Desert Storms and Arizona Side Quest

Content First Appeared on The Trek

Our trek through the wilderness of New Mexico has been a mosaic of extremes—raw, humbling, and at times utterly magical.

Image Source: Paige Combs, “New Mexico Swirling Clouds,” May 2025.

We’ve walked through vast desert basins under cloudless skies, where the earth radiates heat, and the silence feels ancient. We’ve climbed into rolling mountain ranges that seem to rise from nowhere, blanketed with wind-bent pines and echoing with the calls of unseen birds. The rock formations surprise us at every turn, striped like Neapolitan ice cream, layered with colors that tell stories millions of years old.

We’ve passed through caverns that hold the cool breath of the underground, crossed rivers that come and go with the snowmelt, and filled our bottles from cow troughs, thankful for any water source that holds even a hint of clarity.

New Mexico has thrown it all at us: blistering heat waves that left our shirts crusted with salt, sudden snowstorms that blanketed the trail, and hailstorms that turned afternoon hikes into battles with the sky. We’ve camped beneath starlit expanses and woken up with frost on our tents.

Image Source: Paige Combs, “Stormy Night Skies,” May 2025.

It has felt at times like we are hiking through every season in a matter of days. As we approach the northern border of the state with just three days remaining, there’s a bittersweet sense of completion. New Mexico has tested us, but it’s also shaped the rhythm of our hike in ways that feel foundational. The Continental Divide Trail truly begins here, and we carry that desert grit with us into what lies ahead.

Adventure Interlude: Arizona Side Quest

The snowpack holds many hikers back in Chama, New Mexico, and Pagosa Springs, Colorado, while waiting for the Colorado mountains to thaw. In the meantime, some of us took a detour. Instead of sitting idle, a group of us road-tripped south to explore the Grand Canyon, Flagstaff, and Sedona.

Neapolitan and I dropped off friends to hike Rim-to-Rim while we wandered Sedona’s red rock magic.

Image Source: Paige Combs, “Sedona Red Rock Mountains,” May 2025.

I finally turned my turquoise gemstone into a necklace, a tiny but powerful personal milestone. We explored downtown, indulged in good food, soared over canyons in a helicopter, and walked gentle paths through the Petrified Forest; once a lush rainforest back when the continents were still one, in the age of Pangea.

Back To Trail: Reentry Struggle

Returning to the trail after a full week away felt strange, almost dreamlike. We hiked a short section to the Ghost Ranch alternate, where we met up with Aquaman and resupplied water.

The next morning, we covered a few more miles before hitching back into town to top off our food bags and grab a soda.

That day back on the trail was tough. It took 45 minutes to catch a hitch, and by the time we returned to the red line, the heat was brutal. Neapolitan lost his sleeping mat. I started feeling feverish. A familiar discomfort crept in; an infection spreading fast through my body.

By afternoon, a hailstorm rolled through. We pressed forward through the downpour as water pooled on the trail. Drenched and shivering, I recognized the signs: another urinary tract infection (UTI).

These infections have been a lifelong battle for me, debilitating at times. On the Pacific Crest Trail in 2023, I had UTIs the entire time I was in Washington and nearly had to quit. I’ve since learned ways to manage them, but they still find their way in.

As soon as I acknowledged what was happening in my body, we made a plan. A generous trail angel from Chama offered to pick us up at a nearby access point and drive us into town. She even offered to bring us back to the trail once I was feeling better. That night, we stayed at Tumbleweed’s, the creator of Tumble On Outfitters. We got cleaned up, showered, and caught a 5 AM bus the next morning to Santa Fe.

Santa Fe Pause: Healing and Gratitude

Lying in this hotel room in Santa Fe, I can’t help but reflect on how far we’ve come and how much support we’ve received along the way. Strangers have offered rides, trail angels have welcomed us with open arms, and moments of kindness continue to anchor us when things get rough.

Today’s our last day in Santa Fe. We made the most of it: wandered the local farmers’ market, sipped local tea and coffee, and I got a beautiful henna tattoo.

We resupplied for the next section—Colorado awaits. Finally, we will stop by the post office in Chama one last time before heading back to the trail.

As we prep for Colorado, the unknown still stretches ahead. Snow, elevation, and tougher terrain are waiting for us, but so are alpine lakes, wildflowers, and those jaw-dropping mountain views. Whatever comes, I know now we can handle it, even if it means asking for support along the way.