1-2 people a week are doing the thru-hike

1-2 people a week are doing the thru-hike

I know this because of communications with members about when they’re going and when they need access to the resupply. I’m also getting nice emails from people who have finished the thru-hike, often by doing it in sections, or doing the south half in one shot, then the north half a few days later.

Looks like my goal of hearing from 10 people who’ve finished the thru-hike this year is going to be easily met.

The SF2T Members’ resupply in Tres Ritos keeps getting better and better

I posted a 4-minute video about its recent updates. 

I finally submitted the SF2T thru-hike to AllTrails

Not sure when they’ll approve it and make it live, but it’s submitted. I’m waiting to hear back from them about when it might get approved.

Only took me a few years to get around to that… 😅 

I am also working on an enhanced gpx file that will be similar to the route guides FarOff publishes. That should be available by the next newsletter. 🏃🏻‍♀️‍➡️

New lodging resource along the route

This is more of a discovered (or realized) resource than actually being new, but it is the first time I’ve shared it. The Los Pinos Ranch is a mere mile and a half from the route of the thru-hike (from the intersection of Cave Creek Trail and Dockweiler Trail at the end of Section 2-6 or the beginning of Section 2-7).

It’s near the Panchuela Campground and trailhead, just off Forest Road 305. They do require two-night stays, and they may well be booked for when you want to go, but it’s definitely worth checking out if you’re planning a thru-hike for next year or maybe even this year.

I finally ordered the finisher t-shirts

They’ll be available to order for people who send me their completed routes or let me know when they did the route.

I have been scouting Alternate Routes

More about this in the weeks to come.

View from a potential alt route:

Do you know which trail this is? It’s close to Santa Fe. The views are amazing; this photo doesn’t do them justice.

Forest Road 439 (off Route 518, aka The High Road) in Carson is closed

At least to vehicles. I confirmed early last week that the part of FR 439 and FR 439a that the thru-hike uses are still walkable. FR 439 being closed to vehicles is actually nice; if you’re walking this part of the SF2T thru-hike, you’ll see even fewer cars. Word from two recent thru-hikers was that they didn’t see any vehicles while they were walking FR 442, FR 439, or FR 440.

I also drove FR 442 early last week and it was in reasonable condition. FR 439A was, as usual, somewhat terrifying to drive up, especially in heavy rain and with all the downed trees. You can squeeze around the downed trees, but they haven’t been completely removed from the road.

On the upside, FR 440 has had quite a lot of work done to it, and is almost good enough for a passenger car now if you were careful over some of the rockier bits and it hadn’t rained recently. Still - despite everything - clearly the Forest Service was in there doing major work at some point.

View from FR 442 about four days ago:

Visit the SF2T Booth at the NM Outdoor Economics Conference in Gallup from 9/8-9/10

SF2T has a table at the NM Outdoor Economics Conference in Gallup from 9/8-9/10. Venue is at Red Rock Park in Gallup, 825 Outlaw Rd, Church Rock, NM. Schedule of events is here.

If you want to help with the booth, there’s a free conference pass in it for you. Reply to this email for more information.

Recent photos

See you on the trail,

Pam Neely

Founder and Creator of the Route


PS: Huge thanks to the Brown-Hoover Fund for their funding support for this newsletter and most of the rest of the SF2T thru-hike’s outreach and promotional efforts.