June 7, 2014 -Rattlesnake: up from Pinehurst Rd

Hunter and I did not realize how busy our summer would be. We had hoped to have lots of time during the weekdays when we were sure the trails would be less crowded. We were surprised to find ourselves planning a hike for a Saturday morning. Because Hunter was coming down with a cold, we decided to do a close, shorter hike on Rattlesnake. We expected that surely we would meet many people and resent them : we decided not to take along Ranger #3, dear Rumi, since he can be unfriendly to stranger dogs. We drove to the trailhead on Pinehurst Road where Fiver Finger Points and various Rattlesnake Trails originate at a gate that specifies private property beyond. A lone hiker warned us at the outset that the mosquitoes were bad. We immediately realized I had forgotten my hat and the reppelant we would so badly need. The bugs were TERRIBLE. Even though I lent Hunter my sun prevention coat, they were relentless. It's too bad that the bugs were so insistent since the trail was quite beautiful - huge old, old maples and a sweet stream alongside the beginning stretch. And... other than the one woman, we met no one: as we hiked up the first part of Col Trail, across Ridge Trail and down the west end of Butterworth.