Category Archives: Automobiles and Driving

October 31, 2016 · 5:35 am

The Beauty of the Catwalk — Part 1

The Catwalk

This hike along the Catwalk Trail offers absolutely stunning views and photo opportunities. New formations lurk around every corner, and current views change to reveal totally different perspectives and sights with a mere change of just a few short feet. Indeed, the following sight revealed itself to Ursula only through a break in the trees above:

Man wearing a miner’s helmet?

It’s definitely a good thing that the federal government recognized the Catwalk was something worthy of preservation. The efforts to convert the Catwalk from a support for a lumber operation waterline to a recreational hiking trail began as a Depression-era Civilian Conservation Corp (CCC) project way back in the 1930s.

A history of the Catwalk

Unfortunately, this early CCC effort focused on converting the existing wooden structure using the original supports rather than taking into account the vulnerability to the area’s floods and wildfires. Consequently, the Catwalk was destroyed several times over the intervening years. In 2013 the remnants of the Catwalk washed away in a massive flood, and for a while it looked as if the Catwalk would not be rebuilt.

Catwalk above Whitewater Creek

Fortunately, cooler heads prevailed and funds were allocated to place new supports higher up the flood-prone canyon, and convert the trail from wood to metal. The new Catwalk reopened to the public on Memorial Day weekend of this year — 2016. Ursula had wanted to visit this area for years, and now that the trail reopened, this was the year.

Rust-red cliffs

The geology of this area is igneous, as you’ve probably surmised from the photos of the reddish rock formations and their rough texturing typical of magma.

Igneous cliffs

It’s a dark and alien landscape dotted with contrasting sprinkles of green vegetation.

Cliffs

Beyond the canyon the landscape changes to something a bit more familiar, at least to those of us who live in the Desert Southwest.

The countryside beyond the canyon

Now for a little gallery of images. Click on any image below to enlarge and bring up today’s slide show of the Catwalk:

Red pillars

Exiting the Catwalk at the end of the trail

Narrow canyon walls

In the canyon

Snaking through Whitewater Canyon

Rust-red cliffs

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Filed under Automobiles and Driving, Photography, R. Doug Wicker, travel, vacation

Tagged as Catwalk, Catwalk Recreational Area, Fun Photo Friday, Gila National Forest, photography, R. Doug Wicker, scenic driving, Silver City, travel, travel photography, vacation

October 28, 2016 · 5:35 am

Fun Photo Friday — Favorite Shots on the Road to the Catwalk

Road to Catwalk

Most of the shots presented today are from the road trip between Silver City and the Catwalk. Hope you enjoy the show:

Whitewater Creek

Road to Catwalk

Catwalk

Red Cliffs

Road to Catwalk

Moon Ranch

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Filed under Automobiles and Driving, Fun Photo Friday, Photography, R. Doug Wicker, travel, vacation

Tagged as Catwalk, Catwalk Recreational Area, Fun Photo Friday, Gila National Forest, photography, R. Doug Wicker, scenic driving, Silver City, travel, travel photography, vacation

October 26, 2016 · 5:35 am

Hiking the Catwalk

The original “Catwalk” supported waterlines instead of tourists

Whitewater Canyon was once home to a lumber operation, and water was needed to generate power for the mill. Thus in 1893 was born “The Catwalk,” a narrow wooden walkway suspended from metal anchors and supports driven into the sheer walls lining the canyon. Initially the Catwalk supported a 4-inch/10-centimeter pipeline. In 1897 the Catwalk supported a larger 18-inch/46-centimeter pipeline. That old wooden structure has been destroyed several times over the decades, most often by flood. But in 2012 a new threat took out the Catwalk — the infamous Whitewater-Baldy Complex wildfire. That wildfire was the worst in New Mexico history, eventually destroying nearly 300,000 acres of forest and range land.

The suspended Catwalk

It looked for a while as if the Catwalk would not be rebuilt, as the fire undid an extensive rebuild following a major flood that had occurred just a few years earlier. Fortunately the resources were allocated for another reconstruction, this elevating the walkway higher up the canyon walls and replacing wood with steel.

The view from the railing

The hike itself is not difficult at all. There is a little climbing required at the far end of the trail if you want to venture off the metal catwalk and proceed farther up the canyon, but it’s not too bad if you’re reasonably fit.

The remnants of the old Catwalk — Destroyed by flood and fire

Sheer cliffs line much of the canyon, offering some really spectacular photo opportunities.

Catwalk Trail

Stunning green vegetation and reddish walls add color depth to your images, as well.

Catwalk Trail

All in all, this is a very worthwhile place to visit. The actual Catwalk rides along both sides of the canyon, and runs for 1.1 miles/1.8 kilometers. The entire trail stretches an easy 2.25 miles/3.6 kilometers, and can easily be accomplished inside of two hours including multiple stops along the way for photography.