And They're Off!

Two more teams are hitting the trail this week; New Mexico Teams 2 and 4 will be collecting data on roughly 100 miles of trail. Here's a rundown of the sections:

New Mexico 2: Chain of Craters
The team will hike south of Grants, New Mexico, in a 50-mile arch west of NM 117. Chain of Craters, in the El Malpais National Monument, is a playground of ancient lava flows and cinder cones, the remnants of the Rockies' very active geologic past. The area is no stranger to passing travelers: through the centuries Spanish conquistadores, civil war-weary U.S. troops and railroad barons have scoured the land for potential profit. Thanks to a national monument designation, the land won in the end.

New Mexico 4: NM 59 to Coyote Peak Stock Tank
This 58-mile section runs through a part of the Gila National Forest managed by the Black Range Ranger District. Most of the CDT in this area is freshly-established, having been rubbed out by a wildfire in years past. The CDTA's official guidebook describes the stretch as "pretty mellow country," with more rolling hills than jagged peaks, but thin water resources should make for an interesting challenge nonetheless.

Wish them luck! We'll post updates from the team as we hear word on their progress.