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doughnutnational
Gym climber
its nice here in the spring
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Jul 15, 2011 - 09:53am PT
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II have seen a rattlesnake at about 9,000 feet on the way to Eagle peak near Courtright. Here is one from my yard at 800' last week. All of my dogs get the vaccine and it is $60.00 here.
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Morgan
Trad climber
East Coast
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Jul 15, 2011 - 10:45am PT
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This small one was at the base of El Cap next to a lizard. The Moms and Dads were not far away.
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tiki-jer
Trad climber
fresno/clovis
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Jul 15, 2011 - 10:47am PT
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That is a beauty The Chief!! Friends have seen a buzzer on the trail to Lost Eagle up in Shuteye. And have heard from others active in the area that they too have had some encounters.
When I first started dating my former wife I'd take her to JT and when I spotted any snake I'd divert her attention and point something else out.
Didn't want to scare her off too early.
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Caveman
climber
Cumberland Plateau
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Jul 15, 2011 - 11:00am PT
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"KILL ALL SNAKES"
The rodents approve this message.
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craig mo
Trad climber
L.A. Ca.
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Jul 15, 2011 - 11:15am PT
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I saw this one in ladder canyon. i think its a mojave green.
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this just in
climber
north fork
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Jul 15, 2011 - 12:07pm PT
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Hey ludwig I too was wondering why everyone was saying the vaccine is so much. Maybe we should stock up and sell. Went to the nation on Wednesday, I'm injured so I only watched but it was good to be up there. Ludwig's Landmark saw some action, what a classic.
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HighTraverse
Trad climber
Bay Area
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Jul 15, 2011 - 12:08pm PT
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The first rattler I ever saw, I was a kid at about 9000 feet in the Wasatch. He was across a narrow trail on a steep cliffside and we stoned him to death. Hey, rattlers are "varmints" ain't they?
I've had a few "close calls" with rattlers. In general they are more defensive than offensive. Leave 'em alone and they'll leave you alone. Which of course assumes you don't actually step on them or stuff your hand into their hiding place. Have surprised three of them up close and personal (face to face on a scramble; stepped over one hiking on a Wasatch trail; and jamming P1 Little John Right side) and I just slowly moved past each time. No big deal except for my near heart attacks. None of them even buzzed.
The most aggressive snake here in the Santa Cruz mtns is the lowly Gopher Snake. His defense is to look and act like a rattler. They can really posture, including "rattling" their tails when surprised.
Then there's the Mojave rattlesnake.
Chief, you're one lucky guy. Them there Mojaves are the nasty business (as I'm sure you know). A few years ago we tried to get one out of the path in Oak Creek Canyon at Red Rocks. It was nearing dusk and there was a family with kids coming out behind us. Didn't want the kiddies to step near the beast. He was really aggressive. We tossed pebbles at him and instead of retreating he came after us! Now that was disconcerting! Took us about 10 minutes to drive him out of the path and then he went down his hole.....behind a sage bush....right next to the path. Oh well.
I wonder if the late season snow cover is concentrating the snakes in the few open, warm and dry areas?
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Batrock
Trad climber
Burbank
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Jul 15, 2011 - 03:27pm PT
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I have seen rattle snakes at over 10000 feet in the White Mountains and have seen a few at 9500 on the road at Coyote Flats between Big Pine and Bishop.
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Tobia
Social climber
GA
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Jul 15, 2011 - 11:35pm PT
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The $900 is for treatment after a bite (antivenom); to negate the effects of the venom. The expense is because of the multistage process of creating it.
The preventive shot would be a vaccine and not the same as antivenom; which seems like a good idea at that price but is not widely recommended because it isn't proven to be effective.
At one time I worked on a quail hunting plantation with a kennel of 30+ bird dogs. Rattle snake bites were a big concern, especially for some of the higher pedigree dogs. We never had one die from a snake bite but a few by careless hunters. No antivenom for that but I sure thought of a cure a few times when a beloved dog would die.
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10b4me
Ice climber
Happy Boulders
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Jul 16, 2011 - 12:36am PT
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There was a rattler that lived under a downed tree at the Stream Wall at Mt. Williamson.
I have also seen them at the Timber saddle(head of Ice House Canyon)
In all the years of climbing in Jtree(30+), I have only seen one rattler, and that was on a warm January day.
Have seen them in Holcomb Valley, but it was none threatening
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Batrock
Trad climber
Burbank
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Jul 16, 2011 - 12:58am PT
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I have seen lots all in one spot up at Horse Flats right below Ant Line. They all started coming out as we were climbing, scared the crap out of me when all of a sudden I look down and there are 5 big rattlers sitting on the rock by my backpack.
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flakyfoont
Trad climber
carsoncity nv
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Jul 16, 2011 - 01:18am PT
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Rattlers are nothing new in the olmstead area. My 1st encounter near there was on the May lake trail, on the way to do Mt. Hoffman in 1973.
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kaholatingtong
Boulder climber
nevada city, California
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Jul 16, 2011 - 03:09am PT
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saw a smaller rattler, about a foot, last sunday at indian springs, lower down on donner donner pass, west side. probably about 6500 feet ? was probably the highest i have ever seen one myself, but from the sounds of things here that isn't really that high, comparatively.
btw, props bad_acronym. well spoken. @ like.
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Dick Erb
climber
June Lake, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - Jul 16, 2011 - 05:33pm PT
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kaholatingtong
Thanks for the post. It seems like there could be a natural tendency for people to post only what seems notable, but all data is notable in a survey.
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James Wilcox
Boulder climber
Santa Barbara
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Jul 16, 2011 - 06:23pm PT
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$60.00 for the vaccine is cheap. Two of the Santa Barbara Vets I called wanted $150.00. Of course, they charge $50.00 just to bring the dog inside their office.
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Tobia
Social climber
GA
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Jul 16, 2011 - 08:24pm PT
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Five coming out of one spot; was it the spring time. Adult rattlesnakes often hibernate in groups from a few to hundreds and will share space with other animals such as tortoises and other animals.
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michaeld
Sport climber
Near Tahoe, CA
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Jul 16, 2011 - 10:32pm PT
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My first time to the Buttermilks. Was warming up on Ranger Rock, was trying the v6 slab problem on the far left side closest to the road. I kept trying it and trying it, landing on crash pad over and over. Eventually I look down at my feet and see this guy.
I take it he was too cold to do anything like rattle or bite me.
I had to scoot the pad back a couple of feet to get him in the picture.
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Uli
Trad climber
SFC
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Jul 17, 2011 - 12:39am PT
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Sunny Side bench, Yosemite
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Captain...or Skully
climber
or some such
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Jul 17, 2011 - 12:47am PT
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Rattlers are NBD. Scenery. I dig 'em.
They're peaceful creatures, unless you're a mouse.
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