WELCOME TO RIVER DAVES PLACE

Can You ID This Guy? Part 2

LazyLavey

LazyLavey

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This guy was lurking by the wood pile this morning... Pretty sure he's harmless

Oddly enough, A young rattler was in the front yard a few weeks ago

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Wanted to make a hat band for my grandsons cowboy hat, but it's too small... 4 rattlers
 
jetboatperformance

jetboatperformance

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Always liked Snakes , Toads and Lizards, huge part of the ecosystem balance and most do no harm, King Snakes can actual catch and kill rattlesnakes No tree hugger here by any means Just love nature
 

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Taboma

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Two Stripe Garter Snake, very docile snake, at least the Three Stripe ones were when I was a kid up at Lake Arrowhead.
 
DarkHorseRacing

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Taboma said:
Two Stripe Garter Snake, very docile snake, at least the Three Stripe ones were when I was a kid up at Lake Arrowhead.
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I have never seen a snake at Arrowhead. Did you live on the north part of the lake? That area is more desert oak than forest, so I wouldn't be surprised to see a snake over on that side. Never heard of rattlers up here either, but again, the north side would be more likely to me.
 
Taboma

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DarkHorseRacing said:
I have never seen a snake at Arrowhead. Did you live on the north part of the lake? That area is more desert oak than forest, so I wouldn't be surprised to see a snake over on that side. Never heard of rattlers up here either, but again, the north side would be more likely to me.
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Having spent all my summers in the Lake Side Trailer Park (Paradise Bay or Cove not sure of it's current name) from the early 50's to early 70's at Lake Arrowhead, I experienced it before it was wall to wall homes, docks and people.

There were still several decaying Totem Poles standing tall on Totem Pole point, where they occasionally used it in films and Hamms did a beer commercial there.
The only way to reach there was primarily a horse trail from Blue Jay Stables (Which later became North Bay Road), from which daily in the summer they took guided groups by horseback. Totem Pole Bay had an amazing water ski beach, the opposite side housing a very large and active Beaver Den.
Little Bear Creek which may or may not still run through the middle of the trailer park and into Paradise Bay, used to run deep and with a good flow in spring and be teaming with critters, including trout if the lake was up high enough. There were years we docked our boat directly below our trailer which was up above the creek. That's where I learned to swim.

Racoons, skunks, so many crawdads folks used to pay us kids to catch them and they'd boil em up for dinner. Frog gigging was also pretty popular as they were were in the creeks at the backs of many bays and the large bulls were loud at night.
Also in the creek we'd find mostly Three Stripe Garter snakes, and an occasional king, but even in those days at least on that side of the lake, including all our vast deep woods exploration did we ever find a rattlesnake anywhere except one I found at the desert like lower elevation while exploring Deep Creek.
Also the only place I ever saw a deer in all those years was with a friend 4 wheelin on some old ranch roads on the desert side.

I once found a very larger Gopher snake swallowing a frog at the very back of Emerald Bay where the Hook Creek Tunnel ends at the lake. My buddy and I explored that tunnel from end to end, still had the tracks running through it, very spooky but that's what kids dig.

The beautiful meadow at the back of Meadow Bay had a herd of cows, Orchard Bay had a green apple orchard, what's now Hamiltair Point was called Judges Stand Point because it had a large Judges Stand at the point for the sail boat races (Which was a big deal in those days), and you could head up to the dump at night and watch Black Bears. In fact my dad's buddy's dog got killed by one. There were no homes or docks or even roads, on the north side of the lake from the trailer park until you reached the far north side of north bay.

There's not much that escapes the exploring nature of two young boys be it setting out on foot or from their aluminum OB powered boat, that is until we discovered "Girls" and our priorities were forever altered. 😁

Last time I was there was in 1986 and left feeling fortunate to remember how different it had been.
 
TPC

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They keep gophers and mice in check. Also, having a cat can tip the scale in your favor.
 
DarkHorseRacing

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Taboma said:
Having spent all my summers in the Lake Side Trailer Park (Paradise Bay or Cove not sure of it's current name) from the early 50's to early 70's at Lake Arrowhead, I experienced it before it was wall to wall homes, docks and people.

There were still several decaying Totem Poles standing tall on Totem Pole point, where they occasionally used it in films and Hamms did a beer commercial there.
The only way to reach there was primarily a horse trail from Blue Jay Stables (Which later became North Bay Road), from which daily in the summer they took guided groups by horseback. Totem Pole Bay had an amazing water ski beach, the opposite side housing a very large and active Beaver Den.
Little Bear Creek which may or may not still run through the middle of the trailer park and into Paradise Bay, used to run deep and with a good flow in spring and be teaming with critters, including trout if the lake was up high enough. There were years we docked our boat directly below our trailer which was up above the creek. That's where I learned to swim.

Racoons, skunks, so many crawdads folks used to pay us kids to catch them and they'd boil em up for dinner. Frog gigging was also pretty popular as they were were in the creeks at the backs of many bays and the large bulls were loud at night.
Also in the creek we'd find mostly Three Stripe Garter snakes, and an occasional king, but even in those days at least on that side of the lake, including all our vast deep woods exploration did we ever find a rattlesnake anywhere except one I found at the desert like lower elevation while exploring Deep Creek.
Also the only place I ever saw a deer in all those years was with a friend 4 wheelin on some old ranch roads on the desert side.

I once found a very larger Gopher snake swallowing a frog at the very back of Emerald Bay where the Hook Creek Tunnel ends at the lake. My buddy and I explored that tunnel from end to end, still had the tracks running through it, very spooky but that's what kids dig.

The beautiful meadow at the back of Meadow Bay had a herd of cows, Orchard Bay had a green apple orchard, what's now Hamiltair Point was called Judges Stand Point because it had a large Judges Stand at the point for the sail boat races (Which was a big deal in those days), and you could head up to the dump at night and watch Black Bears. In fact my dad's buddy's dog got killed by one. There were no homes or docks or even roads, on the north side of the lake from the trailer park until you reached the far north side of north bay.

There's not much that escapes the exploring nature of two young boys be it setting out on foot or from their aluminum OB powered boat, that is until we discovered "Girls" and our priorities were forever altered. 😁

Last time I was there was in 1986 and left feeling fortunate to remember how different it had been.
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Damn man, you are Father Time.

Our dock is in Paradise Cove, and yeah that trailer park is still there with that creek. It’s called Lakeside Resort now. Totem Pole point is now a ginormous house and no totems. The cove on the other side of totem point is wall to wall houses and no beavers (at least not ones not wearing bikinis).

Meadow bay is wall to wall now and no meadow. Orchard bay is down to a couple of trees. I have no idea about that tunnel in Emerald, I didn’t know about that. Probably sealed shut long ago. Hamiltair is wall to wall houses now.

It would look familiar but the changes are not for the better.

And if you’ve been on the lake, long ago the buoy line was just off everyone’s docks. Now the buoy line is way they hell out in the larger bays. I figure in like 15 years the only speed area will be a circular area in the middle of the lake and most of they bays will be 5mph.
 
Taboma

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DarkHorseRacing said:
Damn man, you are Father Time.

Our dock is in Paradise Cove, and yeah that trailer park is still there with that creek. It’s called Lakeside Resort now. Totem Pole point is now a ginormous house and no totems. The cove on the other side of totem point is wall to wall houses and no beavers (at least not ones not wearing bikinis).

Meadow bay is wall to wall now and no meadow. Orchard bay is down to a couple of trees. I have no idea about that tunnel in Emerald, I didn’t know about that. Probably sealed shut long ago. Hamiltair is wall to wall houses now.

It would look familiar but the changes are not for the better.

And if you’ve been on the lake, long ago the buoy line was just off everyone’s docks. Now the buoy line is way they hell out in the larger bays. I figure in like 15 years the only speed area will be a circular area in the middle of the lake and most of they bays will be 5mph.
Click to expand...

The Hooks Creek Tunnel ran under Cedar Glen, between the very back of Emerald Bay to Hooks Creek. Water was diverted from Hooks Creek to help fill the lake following completion of the dam. Looking at aerials there's homes on both sides now, so I'd imagine it's sealed or been partially collapsed.

It broke my heart to lose several boxes of Lake Arrowhead pictures & 8mm movies my dad had shot from the early 50's, in the '07 San Diego wildfire.

I chuckle when I think of somebody discovering my buddy's and mine secret hideout and collection of old Playboys and stale cigarettes in the giant granite formation fortress peering down on the old horse trail up above the trailer park. I'm sure there's a house or five there by now.

Hamiltair and Meadowbay were being built out by the mid 70's, and although the Totem Poles had all tumbled and mostly consumed by termites, the bay itself was still untouched.
Typical teenager, In the early 60's my buddy and I used to get dropped off on the island by boat. We'd set up a tent to spend the night. Then we'd uncover the raft we'd built and hidden in the reeds, pushing it across the narrow channel with our clothes on it.
We'd change clothes, then hike the lake trail to the old Village where we'd catch the Midnight Spook Show at the old theatre. After the movies ended at 2AM, we'd head for the Denny's, eat a bear claw and hike back to resume our campout.
The fun part was of course the hike back in the spooky darkness, retelling horror stories. When our flashlights illuminated the racoon eyes in the creek bottoms we'd scream like little bitches, :eek: then laugh until we damn near puked. 🤣
I feel bad I never revealed those special times to my parents, but mostly realizing I never adequately expressed my appreciation of enjoying such an amazing childhood in such an amazing place.
 
PlumLoco

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DarkHorseRacing said:
I have never seen a snake at Arrowhead. Did you live on the north part of the lake? That area is more desert oak than forest, so I wouldn't be surprised to see a snake over on that side. Never heard of rattlers up here either, but again, the north side would be more likely to me.
Click to expand...

The biggest rattlesnake I've ever seen in the wild was in the first 10' of trail leading from the parking lot to Deep Creek . He was curled up at the base of a tree, super dark in color and resting in the shade. He never stretched out but he was almost as big around as a soda can.
 
LazyLavey

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IMG_2156.jpeg

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I assume another friendly??

Seems we're quite popular this month
 
OCMerrill

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Where I grew up in North OC we would find those in the oil fields and in our own backyards.
They don't fear humans much and are easy to hold and check out. Release them back though as others have said they are good hunters of all the other creatures we don't like..
 
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