Ticks and rattlers on CT...

[saltysack]

Just curious as to what kind of poisonous snake population Co has? I assume western DB rattlers are around...how common? How about ticks?


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[bamboo bob]

Rattlers very rare. Ticks are effing everywhere in New England.

[swisscross]

Believe salty is talking about the Colorado Trail.

[bamboo bob]

Believe salty is talking about the Colorado Trail.

LOL, oops.

[Hosh]

Rattlesnakes, but at lower elevations, should be some in Waterton Canyon, ticks but usually in the wet spring. Bigger issue is West Nile virus passed on by mosquitoes. Left over snow drifts are a good environment of mosquitoes, but lessen over the summer until monsoon season.

Overall not very buggy, no black flies, thank God.

[MikekiM]

Rattlers very rare. Ticks are effing everywhere in New England.

I feel your pain brother!! This is going to be a horrible year in the NE. Ticks are so frustrating. I have to tell you, there was no shortage of rattlers and copperheads on the trails in downstate NY.

[saltysack]

Rattlesnakes, but at lower elevations, should be some in Waterton Canyon, ticks but usually in the wet spring. Bigger issue is West Nile virus passed on by mosquitoes. Left over snow drifts are a good environment of mosquitoes, but lessen over the summer until monsoon season.

Overall not very buggy, no black flies, thank God.

Thx......bringing a bug inner for mid but still debating on bug dope vs head net.....I hate using both! Thoughts....I have picardin from a glades trip from few months back but I haven't used it so not sure how effective it is.....


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[Hosh]

I don't remember your start date, but the Front Range just got whacked with a up slope storm. Long's Peak has more snow on the eastern slope than I have seen for a while. Pretty good chance Trail Ridge Road won't be opened for it's target Memorial Day weekend date. The drifts will be up to 50' high. The eastern terminus was also affected. Our weather has been pretty temperate so far, the melt will begin in earnest next month.

So....I'd bring a little dope, a headnet and forego treating clothing. If your mail dropping maybe stick a dope refill in the package or you can pick up an 1/8th in Breck...just kidding.

Drifts by rest stop.JPG

A couple of years ago mid June

[saltysack]

I don't remember your start date, but the Front Range just got whacked with a up slope storm. Long's Peak has more snow on the eastern slope than I have seen for a while. Pretty good chance Trail Ridge Road won't be opened for it's target Memorial Day weekend date. The drifts will be up to 50' high. The eastern terminus was also affected. Our weather has been pretty temperate so far, the melt will begin in earnest next month.

So....I'd bring a little dope, a headnet and forego treating clothing. If your mail dropping maybe stick a dope refill in the package or you can pick up an 1/8th in Breck...just kidding.

Drifts by rest stop.JPG

A couple of years ago mid June

July 3....maybe the smoke will keep them at bay but brownies have the calories!!! I plan to have a wind jacket and wind pants to help with the bugs.....assume they're like anywhere worse at first light and dusk....hopefully cool enough at night to keep away....thx


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[MuddyWaters]

I never seen rattler in Co.
I used to have a friend that lived among some cliffs south of denver. He said the rocky cliffs by his place were overrun with unbelievable number of rattlesnakes. About 20 yrs ago.

[Dogwood]

I saw three huge rattlers in Wateron Canyon, one in the road alive, another, one of the largest I've ever seen, again in the road dead hit by a vehicle, and another really pissed off one that I inadvertently got too close to at a covered TH picnic pavillion. Never had a problem with ticks on the CT.

[DuneElliot]

You will see rattlesnakes up to about 6000ft, and maybe a little further but you won't run into them after that. No Diamondbacks. Colorado has the Prairie (common to all prairie states), Massausago and Midget-faded rattlesnsakes.

The tick thing changes every year and this is one of the worst I've seen in all my time in Wyoming and Colorado. It's been a very wet winter for both states and I've been pulling ticks off my dogs for the last two days...something I rarely have to do. However, I doubt they are anywhere close to being as bad as back east. Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever is more of an issue in this area than Lyme.

[saltysack]

Thx....Only reason I asked as I was watching a CT video that showed several rattlers in what I think was Watertown canyon...I had always assumed they didn't live at elevation but I guess Waterton isn't really that high....


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[Venchka]

Denver isn't really that high.
I'm glad that I frequent 10,000+' trailheads. I had no idea that there was a safety factor built in to backpacking above 10,000+'.
Thanks y'all!
Wayne


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[Dogwood]

In Lost Creek Wilderness far from Waterton Canyon at around 8k ft near a well used stream wate5r source with a small cascade I saw a rattlesnake too. I'd be mindful from here all the way into the burn area and into Waterton.

[brian039]

Saw a rattlesnake on the first section then never saw one again.

[Hosh]

I never seen rattler in Co.
I used to have a friend that lived among some cliffs south of denver. He said the rocky cliffs by his place were overrun with unbelievable number of rattlesnakes. About 20 yrs ago.

Lyons CO northwest of Boulder is full of them. Lots of red flagstone bluffs which provides great habitat, throw in some prairie dogs, rabbits and mice, it's Eden.
Your friend probably lived by the Hogback. It's old sandstone that was uplifted and provides another excellent habitat. Ken Caryl Ranch, Morrison, Red Rocks and Roxborough Park are all in or near the same geology

[greensleep]

Lyons CO northwest of Boulder is full of them. Lots of red flagstone bluffs which provides great habitat, throw in some prairie dogs, rabbits and mice, it's Eden.
Your friend probably lived by the Hogback. It's old sandstone that was uplifted and provides another excellent habitat. Ken Caryl Ranch, Morrison, Red Rocks and Roxborough Park are all in or near the same geology

I lived in Summit County, Colorado for 11 years; mostly above 9500'. Never saw a snake, a mosquito, an ant, nor any noxious creatures other than man.

[Hosh]

I lived in Summit County, Colorado for 11 years; mostly above 9500'. Never saw a snake, a mosquito, an ant, nor any noxious creatures other than man.

Well, the 2 examples I sited are on the Front Range, below 7000'. Typically venomous snakes are thought to stay below 7-8000 feet.

Not sure how much time you spent outside, but there are non-venomous snakes, mosquitoes and ants at and above 9500'. Ants are an effective fly pattern in high mountain lakes. They are propelled by up-slope winds and serve as a favorite natural food for cruising cutthroat trout. Anyone who has backpacked or camped at high elevations in late spring or early summer has ran into a swarming horde of mosquitoes.

Sounds like your opinion of humans says it all, enjoying solo shuffle board?

[lonehiker]

Off topic a bit, but there are prairie rattlesnakes in Yellowstone which has an average elevation of 8,000 feet. Apparently they have developed a way to digest food even at colder temperatures. I believe that there have only been 2 reported cases of rattlesnake bites in the park.