5 day trip in the Gila Wilderness

Great pics from an obviously great wilderness trip! That's some truly wonderful country! And I like that WM1, I believe I will pick up a WM1 blade for my own use, and put a micarta or G-10 handle on it...and twarden, I LIKE that hat of yours!

Ron
 
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Great to see your pics. Didn't I just see that knife on backpackinglight? Glad to know I'm not the only cross over.

Admired your fishing setup too, gotta try it.
 
rwc53 said:
Great pics from an obviously great wilderness trip! That's some truly wonderful country! And I like that WM1, I believe I will pick up a WM1 blade for my own use, and put a micarta or G-10 handle on it...and twarden, I LIKE that hat of yours!

Ron
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I'm loving mine (I have two now :)).

that hat has been around the block, it's an old Stetson Open Road- I've used it before in warm weather, but never really hot weather, I was pleasantly surprised it handled the hot weather of NM very nicely

Glock26 said:
Really nice wild trout eh? How's the population of trout where you were?
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populations are VERY healthy in both the South Fork and mainstem of the Whitewater

I only caught rainbows in the Whitewater and only brookies in the South Fork (I'm sure there is some overlap, just my experience). The brookies were slightly bigger (and definitely more aggressive!) than the rainbows I was catching, but I never fished the lower reaches of the main Whitewater. Over the hump from where I was at, they've reintroduced the native Gila cutthroat, I think if they are successful there is a good chance they'll continue to reintroduce them throughout the Gila.



candlelight001 said:
Great to see your pics. Didn't I just see that knife on backpackinglight? Glad to know I'm not the only cross over.

Admired your fishing setup too, gotta try it.
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yuppers- both good sites :)

a couple more pics

here's camp at Tennessee Meadows

jantnmeadows.jpg


I have to make a small plug for the Foretrex 401, this thing was amazing at getting a signal in even the tightest canyons- at under 3 oz (lithium batteries) really no excuse not have a GPS w/ you in addition to your compass

foretrex401.jpg
 
Real nice pics and quite the fish you caught! Real cool that the wife was with you, great way to spend time together!
 
Nice trip. I hiked the Gila a couple years ago, and it was a real change from my usual hiking fare. We hiked along the Gila River for a couple days, and the river crossings were just as numerous, and all knee deep. WET boots. There were very few trout in the river where we were, though. Didn't bring along fishing equipment, but was still disappointed to not see any. Did the hike in March. Days were very nice, but it got REALLY cold at night!

We also got to visit one of the hot springs in the area, which was pretty neat.

Great trip guys. We wanted to do the catwalk but were too far away and didn't have the time to go.
 
^ I think the Gila River (along w/ the Mimbres) will probably be in our future- just neat country :)

I was definitely a little worried about the wet boots beforehand, but w/ meshier/lighter style boots and Hydropel, it turned out to be fine

we were going to go earlier (as normally you can) but this past winter they were 440% of normal of snowpack!!!!

here's something you guys (and gals) might not have seen before- we like to pack a pair of light Tevas to lounge in camp w/- the down side of flip flops is that you can't wear your socks and it can be a little nippy in the evenings and mornings- enter Injinji toe socks :D

injinjisocks.jpg
 
Looks like a wonderful trip, loaded with a bounty of fun! This stuff is what you used http://www.amazon.com/Genesis-Hydropel-Sports-Ointment-2-0oz/dp/B001FU5CEI ? You think it was the product that helped? it certainly makes some serious claims:

Product Features:
Protects wherever skin is at risk from irritation or blistersfeet, underarms, thighs, chest, bottoms
Virtually eliminates the friction between your body and your clothes or shoes
Prevents the blisters friction can cause. Multiple sports use
Provides natural barrier to harmful irritants including poisonous plants, chemicals and urine
Gives your skin the maximum strength protection available
 
mtwarden said:
very well- I had the length adjusted so the sternum strap came across just above where it ties into the sheath- to be honest you don't even know it's there (until you need it of course :D)
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Thank you for the input, I've been looking into my next Fallkniven.
 
Iboschi said:
Looks like a wonderful trip, loaded with a bounty of fun! This stuff is what you used http://www.amazon.com/Genesis-Hydropel-Sports-Ointment-2-0oz/dp/B001FU5CEI ? You think it was the product that helped? it certainly makes some serious claims:

Product Features:
Protects wherever skin is at risk from irritation or blistersfeet, underarms, thighs, chest, bottoms
Virtually eliminates the friction between your body and your clothes or shoes
Prevents the blisters friction can cause. Multiple sports use
Provides natural barrier to harmful irritants including poisonous plants, chemicals and urine
Gives your skin the maximum strength protection available
Click to expand...

what sold me on trying Hydropel was Ryan Jordan (and team members) experience using during their Arctic 1000 trek- there feet were wet almost every single day and they really think Hydropel helped

we made 50+ stream crossings and hiked in wet feet for two days and neither of us suffered from any blisters- I think the light/mesh shoes helped for sure, we were using Darn Tough wool socks which are the best wool socks I've ever owned, we dried our feet out in the evening and had dry socks, but I can't help but think the hydropel also contributed to the successful outcome

I don't think I'll be using it for every trip, but if there is a high probability of wet feet I'll be taking some :)
 
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