[at-l] Hayduke Trail and Grand Enchantment Trail

[blisterfree at isp01.net (Brett)]

> I got that one on my short list that's getting longer.  I 
> think the Hayduke
> Trail hooks up with the Arizona Trail, the Gila-Tortilla 
> Trail (another newbie
> unofficial footpath) and the CDT to make a several 
> thousand mile loop.

The Gila-Tortilla Trail is now called the Grand Enchantment 
Trail. It runs from Phoenix AZ to Albuquerque NM, and along 
the way connects the Arizona Trail and CDT. Possibilities 
for a mega-loop hike still exist: AZT -> Hayduke Trail -> 
CDT -> GET. I'm calling it the Great Southwest Circle.

This spring I'll seek to become the first and only person to 
hike the GET as of yet, unless someone cares to join me. 
Will be carrying a voice recorder and GPS, keeping mile by 
mile notes for a forthcoming guidebook.

Grand Enchantment Trail: a 650 mile wilderness route 
connecting the major metropolitan areas of Phoenix and 
Albuquerque. This new trail, actually a route that consists 
of existing trail, lightly used 4WD roads, and cross-country 
travel, provides an exceptional degree of solitude over the 
vast majority of its length, yet also offers convenient 
access to resupply along the way. For thru-hikers, beginning 
and ending a hike of the GET could not be any easier, as the 
route literally terminates in the aforementioned cities, 
both of which have international airports and ready access 
to taxi service from/to the trailheads. Despite this air of 
cosmopolitan ease, the trail itself is challenging and 
remote, although physically easier than the AT. It passes 
through nearly a dozen officially designated wilderness 
areas in two states, traveling a surprisingly well-watered 
route that encompasses three desert types, several mountain 
ranges approaching 11,000 feet ASL, and a network of 
riparian zones which connect these communities - including 
the Gila River and Rio Grande. Wildlife is abundant, and 
includes such less common species as the gila monster, 
javelina, coatimundi, ringtail cat, elegant trogan, bighorn 
sheep, Mexican grey wolf, whooping crane, Coues whitetail 
deer, and desert pronghorn.

A forthcoming guidebook will describe the route at a level 
of detail similar to the A.T. guides, although with a 
greater emphasis on navigation and locating water than on 
services and interpretation. A series of maps, made possible 
with the assistance of National Geographic, will also be 
available, all of this probably by late summer '05. More 
info will be forthcoming at the website below.

- blisterfree

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