Well sad news! I won't be going hiking anywhere near there anytime soon, unless some miracle happens. I was clammering around today looking for something, went hiking with some "older" guys who don't like to haul all that heavy gear up side canyons, and I was inching along this rock face with a 30' drop to my left, and VERY loose rock on the right. I didn't think I was going to make it, but I did, and just as I get to the top where it levels out some I hear this BUZZZZZZZZZ. Now, just let me explain how deathly afraid of rattle snakes I am. Last time I saw one I was high for 3 hrs because of the adrenaline. Out of the corner of my eye, to the left on the edge of the cliff I just climbed up is this FAT Western Diamond back, about a foot from my face. I starting screaming like a pig running for his life, and I took off up the hill about 20' in 2 seconds. During this raging sprint to safe ground all I kept thinking was "what if there is another one". I make it to a big rock where I climb upon. Down below the guys are yelling "You ok?" My reply was "Big f'n snake!". I stood on that rock for 10 mins, frozen, not speaking a word. Finally I amassed enough nerve to get down and grab one of the rocks right in front of me. Now this snake, I thought, was hiding behind the bush 5' in front of where I stand. This bush is just to the right of the path I came up. Behind me, further up is a saddle I was trying to get to. Between me and that saddle is snake heaven, more brush and trees than I've ever seen in my life. There is no way in hell I'm going up further. I just want to go back down, but there is a problem. El Snako is right in my way. I can't go back down without walking right past where I came up, with the snake. So I get a little brave, and throw that rock into the bush where the snake was. No noise, no rattle, no NOTHING! This is horrible! Now I don't know where the damn thing is. So I'm really starting to panic. I look around for a few more min's, weighing my options, and decide to call for help. Thankfully the guys don't make fun of me too much, and one of them starts climbing up the way I came. I warn him about where I thought the snake was. Well just before he hits the top he sees it, 2' from his face! It's right next to path I took up, even closer than before. Holy $hit I think to myself, what are we going to do now? Well he's pretty smart, so he throws some dirt on the snake, just lightly tossing it so as not to hurt the snake. Finally it goes back down the ridge a little, hiding behind rocks. Thankfully it's hid enough that I can get back by, and I, shaking like a tree in the wind, climb back down to the canyon bed. Holy mother Mary of Joseph, that's enough!
So, I won't be doing much hiking until those damn snakes are back in their holes. I can't handle this much more. Never been so scared of anything in my life, and I don't know why, but I freak out every time I hear that buzz.
Falcon Field to be exact ? They are still around , they are converting twin engine Navy carrier planes into fire bombers 
