80 degrees and a Rattlesnake Scare

 

On Sunday, we ventured east past Willow Creek to hike the South Fork Trail, by the the Trinity River. While it is usually about 50-60 degrees Farenheit on the coast where we are, the "inland" areas are about 20-25 degrees warmer, and get downright hot in the summertime. We were amazed when, starting out our hike, it was about 75 degrees... almost shorts weather if there hadn't been so many bugs out.

We were walking nicely along, with me in the lead, followed by Pep and Kelvin (who was carrying his trademark stick, which I always laugh at), when, only about a mile into our hike, I was startled by a rattlesnake about 3 inches off the trail... which most definitely shook its tail at me. Although I was probably about 3 feet away when I heard the rattle, and then saw the grey/black snake, I didn't get a great look, as I was retreating as quickly as I could, getting Pepper out of the way.  I had no idea we were in rattlesnake country! Doing some research later on a Humboldt Herpetology site, I have deduced that it was probably a Northern Pacific Rattlesnake (Crotalus oreganus), the only rattler endemic to this area.

While we had come across snakes here and there on our other hikes, and I'd done quite a bit of trail running when I did a rotation in Arizona back in med school (in true rattlesnake country-- there are even warning signs there!), I never had come across one on a hike. But the rattle is unmistakable, and terrifying.

 

Northern Pacific Rattlesnake (not my photo-- there is no way I'd voluntarily get this close to a snake or be still enough to shoot a photo of one!)

Kelvin brandished his stick (now, as a result of this encounter, I have conceded that a walking stick on a hike is actually a great idea), and the snake finally slithered away... but it was a narrow trail and, truthfully, I was too scared to proceed with our hike. Having seen one rattlesnake, the odds of seeing another were probably slim to none, but we weren't sure we'd be so lucky with another encounter... one bite and (being about 1.5 hours from the closest Med Center) either one of us, or our little Pepper, who usually walks with us off-leash, probably would be toast. Figuring that one rattlesnake on the trail was omen enough to stop hiking for the day, we turned around.  I'm not sure we'll go back to that trail, but I'm sure it would have been a nice one sans reptiles.

We, instead, headed to the Trinity riverside to have a picnic lunch.

 

Pepper didn't jump in, but was quite warm the whole time and probably would have enjoyed a little swim; she is quite a good little swimmer if you recall (no life vests needed!)

Trying to cool off in the car!

Sleeping on the way back... (under the driver's seat is her preferred location... it is cooler there!)

With all the weekend activities, it was about time our little pup got a bath....

"Do I really have to?"

We're not sure when our next hike will be... we're a little snake-shy at the moment.