On Wednesday I drove myself and the horses back through Jawbone Canyon to pick up the trail again at mile 602, which is where I rode south from on Sunday. I was heading across Kelso Valley and toward Walker Pass, with a planned stopover Wednesday night in-between. It's a hot, dry, barren area, for the most part--which also makes it perfect for snakes. And that's when I spotted this patch-nosed snake slithering across the path. It's a little guy, but you can see the distinctive "patch" on it's snout that gives it this name. I know that all my herpetology friends from Dr. Emily Taylor's class at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, who are planning an outing in the Mojave Desert soon, would be jealous to know I caught one of these elusive fellows!

#2014PCT