[pct-l] Snakes

[CHUCK CHELIN]

Good afternoon, Dan

On the average, you two are just right for PCT hiking.  I think ice and
alpine climbing is a great activity for a snakeaphobic outdoorsperson,
however thru-hiking isn’t a great activity for a serious herpophile.   In
spite of some story-tellers who like to scare the puddin’ out of new
hikers, there really aren’t many snakes – rattle or otherwise – on or near
the trail.  They will be seen, preferably before they feel threatened, but
they aren’t aggressive:  They mostly just want to be left alone.  They may
be seen on the trail tread when it’s cool in early morning or evening, but
in the heat of the day they will occupy shade.  Here's a big one sunning
itself early on the trail south of Hauser Canyon
http://www.trailjournals.com/photos.cfm?id=217197

I always avoid flopping on the ground into shade, or standing near, or
reaching around rocks or logs.

Here’s one of my few snake-tails:
http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=273103 with a photo at
http://www.trailjournals.com/photos.cfm?id=446530  I showed the photo to a
serious, professional herpetologist at Kennedy Meadows who said it wasn’t a
Mojave -- it was a Mitchell's rattlesnake.

Steel-Eye

-Hiking the Pct since before it was the PCT – 1965

http://www.trailjournals.com/steel-eye

http://www.trailjournals.com/SteelEye09/


On Sat, Apr 7, 2012 at 10:46 AM, Dan Cooper <dcooper at bigsky.net> wrote:

> I have a climbing partner who really wants to do the PCT with me but he has
> a snake phobia. a serious one, I know this sounds humorous but it's very
> true.  He was one of the top ice and alpine climbers when he was younger
> but
> he has always had a problem with snakes. Me, I love snakes, I really do.
> (spiders give me the creepies.lol) But here is the question to the seasoned
> PCT hikers, Are snakes plentiful on the trail particularly CA and southern
> OR?
>
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