Tres Ritos resupply | Elevation profile | Guidebook advance copies

We have a new resupply option, and it’s almost exactly at the halfway point of the thru-hike. It’s a 24’ x 12’ storage unit in Tres Ritos, about 0.2 miles from the route of the thru-hike. This is a significantly better option than having to walk 2+ miles down route 518 to get to Sipapu and pick up a box. Not only is it safer, and less walking, but you’ll be able to access the “Santa Fe to Taos Thru-Hike Members’ Resupply” unit whenever you want, rather than having to work around when the Sipapu office will be open.

Here’s what the resupply looked like to start:

So definitely not fancy digs, but it will get much better. So far I’ve added multiple lights, two sets of storage lockers, a very large ice chest, a table, two chairs, and a power station with solar panels. The power station has enough juice to recharge phones + 2 smaller devices for a group of six people.

While this is a major step forward, I do (unfortunately?) need to limit who’s going in here, so this will only be accessible to members. You’ll need to be at least a “Supporter”-level member to have access to the storage unit. You can sign up here.

I will be raising the price for this soon, to $75, but as a thank you to email subscribers, here’s your discount.

The guidebook is pretty much done

It has been proofread. I have ordered what are hopefully final/”advance” copies. I am hiring someone to convert it into a Kindle book this evening. So everything is on track for the May 12th launch date.

A couple of you asked me to add elevation profiles to the guidebook, so I did. Here’s the summary one:

The guidebook also has elevation profiles for each section.

I apply for a guide permit

I sent it off Friday afternoon. 18 documents, including 4 appendices. A total of 46 pages. And that’s just the application for Carson National Forest.

We’ll see what happens. Even if the Carson permit is approved, there are only enough usage days available for me to take four people this year. But I have now completed the application, so doing the application for Santa Fe National Forest will be easier. And even if the application is declined, they’ll probably tell me why, and I’ll be able to fix the issue(s) for next years’ application. So this moves forward.

Eventually, some day, maybe I’ll be able to offer guided thru-hikes.

I’ll stop here to keep this short.

Warm Regards,

Pam Neely

PS: There are already murmurings about the forest potentially getting closed due to the light snowpack and because of the cuts to fire/forest personnel. We’ll see. I am happy to report that the mountain is due for yet another few days of moisture over the next week. That front is blowing in now; the trees outside my office are getting thrashed around.