Heat wave hiking in the Gila Wilderness (opens in new tab)

Last week I flew out to New Mexico to spend 4 days backpacking in America's oldest wilderness area. It would be my first backpacking trip outside the Northeastern US, and my first time hiking in desert and canyon terrain. Unfortunately it also happened to be right in the middle of a heat wave and drought, producing temperatures over 100 degrees and ensuring water would be scarce.