View Full Version : Spring is officially here.... !!
wrongway_08
03-22-2009, 20:45
Was out with Kristy hiking today and cought my first snake of the year, so its official - spring is officially here ........:sun:sun:sun.
Was a little Gardner Snake, about 1.5 foot long.
Bulldawg
03-22-2009, 20:47
Sweet, I went on a short hike with my brother. He bailed about 4 miles in at a road crossing. But the sweet thing about living in the mountains was the wife was able to be called and at the road crossing within 10 minutes!! It was on the verge of HOT here today!!
Ron Haven
03-22-2009, 20:48
I hiked south bound with Maricela,Cody & Ryan today from Wayah to Winding Stair Gap.Beautiful :banana
johnnybgood
03-22-2009, 21:12
Same as what you have there in your pic.
That was the first snake I saw last spring , early April after a week of really nice weather.
Have you ever bare handed a viper ? I knew a guy who went to the woods looking for snakes to catch. I mean vipers too !
Garter Snakes are quite docile actually. Still don't have the kuzpah to pick one up...maybe you can teach me .
wrongway_08
03-22-2009, 21:20
Same as what you have there in your pic.
That was the first snake I saw last spring , early April after a week of really nice weather.
Have you ever bare handed a viper ? I knew a guy who went to the woods looking for snakes to catch. I mean vipers too !
Garter Snakes are quite docile actually. Still don't have the kuzpah to pick one up...maybe you can teach me .
That is a viper in my photo, its a Timber Rattler. Cought 2 of them and a Copper head on my thru-hike. So the answer to your question is yes.
A gardner snake is about the thickness of a pencil and usually get a max of around 2 feet - if they are lucky.
Bulldawg
03-22-2009, 21:23
I hiked south bound with Maricela,Cody & Ryan today from Wayah to Winding Stair Gap.Beautiful :banana
Awesome section!! See any wildflowers yet?
johnnybgood
03-22-2009, 21:26
You are that crazy guy I knew as a kid.
I noticed the thickness , but looked greenish / brown in color .
Cookerhiker
03-22-2009, 21:46
Did my first ride of the season today on the Great Allegheny Passage (http://www.atatrail.org). Rode just 13 miles (uphill and back down) but I'm a bit sore in the quads. Nice day with part clouds/part sun in low 50s. There was a chunk of snow at the entrance to the Big Savage Tunnel.
Mr. Clean
03-24-2009, 04:38
I wish it was "Spring" here in Maine. I still have 8" of snow in my yard. But the birds are singing, woodpeckers are drumming, and the pussy willows are out, so it must be just around the corner.
I saw the birds fraternizing with the bees this weekend on the Tuscarora
bigcranky
03-24-2009, 07:30
Interesting true fact: the majority of venomous snakebites are to the hands and faces of young men. Just something to keep in mind for anyone who wants to mimic Wrongway.
(Of course, most of those bites probably came just after the words, "Hold my beer and watch this....")
I like finding garter snakes (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garter_snake) in my garden.
Nicksaari
03-24-2009, 08:04
made my first trip of the season sunday out to hightop hut. wanted to test out my new cold weather system. packed in some good food and libation. it was warm in the sun with a cool NW breeze. no sprouts of spring yet, but did notice bits of moss and bud popping out here and there in a sunny spot. seven woodpeckers (small), on either side of hightop mtn. family of woodpeckers rounds out the seven in a crooked deadening tree to the left of the firepit a few meters into the woods.
alone at the shelter, set the tent up right in the shelter, built a HUGE fire that was still going when i awoke. slept very warm, condensation problem blamed to rain shell left on top of flyless tent.
good trip cant wait for spring
Nicksaari
03-24-2009, 08:05
POST SCRIPT: and i saw all my homey's names in the shelter journal. COOKERHIKER! (among many) trail looked great man, keep up the great work!
Cookerhiker
03-24-2009, 10:14
made my first trip of the season sunday out to hightop hut. wanted to test out my new cold weather system. packed in some good food and libation. it was warm in the sun with a cool NW breeze. no sprouts of spring yet, but did notice bits of moss and bud popping out here and there in a sunny spot. seven woodpeckers (small), on either side of hightop mtn. family of woodpeckers rounds out the seven in a crooked deadening tree to the left of the firepit a few meters into the woods.
alone at the shelter, set the tent up right in the shelter, built a HUGE fire that was still going when i awoke. slept very warm, condensation problem blamed to rain shell left on top of flyless tent.
good trip cant wait for spring
POST SCRIPT: and i saw all my homey's names in the shelter journal. COOKERHIKER! (among many) trail looked great man, keep up the great work!
Hey thanks for the report! I'm heading out there next week. I guess there were no blowdowns?
It wasn't just me - last summer, the PATC Flying McLeods (http://www.potomacappalachian.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=162&Itemid=146) trail crew did some treadwork on HighTop's steeper slopes.
Wrongway, future Darwin Award winner!