Snow Lake

Noonday Canyon

September 15, 2023

After an extraordinarily hot, dry Summer, we got a week of intermittent rain courtesy of tropical storms pounding the Gulf of Mexico. We decided it might be a good time to check out a possible alternate access to Noonday Canyon.

view from tadpole ridge

Sheep Corral/Tadpole Ridge

September 8-9, 2023

After a most welcome bout of cool, rainy weather, the heat has returned. We had to cancel our trip to Chaco Canyon, but we promised ourselves some local adventures as compensation. At the top of the list was Sheep Corral Canyon. This is one of the few roads that provides access to a remote section of the Continental Divide Trail.

view from tadpole ridge

Middle Fork Gila River

September 2, 2023

Fortunately, in late August, our thirsty forest was blessed with backwash from a series of tropical storms in the Gulf of Mexico. With the rain came some relief from record high temperatures. Our hiking group had been waiting for the weather to cool off enough to splash in the Middle Fork of the Gila River.

sunflowers at Tunnel Reservoir

Ecopalypse: A Too-Close Look at Climate Change in the Gila

August 3-5, 2023

The Forest Service is throwing everything they have at the fires, but there are too many! What will happen if the crazy heat continues? Or if it gets worse? I've been hiking, backpacking and camping in the Gila Wilderness for 25 years. Will there be anything left of it when this awful Summer is over?

Turkey Fire

Pursuing Peace

July 13-18, 2023

This year's monsoon is dangerously late, and temperatures are averaging 10 degrees above normal. But we were heading north, and the monsoon was on its way. How bad could it be?

Datil Wells

Lower Gallinas Canyon

June 27, 2023

The very hot weather has arrived, but the Gila Hikers kept their cool in a high wet canyon.

Lower Gallinas Canyon

Fiesta Latina

June 15-18, 2023

We are just emerging from the bubble that was Fiesta Latina 2023. What a lovely four-day event, filled with art, music, dance and thoughtful discussion! We were dazzled by the extraordinary talent it brought to our town.

Fiesta Latina

Field Day 2023

June 22-26, 2023

Since 2007, we've been celebrating Field Day with our ham radio buddies at remote, high-elevation locations in Arizona and New Mexico. This year we had planned to return to a prime spot in the Gila National Forest, but when temperatures suddenly soared into the high 90s, we redirected to one of our favorite camping areas in the White Mountains of Arizona.

Wahl Knoll

Snow Lake

June 1-5, 2023

We rarely camp more than one or two nights at any one location. But we stayed five days at Snow Lake, and it was barely enough time.

Snow Lake

The Pecos River

May 5-11, 2023

Though it gets far less press than the Gila, the Rio Grande or the San Juan, the Pecos is one of New Mexico's most important rivers. The purpose of this trip was to follow the Pecos north from Bottomless Lakes to Villanueva, enjoying our New Mexico State Parks pass along the way.

Mineral Creek

May 20, 2023

An absolutely perfect day at Mineral Creek! Despite all the rain this week, the water was just high enough to be be exciting (but not dangerous). Nice mixture of sun and big puffy clouds all day, and the downpour waited until five minutes after we got back to our cars!

hiking around a waterfall

Little Dry Creek

April 27, 2023

Our original destination did not pan out, but the fallback was an excellent choice. Since we last hiked Little Dry Creek, the trail has been greatly improved, and this Spring's abundant snowmelt created a wealth of water features!

apple blossoms

El Morro, El Malpais

April 10-17, 2023

We've visited this area many times, but this trip with Silver City friends Rebecca and Dale gave us more time to explore some of the lesser-known wonders of these two adjacent national monuments.

petroglyphs

Rocky Canyon

April 6, 2023

Sometimes all you need is the dappled light of a piñon juniper forest, the crunch of yellow grass underfoot, and that bluest of blue skies.

on the trail

Skates Canyon

April 1, 2022

After an extraordinarily cold and snowy Winter, Spring has finally sprung. On a clear and sunny Saturday, we set out to explore Skates Canyon in the Gila Wilderness.

slot canyon

Allie Canyon

March, 2023

Allie Canyon has become one of my favorite hikes. I put it on the calendar for Gila Hikers for March 25, but given our very wet Winter and late Spring, I was concerned about water levels.

Allie Canyon

Windmill Canyon

March 10, 2023

And just like that, southern New Mexico leapt from Winter to Summer! After seeing a friend's photos of fields of poppies, we headed for the Florida Mountains.

Mountain Short-Horned Lizard

Triangle T Ranch

March 3-6, 2023

When your best friend likes a cozy B & B in Dordogne, and you like a backpacking tent on the Gila River, you meet halfway ... at an RV Park!

Triangle T

Rock Town Adventures

February 10-16, 2023

What turned out to be a week-long adventure began with a two-night camping trip with friends to City of Rocks, one of our favorite destinations, and now just a short hop from home.

rocky ridge

Knight Peak

February 6-7, 2023

We'd driven by it many times and decided to do a one-night campout/exploration. Very interesting rock formations and see-forever views. We made it easily to the saddle, but got caught in a sudden snow squall. It was a good reminder of how fast conditions can change in the mountains!

Knight Peak

Box Canyon

February 4, 2023

We never tire of hiking the many and varied canyons along the Gila River. We returned this time with our new hiking group, the Gila Hikers. The highlight of the hike was when we returned to pick up our packs after wandering upstream, and spied a troop of 9-10 coatis high-tailing up the opposite bank.

Snowstorm!

January 2, 2023

"Slight chance of snow showers, no significant accumulation." That was the forecast when I went to bed on New Year's Day.

snow hike

A Tucson Christmas

December 16-21, 2022

A confluence of circumstances — back-to-back parties and one free space at Catalina State Park — drew us to spend the weekend before Christmas in Tucson. As much as we love Silver City, we do miss this place, and especially these people.

Susan and me

Mineral Creek

December 2, 2022

While hiking in Mineral Creek today, we were alarmed to encounter numerous fresh mining claim stakes. It was only then it dawned on me that Summa Silver's plans to redevelop silver mines near Mogollon might also impact one of the most beautiful canyons in the Gila National Forest.

Mineral Creek