Thanks, hikin_jim. I've been nervous about the PCT from Grassy Hollow because of the 2 rattlers that were unhappy with me and my dog. The first one was on an asphalt road, but the 2nd one gave me a bigger scare -- it's quite a jolt to hear a rattle from the brushy side of the narrow trail when there isn't anywhere to get out of the way! I haven't tried the PCT farther up.
I always loved walking the PCT before that, but I've been reluctant to hit any narrow trails since then. I still get nervous.
Yeah, snakes are intimidating. I was backpacking with two friends on Labor Day of '07. We were coming down the PCT heading into Islip Saddle. Suddenly, a rattlesnake started rattling.
You've never seen me move so fast
uphill, and that was at the end of a long day (~16 miles) with a full overnight backpack on.
Despite how intimidating snakes are, actual bites are fairly rare. If you wear a combination of leather boots, high socks, and long pants, you have a bit of snake insurance right there. Add to that simple trail gaiters, and the chances of a snake bite go down further still.
If you're really worried about it but really want to get outdoors, there's always
TurtleSkin snake gaiters. They're pretty pricey, but they have an excellent reputation. Most snake gaiters are so stiff you can barely move, but these are supposed to be pretty flexible. I haven't tried them myself.
The snake gaiters seem a bit much to me, but maybe worth it if you go out on a daily basis to walk the dogs or whatnot in brushy areas.
I've been hiking since the 60's and have seen my share of snakes, but no bites or even a strike in my direction. They normally coil and rattle as sort of a "I don't want to do this and you don't want me to do this, so why don't you just walk away slowly, and let's call it even?" sort of thing. They really want to just warn you off. They know they want nothing to do with something the size of a human being.
