Back in New Mexico? Entering the Great Divide Basin

Day 77

Date: 17.07.2022

CDT Mile: Mile 1'551.0

Miles hiked: 31 miles / 49.6 km

Elevation: 4'232 feet ascent (1'291 m Aufstieg) / 5'889 feet descent (Abstieg 1'796 m)

Camping at: 8'173 feet / 2'492 m

We managed to start hiking at 6am. The earliest start so far on trail for Channy! Hiking 30 miles or more needs more time. Also being down at the Great Divide Basin is like being back in the desert, it will be very hot again and water will be very scarce again too. But first we can enjoy walking through the forest and down to the Basin. The transition into the Basin was dope. Wildflowers everywhere in between the Sagebrushes, some tree sections in between and beautiful views down to the basin. I am really looking forward to the basin. I always loved the desert. Yes, not having water at every corner sucks. Carrying water is super heavy and you have to plan your day much better. But it is warm again (hot!), it doesn't hail on you, beautiful sunrises and sunsets, cowboycamping under the stars and there are no steep climbs! On the downside, there are no trail's and my feet are starting to get more blisters again.

We also started so early in case it gets too hot to hike in the afternoon and we have to take a long lunch break. Being down at the basin it was much warmer and there was really no shade anymore. We stopped for lunch just before leaving the last trees at a little stream, probably enjoying fresh, cold flowing water for a long time and shade. Then we headed out to conquer the Basin within the next couple of days. We left the trail and started to walk mostly on dirt roads, and one small section on a pavement road, but no hiking trails anymore. It feels like being back in New Mexico. The positive sides on hiking dirt roads are that one can hike next to each other, can hike faster miles and it is more mellow. The uphills are very easy. We stopped at a creek under a bridge in the late afternoons. This is the last water source for today. Putting our swollen feet in the cool water is so refreshing and Channy packed out pizza left overs from town! We hiked on till 8pm and reached our goal with hiking more than 30 miles, plus found a good, flat campsite in the sagebushes. I even found a flat woodpiece which we used as our table😁 this is the second time on trail I cowboycamp, since the Gila river. Not setting up a tent and sleeping under the stars is amazing. The sunset is breathtaking and soon later both of us are asleep, tired but happy from this long and beautiful day!

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