Trekker's log, May 21-22, 2007

5/21 & 22/07, Monday & Tuesday, hiking days 18 & 19, Segment 14, NM 59 to NM 163: Wahoo Peak We met at noon at the south trailhead of this segment. Richard Epstein was riding with Joseph. We left Joseph’s truck there, and rode together in our Yukon around to the north trailhead. Richard then took our Yukon back to the south trailhead, and took Joseph’s truck to Truth or Consequences. It was good to have Joseph back with us! We had long discussions of what had happened to Pem and me as we hiked, and how we can avoid such predicaments being repeated as we progress up the trail. We hiked about six-and-a-half miles to a nice camp site, where we spent the first of what we thought would be two nights on this three-day hiking segment.

The hiking went very well the next day. About the time we would have set up camp, Joseph announced that as nearly as he could figure, we were only about an hour away from the trailhead! We hiked on. When we got to our rig, we decided that a bed and a bath in a hot springs tub was preferable to a tent and sleeping bag, so we drove back to Truth or Consequences for the night. We called Richard Epstein as soon as we were within cell phone range, and asked if he had space available at his establishment for the night. He did, so we had dinner on the way to his place, then stayed over with him, at Firewater Lodge, one of the hot springs resorts in Truth or Consequences.

We realized that it was a record hiking day for at least one of us, old Mat. We had hiked more than 19 miles on the second day of what was scheduled to be a three-day hike. The wonderful dinner at Los Arcos and the bath in the hot springs tub were certainly welcome ends to the two days.

Star Volunteer Richard Epstein, with Joseph Gendron and Pem Sherpa


Wahoo Peak in the distance, our destination


On the Trail

Typical stock tank, "excellent water source"

A few steps on the road at the end of the segment, the longest day at more than 19 miles.