Return to Silver City

I am back in Silver City again. Things have slowed down significantly so they let a few of us go out yesterday on a familiarization tour. Last time I was down I was able to go to the Cliff Dwellings. Yesterday we visited the other side of the forest and checked out the old mining town of Mogollon and The Catwalk.
We went to Mogollon first. http://www.rozylowicz.com/retirement/mogollon/mogollon.html Mogollon is found at the end of a sketchy one lane road cut into the mountain. With the monsoons we have been having there was quite a few washed out areas on the road. It was definitely worth the drive. Tucked into the deep canyon was a neat old mining town. My favorite part was the replica Billy the Kidd Wanted Poster. http://www.nndb.com/people/113/000108786/ Last time I was down here I had to watch Young Guns, maybe I will need to watch Young Guns II this time to get the full experience.
Silver City was the hometown of Billy the Kid. http://www.southernnewmexico.com/Articles/Southwest/Grant/Silver_City/SilverCity.html
I hope I have time to get to the museum on one of my lunch breaks. It has hours that don’t always jive with my work schedule.
Our second destination is a place called The Catwalk. In the 1930’s the Civilian Conservation Corps built a hanging walkway trail following the path of an old pipeline (built in 1893) along the path the river has cut in Whitewater Canyon. The trail has since been updated and climbs 1.15 miles to the end of the path.
Along the trial you find huge boulders that have fallen and lodged themselves in peculiar arrangements. We thought it was a good idea to hustle back to the car when the first rain drops started to sprinkle. Locals know better than to even be in the area when rain is forecast. We found out that when it rains sometimes the large rocks are displaced and have accounted for some injuries. We were also told that there have been times when the rain falls upriver and tourist have been stranded in the canyon because the water level rises so quickly with the flash floods. We were safe and had an enjoyable hike, other than some shin splints from our hastened downhill assent.
I am ready to get back home, even though we will not be there very long before our next adventure to Ely…