Smith Rock Snakes

Working the visitor center one of the more amusing things we deal with is snake reports and questions. Yes, Smith Rock has a lot of snakes. The most common is the Gopher snake, aka, Bullsnake. It does look a lot like a Rattle Snake. There are also Rubber Boa over on the Canyons trail and the occasional Garter Snake.

Gopher Snake.

This year a Rattle Snake has taken up residence near the big pine tree close to the River Trail vault toilet. It's a cool snake, doesn't really care about all the hikers and climbers that pass within a few feet and never see it. Whenever someone does notice, it just crawls behind the tree or into it's hole.

We were climbing near Cinnamon, multiple routes so it took a while. Went to pick up my bag and a Gopher snake had curled under it to cool off. They look so much like Rattlers that it really got my attention. Then it decided to go find someplace else for it's nap.

Stopped off for lunch by the river near Student Wall. Wife says "there is a rattle snake behind you". I freeze in fear, and ask "How far behind me?" Seemed like a pertinent question. Her response: "It's a really big one." Still thinking this thing is within inches of my rear I repeat the question with. "How far behind me" The response: "It's moving closer". Time to change tactics. I ask do you think I can move without getting bit: Response, "Maybe". Do or die time I jump up and turn around. A lovely 5 footer with about 6 rings on it's rattle were 10 feet behind me. We picked up our stuff and moved off a bit. Darn thing followed us. I think it was just curious about us, but we were a little freaked out so moved big time to finish our lunch.

Hiking back up Rope-de-dope I came across these guys.


I couldn't decide whether one was trying to eat the other or this was some kind of snake foreplay. As soon as they noticed me they broke it up and headed for the hills. I think they may be some kind of Garter Snake, I have emailed the rangers to see if I can get a positive id on them.

All this to say; If you spot snakes at Smith Rock it is normal. None, even the rattlers, are aggressive. Leave them alone and they will leave you alone. Once you get used to them being around it's kinda cool to watch them cruise around.

P.S keep your puppies safe. Urban puppies don't always have good sense when it comes to rattlers. Puppies getting rattler bit really screws up a good climbing experience.

I love your attitude towards the snakes!!
There's an advocacy group down in Tucson doing some good work. They might be able to answer any questions you have, or point you in a good direction.

snakepreservation.org

My girlfriend and I just came home from our first trip to Smith Rocks and we were amazed by the diversity of snakes we saw.

We had a similar run in with what you identify as a gopher snake at the cinnamon slab as well. It was within a foot of my feet by the time I noticed it slithering by as I was belaying my partner. Scared the crap out of me as I thought it was a rattler at first!

Love the high desert out there! I found multiple Garters while climbing at the lower gorge. Snake loving climbers are among the most respectable citizens of all!

There always seems to be a small rattler on the trail, backside @Smith.

Watch where you step; the little ones are the most deadly.

Ball wrote: the little ones are the most deadly.

The jury is out on that, mostly just myth rampant in the scary snake rumor mill.

viper.arizona.edu/faq/baby-…

reptilechannel.com/media/ki…

Unproven:

-There has been supposition that little snakes tend to release venom more readily when biting, but there is no actual quantifiable data to back this up.

-There has been supposition that baby snake venom is more potent, and there may be some truth to this, but bigger snakes can release larger amounts of venom resulting in worse outcomes.

Fact:

-The worst envenomations happen from big snakes that release a lot of venom.

-Pit vipers release varying amounts of venom when biting in defense from none to a lot.

-Pit viper venom potency depends on the actual species, with the Mohave rattler (also goes by a couple other names) being the most potent in the US.

Speculation: There is some possibility that people are more prone to receiving bites from baby snakes which have no rattles thus do not signal danger to the victim before said victim is even aware of the snake. However, the most common obvious way to get bit is to provoke a snake into biting.

mountainhick wrote: However, the most common obvious way to get bit is to provoke a snake into biting.

The naturalist at Smith Rock explained it best; Rattlesnakes recognize that you are too large to eat, so you are not prey. That means the only other time they will bite you is in self defense.

The greatest danger is not seeing them and stepping on them. For some reason they view this as an attack and will defend themselves.

Please do not be whacking the rattlers on the head with a stick or otherwise aggravating them. Once they get into defense mode they tend to stay that way for a while, which makes them more dangerous to the folks coming up behind you because they don't know there is a scared snake.

They rattle right? I have seen many rattlers in my life. The only one I ever saw rattle was the one my grandma was killing with her hoe. It had gotten into her chicken coop and she couldn't abide that.

Fact: Most rattlers I've encountered didn't rattle until after they were spotted. That includes eastern diamondback, western, and mojave.

It doesn't take much to "provoke" a snake you don't see, and they're not going to rattle unless they think they've already been spotted and somewhat cornered.

Being in a snake's too close for comfort zone (or stepping on one) indeed is provokation. I too have come too close for comfort and even unwittingly stepped over a few rattlers that didn't rattle, but luckily were not provoked into striking.

I just want to say that yesterday, around 5 pm, my friend and I came upon a rattlesnake (yes, it had a rattle on its tail and very nearly stretched across the length of the path) crossing the trail at Smith Rock, near the river, just in front of us. While I was able to easily pull her back away from the snake (her hair was in her face and she didn't see it) and go back the way we came, the real problem occurred when we stopped on the trail to talk about what just happened. No sooner had we stopped to discuss how crazy it was to see a rattlesnake on the trail than we heard a rattle immediately to our right, just off the path, in the grass. She let out a horrified scream, which caused me to bolt, without bothering to look for the snake. However, she saw it and said it was, indeed, coming to bite her. She jumped out of the way at the last second and ran down the trail after me. So, if you are walking along the path, you could come upon snakes just in the grass who will let out a little rattle and then NOT slither the opposite way, but rather actually come closer and try to strike. Be aware that if you are bitten, you should not walk back out as it will circulate the venom. Stay still and keep the wound below the heart. Do not rinse the wound at all as this will also circulate the venom. Good luck out there. Snakes do not always slither off in the opposite direction as some kind of absolute rule and I just wanted to prepare people for that fact.

Jessica Heitman wrote:Be aware that if you are bitten, you should not walk back out as it will circulate the venom.

I disagree with this advice.

While volunteering at Gingko State Park near Vantage, WA (the feathers). We had the good fortune to be included in a Ranger Training Day sponsored by a snake professor from the Univ of WA. This guy has his own pet rattle snake.

Anyway, he told us that there are very few deaths attributed to snake bites, that mostly people freak out and die of a heart attach. He also told us that antivenom shots run about $45,000. (Keep you health insurance paid up). But his underlying instructions for the rangers was that if they are bitten in the field there is only a 50% chance that it was venomous, most mature rattlers defend with a "dry bite". They save their venom for pray. Humans are too big to be prey. It takes several hours for the venom to have effect. So the best course of action is to walk back to your vehicle, drive to the nearest ER and seek treatment.

He also poopooed snake bit kits, cut and suck technique, and other first aid attempts. He told us that if we have a venomous bite that it is going to hurt, a lot. We may lose a limb. (Don't get bit on the face). That while it is very painful, you don't die.

I am very glad that you are out on the trail and had a snake encounter, keep up the good work.

If you see a fat old man struggling on First Kiss tomorrow say hi!

Jessica Heitman wrote:I just want to say that yesterday, around 5 pm, my friend and I came upon a rattlesnake (yes, it had a rattle on its tail and very nearly stretched across the length of the path) crossing the trail at Smith Rock, near the river, just in front of us. While I was able to easily pull her back away from the snake (her hair was in her face and she didn't see it) and go back the way we came, the real problem occurred when we stopped on the trail to talk about what just happened. No sooner had we stopped to discuss how crazy it was to see a rattlesnake on the trail than we heard a rattle immediately to our right, just off the path, in the grass. She let out a horrified scream, which caused me to bolt, without bothering to look for the snake. However, she saw it and said it was, indeed, coming to bite her. She jumped out of the way at the last second and ran down the trail after me. So, if you are walking along the path, you could come upon snakes just in the grass who will let out a little rattle and then NOT slither the opposite way, but rather actually come closer and try to strike. Be aware that if you are bitten, you should not walk back out as it will circulate the venom. Stay still and keep the wound below the heart. Do not rinse the wound at all as this will also circulate the venom. Good luck out there. Snakes do not always slither off in the opposite direction as some kind of absolute rule and I just wanted to prepare people for that fact.

This is the best post I have ever read.

I didn't mean to impune. It is a noteworthy encounter.

Dallas, when you were hiking back up ropededope, the snakes you saw were. Western yellowbellied racers. They are beautiful snakes

Josh Hemphill wrote:

Dallas, when you were hiking back up ropededope, the snakes you saw were. Western yellowbellied racers. They are beautiful snakes

I agree, my first thoughts were Rubber Boa, but not blocky enough, too skinny.  Thank you for clearing that up for me.