More Snake ID's Please

[Linda Frank]

Two Sundays ago, we did the 10.5+ mile Schunemunk Mtn. circuit. We'd already crossed paths (or they crossed ours depending on your perspective) with two black rats and a very pretty garter snake.  But about a mile or so later,  we startled yet another black rat (did you know when startled like that they make a sound - not a hiss but a low, guttural  sound - almost like a cat in heat or fending off another, threatening cat?)  so we were already alerted when we came across these two sharing a bit of shady rock on the baking puddingstone trail only a few yards away: 

The prettily-decorated black & gold one (which looked almost 'furry') eventually slithered away before we had to maneuver around them both. The rattler, however, never budged but reared its head and did almost a Linda Blair on us as we ver-r-r-y carefully gave it a wide berth when we passed as if to condescendingly warn: "Just keep moving, humans. I don't have to.  I'm one of the ones they warned you about on all those notices posted at the trailhead kiosks, you remember". 

As noted, I recognized the one on the right as a rattlesnake, but not sure about the other.  I Googled and closest I came was a Russian Black Rat.    So is this one a member of the Czarist branch of the black rats or another family altogether?

TIA, Linda

[Paul]

I know this post is old, but I just found it. I went online to see if this is a black snake. I'm not convinced; the color is right but the pattern was impossible to match. I am no snake expert, but if you look at the pattern vs. the rattler, they are just too similar. Too bad there is not more detail in the photo.