Prepping
Location: 31.4951362609863, -108.209487915039
Team Southern Terminus readies for the trail from the Crazy Cook Monument at the Mexico-US border. (Photo: Jim Newman)
Checking in with Border Patrol
Location: 31.9056339263916, -108.31706237793
CDT guide Sam Hughes talks with US Border Patrol en route to dropping off Team Southern Terminus at the border. (Photo: Andrew Matranga)
Team Southern Terminus
Location: 31.4979305267334, -108.214027404785
The six members of Team Southern Terminus as they shove off from the border. (Photo: Jim Newman)
Crazy Cook Monument
Location: 31.4955577850342, -108.208808898926
This poured-concrete marker notes the southern Terminus of the CDT. (Photo: Jimmy McElroy)
NM001
Location: 31.4953994750977, -108.208488464355
United States and Mexico border where the Continental Divide Trail Southern Terminus departs from the Crazy Cook Monument. Head N on jeep track along barbed-wire international border fence and follow cross-country route through cactus, creoste and cholla. There are ample views south to the Alama Hueco Mountains over the low-slung scrub.
Into the flats
Location: 31.496244430542, -108.223175048828
The team heads through cresote and sagebrush. (Photo: Jim Newman)
Audio Post #1
Location: 31.4961605072022, -108.220436096191
BACKPACKER Assistant Map Editor Andrew Matranga checks in from near the southern terminus on the opening stretch of the CDT.
NM002
Location: 31.4986610412598, -108.230209350586
Middle of the cross-country route. Check out Little Top Hat Butte to the west
Orange Flag
Location: 31.4991893768311, -108.230812072754
This was our route for much of the hike: orange flags fluttering in the wind. In the early, open sections, the re-routed trail was easy to find--like in this this picture. (Photo: Jim Newman)
First Windmill
Location: 31.5007057189941, -108.234252929688
Andrew narrates the opening section of the CDT from the Southern Terminus.
Tire
Location: 31.5014705657959, -108.238433837891
One of the first "water" sources. but full of algae, bugs, and other not-so-great elements. This is the key hurdle of this section: paucity of water and long distances between potential caches. (Photo: Jim Newman)
NM003
Location: 31.5015850067139, -108.240203857422
Cow camp and windmill; sketchy water in a big tire; decaying adobe
Windmill
Location: 31.5016689300537, -108.240875244141
(Photo: Andrew Matranga)
NM004
Location: 31.5029315948486, -108.241775512695
L @ Y onto jeep track
Quick break
Location: 31.5351696014404, -108.289443969727
Dave, Brian, and Jimmy rest near the Big Hatchets. (Photo: Jim Newman)
Follow the signs
Location: 31.5421504974365, -108.294876098633
Interspersed between the orange flagging were official CDT signs. The Big Hatchet Mountains swell in the background. (Photo: Jim Newman)
NM005
Location: 31.5458679199219, -108.295845031738
Keep L on jeep track; R goes to Sheridan Tank (unreliable water)
NM006
Location: 31.5555839538574, -108.302322387695
Left onto the gravel track
Desert flower
Location: 31.5554180145264, -108.303367614746
There were many cacti flowering in this early season. (Photo: Jim Newman)
NM007
Location: 31.5654850006104, -108.314399719238
Cross through barbed-wire fence
NM008
Location: 31.5672874450684, -108.316749572754
Turn L out of the wash and look for cairn and CDT signs. There is a large, now-dead oak tree in the center of the wash. This is where you turn
NM009
Location: 31.568754196167, -108.325263977051
Good camping in a protected pocket of Sheridan Canyon. Shade tree as well
Inside the Big Hatchets
Location: 31.5697479248047, -108.32194519043
Evening light plays over Sheridan Canyon and the interior of the Big Hatchet Mountains. (Photo: Jimmy McElroy)
Audio Post#2
Location: 31.568998336792, -108.325180053711
Team Southern Terminus checks in from Sheridan Canyon on night one of their trip.
First camp
Location: 31.5708084106445, -108.328315734863
The team preps dinner in Sheridan Canyon after a 17-mile first day. (Photo: Jim Newman)
NM010
Location: 31.5675792694092, -108.326446533203
CDT sign that routes north into Sheridan Canyon
NM011
Location: 31.5928058624268, -108.33390045166
CDT Sign
In bloom
Location: 31.6015911102295, -108.31982421875
Wispy flowers from along the trail. (Photo: Jim Newman)
NM012
Location: 31.606954574585, -108.312019348145
Here the CDT re-routes to a cross-country route along the foothills of the Big Hatchet Mountains. Tried to follow the orange flag, but every ochotillo bush has orange flowers that flutter in the wind not unlike the flagging. Constant views over the Hachita Valley and the northern spread of the Sierra Madre Occidental Mountains of Mexico. There will some wind and plenty of drainage crossings, which are short and steep. Watch footing, as the washes are crumbly and must flood during monsoon season.
Audio Post #3
Location: 31.6068172454834, -108.311943054199
Andrew checks in as the team starts the ridgewalk on a proposed re-alignment of the CDNST. Prior to the trip, the team worked with the wilderness managers from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM)Las Cruces division to scout this still-to-be marked area. One goal of BACKPACKER's CDT Project is to help federal officials solidify sections of trail, namely in regions like New Mexico's Bootheel region.
Fossil
Location: 31.6110210418701, -108.314727783203
Dave displays what looks to be an ancient seabed (Photo: Andrew Matranga)
Audio Post #4
Location: 31.6404476165772, -108.339874267578
The team checks at lunch in the minimal shade of Thompson Canyon.
From below Bugle Ridge
Location: 31.6182746887207, -108.322662353516
Andrew narrates a scenic, but difficult, stretch of the CDT where the views open over Mexico and the Big Hatchets.
Smells of the desert
Location: 31.6275615692139, -108.334312438965
Judy sniffs at some blooming desert flowers. (Photo: Andrew Matranga)
Eggs
Location: 31.6366176605225, -108.338394165039
It's easy to overlook signs of life in the desert, but Dave pointed out this nest with a few eggs. Good catch. (Photo: Jim Newman)
NM013
Location: 31.6403923034668, -108.33992767334
Road Thompson Canyon
Audio Post #5
Location: 31.7786540985107, -108.426773071289
Andrew checks in camp on night two and reviews a day in which "the desert fought back."
NM014
Location: 31.6598453521728, -108.359664916992
Barbed-wire fence.
NM015
Location: 31.6800308227539, -108.371055603027
Two-track; decent hiking, but not a great driving road
NM016
Location: 31.6905498504639, -108.38191986084
Fence
Big view
Location: 31.6995086669922, -108.394500732422
Hiking along the eastern flank of the Big Hatchets, we reached the northern ridges where we could see the Little Hatchets to the north. (Photo: Jimmy McElroy)
NM017
Location: 31.7102451324463, -108.406219482422
Dirt road. Continue across the west end of the Hachita Valley near Hatchet Gap--a small break in the hills between the Animas Valley and the Hachita Valley. This section will be windy, hold on to your hats!
Across the Big Hatchets
Location: 31.7212543487549, -108.409660339355
Jim Newman leads Team Southern Terminus away from the dusty, northern fringe of the Big Hatchet Mountains. (Photo: Jimmy McElroy)
NM018
Location: 31.7331218719482, -108.412673950195
Cross blacktop of New Mexico 81
Looking south at the Big Hatchets from NM 81
Location: 31.7337760925293, -108.412956237793
Team Southern Terminus looks back on the first two days of hiking after reaching NM 81 on day two. (Photo: Andrew Matranga)
NM019
Location: 31.7353286743164, -108.414039611816
CDT on jeep track, will soon fade and route goes cross country again
Along the Little Hatchets
Location: 31.758020401001, -108.416694641113
The view north from the flats of the eastern edge of the Little Hatchets. (Photo: Jimmy McElroy)
NM020
Location: 31.7738246917725, -108.425155639648
Pass a fence then a road
NM021
Location: 31.778715133667, -108.42684173584
Camp at Granite Pass. Best campsites on ridge to the W (off CDT)
Audio Post #6
Location: 31.8327522277832, -108.43187713623
Andrew checks in from a small hill near Broken Jug Pass and muses at the topography of the Little Hatchets compared to their bigger mountainous brother to the S.
NM022
Location: 31.8020706176758, -108.430030822754
Cross wash
NM023
Location: 31.8066921234131, -108.427825927734
Pass through fench
NM024
Location: 31.8192501068115, -108.428871154785
Sign on R
Lizard on day three
Location: 31.8387565612793, -108.423210144043
While hiking down from Broken Jug Pass on day three, Dave, Judy and Andrew roused a lizard who spent some time watching them. (Photo: Andrew Matranga)
NM025
Location: 31.8612785339356, -108.414451599121
Cross road. Proposed trail heads NE on a cross-country route where there is no trail tread (there is a cairn and orange flags, then CDT signs). We missed this turn and hiked the road up near the old Hachita mining district.
NM026
Location: 31.9049644470215, -108.419189453125
Turn R and head due N
NM027
Location: 31.9082984924316, -108.417366027832
Cairns on both sides of the road. Continue N
NM028
Location: 31.9138469696045, -108.415061950684
Continue R, bearing due N
NM029
Location: 31.9206733703613, -108.408760070801
Here we met back up with the CDT signs and the current re-route. From this spot, the trail heads up and over a series of small hills. In this section, the signs were spaced about 150 yards, which would have been helpful in the previous section that we missed. Collectively, the team wondered about the trail building plan and how best to spread resources in this section. The marking left something to be desired in some crucial areas.
NM030
Location: 31.9303379058838, -108.436653137207
R out of wash formed in Baylor Canyon's eastern spread
NM031
Location: 31.9420623779297, -108.442840576172
CDT crosses two track
NM032
Location: 31.9532203674316, -108.441757202148
The trail crosses the Continental Divide for the first time on the trip. While confusing (and anticlimactic) to the hiker, this route is necessary because the true Continental Divide runs through the Animas Mountains to the W. Those lands are owned by the Animas Foundation, which forbids hiking on the ecologically sensitive desert terrains.
Live from the Continental Divide
Location: 31.9528217315674, -108.442222595215
Andrew checks in from where this section of trail first crosses the Continental Divide.
NM033
Location: 31.9652347564697, -108.439384460449
Fence and old railroad bed
Finished
Location: 31.9678916931152, -108.438095092773
Andrew Matranga crosses through the gate at NM 9 to finish section one of CDT in record time: 51 miles in 24 hours of hiking time.
NM034
Location: 31.9160976409912, -108.322380065918
The home of CDT Trail Guide Sam Hughes in Hachita.
Church in Hachita
Location: 31.9150695800781, -108.32105255127
We whizzed by Saint Catherine of Siena Church en route to the trailhead. (Photo: Andrew Matranga)
Audio Post #7
Location: 31.9158229827881, -108.321929931641
The team checks in from El Charro restaurant in Lourdsburg, NM, for a post-trip burrito and final satellite update.
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