Backpacking Adventure - Apr 04 - second Day part 1 - Apache spring down to Sabino creek

We got up about 8AM and made breakfast, and finished filtering water for the day. We got everything packed up by about 9AM, and said goodbye to our great campsite at Apache Spring.

The trail continued on down the ridge moving over to the west side of the ridge, with the steep slope unabated. There were several flowers along the way, with spring in the desert busting out all over the mountains.

We were hiking along a part of the path where there was a steep rocky wall on the left side of the trail, and on the right, there was a steep dropoff, leaving the trail about 5 feet wide with large rocks on the left side. We were hiking along, and all of a sudden the hiker in front stopped and backed up a couple of feet, and then we heard a small rattling sound. There was a 3 foot long rattlesnake sunning itself right in the middle of the trail, and the lead hiker had almost stepped on it. We were able to back up while it slithered beneath a rock right next to the trail, and we scrambled over the large rocks on the left side of the trail so we wouldn't be within striking distance of the rattlesnake. It was quite a surprise.

The views of flowers continued to be interesting and omnipresent for the rest of the way down to Sabino Creek along the trail.

When we got down to Sabino creek, the temperature had continued to get higher. we found a grove of trees that lined Sabino creek, and we took off our shoes and socks and stuck our feet in the creek to cool off. We ate our lunch there, and rested in the cool shade of the trees along the creek. That would also be a good campsite along the creek if the timing was right.