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Post by peakbagger on Apr 23, 2023 19:21:57 GMT -8
I was doing some random reading on peaks I'll likely never get to hike/climb. One, a peak in Arizona, gave a suggested time frame to be hiked and noted this was to avoid the heat and snakes. I have never really considered snake protection, but this made me think, are there areas in the US that have such a high population of venomous snakes that it justifies not going to that area or preparing by wearing some sort of snake protection? What do you all think, are there areas where you would avoid unless you were wearing snake gaiters? If yes, what are some of these areas and are gaiters the tool you would use?
Overall I don't believe this is something I'm too concerned with, but wonder if others have had experiences that make them think differently.
I have personally never seen a venomous snake while hiking. The area where I live and do most of my hiking only has Copperheads and Timber Rattlers.
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BigLoad
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Post by BigLoad on Apr 23, 2023 19:34:49 GMT -8
I've never worn snake protection in AZ in my couple thousand miles of hiking there. I have seen my share of rattlers, but I figure there were countless more that I didn't see. They either laid low or moved along when they felt me coming. Only a handful of the ones I saw bothered to make an issue of my presence, which always gets my attention.
They sometimes like tufts of grassy vegetation near or on the trail, and in cooler weather they hand out right on the trail, trying to soak up heat.
I've never worn snake gaiters because everyone I know who's tried them quits before long due to being so hot and uncomfortable.
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zeke
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Post by zeke on Apr 24, 2023 3:07:15 GMT -8
I have lots of miles in the desert SW and have been fortunate to see plenty of rattlesnakes, but I have never worn gaiters or taken other protective measures other than just leaving them alone. I came close to stepping on one in the Grand Canyon along about 2005, as it was on the trail and I nearly didn't see it in time.
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driftwoody
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Post by driftwoody on Apr 24, 2023 5:44:28 GMT -8
I've never worn snake protection in 40+ years of hiking, mostly in the Southeast where timber rattlers exist. On one occasion in Kentuck's Red River Gorge I heard a sound I assumed was a twig kicked by my buddy hiking behind me, then he yelled "Snake!"
A foot-long rattler was on the uphill side of the trail, probably sunning itself, then struck at me as I walked past, coming up short.
My buddy picked up a long stick and pushed it down the downhill side of the trail, then we hiked on.
On two other occasions in all my years I saw a rattler, but nothing happened. However, that incident in RRG was dangerous.
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Post by cweston on Apr 24, 2023 7:47:49 GMT -8
Echoing what others have said. If I ever felt that an area was so snakey that snake boots or gaiters were necessary, I would probably just not hike there.
Copperheads are fairly common around where I live. I do a lot of tromping through the woods (not on trails) in the winter, but I don't do nearly as much of that in the summer when the copperheads are active. But that's mostly because of specific conditions (lots of duff on the forest floor) that would make it nearly impossible to see them before stepping on them.
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ErnieW
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Post by ErnieW on Apr 24, 2023 11:52:31 GMT -8
I've seen a fair number of Eastern Diamondbacks around here. I almost stepped on a big one once. I wasn't paying attention and it was crossing the trail. Another two steps and I would have stepped on it but I noticed just in time. It just kept slithering into the brush without any rattle.
I used to think that since an Eastern bite won't kill me I don't really have to worry. But then I saw a show about them and it featured a guy who got bit in the calf. He didn't die but he was left with a kind of gross tennis ball sized hole on his calf. Evidently the hemotoxins killed the chunk of flesh at the bite site.
Now I worry about getting bit but I would never wear protection. Too hot and cumbersome. I just try to be aware when the conditions are right.
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Post by peakbagger on Apr 24, 2023 16:17:55 GMT -8
I think all of these responses are in line with how I've typically felt. BigLoad I've managed to get to AZ for about 50 or so miles of hiking total. One was Chiricahua Peak (Mormon Ridge), where much of the trail was very narrow with a tall brown grass laying over much of it, often fitting your description you gave of "They sometimes like tufts of grassy vegetation near or on the trail". I remember momentarily thinking I couldn't see a snake if there was one. zeke "have been fortunate to see plenty of rattlesnakes" I have told people that I'd love to see one on the trail and the look at me like I'm crazy. I often have to add "at a safe distance", but they still think it's crazy. driftwoody, I'm also in the SE. Many people who are out and about much less than I have seen the Timbers, but not me so far. cweston Copperheads are common where I live as well. While I've never seen one hiking they like the wooded tracks in the nearby city parks. Two years ago I saw eight while running/walking in May and three more in September. I think it was that same year my wife and I were walking down the steps in one of these parks and we saw one at the same time it saw us (it was hidden up close to the next step down). We were jumping back while it was striking. I'll admit I screamed. If I'd of continued my stride it would have hit the bottom of my right tennis shoe. I've always wondered, and assumed it would have, penetrated the bottom of my tennis shoe. Last year in September a juvenile (the only live one we saw last year) struck at my wife while we were walking, coming up well short but still startling. Next door neighbor was bit last year and spent a couple of days in the hospital, but seemed to recover quickly. Maybe I need the protections close to home instead of on the trail... the last few year my opportunities to run has been right at dusk, I think this has contributed to my increased sightings. ErnieW while I know the odds are high that I'd survive I still don't want to be the victim of a bite. |
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BigLoad
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Post by BigLoad on Apr 24, 2023 16:44:03 GMT -8
My boss got a surprise when he peed on this shrub. (Air National Guard Range, Florence AZ).  |
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BigLoad
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Post by BigLoad on Apr 24, 2023 16:46:23 GMT -8
A surprise encounter near Bonita Creek on the Safford-Morenci Trail. The air temperature was around 35F, but nobody told the snake that it was supposed to be inactive.  |
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driftwoody
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Post by driftwoody on Apr 24, 2023 17:05:45 GMT -8
Did that make the snake pissed off, or merely pissed on?
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BigLoad
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Post by BigLoad on Apr 24, 2023 18:10:37 GMT -8
Did that make the snake pissed off, or merely pissed on? Almost both, although my boss was aiming more off-center. It was a very hot day, and the snake wasn't interested in moving, despite being in the middle of much activity.
I wish I had a picture of the spot where cgaphiker was camped at a Drunkferst in PA. The head end of his sleeping bag was inches from a Timber Rattler's hole and they got acquainted. |
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Post by cweston on Apr 25, 2023 8:02:28 GMT -8
My boss got a surprise when he peed on this shrub. (Air National Guard Range, Florence AZ). OK, I confess: it took me *multiple* close viewings of this photo to find the snake. (Of course, once you find it, it suddenly seems obvious.) |
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Post by Coolkat on Apr 25, 2023 8:17:47 GMT -8
OK, I confess: it took me *multiple* close viewings of this photo to find the snake I was just getting to say that I still can't see the snake but as I started to type I fonally found it. Incredible actually! |
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Post by swmtnbackpacker on Jun 2, 2023 5:11:29 GMT -8
Snake gaiters and snake boots are typically worn by hunters or workers, like field biologists, trudging around off trail in grasslands and thick brush rattlers love to hide in This is so they don’t get eaten by predators mind you - they aren’t ambushing people, though people and livestock run into said snakes. The gaiters annd boots are heavy and hot though, so the vast majority of hikers don’t wear them.
What was interesting was during the pandemic, when the hiking trails opened.. the number of snakebites in the Greater Los Angeles woodlands increased as hikers would step off trail into the brush where snakes were hiding. Versus the nearby PCT that’s maintained with usually a brush clearing crew that hasn’t seen a wet bite since 2016. Also spoke with a trail running aid station in outer San Diego (their aid station was giving out bananas and donuts to hikers), and they’ll cut back the brush ahead of a race.
Better get used to more rattlesnakes though. With warmer temperatures encounters will keep increasing with warming temperatures according to most snake researchers.
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