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AND ON LAND
Falls
Falling Objects
Stinging Nettle
Poison-Oak
Mountain Lions
Ticks
Rattlesnakes
Poison-Hemlock
How Far Can Waves Reach, Mortality Statistics, Off The Road Vehicles, Mountain Biking, Miscellany
And On Land - Page 2
Mountain Lions
In the state of California a few people have been killed, and pets have disappeared. There have been no recent attacks in our area.
There are occasional public talks on the subject of attack prevention. The following information was found posted 1-18-09 at the Montano de Oro Ranch House:
Two close interactions between people and lions have occurred at Montano de Oro State Park: (1) on Coon Creek Trail a solo hiker was observed intently as they walked, without running, looking or stopping, past a lion within arms length; and (2) at the start of the Valencia Peak Trail a lion ran noisily through the brush parallel to a woman jogger who had gotten separated from her group, until she stopped.
A cougar snatched a raccoon at the edge of the campground in the summer of 2007. And lions have been observed watching the campground at MdO from the hillside above.
Ticks
Ticks are a concern because of the serious infections they sometimes cause. If you develop swelling around a tick bite you should promptly remove the tick and take an effective antibiotic. The swelling should rapidly disappear.
Ticks are mainly a problem when the ground is moist; they hide in the ground during dry weather. On “quest” for prey, ticks usually wait on a grass stalk; when you brush against them they try to grab a hold, and crawl upward. After several hours of crawling about, they attach and begin to fill with blood.
It helps to wear long legged (to keep them off your skin), shear (harder for them to grab), and light colored pants (easier to see them on you). Tape your pant legs closed.
For removal you will need a pair of fine tipped tweezers and a foil wrapped alcohol swab. They can be hard to pull off. Grasp their head and chest with a pair of fine point tweezers, and pull hard if necessary. When they pop loose, rub the wound with the swab.Rattlesnakes
The easiest way to identify a rattlesnake is by seeing the rattle on its tail. They are fairly stout, and 10 inches to 4 ½ feet long. They are good climbers; occasionally they are seen climbing around the brush several feet off the ground. They crawl slowly, 3 mph maximum, and prefer to remain immobile if they feel threatened and have some cover.If you are going off trail it is a good idea to wear boots and gaiters. Gaiters are available at Mountain Air Sports in San Luis Obispo. Give snakes a few feet of space, and remember that the newborn baby rattler is as venomous as the much older, larger individuals.
If you think you’ve been struck, DO NOT HARM THE SNAKE! Withdraw a short distance, so you don’t get struck again. Then examine the area: are there any fang marks; one or two; does the area hurt; and is it swelling? Half the time the snake chooses not to envenomate. If you have been injected, swelling and pain begin immediately.
Poison Hemlock
This is the tall hollow Mediterranean weed, an extract of which, judging from the symptoms, killed Socrates. The poison is not absorbed through the intact skin, but children have died from blowing on whistles fashioned from its hollow stems. (National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Wildflowers, Western Region 1998 p. 327)
Poison-hemlockNote the dark spots; these are purple on living plants, and black on dead plants. The specimen on the right is of Sweet Fennel, a plant superficially similar to hemlock; notice that the center of the fennel stem is filled with pith.
