[pct-l] Snakes

[Edward Anderson]

Hello Steel Eye,
 
I only got to see one rattlesnake on the trail during my entire ride of the PCT. it was about the same size as the one that you photographed - and in the same part of the PCT. I spotted it from about 75 feet away. By the time I dismounted so I could get a picture it was gone. Snakes are very sensitive to vibrations. That is how they "hear".
Primo's weight, plus the weight of the saddle bags,cantle bag, and pommel bags that he was carrying, plus my weight would be around 1200 pounds. And he was shod with METAL shoes. Snakes could hear us coming long before we came within at least 100 feet.
 
So, Dan Cooper, if your climbing partner does not want to see snakes, just hike behind an equestrian riding a horse that has metal shoes.
 
The only other rattler that I saw was well off the trail and well away from were I was camped. It was also in Southern California and on Section B.  I had hiked about 200' from camp looking for a good place to dig a cat hole. It was early in the morning and still quite cold, And there it was - a beautiful rattlesnake all coiled up and in a very torpid state. It didn't even move. I felt very fortunate to have seen it.
 
 
 
MendoRider-Hiker
 

________________________________
 From: CHUCK CHELIN <steeleye at wildblue.net>
To: Dan Cooper <dcooper at bigsky.net> 
Cc: pct-l at backcountry.net 
Sent: Saturday, April 7, 2012 11:40 AM
Subject: Re: [pct-l] Snakes
  
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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