Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Rattlesnake in Yosemite

I have hiked for many years in the Sierra Nevada mountains and the southwest deserts. Never saw a snake until the 4th of July weekend at yosemite.

We started a day hike from Glacier Point, and was about half way down the Panorama trail. I was the third in our group in the rear. I reach the other two that were stopped. The snake (wasn't rattling) was in the middle of the trail and slid off the trail into the brush. Only a few people were on the trail. Being a slower hiker has its benefits! I hike with poles, and considering switching to long hiking pants.

21 trips to Sierras have only seen one - clearly was a rattler on the JMT at about 9,000 ft nearing Cathedral Pass Yosemite in early Aug

any snake experts out there? I was told this was unusual

I saw a rattler at Yosemite last year near Happy Isles on the trail down from the mist trail. (We'd been hiking the Panorama Trail. It was large (older and probably pretty smart) and clearly trying to get away. I will freely admit that I am terrified of rattlesnakes, but having come upon a few, they have always either warned me or been trying to get away. I've seen a map of rattlesnake sightings in Yosemite ( Snakes) but I'm not convinced that this is every sighting.

I'm no snake professional but I'm not sure that long pants will help too much.

From what I've read, seeing a rattler at 9,000 feet is unusual.

I've come across four in my travels through the Sierra - all between 5,600 and 6,800 feet. About ten years ago, we ran into one (not literally, fortunately) crossing the trail about halfway between Little Yosemite Valley and Half Dome.

Part of me gets a thrill each time I see one out there, but I think I prefer my encounters with bears.

If a rattler at 9000 feet in Yosemite is unusual then I know of several people who have had unusual experiences. I've seen two at about 9000 feet or a little higher in YNP myself. But most of the rattlesnakes I've seen in the Sierra and elsewhere were at lower elevations. I came upon one last week along the Kern River at about 6800 feet. I wasn't expecting the sudden rattle so close to the trail and it scared the crap out of me.

I always say, rattlesnakes are where you find them. I have heard of rattlesnakes in too many places where others say you won't. The elavation rule is something the snakes love to violate.

OMG!

http://www.nps.gov/yose/naturescience/rattlesnake.htm

The next headline out of Yosemite will read "Ticks in Yosemite"

I see them regularly up to about 7500' in Sequoia/Kings Canyon. I met someone on the trail this last week who saw two very large ones above 9000' on Chagoopa Plateau in Sequoia NP.

Lambertiana,

It is not too surprising to learn of rattlesnakes on the Chagoopa Plateau. After all, just three miles south of Chagoopa Creek is Rattlesnake Creek, as well as Rattlesnake Point!

We will be on the Chagoopa Plateau and in the Kern Trench (lots of snakes there) during the first week of August and will be on high alert.

Jim

A very, very weird experience with rattlesnakes was Mother's Day hiking in the Santa Monica Mts. It seemed as if when we were at the farthest point of our hike and coming back, the hills literally came alive with rattlesnakes. Both sides of trail, across the trailer, on rocks. It was unreal!!!! We got some great video of one large snake crossing our path.
The ranger said they usually come out of hibernation about then. We were very lucky to experience this.

Sounds like you were near a den. I have had people describe feeling like there were completely surrounded by rattlesnakes. They felt as if there wasn't even a way out.