Sunday, August 12th, 2007...9:30 am
Sierra Crossing: Tom Stienstra’s Adventure - Part 6
This is a great trek across the Sierra, through the Kern Canyon, and Stienstra’s story an inspiration to backpackers.
(08-10) 04:00 PDT Rattlesnake Canyon, Sequoia National Park — The rattle sounded like shaking maracas.
But this was not a percussionist. This was a rattlesnake, about 4 feet long, coiled and poised on the side of the trail. Luckily, this one was making plenty of noise and could be avoided.
“The ones you worry about are the quiet ones,” said Michael Furniss, expedition scientist. “That’s when you hear nothing.” Then you step on them and get nailed in the calf.
The specter of rattlesnakes at the Lower Kern and in adjoining Rattlesnake Canyon had foreshadowed us all week. Now we were here and so were the rattlesnakes. … Read more here
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