SNAKES! - Appalachian Trail

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#1

I hate snakes more than anything. Good thing I won’t see any on the trail right?

Jesse Krout

#2

…but you may see a lot of wussies.

Squatch

#3

If you hike on the AT after the weather warms you will see plenty of snakes. I saw Copper Heads, Rattlers 4ft long,black snakes 6ft. long and a lot of little guys. Most of the snakes were in Virginia to Mass.

Grampie

#4

like paw-ee always says : “they have mamas and daddys and little biddy baby snakes!”…and like I always say : a snake (even if it’s small and non-poisoness) is ALWAYS, at the very least, STARTLING!..you will see snakes according to the kind of weather you have, i think…in '03, we started our thru in february and had mostly cool and rainy weather for the duration of the hike…and we hardly ever saw a snake!..NEVER a rattler! (isn’t that amazing?)…but oh!..in ‘06, even though we began again in february, we saw plenty of snakes!..the rattlers really loved the edge of the trail in pennsylvania, so just be aware! (rattlers are nice in that they warn you!)…i think just being cautious where you put your hands and feet is the main thing…watch stepping over logs or where you reach in a hand-over-hand situation…in ‘06 we even saw a couple of little garters on baker’s peak in vermont!..(THAT’S not supposed to happen!)…mostly, considering how many miles and days, though, you’ll be walkin’ in the woods on a thruhike, you will see very few snakes…and they certainly don’t come lookin’ for YOU!

maw-ee

#5

The trail certainly passes through a lot of snake-friendly terrain. I have encountered rattlesnakes in various places in Virginia - two locations between Pearisburg and Daleville, and once just south of the James River - and also on Cove Mountain in Pennsylvania just south of Duncannon. Rattlesnakes are known to be prevalent on the PA section north of the Susquehanna River as well. They don’t always warn you - sometimes you see them first. I agree that being careful when you place hands or feet in an area you can’t see well is very important. Just being aware of your surroundings, particularly in warm weather at higher elevations where rocks abound (which is certainly a lot of the AT), can prevent unpleasant encounters. Snakes are a part of being outdoors and do many useful things. Maybe you can learn to like them just a little.

Terry

#6

I will never, ever like snakes. I respect them though. Im going to wear snake skin boots all the way through PA just for spite. Thanks for the info

Jesse

jesse krout

#7

There once was a resident black snake at Lost Mt.Shelter near Damascus…I know because he fell into my soup…no mice in that shelter that night.

Doc Holiday

#8

Just remember, you’re a lot bigger than they are and they’re definitely more afraid of you than you are of them! They’ll do anything they can to get out of your way. Just give them a little warning.

Rainbow

#9

My son and encountered a pack of @ least three(might have been as many as five)good sized rattle snakes on Wolf Laurel Top in georgia.

We had seen a small snake the night before and were being very watchful, however the scenery of Wolf Laurel was so beautiful that we let our guard down. Those snakes certainly did let us know they were there. If my son had taken just one step backward he would have stepped on the largest of the snakes. It was certainly an adreniline rush!

Later that day we ran into some other hikers on Cowrock Mountian that showed us pictures of a rattler that they had encountered only minutes before on the north side of Cowrock.

Most folks do not see snakes until they are farther north than Georia, but Georgia does have snakes and hikers need to be aware especailly on the rocky vistas, where they like to sun themselves on sunny days.

Stick chick

#10

BadgerBadgerBadgerBadgerBadgerBadgerBadgerBadgerBadgerBadgerBadgerBadgerBadgerBadgerBadgerBadgerBadgerBadgerBadgerBadgerBadgerBadgerBadgerBadgerBadger:

Sorry, I couldnt resist.

stryker

#11

Is it legal to kill a venomous snake? Especially rattlesnakes and copperheads. My friend and I were at a shelter where a copperhead was living. I’m sure they were there for the mice, which is a good thing. Our first encounter was when we arrived that evening. The snake was bunched in the far corner of the lean-to type of shelter. We did not want to sleep with one eye open, so we took a stick and moved him about twenty five yards away from the shelter. After making a fire and eating dinner, we discovered that he was back in the shelter. This time, we felt it necessary to “dispatch” this guy. It was a shame, but we had both heard stories about snakes crawling into sleeping bags and whether it is true or lore, we didn’t want to find out first hand… To this day, we both regret our actions, but under the circumstances, it felt like the best solution. Night was among us, and neither of us were willing to balance this snake on a stick while carrying him deeper into the woods… Question: What is the legality of killing a venomous snake along the A.T.?

sculptor

#12

i don’t know about other states, but you CANNOT kill rattlesnakes in NJ. They have “state endangered” status and it is illegal to “harass, hunt, capture, kill, or attempt to harass, hunt, capture or kill” them. copperheads don’t have this status, but it is wrong to harass, hunt, kill, etc., them as well. i have seen several rattlesnakes and many copperheads in NJ.

mw

#13

The AT is under the jurisdiction of the National Park Service. Most National Parks expressly forbid the hunting, killing, injuring, harassing, or feeding of wildlife within the boundaries of the park. Whether this applies specifically to the A.T. corridor, beyond where it is concurrent with Shendandoah and GSM National Parks, would be a question best put to ATC.

__

#14

Rattle snakes taste good. Their rattles make good pack ornaments to advertise your hunting prowess. Also, lets you carry less food by living off the land. Got you! Please let’s be reasonalble and relalize that we are the town/city dwellers visiting a precious natural resource. If you destroy it, it wont be back. If you don’t like snakes, stay home. You could be hurt if you attack a snake. So, just stay away! Drink beer in a pub while wearing your goretex wind jacket and let the guys/gals thing you are cool. You don’t have to actually get out there.

James