Over The Great Divide

ALDO LEOPOLD WILDERNESS AREA, May 21, 2007. Day 15. Erin rode 22 miles today -on and over the Continental Divide.

She said goodbye to Fred and Shirley Sova riding northwesterly up the Mimbres River Canyon. After entering the Aldo Leopold Wilderness Area she turned north up Corral Canyon, then to the west up Cooney Canyon and up over the ridge line onto the Continental Divide itself. She rode The Continental National Scenic Trail north northeast over Signboard Saddle (elevation 8500 ft). She veared North northwest onto the Aspen Canyon trail leaving the wilderness area and merging with Black Canyon and eventually camping at the Lower Black Canyon Campground just to the south of Forest Service Rd 150.

There were juniper woodlands, Ponderosa Pine, and Cottonwoods. She saw a small herd of elk and bear tracks. All the streams are flowing; water is plentiful. Temperatures are 40s at night and "pretty hot" during the day.