This was the second rattlesnake I encountered hiking to Eagle Crag. This one was just on the edge of the trail. I was jogging down and only saw him out of the corner of my eye. I sensed danger and ran past as fast as I could hoping not to step on her. When I was about 10' past, I turned around and confirmed my fears. Another adult rattlesnake. Notice the coloring on this speckled matches the grass while the one I met on the summit was granite colored. What an adaptation.
I took this photo before she slithered under a log. I was quite alarmed at meeting a second rattlesnake and slowed down to walk the rest of the way out paying close attention to the trail. I didn't meet a third snake but this was a closer call that I would have liked. I was about 3 hours away from my truck and the consequences would have been had if I had been bitten.
