Fancy Pants
September 18-24
The route was an awesome experience, super easy to get on trail from Albuquerque by taking the Rail Runner into Santa Fe and walking to the plaza. I was really impressed by the quick transition from urban center to wilderness, all in the span of just a few miles with practically zero road walking. Once in the woods, I was impressed by the solitude almost immediately, there were very few people out on the trails (likely due to all the recent rain). Moving through the Pecos wilderness was both rejuvenating and sobering – the forest is not healthy and the beetle kill is much worse than 2 years ago (when I was last as Truchas Lake). The availability of water everywhere was amazing, aided by all the recent rains (and a few notable ones while on trail!). My previous thru-hiking experience was the AZT and I am always in awe of natural, clear, running water sources within easy reach of the trail.
The transition to the north half of the trail at Sipapu was both exciting and somber, I had heard about the difficult water situation in the north half from other hikers, but was also excited for the milestone of being over halfway done. I was also informed of impending storms moving through the area, complete with flash flood warnings. I’m glad I pushed through and persevered, what I lost in scenic views (and dry feet) I gained back in plentiful water, ever changing light as clouds moved through valleys, and an appreciation for the raw power of nature. The final walk into Taos felt underwhelming and not monumental enough to cap off the majesty of the wilderness, but that is the lot of every thru-hike – the monument at the terminus pales in comparison to the journey itself.