From my campsite, it was less than 10 miles to Silver City via the Walnut Creek alternate. A nice, easy road-walk on a warm, breezy morning. My first stop was a gas station, then I went for an early lunch. I emailed the CDTC to reserve a place on their shuttle, and they promptly replied: the shuttle only operates in NOBO season. They gave me the number of their driver, Tim, and I left him a voicemail asking if he could drive me to the southern terminus. I figured this direction would maximize my chances of getting a ride, despite the steadily increasing number of SOBOs.
After that, I performed my usual town routine. Resupply, check in, chores, dinner. I also looked at the route to Lordsburg, and noticed the 12 mile walk along Highway 180. The alternative was to walk 20 miles of Highway 90, which was even less appealing. That direction would also shorten my hike by a day, which I didn’t want – I only had ten days left.
Highway 180 wasn’t exactly riveting, but it was quite hot. I stopped for water about two miles after leaving the road, and camped a few miles after that. The next day was warm too, but the trail climbed high enough that pine trees frequently provided shade. Late afternoon, at an elevation of almost 8000 feet, I stopped at a cistern near the summit of Jack’s Peak. It still contained a few inches of water, some of which I filtered while texting Tim to make arrangements. Entertainment was provided courtesy of the squirrels and birds that warily came to drink. I camped less than a mile later, and watched as the mountain cast a lengthening shadow across the desert.
Down and out
I started descending immediately after leaving camp, and by the time the trail leveled off, trees were losing their battle against desert vegetation. The next significant elevation change wasn’t until early afternoon, when the CDT began its final big descent. I dropped below 6000 feet for the last time, watched the trees disappear, and followed a dry wash out of the hills into a flat, heavily-grazed, wide-open landscape. I eventually camped between some powerlines and a dirt road, with the lights of Lordsburg twinkling in the distance.
The desert, north of Lordsburg.
The hike into town next morning only took about three hours. Although the CDT was crisscrossed by cattle trails, the terrain was easy, and I soon started seeing trail markers. With the sun directly behind me, the reflective signs formed a line of beacons leading me to Highway 90. At that point, FarOut told me I’d have to “cross a barbed wire fence” which, in reality, meant taking off my pack and crawling under said fence. After that, it was less than three miles to McDonald’s.
Most important meal of the day
Breakfast was still available on the touchscreen menu, and I put some real thought into my order. I took my time selecting and removing items, then several more minutes adjusting quantities. Finally, I was satisfied. I swiped my credit card with barely-contained anticipation, grabbed the receipt, and found a table.
Five minutes later, the manager informed me that they were, in fact, no longer serving breakfast. I crumpled the receipt and settled for a Big Mac.
While drinking an unhealthy number of refills, I arranged my homeward journey, now just six days away. I also booked a hotel room for the night, then commenced my resupply quest. The prize I wanted most was a box of Dollar General’s Cherry Limeade drink mixes, and I was lucky to get the last one. I avoided the “Olé Xtreme Wellness” tortillas though, after buying some in Cuba and subsequently learning a valuable lesson about too much dietary fiber. I made a quick stop at Family Dollar before walking to the EconoLodge to check in.
Trail Angel
Tim was parked outside at eight the next morning. It’s an 85-mile drive to the southern terminus, and one third of the distance is rough dirt road. That’s one of the reasons it took almost three hours to get there. The other reason was that the Border Patrol were having a busy day. Tim pulled over several times to let their vehicles pass, and at one point we waited almost 15 minutes due to a blocked road ahead. We later discovered there’d been a high-speed chase, a crashed SUV, and several injuries. Despite the delays, we arrived before eleven o’clock.
The southern terminus of the CDT is remote, to say the least, and the road sees very little traffic. A big thank-you to Tim Sharp, because without his help, my hike might have ended at Lordsburg. Not only does Tim drive the official CDTC shuttle during NOBO season, he drives his own vehicle out there for people like me in SOBO season. He stocks the water caches between the terminus and Lordsburg, and helps with trail maintenance. Contact the CDTC to get his number, or find it in the…
Read More: Silver City, Golden Arches, Final Footsteps