An Eventful Day on Rattlesnake

[David R]

When I talk to fellow hikers Rattlesnake comes up as one where it seems like things happen on. Someone couldn't finish the hike or had problems on the way down and they finished in the dark. A hiker fell and landed in some yucca. On my second hike up Rattlesnake, the original register was still there and there was a signature from 1976 with one word Hot! and I later found out that this hiker had unfortunately expired on the way down due to the heat. For me it has been pretty tame with a spill here or there but overall not too many problems. This Sunday things changed and I had quite a lot happening to me on this peak.

Firstly I misjudged the weather and based on the temps I saw for other areas assumed I wouldn't get above 80 and instead at the end of the day was hiking in weather over 90. This affected me as I began the hike as I noticed I was already sweating as I started on the fire road. I typically take the secondary route up and the primary route down and this was no exception. Just after the second tunnel as the trail narrowed I heard a rattling to my left, I had finally met a rattlesnake while hiked Rattlesnake an auspicious sign. The trail is in much better shape after the tunnels then I remember from my last go around. The original route used to take you to the far end of the ridge now the cut starts steeply before you get to the ridge proper and meets it later on. I noticed that someone had been cutting the yucca which was much appreciated. The climb is steep and unrelenting. Usually when I hit the ridge proper the wind would pick up but not today. The air hung heavy over the ridge and with some light clouds it was humid as well. I reached the middle section which is not as steep but very brushy and realized that the heat was doing a number on me as my pace slowed.

I finally reached the area which had burned in the last fire and felt something pinch my foot through my shoe. I thought it was a leaf but it hurt worse then that so I took off my shows and felt a point coming through my padding. I thought it was part of the shoe and tried knocking it flat with a rock when I felt something on the sole of my shoe moving. I looked at my sole and part of the buckthorn had pierced my sole and had pushed all the way to the cushion just before my foot. That was a freak occurrence and potentially could've been pretty bad because an extra 1.4 inch would've put that right into my foot. The last third is steep with scrambling and even though I was higher up and was finally getting a little breeze I was overheating and had to stop and relax every minute or so. I knew I was already there so wasn't too concerned about making it. Finally I reached the top and it wasn't miserable up there but it also wasn't pleasant. I let my heartbeat settle down to normal had a bite to eat and then it was time to start down.

Up to Fang the heat was bearable but from thereon there was no respite. At the top of Fang as I was maneuvering through the rocks, I ended up disturbing a small bee hive that had decided this was a good place to settle down. Immediately I had about ten angry bees buzzing around my head. I made haste and in my rush banged my leg hard against some rock nearby, after my awkward run I escaped the bees with nary a sting, quite fortunate. The rest of the way down was one of focus and ignoring the heat. I once tried to stop but it was even worse with the sun beating down on you and zero opportunities for shade. As expected as I hit the last steep section going down I ran out of water but knew I was home free. The walk along the fire road felt like a scene from Lawrence of Arabia and I kept on seeing mirages of oases in the distance.

One final oddity I don't know what is going on at Shoemaker Road but there was a hell of a lot of people camping there. It almost looked like a village. I'm not sure if it was a weekend gathering or if this is a new homeless enclave but it felt like a bit of both. Some of the people looked pretty sketchy.

[Uncle Rico]

I ended up disturbing a small bee hive that had decided this was a good place to settle down. Immediately I had about ten angry bees buzzing around my head.

I just had a similar experience. I was ascending a rocky ridgeline where I've encountered several rattlers before when I heard a low hum. I stopped to listen as the hum got progressively louder and then suddenly found myself in a cloud of bees that were swarming. I ran like hell up the ridge as bees bounced off the side of my head. I somehow escaped getting stung or bit by a rattlesnake, but it was a good reminder that this is swarming season.?

[Sean]

One final oddity I don't know what is going on at Shoemaker Road but there was a hell of a lot of people camping there. It almost looked like a village.

I believe you stumbled upon the first annual Cobbling Man festival. A bunch of weirdos camp in the mountains and mend shoes all weekend. Then they burn a large, wooden effigy of Crispin, the patron saint of shoemakers.