We cut through town walking along the main highway, turned right onto a paved road leading back to the trail and began to settle into what would be a 6 mile, trudging road walk. Chances to hitch a ride were slim and the late start meant a warm temperatures already. Somewhere near the last miles we were picked up by Glider, PCT class of ’22, and Bethany who just happened to be in town for a wedding and departing from a hike in the same canyon we were entering. We hopped in, chatted, gratefully received some water, and let them shave a little time off of our morning commute. If you’re out there, Thanks! You made our morning!
The going was easy and sunny as we reached towering pine trees for the first real time on this hike. But around mid-afternoon the thunderheads we’re building and with the trees thinning as we approached Devila Garden we were definitely more exposed. The storms were opening up in the valley behind us and we quickened the pace. We made our camp just before the biggest climb which separated us from from the Gila with about an hour to spare before the storm hit just after sunset. According to Kylie it rained all night, but I slept soundly through the rest of it.
The next morning was clear and the forest pleasantly damp. This was the first of many days of afternoon storms in our future. They remind me of the monsoons in the summer down here but less Intense. The clouds begin to build by 11-12pm, the thunder starts between 12 and 1, and it almost certainly storming by 2. This day followed that pattern exactly and the sky opened up with a hail storm just at the top of the ridge. We through exposed stretches back to the shelter of the trees and by the time we really began to descend we had outrun the worst of it. A little shaken, we followed the trail to a green gate and entered the Gila Wilderness. At this point, our high route backup plan diverged to the east and away, but we both agreed we should at least see the Gila River canyon while we were so close. We walked .5 miles to the shore and knew immediately we would have to hike this river. It was beautiful! Evaluating all of the information at our disposal, we crossed Sapillo Creek, waded across the waist-deep river, and began to follow the river upstream.