{"id":1729,"date":"2024-05-17T21:20:41","date_gmt":"2024-05-17T21:20:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mihoaida.com\/pct\/?p=1729"},"modified":"2024-06-07T16:55:53","modified_gmt":"2024-06-07T16:55:53","slug":"5-17-2024-grants-to-cuba-524-628-miles","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mihoaida.com\/pct\/5-17-2024-grants-to-cuba-524-628-miles\/","title":{"rendered":"5\/17\/2024: Grants to Cuba (524 \u2013 628 miles*)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

After a yummy breakfast, Don took me to the post office to pick up my resupply and then dropped me off at the trailhead. I decided to take the Mt. Taylor alternative route which leads to the summit whereas the CDT stays at lower elevation, avoiding the peak ascent. I started hiking uphill towards Mount Taylor or\u00a0Tsoodzi\u0142\u00a0(Navajo or Dine pronunciation: [ts\u02b0\u00f2\u02d0ts\u026a\u0300\u026c]),\u00a0meaning Turquoise Mountain in Dine who consider this mountain sacred. It is the tallest mountain I have attempted to climb so far at 11,301 feet.\u00a0
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Right when I was getting into a groove, I heard a rattling sound. A rattlesnake, the first one on this trip! I detoured around the snake and it looked like the detour had been established. I wondered if the snake’s home was right on the trail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I saw one hiker. I was looking for water and they told me there was no water so I needed to go back to the cow tank or the official CDT and then hike a mile to get it from a spring. I already went to the cow tank and couldn\u2019t bring myself to take that brown water with mosquito larvae wiggling. I saw a drainage on the map and I smelled the water so instead of listening to their advice and the app, I followed my nose and instinct upstream. After a while, I found a few pools with clear water! My senses are getting better. The land and plants usually tell me where the water is. I saw snow on top of Tsoodzi\u0142<\/em> and it\u2019s melting every day so there had to be something flowing down the stream.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That evening I decided to camp at 9,946 feet,\u00a01.7 miles from the peak. I like to sleep below 10,000 when it\u2019s possible to give my body a good rest.\u00a0From the camp, I could see the top of the mountain lit by the evening sun.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Looking at the summit of Tsoodzi\u0142<\/em> from my camp<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The next morning I left my camp at 4:50 am. I saw three deer on the way up. Little before 6 am, I reached the summit. Soon, the sun came up and it was magical. I gave some prayers and appreciated this opportunity, a safe journey so far, and the incredible beauty that I\u2019ve seen in New Mexico. I also thanked all the people who have been helping me on and off the trail.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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