So I just got back from a trip to Slaughter Canyon Cave.

I'd been to this cave once before, in January, but it was on the ranger-guided tour arranged through the park service for tourists. This was a private nightime expedition arranged by Cliff.

The sun was setting as we made the short hike to the entrance. Slaughter Canyon is beautiful.

I saw some things in the cave that I missed last time including some ancient indian petroglyphs, an albino cave cricket, and a phosphorescent stalagmite. This was a great caving trip, and I think everyone really enjoyed themselves.

On the way down from the entrance, we found a small diamondback rattlesnake sitting beside the trail. It was very docile, and didn't rattle or coil at all until we bothered it. It climbed up into a bush and coiled to strike when Cliff tossed some dirt on it. I'd never seen a wild snake before, and never a rattlesnake at all.

Slaughter Canyon is even more beautiful by the light of an almost-full moon. Pristine.