The Thornton Lakes Trail in North Cascades National Park is memorable in its own right, but now I'll probably remember it most for a big ball of snakes.
That's right, a ball of snakes, which we encountered on a rock, soaking up the sun. Even more surprising -- the snakes didn't panic at our approach.
We forgot all about Thornton Lakes and got busy with our cameras. Kathy Kelleher was the first to spot the snakes about a mile up the trail. As we got closer, they gracefully uncoiled and flowed like wine across the rock.
By Karen Sykes | September 2, 1999
