rise above 70°F. Though certain types can deliver a painful bite, these are typically slow and easy to swat. Much more of a nuisance are persistent nonbiting gnats, which continually buzz around your face. You may encounter flies on a warm winter day, but populations increase markedly between April and October. Dense oak woodlands are their favorite habitat in summer.
Rattlesnakes
Found throughout the Santa Lucia Range, these venomous snakes like to bask on warm rocks or sunny patches of dirt. They are most common in spring when their food supply (mostly rodents) also peaks. Rattlesnakes usually flee when startled and will only strike if threatened.
To avoid being bitten, stay on paths, always give snakes the right of way, wear high-sided hiking boots, and carry a walking stick. When climbing, watch where you place your hands and feet.
If someone is bitten, keep the person as calm and still as possible, gently wash the area with soap and water, apply a clean bandage, and seek immediate medical attention. Do not apply a tourniquet or pack the bite area in ice, as either method will only block circulation. Do not use your mouth to suck out venom, as that may lead to a complicating infection. Following treatment, most snakebite symptoms resolve within a few days.
Giardia lamblia
People often return from camping trips suffering from giardiasis, an infection of the small intestine that can cause nausea, diarrhea, loose or watery stool, and stomach cramps. A single-celled parasite, Giardia lamblia is passed in the stool of an infected person or animal or through contaminated food or water. Symptoms generally begin one to two weeks after being infected and may last two to six weeks.
Purify all water taken from springs, lakes, creeks, and rivers with a portable filter, chemical treatment, or by boiling it for one to three minutes.
Raccoons & Skunks
These night visitors are drawn by food left out by campers. Never leave your food unattended and always store it somewhere safe at night, preferably in a food canister hung from a tree. Avoid feeding wildlife. Raccoons and skunks are known carriers of rabies and are also infested with disease-carrying fleas, ticks, lice, and mites.
Mountain Lions
While mountain lions do roam throughout the Santa Lucia Range, they are extremely elusive and pose a minimal threat. Don’t hike alone, and keep children within arm’s length. If you encounter a lion, neither approach nor run from it. Do all you can to appear larger, and fight back if attacked.
Wild Boars
Hunters introduced these destructive, nonnative animals to the Santa Lucia Range as game in the 1920s, and their population has since exploded. Boar hunting is permitted within the Ventana and Silver Peak Wildernesses, but regulations govern how far hunters must keep from trails and roads. For more information, contact the Los Padres National Forest Headquarters: (805) 968-6640 or www.fs.usda.gov/lpnf.
Plant Hazards
Poison Oak
Poison oak is a common trailside companion in Big Sur country. It grows as a low-lying bush, shrub, or vine along stream banks, rocky canyons, mountain flanks, and coastal bluffs from sea level to below 5000 feet (it’s only absent on the highest rocky summits). Learning to identify this toxic plant is the first step toward avoiding a painful, annoying rash.
Poison oak leaves are clustered in threes. Shiny when young, the leaflets usually range from half an inch to 2 inches long. In fall the leaves turn a brilliant red, while branches are bare in winter. Unfortunately, all parts of the plant (the leaves, flowers, stem, roots, and fruit) are toxic year-round.
Since many trails are overgrown, particularly within the Ventana and Silver Peak Wildernesses, it’s likely you’ll brush up against poison oak at some point. It’s best to wear long pants while hiking, regardless of temperature. If you’re extremely susceptible, bring extra pants and long-sleeved shirts, and place each day’s clothes in a plastic bag upon reaching camp. Wash your skin thoroughly with products designed to remove the plant’s toxic oil, such as Tecnu.
Poison oak’s oily resin contains the toxin urushiol. Contact can cause painful blistering, weeping soars, and maddening itching. The rash may appear in a few hours or days, depending on the extent of exposure and your degree of sensitivity. Most exposures are through direct contact with the plant. Other sources include smoke and secondary exposure from pets, soiled clothing, and gear. If your symptoms are severe, see a physician for treatment with strong corticosteroids.
Stinging Nettle
Another unpleasant plant you may encounter on the trail is the stinging nettle, which grows in clusters along the banks of creeks and rivers. Nettle leaves bear raised prickly hairs that stick in your skin, instantly delivering a painful sting and burning sensation. You’ll know once you’ve walked through stinging nettles—the key is to recognize them in advance.
Growing in slender stalks up to 6 feet tall, nettles sport dense, drooping clusters of flowers where the leaves join the stalk. Leaves are heart-shaped, finely toothed, and grow on opposite sides of the stem. When you brush against the plant, the tiny hollow hairs break off and release an acid. Symptoms are usually gone within 24 hours.
You can neutralize the acid by mixing it with a base, such as baking soda. Bring a packet of baking soda with you, and apply it to your skin as soon as possible to soothe the burn. If baking soda is unavailable, try your own spit, which is somewhat basic and will help neutralize the acid.
Gear
Survival Essentials
You should always carry:
Water
Many wilderness trails are dry for several miles, and small seasonal creeks are not always reliable. Carry at least 1–2 liters of water and some means of purifying backcountry sources (filter or chemical treatment such as iodine).
Food
An energy bar, nuts, or trail mix may be critical if you’re out longer than you planned to be.
First-Aid Kit
Accidents and injuries can happen to anyone. Properly preparing for these instances can save you from a backcountry disaster. Prepackaged first-aid kits are readily available at outdoor equipment stores. A basic kit should include at least the following:
Ace bandages
Advil or other anti-inflammatory medicine
alcohol pads
antibiotic ointment
Band-Aids and moleskin
cotton balls or swabs
gauze pads and bandages
hydrogen peroxide
medical tape
poison oak soap (Tecnu)
space blanket
tweezers (for removing ticks)
Tylenol (fever and pain reduction)
waterproof
