High Sierra Topix

I've run into many, many rattlers in the San Gabriels. In the Sierra, mostly in Yosemite, especially on the Mist trail. We also had fellow travelers tell us of sightings in Paradise Valley, and had one rattle at us there.

I'm pretty snake friendly, and will let any one of them be. If I saw a rattler in my backyard, I wouldn't feel that way. But I did find a kingsnake on the deck a few nights ago. I was alerted to its presence by the scurrying of many a rodent hitting the road.

" I proudly announced that I had killed two in the last hour."

To poster MJH.....How can you be proud?
I am sorry..but I will never understand how some people that go deep into the wilderness and than kill the native wildlife!! What a horrible story to read this....made me sick when I read what you did. We are also in their home and we need to respect that.

How can you love such wild beautiful places..yet kill the wildlife?
I do not understand this mindset at all! Sad that some do not appreciate the beauty of wildlife!

I have never killed a rattlesnake, most can be avoided, but I don't think it is evil to do so. I would not hesitate to kill a mountain lion in the wild if my life was threatened, if I was carrying the means at the time. The same goes for wolves- which are a problem in states like Montana and Wyoming. I am very tolerant of those who don't share my viewpoint on this matter though I don't understand their mindset. This mindset/worldview, that people are more important than animals, used to be the predominate viewpoint in this country until recent generations. I have found that many are very intolerant and hateful of those who express the opinion that they are willing to kill an animal, sometimes even wishing death on those who would dare to hunt or kill any type of animals. Ironic, don't you think!

I'm waiting for those folks to try to reintroduce the Grizzly to California...

Police recently killed a mountain lion that somehow wandered into downtown Santa Monica, after attempts to immobilize it were unsuccessful, and predictably there was a segment of the population that was absolutely outraged, and staged protests. Now, the odds seem pretty high that a scared and cornered mountain lion in a busy urban area would attack and possibly kill someone, but that seemed of little importance to the protesters.

Surely, we've all killed our fair share of mosquitoes in the Sierra, and yet we are the ones visiting their "home." I'm not aware of PETA staging any protests for that, luckily. Personally, I wouldn't kill a rattlesnake, mainly because I wouldn't know how to do that without placing myself in danger. And if one were menacing me, I think it would make a lot more sense just to run.