[Journal entry for September 26, 2018; Timber Rattlesnake at the Split Rock Overlook, Black Rocket Forest, Cornwall Maine] The rain, which was very heavy yesterday and this morning, tapered off by early afternoon. By the time Dallas and I started out on the Mine Hill Trail (blazed in yellow) the sun was shining intermittently. We climbed up onto Sackett Ridge and connected with the Stillman Trail (also yellow), taking it over to Hall Road (a woods road).  Dallas had forgotten her hiking pole, so I made one for her, cutting a branch to the right length with my utility knife. We connected with the Split Rock Trail (white) and took it up onto Golden Ridge to the Split Rock Overlook.

I made an involuntary leap as I scaled the final rock ledge below the overlook, for I suddenly saw a Timber Rattler that was coiled up right in the middle of trail. I had unknowingly come within a foot or two of stepping upon this venomous snake and now it was buzzing at me. Its length was hard to estimate on account of its being coiled, but was at least three or four feet, and its body was about three inches in diameter at its widest point.  Its skin had triangular scales and a beautiful white, brown and black hachured pattern. Its head, which it rested atop the coils, was small and black in color.  It held its tail high and vibrated the little yellow rattle at the tip so that it emitted a steady high-pitched buzz. Dallas was on the far side of the snake from me, but rather than try her luck at passing it, she detoured around it through the woods.  I stood watching the snake for a few minutes and then moved on.

We spent a few moments viewing Sutherland Pond from the overlook, but our minds were mostly on the snake, not the superb view.

We took the Split Rock Trail down to Sutherland Pond and walked along its shore to the swimming spot.  Dallas took a quick dip, and announced that the water had cooled significantly since last week.  We has passed a plastic box that had been left out by a researcher and that had filled six inches deep with rainwater, presumably from the downpour of the past few days. I suppose that the influx of so much rainwater has cooled the pond.

I cooked dinner of corned beef and vegetables on my MSR PocketRocket stove, and heated water for tea, too.  We then enjoyed a leisurely dinner sitting by the lakeshore, before retracing our way back to our car, which was parked on Mine Hill Road in Mountainville New York.  A rain cloud was just drifting over from Schunemonk Mountain, in the west, and sprinkled us a bit as we descended Sackett Ridge.

We stopped for a snack at the Chestnut Mart along Route 9W in Fort Montgomery New York on the way home. About three hours.