INCH Hike: Priest Rock Trail

684. Priest Rock Trail (08/01/09)

Hikers (17): Bill R, Chris R, David, Edita, Hima, Jinglan, Linda L, Mike, Nick S, Paul, Peter, Praveen, Ross, Russ, Sarah, Scott, Sri
Distance: 8 miles
Rating: 3 difficulty, 9 beauty
Park info: Sierra Azul Open Space Preserve near Los Gatos

Write-up by Peter and Sarah

Hima became the 11th INCHer to earn the highly coveted shot of 151, and David became the 7th INCHer to reach the double forest (which doesn't technically require/deserve a shot, but I made him do one anyway). Congratulations to both!

Extra brownie points to Sarah and Mike B for going on the longer loop. Look at what the rest of us missed!

Here's Sarah's report: Mike B accompanied me to complete the figure 8 loop of Priest Rock. And it was he who stopped me in mid sentence in mid trail to be astounded by a rather small rattle snake -- of maybe twelve inches in a poe of almost death-like in stillness. In its jaw was an adorable mouse in real deathlike stillness. It seems that, so far anyway, this callow young snake could only manage to get its mouth around the head of its prey. The rest of the mouse, whose girth far exceeded the circumference of the snake, languished temptingly in front of the snakes eyes. There are a couple of axioms that come to mind: biting off more than he could chew, eating himself to death,..........

Milestones:
Bill R's 1^st leaf
David's 2^nd forest
Hima's 151^st leaf (and shot)
Nick S's 20^th leaf