Waterfalls, snakes, and scenic views contributed to make our last hike of spring 2011 memorable. Also, the wonderful people on today’s hike made the day especially fun.
Hike leader John Shannon choreographed the 8-mile hike to start at the Montebello Fish Hatchery and proceed to Spy Rock, leaving Crabtree Falls for the end. That route put the harder uphill portion at the beginning of the day when temperatures were cooler and the downhill in the afternoon when we were more likely to be worn out.
The views at Spy Rock justified the ascent, and we took a break to enjoy the scenery. Rather than going up for the view, Sue, Leon, and his dog Bailey broke off and did their own shorter hike. As for the rest of us, excitement unfolded after lunch in the form of two rattlesnake sightings. Rita nearly stepped on the first one—she saw the rattler only when it moved to get out of her way. Before she had even recovered from that scare, Rita had a close encounter with a second rattler just a few yards down the trail. Who can blame her for relinquishing the lead after that?
Once we reached the top of Crabtree Falls, the human density factor increased considerably – lots of folks were out enjoying this popular spot. Getting down was easy, though, and we paused to enjoy the viewpoints of the falls during our walk down.
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