Backpacking The Gila Wilderness - Middle Fork West Fork Loop

[@UncleKauffee]

Super cool. I’m very happy to be living in this area again, 33 years after having left. PNW born and raised, and I still love me some PNW… but there’s just something about this area that called me back and I’m glad it did. I live along the Mimbres river in the Mimbres Valley and just love stomping these areas. Very well made video

[@WildlandExplorer]

I have only been there the one time but I'm in Tucson now much closer. Will be returning later this year barring any major wildfires (knock on wood). This place really has it all except maybe much alpine. Thanks for watchin!

[@zippydo2678]

Love this video, well done! I am unable to hike or ride horses out in the back country like I did when I was young and healthy and I miss it. This helps a little to go along with you! Thank you!

[@nicolabarker8799]

This was joyful to watch, Thankyou so much, such sacred lands, my feet want to walk these trails too,

[@fivemjs]

Last time I backpacked with my parents was the Gilda. I remember every detail. And even though it’s very unlikely that we did the same trails, I swear some of those scenes looks so familiar to me even though it’s been decades

[@edmundestradaoutdoors]

Great job and video. I was born and raised in Silver City New Mexico. I have been all over that area on hikes, hunting,camping and fishing. Brought great memories and love seeing the majestic views and back country. Another great place to hike and camp would be Reeds peak just outside of Mimbres New Mexico not to far from Silver City for a suggestion.

[@unclebilly1353]

I'm kind of new here. I'm from the east coast. Nothing like this back east. My family and friends spend time in this wilderness. So much to offer. It's where the desert meets the mountain's. A magical place. Don't let out the secret. Lol .glad you're enjoying.

[@1121gsm]

Very nice video. I love the Gila Wilderness. I trekked on the CDT from Silver City toward the cliff dwellings. Absolutely beautiful. Makes me want to go back. Thanks.

[@JamesBlackburnExperience]

Just discovered this channel today, and I'm glad I did. Very well made backpacking adventure. Thanks for sharing. I am subscribed and will check out your other video adventures too.

[@karakoppanyi3845]

This was so wonderful! Such beautiful country. I loved the sounds of the water, insects, birds, and wind. Thanks so much for sharing your journey.

[@garagebrewer]

Nice informational video. Thinking about heading out there soon. I got a little preview from your video. Thanks. Cheers!

[@Vito_Tuxedo]

What a great location...I mean, despite the brain-eating bacteria [14:53] (heh). Nice that you can enjoy the comfort of a campfire after a long day of hard hiking, conditions allowing. I really appreciate the effort you put into making these videos, especially for the fact that so much camera placing and fetching is required...not to mention your buttery-smooth editing. Truly awesome work, . Keep on keepin' on! 😎

[@robertcrompton2733]

Love the surf music in the intro!

[@frankarzaga9387]

Thank you for this great video of my home area, very well done

[@WildlandExplorer]

I really want to go back to the Gila. Too bad sections of it has been burning up in recent years. I heard the last fire was not kind to the west fork and there are washouts on sections of the trail high above the river. I was thinking this would be the year I'd like to go back - might even be May. But the trail conditions west of the main middle fork / west fork loop don't look great. I'm talking like the high country around Whitewater Baldy and such. Do you have any local knowledge I might glean?

[@unclebilly1353]

@@WildlandExplorer . I just got back from a hunting trip in the Gila's. The tops of the pines are still there. Grass has the ground covered. It's all good. This is what's a healthy forests does. All good 👍. Come play. Please pack out what you pack in. Enjoy!

[@PHILREEDSHIKES]

excellent video! Well filmed and produced! Good job.

[@ahbenjamin2889]

I think you have the best outdoor camping videos. Thank you for all you do.

[@WildlandExplorer]

Thank you, you are too kind!

[@ronforeman2556]

Please tell me you took time to visit the Gila Cliff Dwellings, too! Cliff Dweller Canyon is not to be missed.

[@paulholstien1494]

Thank you so much for the video - really helped our trip this past week. There was still water at Prior Cabin and Lilley Park spring.

[@WildlandExplorer]

Thanks, good to know for return trips that it's reliable! Hope you had an awesome time out there.

[@juliojames5986]

That was a lot of effort. Great views and information. I was a little surprised at the lack of wildlife,assuming you would have taken a photo. I would do that on my horse in October……possibly. Thanks

[@julpach8867]

Great adventure video , now the most pure water you can find you see it at the river and the Spring which is the best ! Now you ment about the water close to the cabin , you look at it , the water you find close by , and you saying that Water is a good water ?? Lol 🤭 you talk about bacteria , can't believe it hahah

[@wildoutsiders]

Great video, makes me want to return to the Gila!

[@trkn5681]

Most amazing part time of the journey was that your car wasn't in pieces.

[@stevenevangelist5221]

really good video.

[@pvtrout]

Awesome video

[@waterfallmadman]

Beautiful scenery and a great adventure . Well done video. I have subbed.

[@tato4612]

What a beautiful video!

[@WildlandExplorer]

Thank you!

[@crushmandible6030]

Great video! I did a somewhat similar loop back in 2017. Where you came up from the Meadows to the high country and headed NW towards Prior Cabin, I turned SE down Big Bear Canyon Trail #28 all the way to the cliff dwellings visitor center (long story, and long hike). That climb out of the Meadows is pretty tough, but for some reason, the smaller elevation up and downs after that seemed to sap me more. While you were doing this hike in June 2019, I was doing an out and back from Snow Lake down the Middle Fork. I made it just 5 miles shy of the Meadows, coming from the north. If you haven't made that hike, I highly recommend it. Thanks for sharing your video...you got some fantastic shots.

[@WildlandExplorer]

Hey, thanks for checking out the video! I wanted to get out to the the parks areas further up the west fork on that trip - that was actually the original plan. But some family stuff happened so I cut short the trip. Can't wait to go back there. It's in the top 5 places to backpack for me. I've heard good things about coming down from near the source of the middle fork so thanks for recommending that hike.

[@kellylane73]

That sounds familiar…

[@dmn3773]

This reminds me of a much more expansive ash creek in the galiuros. If you've never been there...DO IT!

[@WildlandExplorer]

I've been interested in the Galiuros for some time. Looking at Ash Creek Rd. it seems mostly doable in a car but looks like it goes down to 2-track after a while. Do you know if a 2wd car would make it all the way to the trailhead? If not... not opposed to road walking a few miles. One of the reasons I ended up at the Gila is the paved road access (although still quite sketchy mountain turns in spots).

[@dmn3773]

@@WildlandExplorer 32.509681, -110.204933 You'll be able to make it to that location just fine in a car with standard clearance. I would recommend the fall for the best experience but if you want to do a little overnight trip and bag a peak while you're there Basset has some nice views. It's a bit of scramble but it's not bad.

[@azcolby40]

Just started watching your Vlogs, excellent work, and thanks for sharing

[@tre2472]

Old Apache country. Geronimo was born near there.

[@juanmanuelperez2311]

🇲🇽 love you

[@ozarksandbeyond4416]

Sweet video man!!! Really hard to find quality videos of some of these areas. Nice job. I think the wife and I may do this exact route this fall.

[@WildlandExplorer]

Thanks Paul! The Gila Middle/West Fork loop has to be up there in my top-3 backpacking trips of all time. Stunning place.

[@dragonflyginger]

Thanks for this great video! How was the night sky?

[@HuckOutdoors]

Just found the channel and subbed in. Great content. I'll have to put this one the list to do.

[@WildlandExplorer]

Huck! I've watched a bunch of your videos man. Nice to see a fellow outdoors KZbinr here. Do that loop of the Gila - early June is fantastic. This trip is still at or near top of my list.

[@philabisognio8165]

I'm preparing for a 5-day, 4-night trip next week. Thanks for the great video. Do you recommend hiking the beginning of the Middle Fork from the Visitor Center or taking the short cut from Scorpion Campground to the Middle Fork via Adobe Canyon?

[@dr.maturin4648]

Hi, I'm not Wildland Explorer, but I live in the area and have hiked the trails many times. The Adobe Canyon (the trail is called Little Bear Canyon Trail) is shorter, but there is no water until you get to the Middle Fork. There is a fork in the Little Bear Canyon Trail that takes the high route along the mesa to The Meadows. But in this hot weather, I would take the Main Middle Fork Trail from the Visitor Center if I were you!

[@tompelham7035]

Howdy friend, was curious about the time of year, that you had this experience? Great video! Thanks

[@WildlandExplorer]

Yessir, this was mid-June 2019. A high snow year in the west. Rangers advised not to expect spring water up top but I found plenty @ Prior Cabin & the small creek running the south side of Lilley Park. I would expect this year (2023) to be much the same. Bug pressure was reasonably low along the middle & west forks as well. One of my favorite trips ever.

[@tompelham7035]

Many thanks! That trip is on my bucket list

[@JeremyOlimb]

It was fun to run into you out in the middle of nowhere. Hope your latest bikepacking trip ended well. Keep up the adventures coming!

[@WildlandExplorer]

Thank you very much sir, that was totally cool to meet you out on the trail...road... whatever. Man that was a crazy bikepacking trip. We must have gone from desert to aspens and back three times.

[@xavierjc94]

Desert to forest back to desert. Can’t explain Southwestern New Mexico any better than that. Awesome video!

[@plasmodiumvivax9004]

I had always heard that there were additional cliff dwellings further up, guess it's true.

[@WildlandExplorer]

They are all over out there. Since I'm fishing around with a camera for shots maybe I notice ruins a little more easily. Thanks for watching!

[@plasmodiumvivax9004]

@@WildlandExplorer Sure thing. The Gila is one of my favorite places on Earth. I live about 3.5 hours away

[@FollowingTheAgees]

BEAUTY!! What an ambitious trip to plan. How much did your pack weigh? The water crossings def helped. Enjoyed the vid, very relaxing pace.🙋‍♀️Lisa and Rick🙋‍♂️ That huge hole in the rock, or cliff dwellings, looked COOL!!

[@WildlandExplorer]

Thanks so much! Pack weight fluctuated a lot. I think it started around 32 lbs with all the food. Peaked out around 40 lbs with the water carry over the mesa top. But was around 26 lbs or less by the time I got down to the west fork. I would have gone up to those cliff dwellings by my camp if there had been any obvious trail to them but it looked steep.

[@FollowingTheAgees]

WildWestHikes...I think you covered a lot of trail!! And, we always have “wished we would’ve” things when we get back. You’re a natural! 👏👍

[@permculture]

@@WildlandExplorer I have hiked past those dwellings many times. I am glad you did not go up there, too many curious people have harmed a lot of the wilderness.

[@JorgeHernandez-zp5xz]

excellent, have a question, where can i get a map exactly like that one the you use?, thanks

[@danielwood0318]

Great video! I'm hiking Sapillo Creek to the Gila in June. The video quality is great! What camera did you use?

[@WildlandExplorer]

Thanks for checking it out! Believe it or not at that time I was filming everything on an iPhone XS 512gb using an app called Filmic Pro. I now use more of a "real" camera but a phone has some weight/size advantages. Enjoy your trip, fantastic area!

[@edgeplay4205]

The vultures were attracted to you because of the red webbing on the back. Check out some of those frames.

[@pvtrout]

What tent and sleeping bag do you use?

[@WildlandExplorer]

Hi there, Currently using a ZPacks Duplex tent and I love it so far. During this video I was using a Nemo Hornet 2p. I thought the Hornet was a good tent, and very packable, but really prefer the simplicity and reliability of the Duplex. I use an Enlightened Equipment Revelation 20* quilt for my sleep system.

[@keithbrouse2677]

Great video! Very informative. I was wondering, how many miles did you cover, and also, is there a modified route you can suggest for a 4-day, 30-35 mile trek in the area? Thanks again for the video and explanations.

[@WildlandExplorer]

Thanks! In total it was just under 50 miles for 6 days. But 75% of that was river miles which take longer than overland. If you had 4 days of hiking I think it's possible to do a similar loop except cut south at Prior Spring instead of going on to Lilley Park. There is a way down into the west fork near Hell's Hole where I camped on the 4th night on that trip but the trail names escape me. That would circumvent 2 days of hiking.

[@billfisher3266]

What kind of camera did you use? Your video is nice and clear.

[@WildlandExplorer]

Thanks! At that time I was using an Iphone XS with an app called Filmic Pro. These days I'm using a Panasonic G9. Getting clear sharp video is as much about color grading in editing as it is the camera used to capture it.

[@marlisabrown1065]

Curious what you packed for food for 6 days?

[@WildlandExplorer]

Mostly hot garbage from a bag. Back then I was eating a lot of Mountain House. These days I mostly make my own dehydrated food - burrito bowls, things with beans n rice + veggies. Lots of tuna mac. Homemade packs down smaller too!

[@karl7339]

what foot wear did you use ? lots of water crossings

[@WildlandExplorer]

Merrell Choprock shoes. Worked pretty well - completely dry in about an hour.

[@karl7339]

@@WildlandExplorer nice! And the socks?

[@WildlandExplorer]

@@karl7339 I'm always rocking Darn Tough 1/4 hiker socks. I would have gone sans socks with all the water but parts of the trail are sandy and socks help with that.

[@chadsanders2693]

Where do we find you on Instagram?