High Sierra Topix

About 7000 feet, along the Bubbs Creek trail between Charlotte Creek and the Sphinx Trail Junction. Scared the heck out of me as I was coming down the trail half asleep.

Went and checked my topo's and all of my Sierra encounters seem to be in the 6000 to 8000 foot range. Interesting observation, George. Boots on the ground anecdotal information.jls

Hmmm... probably at a place called Meadow Lake, at 7700 feet in El Dorado National Forest. Meadow Lake drains into the north fork Mokelumne and is accessed by driving south off Hwy. 88 on the Blue Lakes road. But I'm not surprised to see them higher and wouldn't be too surprised by variability that has decadal time scales (just a caution about the differences between highly variable weather on decadal time scales and real climate change which is a statistical representation over much longer averages- there can be significant changes in weather and precip over many years without climate change.) The BIGGEST ones I've ever seen were in the 2,000-4,000 foot belts where I have encountered some real monsters...

I once saw a Sierra Snow Snake up Mono Pass 11,000 ft in the dead of winter. Lil guy would of killed me dead if it wernt for the little beady read eyes of his poking out of the snow, gave him away they did. My dog and I excaped with our lives that day. As for rattlers....Mt Dana

The sighting on Mt. Dana was reported by Dr. Carl Sharsmith, Yosemite ranger-naturalist for 50 years and alpine botany expert. He didn't mention the down jacket, I just assumed it.

g.

This wasn't really high, but i recommend you never go into the Mokulumne wilderness from the Salt Springs Reservoir end in June/July. My friends and I when in college spent most of our summers at the NE end of Mokulumne near Round Top, Forth of July Lks and the upper canyon. No snakes there.

Salt springs was another matter.. we were fine until about 5000' where i was blindly walking the trail and stepped right over a coiled 2.5' rattler. We slowed our pace, and discovered snakes everywhere. We all had poles with us so we were using them for snake duty rather than walking. We saw a few really pretty milk snakes as well, coiled up on tree stumps of all things.

Once we got up about two miles, we settled down by the river, and we kept hearing this buzzing (ok, rattling) sound. There were little rattlers up in this 8' rock face next to the creek, each one in it's own little crack/crevice. There must have been 20 snakes there. I didn't sleep well that night.

Russ

I saw one last year at the Sphinx Creek junction of Bubbs Creek. I almost stepped on it. Probably the biggest rattlesnake I've ever seen. I kid you not, it was at least 3 feet long. Not a big surprise since it is about 6300 feet there. I simply wasn't paying enough attention to the ground.

Baff

Speaking of rattlesnakes, last summer one of the trail crew heard a rattle, looked up, and there was a rattlesnake 10 feet up a tree! Junction Meadow. Never heard anything like that before.

g.

Saw one a few years back just below Selden Pass between Sally Keyes Lakes and Heart Lake (~10,200ft). Not very big, but was surprised to see one there.

I often spot them just up the trail from Florence Lake (~7,600ft), and in the rocks near the potholes up from Muir Trail Ranch (~8,000ft). Last year, I came close to getting nailed by one coming down the big rock to Florence Lake. Stepped over a groove in the rock when my wife, who was following close behind me, let out a yelp. The medium sized rattler was coiled facing downhill and had a clear shot at my Achilles' heel only inches away as I stepped over him. He poked his head up as I walked over and my wife spotted him. No rattle to warn me. No strike. Happy Eric.

I've encountered a lot of rattlers and I'm not sure the 'highest' elevation encounter, but for me the highest concentration I've ever seen of them is from multiple trips into Tehipite Valley. That place is infested with them, at least in early season. I've had them strike my hiking pole with venom dripping off the cup. It's not uncommon to see a half dozen in a few hours. I go back there right after snowmelt so I don't know about the rest of the hot summer and fall. They're quite docile in the early and late hours due to the cold. I remember one morning waking up, still in my sleeping bag on the open sand, and seeing a big rattler slithering along about 10 feet from me, completely uninterested in my presence. It was pretty cool. I love that place. The bear poop per sq. ft. area is the highest I've ever encountered anywhere too.