Skyline rattlesnake bite ...

[cynthia23]

ScottMAc, Snow Creek area is said to be some kind of legendary rattler breeding ground. There are such places, although I don't know if it's true about SNow Creek. It might be--maybe something to do with the water and the northern exposure? At one time years ago we briefly owned a cabin in SNow Creek village and the snakes were so prevalent that one of the villagers actually specialized in coming to your house with a garbage can and 'forking' them up. That was actually one of the reasons we sold that cabin--we had small kids and it just felt too dangerous. The one rattler sighting I had recently (last month) was on the Snow Creek PCT and it was indeed a baby rattler.

[Wildhorse]

At Cowles Mountain in San Diego today, I saw a man wearing boots and snake gaiters up to his knees. He was also wearing shorts and a sleeveless undershirt. I saw another fellow wearing tights just past his knees, and nothing below his knees except bright red trail runners. The tights had a reptile pattern. He wore no shirt. He was wearing a gas mask. Presumably his fear is in the air rather than on the ground.

Later, in Ocean Beach I saw a man pushing a shopping cart up the street. He was disheveled and dirty. He was dressed in masculine clothing above the waist, and a backpack, but below the waist he wore a ruffled skirt and hiking boots. He was muttering to someone invisible who appeared to be threatening him. He was headed east towards Cowles Mountain.

Confusing, aren't we all?

[Sose]

Rattlesnakes are cold blooded. In the winter and early spring they are rarely seen, especially at high elevation. When the weather warms up, (March, April, May around here) they will be sunning and hunting near trails. In the hot weather ( June, July, August, September ) they will be in the shade of bushes during the day and out in the mornings and evenings.

[Hikin_Jim]

He was wearing a gas mask.

Was it really a gas mask? There were these mask things they were selling some time ago that are supposed to simulate exercising at high elevation. I believe they were shown to do no such thing, but I still occasionally see someone wearing one. I wonder if that's what you saw.

HJ

[Wildhorse]

I am not sure. Until you mentioned it, I had not heard of such masks. It looked like a mask worn for safety diring construction than one worn in military applications.

I have also seen people wearing dust and surgical masks.

On weekends at Cowles, one sees interesting sights in the crowd.