Rattlesnake Gulch in Millcreek Canyon

Rattlesnake Gulch is the first turn off to the left after you pass the booth up Millcreek Canyon.  It is supposed to be a one mile hike and felt more like three miles round trip.  The trail splits after about a mile to Grandeur Peak on the right and the pipeline trail to the left.  We followed the pipeline trail to a lookout over the valley from the north side of the canyon.

View from the trail, I heart Olympus

I went on Saturday morning with Mom and Claire.  We saw a huge spider that was carrying its babies on its back and a Hispanic version of the Tortoise and the Hare.  One guy would run by us and then we would find him sitting on a rock a little ways up waiting for his friend to catch up with him.  We also saw two lovely ladies, one of whom had a speech impediment that Claire insisted was a British accent, and a nice boy that was taller than Claire... just sayin'...  

Claire getting a drink.

I can't neglect the happy couple on bikes;  I'd say second date, because who goes for a ten mile bike ride on a first date? Seriously.  We got of the trail so they could pass and the girl ran into a rock that brought them both to a halt.  The three of us then awkwardly continued our conversation looking straight out into the canyon as the couple struggled behind us.  We watched as if the canyon were the most interesting thing in the world and talked about The Queen as if it had been our favorite movie and we had always been obsessively fascinated with the relationship between Queen Elizabeth and Princess Diana.  Honest to goodness, I don't know what the hold-up was, but it took the better part of two minutes to work out, get unstuck from the rock, and pass by us on their merry dating way.