SQUAW BUTTE LOOKOUT.

Last weekend I woke up, took one look at my To-Do List and headed and for the hills!  I love visiting fire lookouts and I have been wanting to go to Squaw Butte Lookout for years.  Having never managed to make it up there in all those years I decided it was time to go!  A long To-Do list was all the inspiration I needed!  I grabbed Abby and Michael, stopped for some sandwiches and they were off on their first official adventure with Cousin Tess!  

I must say it was GOOD to be out adventuring again!

Just outside of Emmett I spotted this snake . . .

and, since I was able to quickly identify him as a Roadkill Snake . . .

  

we stopped to pet him!

This summer I am determined to do BRAVE THINGS!

Picking up a snake--even from the harmless Roadkill species, is a BRAVE THING for me!

For those of you who aren't familiar with the Roadkill Snake, there is a proper way to handle them that I am fortunate to instinctively know, given my Native American heritage.  The first thing you need to do when picking up a Roadkill is to scream hysterically and hop up and down in terror before actually grabbing it.  This alerts the snake (and all within a mile radius) that you are indeed about to pick up a Roadkill, despite your best instincts to do otherwise.  Although this particular picture doesn't show facial expression, scream pitch nor hop frequency, I would be remiss if I didn't tell you, I enacted this technique with PERFECTION.

  

You'll want to be sure to pick the Roadkill up nearest to the tip of his tail as possible and definitely at arms length away from your body.  Next you lift the snake until his entire length is is dangling in the air (so that you have officially "picked it up") while screwing your face up in a look of definite disgust.  Within seconds you must then release the tail and run desperately for your vehicle while screaming words like gross, disgusting, and ewwww while simultaneously wiping your hands on your pants with a great degree of fervor.  Once in your vehicle you'll want to accelerate quickly from the Roadkill's resting spot while saying prayers that you won't be terrorized by nightmares when you finally manage to fall asleep again.  I, once again, demonstrated this technique with PERFECTION!  

  

Continuing on up the road a bit further, Abby alerted me to a particular wildflower she spotted out in the meadow.  As I was headed back to my truck after admiring it, I spotted another snakey find.  Since I had clearly hogged the Roadkill experience Abby was more than willing to pose with this discovery.  At this point, I must admit I was having second thoughts about wanting to visit Squaw Butte!  Things were already looking pretty creepy and, indeed, they just got worse!

Abby and Michael at Snakeskin Station

 oblivious to the horror just ahead . . .

Abby preparing to demonstrate her inherited Native American knowledge.

She too put on a flawless performance!

  

NOTICE THE LOOK OF PURE TERROR ON HER FACE!!!

THAT LOOK CAN ONLY BE INDUCED BY THE PROPER HANDLING TECHNIQUE OF . . .

    

THE MORMON CRICKETS!!!!

Great job Abby!  Now hurry up and get back in the damn truck!

From Cricket Corner we headed straight up to the lookout!

I intentionally stopped looking for creepy things!

  

SQUAW BUTTE LOOKOUT

They, apparently, don't like visitors at this particular lookout.

That makes me sad! :(

  

Since we couldn't get to the actual lookout, Abby and Michael ate their picnic lunch.

I, on the other hand, skipped lunch and headed for the flowers!

  

  

  

    

LOOKOUT BELOW!

FAVORITE PARTS OF THIS ADVENTURE:

• THE CREEPY THINGS!
• BRAVERY!
• HUNTING WILDFLOWERS!

snake handler, expert driver and wildflower hunter.

only one infamous self-portrait on this trip?