You know the sound, even if only from TV Westerns and not from real life. You know the unmistakable sound of a rattlesnake. The bzz/rattle sound that sends fear lightning fast through your body.
You may only be hiking in the foothills around the Salt Lake Valley, but you’ll find your steps may lead you into their domain. So be careful.
With warmer weather finally here, we’re all getting outside. We’re ready to enjoy our many hiking trails, state parks and wilderness areas. Rattlesnakes will be waking from their winter sleep. (They hibernate communally.)They will be hungry, irritable and looking to mate. Best stay out of their way.
“If you see a snake, stop where you are and take one step back, then you’re probably out of the strike range and danger.” Says Jude McNally, managing director of the Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center.
Great Basin Rattlesnakes are the most common here in Utah. They can live a long time too, nineteen and a half years is the longest age recorded.
The Western Diamondback rattlesnake is one of the largest, longest snakes. It too is found in Utah. A length of seven feet is possible with this snake, although most are around three to four feet.
The Great Basin Rattlesnake and Western Diamondback are in the same genus but they differ in a few ways, their temperament; the Western Diamondback is more aggressive, their venom; the Western Diamondback is more dangerous and potentially life-threatening, their coloring; the black markings on the Great Basin are more distinct due to the lighter color of the snake.
Last summer I was driving home by way of City Creek Canyon. I saw a snake crossing the road near the gates to the canyon. I was too scared to drive very close, and it hardly seemed fair to kill it. So I waited to let it pass. It was late afternoon. I admired it from a safe distance with all the windows rolled up. Measuring the pavement later, that snake had to have been at least five feet long. It was heavy-bodied and took its time crossing into the scrub oak. I couldn’t tell you whether it was a Great Basin or a Western Diamondback. I suspect Great Basin only because they are much more common here. I worried that joggers or bikers would run into it or over it, but it would have been hard to miss this one.
My simple advice, avoid rocky slopes and stay on trails. If you see a snake ahead of you, make loud noises and be prepared to walk widely around the snake. Half of all bites happen when people are trying to catch or kill the snake. So don’t do that!
Get to a health-care facility quickly if you receive a bite. Do your best to remember the color and markings of the snake. Very few bites are fatal when proper medical attention is received. Never open a wound with a knife or sharp instrument. John Wayne did but it’s the wrong thing to do! Remember, seek medical help immediately. Never hike alone. Always carry a cell phone with you when hiking. Be aware of the terrain around you.
These sites have videos that are interesting to watch:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUi5QunQph4 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ueQhny3UJ24
These sites have excellent information:
