So last Sat/Sun a buddy and I headed out to ABSP to explore the Carrizo Gorge area just north of I-8. This is one area I have not checked out in about 15 years and man was I missing out. There is nothing hard about the wheeling but the scenery is spectacular and the flowers were better than the area around Coyote canyon that is so crowded.
After spending half the day checking out trails that were not on most of the maps and getting lost a few times we made our way up Dos Cabezas road to the Carrizo Gorge trailhead. This trailhead takes you up the old railroad through 16 tunnels and eventually you will be at the famous goat canyon trestle (although we never made it this far).
We started hiking up the railway tracks (actually walking in the middle of the tracks) when not a quarter mile up the track I take a step and hear what sounds like a high pressure gas leak. I was in the lead and immediately froze and my friend promptly ran into the back of me. Not 5 feet in front of me was a small rattlesanke that if I had taken one more step would most likely have struck me.
I have come across a few rattlesnakes before and most of them a lot bigger but this was the most pissed off aggressive one i have ever seen. I ended up taking a few photos of him and then hiking another 1.5 miles to some of the tunnels before turning back.
I am definetely heading back out there to hike the full length to see the trestles. Enjoy the photos.
After spending half the day checking out trails that were not on most of the maps and getting lost a few times we made our way up Dos Cabezas road to the Carrizo Gorge trailhead. This trailhead takes you up the old railroad through 16 tunnels and eventually you will be at the famous goat canyon trestle (although we never made it this far).
We started hiking up the railway tracks (actually walking in the middle of the tracks) when not a quarter mile up the track I take a step and hear what sounds like a high pressure gas leak. I was in the lead and immediately froze and my friend promptly ran into the back of me. Not 5 feet in front of me was a small rattlesanke that if I had taken one more step would most likely have struck me.
I have come across a few rattlesnakes before and most of them a lot bigger but this was the most pissed off aggressive one i have ever seen. I ended up taking a few photos of him and then hiking another 1.5 miles to some of the tunnels before turning back.
I am definetely heading back out there to hike the full length to see the trestles. Enjoy the photos.