eager Beaver, Falcon, El Chapo and Brittany. And more!

Somehow, the single bedroom I stayed in years ago was vacated by an old French guy and I got it. I saw it was empty and asked Dana if she was saving it for someone. She said I could have it because she knew I wouldn’t mess with the stuff stored there (paper towels, cleaning products, nothing a hiker would take, I was kinda confused). Bliss! Privacy (with my earplugs in). I found out AFTER, the next day when I was on trail and talked with Gonzo, that she’d told others to get out of the room. I feel kind of bad because as I was hiking out, an innocent hiker guy asked if I had a bunk and I told him about the single room. I wonder if Dana kicked him out?

Gonzo and Catwater hiking out from Toaster House