Rattled by Rattle Snake at base of C'est La Vie Redgarden Wall Eldorado

7-9-2013 about 5' below the belay ledge at 5 pm. He was poised to strike when my partner noticed him. We climbed other routes but ended up rapping C'est La Vie around 8pm. The snake was still there and still pissed.

This is the first time I've actually seen a rattle snake in Eldo and it rattled me. :] I know, stupid pun, couldn't resist.

Yikes!

Yup... heard of them being in that boulder pile above the concrete slab before.

This is the third time I have heard of Rattlers there.

I've seen a baby rattler on Hawk Eagle Ridge before. They are there.

They are all over there... you just have to know where to look for them. Last year, I put my hand 6 inches from one on the steep approach trail on the west side of the Bastille.

Cindy,

Just grab it by the tail and hold it up. Softly say "Eaaaaasy there little fella, I'm not gonna hurt ya." ( Best done with and Australian accent.)

I thought everyone new how to handle poisonous snakes by now.

What you need to know about dealing with poisonous snakes is available here

holiness-snake-handlers.web…

Hallelujah!

Thar' good eat'n...dat's fur sure.

Crocodile Hunter shows the boys the best way to learn about 12-foot crocodiles at the crag is to stick your thumb in its butthole.

Oy, he didn't like that!!

A lot of buzzworms in Eldo this summer. A few weeks ago, near the Potato Chip, one of them scared the tuna salad out of me.

A hiker on the Fowler trail got bit yesterday. I went to see if the snake was still in the area, and found this little feller about 1' off the trail:

Awwwwww, for cute!

Why did it have to be snakes? I've spent a lot time in Eldo and have never seen one. Snakes scare the crap out of me.

youtube.com/watch?v=ClwIj3x…

Tom Ormond.....the topic is rattlesnakes, not a crocodiles! And neither has a butthole, they have VENTS. Now back to our regularly scheduled post without any further erroneous interruptions.

So put your thumb in their anal vents. Same thing.

Locker.....we thought you might be using that finger to edit your next post on the wall of whatever stall you're utilizing to deposit the remnants of your dinner via your arsehole/vent/anus.
No, wait.....I've LOST my train of thought, somewhere in cyberspace......REWARD!

Great advice, Locker. Thank you. Way too many folks don't follow your guidance and learn to coexist with these beautiful creatures. Too often their instinct is to harm it and later complain about the rodents digging into or chewing holes in their packs. Thanks, again.

I've been climbing in Eldo for many years and I have never seen a snake there. It seems that sightings are a regular occurrence now. Is there in fact more snakes now than before or is Mountain Project making it more visible? This makes me think twice about bringing my dog which is a bummer, the canyon is one of her favorite places.

...I climbed Cest La Vie yesterday and glad to say I'm bite free today.

Ben Walburn wrote:I've been climbing in Eldo for many years and I have never seen a snake there. It seems that sightings are a regular occurrence now. Is there in fact more snakes now than before or is Mountain Project making it more visible? This makes me think twice about bringing my dog which is a bummer, the canyon is one of her favorite places. ...I climbed Cest La Vie yesterday and glad to say I'm bite free today.

It seems like it's changed over the last few years on the South side of the canyon. Until a few years ago, there were usually one or two legit rattlesnake sightings on the Fowler trail each summer. Last summer, I can recall four (one of them was a poor little guy on the Bastille descent ramp!). Already at four this season, still some summer left to go. Not a plague, just a little more active.

The boulderfield below C'est usually has one or two sightings per summer. Seems like it's about average this year.

IMHO, it's like Sinks, or North Table, or ... recreate, but be mindful.

Locker wrote:"This makes me think twice about bringing my dog" Well now that's a HUGE plus! Gonna have to make sure and get some MORE snakes up there!

Don't be jealous, Ben's dog is a huge chick magnet.

My partner was pulling up to the ledge on the 2nd pitch of Swanson's and only to be staring at a baby snake. By the time I got there it was hiding but she said it had the coloring of a rattler.

I've yet to see one myself and I've been climbing out there 30 years. Guess I'll start looking where I step.