Rattlesnakes

Anthony · Post by **Anthony** » Mon Jun 05, 2017 11:01 am

Hey all,

My name is Anthony and I'm new to the forum.

I came across two rattlesnakes on the way to Telegraph Peak yesterday. I almost stepped on the first one, which was hidden in a manzanita bush.

Do you guys have any good resources on them that are geared towards hikers? I have a quite a few questions. For example, do trekking poles help? I've heard that their vibrations can scare off snakes.

Thanks.

Post by **Sean** » Mon Jun 05, 2017 11:34 am

Hi Anthony, welcome to the forum! In my experience, rattlers are very unpredictable. Some will sit in the middle of a trail no matter what you do. I had to push a stubborn one off the trail with a stick once. Others will flee the moment they sense you coming. It's best to watch where you step, sit, and put your hands. Look under rocks and in cracks and bushes before you sit down, etc. Some people wear snake gaiters to protect the legs while bushwhacking.

Anthony · Post by **Anthony** » Mon Jun 05, 2017 1:50 pm

Sean wrote: ↑Hi Anthony, welcome to the forum! In my experience, rattlers are very unpredictable. Some will sit in the middle of a trail no matter what you do. I had to push a stubborn one off the trail with a stick once. Others will flee the moment they sense you coming. It's best to watch where you step, sit, and put your hands. Look under rocks and in cracks and bushes before you sit down, etc. Some people wear snake gaiters to protect the legs while bushwhacking.

Thanks. Yes, I've seen them behave differently as well.

I'll look into the gaiters. One thing's for sure: I won't be hiking on trails with narrow paths in shorts. No way!

mattmaxon · Post by **mattmaxon** » Mon Jun 05, 2017 4:15 pm

can't say the are many credible resources

I personally prefer using hiking pole and have found them handy to keep snakes at bay.

I d say for every snake you see you have probably walked by a 100 you didn't see.

This is a recent rattlesnake encounter I had
https://www.facebook.com/matt.maxon.16/ ... 924655471/

Anthony · Post by **Anthony** » Mon Jun 05, 2017 9:08 pm

mattmaxon wrote: ↑can't say the are many credible resources

I d say for every snake you see you have probably walked by a 100 you didn't see.

This is a recent rattlesnake encounter I had
https://www.facebook.com/matt.maxon.16/ ... 924655471/

Ha. True.

RichardK · Post by **RichardK** » Tue Jun 06, 2017 8:05 am

I hiked the San Gabes and O.C. state parks for 20 years in shorts. I saw plenty of snakes with no problems. Just don't stick your hands or feet where you can't see. Don't go wading through thick underbrush. Don't sit on a rock without poking around the base first with a stick. You will be fine. Considering the number of fools that you see on the trails, the snakes can't be much of an issue. By the way, the snake will bite straight through your long pants unless they are made of Kevlar.

Girl Hiker · Post by **Girl Hiker** » Tue Jun 06, 2017 11:41 am

Speaking of rattlesnakes, I just seen one this past week while hiking in Ojai. It was in the middle of digesting some small rodent. It didn't even move after it noticed us passing by.

Post by **HikeUp** » Tue Jun 06, 2017 12:03 pm

*cringe*

Girl Hiker · Post by **Girl Hiker** » Thu Jun 08, 2017 8:40 am

RichardK wrote: ↑I hiked the San Gabes and O.C. state parks for 20 years in shorts. I saw plenty of snakes with no problems. Just don't stick your hands or feet where you can't see. Don't go wading through thick underbrush. Don't sit on a rock without poking around the base first with a stick. You will be fine. Considering the number of fools that you see on the trails, the snakes can't be much of an issue. By the way, the snake will bite straight through your long pants unless they are made of Kevlar.

Excellent advice

Anthony · Post by **Anthony** » Thu Jun 08, 2017 9:17 am

RichardK wrote: ↑I hiked the San Gabes and O.C. state parks for 20 years in shorts. I saw plenty of snakes with no problems. Just don't stick your hands or feet where you can't see. Don't go wading through thick underbrush. Don't sit on a rock without poking around the base first with a stick. You will be fine. Considering the number of fools that you see on the trails, the snakes can't be much of an issue. By the way, the snake will bite straight through your long pants unless they are made of Kevlar.

easy and good advice!

i still like the idea of wearing loose pants though. it seems like the added material and air pockets in between your legs and the fabric can only help.

Mike P · Post by **Mike P** » Tue Jun 13, 2017 11:22 pm

girlhiker70 wrote: ↑Speaking of rattlesnakes, I just seen one this past week while hiking in Ojai. It was in the middle of digesting some small rodent. It didn't even move after it noticed us passing by.

double "cringe"

Post by **JeffH** » Sun Jun 18, 2017 12:32 pm

I saw one on Friday just above Kelly Camp, I was on the way downhill and heard it move about two steps before I got there. This one was in the shade of the trail, made a slightly aggressive move to face me which is what I heard. After that it took a while to move off trail and coil up near a tree.
Unfortunately every photo I took was blurry.

Post by **tekewin** » Sun Jun 18, 2017 2:18 pm

It is commonly thought that vibrations from your feet and from poles help notify a snake of your location so it can move out of the way. I am not sure how much vibrations from poles help but they can't hurt.

I also use poles in dense brush to poke into areas I can't see before stepping there. That goes for under/near logs and rocks.

CrazyHermit · Post by **CrazyHermit** » Fri Jul 21, 2017 8:59 pm

Here's a big one I almost stepped on near Bridge To Nowhere. I see a lot of these around Horseshoe Mine. :q11:If you do a lot of hiking through heavy brush you can buy snake legging they can't bite through.

Lost Mines of Los Angeles County

Anthony · Post by **Anthony** » Mon Mar 11, 2019 4:55 pm

I think it's worth revisiting this thread now that spring is nearing...

Richard's advice is great for prevention, but what should you do if you or someone you're with gets bit.

I came across this article: https://www.backpacker.com/survival/treat-a-snakebite

Basically, it says that the only thing you should do is get medical help ASAP. But most of us do long hikes, sometimes cross country, so it could take hours before reaching medical help.

In that case, what's the best move, aside from clicking the SOS button?

Post by **JeffH** » Mon Mar 11, 2019 5:08 pm

Anthony wrote: In that case, what's the best move, aside from clicking the SOS button?

Good question - I dont carry anything with a SOS button. Lots of places up in the hills around here dont have reliable cell service either.

Post by **tekewin** » Mon Mar 11, 2019 5:23 pm

Anthony wrote: I think it's worth revisiting this thread now that spring is nearing...

Richard's advice is great for prevention, but what should you do if you or someone you're with gets bit.

I came across this article: https://www.backpacker.com/survival/treat-a-snakebite

Basically, it says that the only thing you should do is get medical help ASAP. But most of us do long hikes, sometimes cross country, so it could take hours before reaching medical help.

In that case, what's the best move, aside from clicking the SOS button?

I've concluded that if I get bit on a solo hike 4+ hours from my truck, I'm probably dead. I do have an emergency beacon, but getting rescued in time is no guarantee. I've had two very close calls, one where I probably would have died.

Here's a bit of trivia for a glimmer of hope. An estimated 1/3 of bites are dry, so you live. If you are envenomed and the venom is injected into muscle, most people can survive some number of hours without treatment before dying (guessing 6-12). Remember kids, "time is tissue". Worst case is you get hit in a vein in which case the venom goes straight to your heart and you probably pass out and die in a couple of hours.

Anthony · Post by **Anthony** » Mon Mar 11, 2019 6:19 pm

JeffH wrote:
Anthony wrote: In that case, what's the best move, aside from clicking the SOS button?
Good question - I dont carry anything with a SOS button. Lots of places up in the hills around here dont have reliable cell service either.

So what's you emergency plan? Bring extra gear+supplies and wait for someone to find ya?

Anthony · Post by **Anthony** » Mon Mar 11, 2019 6:20 pm

tekewin wrote:
Anthony wrote: I think it's worth revisiting this thread now that spring is nearing...

Richard's advice is great for prevention, but what should you do if you or someone you're with gets bit.

I came across this article: https://www.backpacker.com/survival/treat-a-snakebite

Basically, it says that the only thing you should do is get medical help ASAP. But most of us do long hikes, sometimes cross country, so it could take hours before reaching medical help.

In that case, what's the best move, aside from clicking the SOS button?
I've concluded that if I get bit on a solo hike 4+ hours from my truck, I'm probably dead. I do have an emergency beacon, but getting rescued in time is no guarantee. I've had two very close calls, one where I probably would have died.

Here's a bit of trivia for a glimmer of hope. An estimated 1/3 of bites are dry, so you live. If you are envenomed and the venom is injected into muscle, most people can survive some number of hours without treatment before dying (guessing 6-12). Remember kids, "time is tissue". Worst case is you get hit in a vein in which case the venom goes straight to your heart and you probably pass out and die in a couple of hours.

Two close calls with what, snakes or some other emergency?

Good trivia!

Post by **tekewin** » Mon Mar 11, 2019 6:45 pm

Two close calls with what, snakes or some other emergency?

Good trivia!

Two close calls with rattlesnakes. One that rattled next to my foot that I never saw. One that I stepped within a foot of while jogging down a trail.

I was at least 3 hours away from the truck and then another 90 minutes to civilization. I probably could not have walked out. Cutca trail to Eagle Crag in San Diego County.

David R · Post by **David R** » Tue Mar 12, 2019 8:24 am

I saw a baby rattler two weeks ago in the Santa Monica Mountains. I have had so many close encounters with rattlers and it seems like the last thing they want to do is bite you. I think you would literally have to step on one to get bit or have a dog around that they would see as a threat. I consider it a hazard that you simply are aware of and there isn't much in the way of dealing with a bite that are available.

Post by **JeffH** » Sat Mar 16, 2019 7:16 am

I'm with Teke in that if I get bit I could die. I don't let that discourage me from going out alone, although in the warmer months I want to avoid bushwhacking as much as possible, instead then I will stick to a semblance of trail so that I can hopefully see something. Although that one I saw on the trail above was in mixed sun and shadow and blended in quite well. If it hadn't made that movement toward me I probably wouldn't have seen it since I was just cruising down a familiar trail. Good thing I was not wearing headphones or something like that.

Anthony · Post by **Anthony** » Sun Mar 17, 2019 9:29 pm

JeffH wrote:I'm with Teke in that if I get bit I could die. I don't let that discourage me from going out alone, although in the warmer months I want to avoid bushwhacking as much as possible, instead then I will stick to a semblance of trail so that I can hopefully see something. Although that one I saw on the trail above was in mixed sun and shadow and blended in quite well. If it hadn't made that movement toward me I probably wouldn't have seen it since I was just cruising down a familiar trail. Good thing I was not wearing headphones or something like that.

Avoiding bushwhacking in the warm months is good idea.