Martin Canyon to Co. Rd. 603 19 mi :: 295 mi :: Sunny, cooler, windy In the morning we continue down the road along the telephone lines. Soon we reach an old trail marker on a gated road road headed back towards the gate where we turned around last night. The road we’re on turns…

FS218 to Martin Canyon 17 mi :: 276 mi :: Cloudy, warm, lots of thunder, sprinkles We’re back on the forest road early. It’s nice, easy to follow, with fairly gentle ups and downs through Juniper and Ponderosa-covered hills. We pass up water in a muddy cow pond, since there’s supposed to be more water…

Elk Wallow Ridge to FS218 13 mi :: 259 mi :: Sunny, warm, light afternoon showers In the morning I discover part of our problem – I had entered a GPS reference point incorrectly. We find our correct position on a ridge near the divide. We bushwhack towards the intersection we’re looking for, crossing more…

FS94 to Elk Wallow Ridge 13 mi :: 246 mi :: Sunny, some clouds, warm Some of Wayne’s tribe are up before the sun, getting ready to hunt wild turkey. Not wanting to appear lazy, we pack up and bid them good hunting. We soon pass the turn where our spring should be. There’s supposed…

FS28 to FS94 16 mi :: 233 mi :: Sunny, hot, some clouds later Once we get in gear, the road makes for easier walking. We cross the divide for the first time since leaving Silver City at Eckleberger Hill. In Turkey Park Canyon we a see a sign: FIRE IN PROGRESS. We pass other…

Moonshine Canyon to FS 28 14 mi :: 217 mi :: Sunny, warm, gusty wind It takes us all morning to walk the last 4-1/2 miles of the Middle Fork canyon. The miles seem so long. We take our last and coldest bath in the river at breakfast. We emerge from the canyon at Snow…

The Meadows to Moonshine Canyon 16 mi :: 203 mi :: Sunny, warm to cloudy and humid We’re up early for another day in the Middle Fork Gila Canyon. Today rock walls and spires are even more magnificent. I see caves high up in some of the cliffs. There are endless crossings as before. We…

Gila Cliff Dwellings to The Meadows 13 mi :: 187 mi :: Sunny, warm to clouds and humid We bid a fond farewell to Arnold and Marlice around 7 am. Our bodies are feeling pretty good. At our high point I turn on the phone – no service. Little Bear Canyon eventually becomes narrow with…

Gila Cliff Dwellings 0 mi :: 174 mi :: Sunny, warm Ann is still limping a little in the morning, so we decide to stay here for a rest day. I stay in the tent late, reading the bloody grand finale of Hamlet. We need a little more food for the extra day, so instead…