Close Encounter of the 2nd Kind

Trekking ahead of the Pack(rat)

With the exception of two encounters with the same jogger (he must have run around the mountain twice) Becca and I saw nobody in the desert.  We did come across the very distinct impression of a rattlesnake that had crossed the trail in a particularly sandy area.  Its wide head was clearly visible, as was the rattle at the end of the tail.  The impression seemed so fresh that I looked around in the vicinity to ensure that the critter wasn't hanging about.

A beautiful, cool morning

Resting in the shade of Desert Broom

Heading back to the mountain

Seriously yellowing out

Rattlesnake impression in the sand

Rattle impression in upper left

A forest of yellowing Ocotillos