[pct-l] Rattle Snakes on the trail...dangers & misconceptions

[Reinhold Metzger]

Why is it that some hikers seem to be concerned about bears yet brush 
"Rattle Snakes" aside with comments like:
 
"They are not a problem.....I have not seen a single one on my whole hike".
"Don't mess with them and they will not mess with you".
"The ones that get bitten are usually intoxicated males messing with them".
"Just keep your eyes and ears open and you will not have any problem".
"Stay away from them and even if you do get bitten, their bites are 
hardly ever life threatening".

Although there is some truth to the above statements, it is not as 
simple as that.
The reality is that in real life there are far more encounters  and  
fatalities from snake encounters than from bear encounters and the 
fatalities ratio is so low only because the vast majority of snake bites 
happen close to civilization
and the victim is able to receive emergency medical care within hours.
That ratio will change drastically if the victim is in the wilderness 
and emergency medical treatment is delayed.

Bear encounters just make bigger headlines and seem more dramatic.
Arguments like...."Keep your eyes and ears open and you will have no 
problem".....just don't make sense.
It is true, snakes will not chase you to bite you, but they will bite if 
you get to close and they feel threatened.
The problem is snakes do not stand out like bears or elephants, are well 
camouflaged, blend in with the desert environment and are therefore 
easily overlooked.
Oooohhhh....yes....the rattle is supposed to alert you.
But, what if you are having a conversation with your trail buddy, 
singing, listening to your i-pod, chatting on your c-phone, are hard on 
hearing or don't have your hearing aid turned up loud enough?
That is my problem.....I cant hear them.....to many bazooka rounds in 
Vietnam.
Hikers are known to engage in any or all of the above.

I have hiked the Grand Canyon extensively, probably more extensive than 
the Sierra, for 30+ years....every trail in the canyon......some of them 
many times, did the  "Rim- Rim"  in one day 3 times, the  "Rim-Rim-Rim"  
in one day 2 times and have seen my share of rattlers.
I have far greater respect for the dangers from a rattler than the 
dangers from bears.
I can usually minimize the risk from bears with proper precaution, but 
there is not a lot I can do to eliminate the risk from rattlers except 
scrutinize the trail carefully every step of the way, or wear  
"snakeguardz".
Hikers are not known for doing either.
So, my friends, hiking through the desert is like rolling the dice, if 
your lucky you will not see any, or only see snake eyes
but, if you're unlucky you will see  "snake fangs"  buried in your leg.
If that happens, the first aid instructions say,.....stay calm, sit down 
and keep the bite area even with the heart, seek medical help, walk 
slowly if you must walk.
Did you say that will be very difficult if you are all alone, in the 
wilderness, a long way from civilization?
I agree, that is why I always say "Snake Bite First Aid Instructions"  
are written for city dwellers, not backpackers.

To the "Thru-hiker" I will say, if you respect the danger from bears, 
you should respect the danger from snakes.

I fully expect to get slammed again, like in the past, for doing nothing 
but scaring the hikers.
But that's OK, I have been under fire before, the real fire.
For more snake encounters see my 5-1-2008 post below.

JMT Reinhold
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Reinhold Metzger wrote:
> http://mailman.backcountry.net/pipermail/pct-l/2008-May/017764.html
>> Wooaah.....that is a big one.
> Watch out for them in the desert.......they are out there.
> I have hiked the Grand Canyon extensively and encountered my share of 
> them...luckily only close encounters.
> Threw my dish water on one of them without realizing it.....stepped on 
> one in Shinumo Creek Canyon.
> I think he was crawling of the trail, when I stepped on his tail 
> end....the front of his body was in a bush, so he could not whip around.
> Lucky me....he probably would have given me a double dose.
> We were 2-3 days from the trail head and it could have become life 
> threatening.
> I know, I know......snake bites are only very rarely life threatening 
> and all I'm doing is scare the hikers unnecessarily.
> But, that is only because 99% of snake bite victims get medical 
> treatment within a few hours.
> It is a whole different ball game if you have to hike 2-3 days or wait 
> 3-4 days or more for medical treatment.....the odds change 
> substantially. They can, however, cause tremendous, sometimes 
> permanent, tissue damage.
> It's not a scare tactic.......that is just the way it is.
> I know,  ''I AM''  less concerned about the bears in the Sierra than 
> about the snakes in the desert.
> Bears can usually be avoided with proper precaution.....it is much 
> more difficult to protect against Rattle Snakes.
>
> HIKE ON.....but be on the alert for Rattlers in the desert.
>
> JMT Reinhold
>
>