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The consensus among people I've talked to so far is that this is most likely a hybrid or the offspring of a hybrid between Masticophis flagellum ruddocki and Masticophis lateralis lateralis. That being said, I'm interested to see if anyone thinks otherwise. Anyone know of other Masticophis hybrid records besides taeniatus x lateralis?

@meandthealiens and I found this snake in treeless desert habitat (more suitable for M. f. ruddocki).

Found this little guy at the bottom of a cold creek with lose substrate. Temp of water probably low 70s at most since its near headwaters and a trout stream. Picture of the place it was found in the creek maybe 3’ depth near large rocks.

Dark coloration, probably about to shed its skin. It was resting on the middle of the path. I moved it with a stick to avoid it to be killed by someone.

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A 1967 snapshot in time, back before species protection and the TNC preserve. Per Kauffeld-inspired reverential respect, we carefully photographed and released these two specimens---which were found within 100 feet of each other. Golden memories....

One of the rarest, if not the rarest, frogs in the United States. These two individuals were found at a site where the Arizona Game and Fish Department had reintroduced the species about two years earlier. However, it was thought that the reintroduction might have failed, because three surveys since then had not turned up any Tarahumara Frogs. This was the first known sighting of the species here since the release nearly two years earlier. Also entered in HerpMapper.org.

Apparently the first Mono Basin record since the late 1990's (I checked with a number of long-time locals and biologists).
There used to be a small population (<10) that summered around Mono Lake - especially northshore and Dechambeau Ranch area through the 80's/90's. I was told this herd in winter would move east and join up with the population that summered in the Bodie Hills. So the larger population wintered in Nevada which in spring would come west - splitting with some going into Bodie Hills, some coming to Mono Basin. But that small Mono Lake population apparently dried up by late 90's.
This year Pronghorn became numerous around River Springs - I'd never seen them there before (15+ years of occasionally birding there)