Mangas Mountain

• Day:  15
• Start:  348 CDT, 0 PT
• End:  358 CDT , 14 PT
• Miles:  10+14
• Hours:  11
• High temp:  67
• Low temp:  40
• People met:  3

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Finally a trail. 

The warmer night air allowed me to sleep with my bag only partially zipped, I actually had to try to keep cool. I join Dave on the trail. We hike together a while uphill through the last of the hard to navigate trail. Dave enjoys  hiking alone at his own pace so we part. I descend to a valley in the 6000' range. 

Measured this at 5"

In the soft dirt if a road section I spot paw prints that are fairly large for a dog, I think cat. Later when Dave and I meet at a windmill for water, he says he saw fresh prints over my shoe impressions. He looked around and saw 4 animals heading into the brush, he thinks wolves. I can agree as the picture I took shows claws out, cats have retractable claws and they don't usually appear in a print.  Later discussion with locals in Pie Town verify the presence of the Mexican wolf in New Mexico. 

Dave at Aragon Well

Looks like a lake but it's the holding tank for the well 

We both water up at the Aragon Well, green but fresher than most and cold.  We have about 50 miles left iof this section.  There are occasional cacti right at the trails edge just waiting for an inattentive hiker. Finally a soft well built trail I see four elk, magnificent animals. They are at the far end of a meadow, they must know I could be a threat even at this distance, so the head for cover of the forest. The rest if the day is about 14 miles if dirt road walk , through a quiet beautiful forest.

 Interesting thing about this forest is the lack of under growth, making for a easy walk amongst the trees.

The weather has changed with the occasional stiff wind. The sky is almost completely over cast, I keep taking off my sunglasses, then a brief bit of sun will pop through foiling my attempt. I come upon a hiker breaking,  we exchange hiker talk. 

Montana Mikr

Turns out Montana Mike  is hiking southbound and heading for Snow Lake. He's working in this section for a three week hike. His wife is meeting him at the highway crossings, what a great way to be supported in a hike.  Rain starts to fall, just small sprinkles, but enough to force me to din my rain jacket. The temperature is dropping and the sky is getting darker, could be a storm. My final task for the day is to ascend two miles up Mangas Mountain. Once I start this endeavor I must get to the top, because there aren't any flat spots to camp on the way up. 

Mangas Mt Firetower

Made it, there is a fire tower here and below a picnic area and a shack for the staff. I notice the shack is occupied so I ask if it is ok to camp for the night. Given permission I setup my camp and get comfortable. A good day, hoping for a pleasant night.