The Continental Divide Trail 2012: May 17th--- Ojo de los Indios to Near Laguna de la Lena

A Clearing

     Climbing the switchbacks out of Los Indios Canyon, I found myself trailing the others, having spent a little more time in camp this morning to pack up my gear and fill the water bottles. Days out here at the moment seem to be planned around getting to the few water sources that there are. Hikers need to use the Goldilocks method when determining their individual needs over these extended stretches. An excess of water and the pack is too heavy, not enough water and you get too parched, arriving at the next spring or tank with just a few drops remaining is just right. Obtaining the correct balance is a skill that hikers develop over time as they learn what pace they can maintain over varying types of terrain and just how far a liter of water will take them. Another rule of thumb while passing through an arid section is that if in doubt, err on the side of caution. In other words, if you're unsure that the next water source will be viable, you'd better carry just a little extra as an emergency ration. It's tough both mentally and physically to get to a spring after a 20-mile stretch and find out that it's dried up, with the next potential water source another 15 miles away.
     Most of the hours before noon were spent walking over the relatively flat ground of the plateau, at times hemmed in by surrounding juniper while at others enjoying the relative openness of clearings. At one point, we passed through a large swathe of fire damage. The trees were nothing but grey trunks and branches, most of them having been subsequently toppled in a single direction by what must have been a very powerful wind. At other times, there was evidence of lightning strikes. A single tree, completely blackened by intense heat would have a small concentric "ring of fire" around its trunk, but all plantlife beyond the ash circle was totally unharmed.
     We took second breakfast at a spot where the trail skirted the rim, offering superb views of mesa country  Perched on the lava rock, noshing on granola bars, I was able to sit back and take it all in. It was several miles further on that we finally dropped off the edge and began a long and, at times, steep descent to the land below. As we gradually got lower, the views opened up even more with the towering butte, Cabezon Peak, and the twin peaks of Cerro Cuate, being the most prominent features ahead of us. Behind us to our left was Bear Mouth, a volcanic neck protruding from the side of the plateau.  Along the trail, as we neared the bottom, there were a number of small cacti that sported red or yellow blooms. Despite their spiny nature, cactus plants can produce very pretty flowers.
     After following cairns up a small hill, we discovered the remaining foundation of a small dwelling on top. From the remnants of these stone walls, we could look down the back side and see the cylindrical cement catchment tank containing the water of Ojo Frio. Scrambling down to the source, we lapped up the water and washed off the dust. There didn't appear to be much algal growth at this time of year and what little there was was being pushed to the far side of the spring by a gusty wind. Past noon, it was time to find a place to take a late lunch. Up the stony wash by the side of the hill, I found a great place under the shady branches of a couple of large juniper. A small stone wall had been built in front as a windbreak perhaps by previous hikers who'd arrived late at this spring and were looking for a perfect cowboy camp. We all nestled in and took a needed respite from the growing intensity of the sun. Our breaks were longer today in part due to the high miles logged yesterday.
     Stomachs filled and completely rehydrated, we set our sights on the Arroyo Chico which reportedly has quicksand in some places during the spring. There certainly was no strip of blue at this time of year, but judging by the width of the channel there certainly must be times when a significant amount of water flows down this passage, maybe earlier in the spring or some sweeping flash floods during monsoon season in July and August. What we saw was a ribbon of white, as the evaporated minerals and alkaline salts lay in a thin crust over the river bottom. Crunching over their surface, it was evident by the dark soil underneath that there was moisture not too far below.
     The remainder of the day was trekking across the badlands seeking what shade we could. However, most of the time the sun just beat down on our heads. We're not the sole occupants of this land though because while walking, I saw a kangaroo rat bounding down the trail to the safety of its hole, a collared lizard sunning itself on the stones of a cairn and a couple of prairie dogs poking their heads up from their subterranean homes as we walked through the outskirts of their town.
     We pulled up well before sunset and set up camp on a small bluff, laying the sleeping bags out at the base of the familiar juniper. A warm wind swirled about as we ate dinner and watched the sun set. With the fire in the sky extinguished, the stars could now come out. Oh, the Milky Way!

23 Miles