Hiker Dies from Rattlesnake Bite on California Trail

Outside Magazine / Backpacker.com ^ | March 26, 2026 | Adam Roy

[ProtectOurFreedom]

The woman, identified as 46-year-old Gabriela Bautista, is the second person to suffer a fatal bite in recent weeks.

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An aerial shot of Wildwood Regional Park near Thousand Oaks, California

A 46-year-old hiker died after a rattlesnake bit her on a popular Southern California hiking trail, the area’s second death by snakebite this year, authorities say. Gabriela Bautista was hiking at Wildwood Regional Park, a popular area near Thousand Oaks with 17 miles of trail, when she suffered a bite on March 14 at about 11:40 a.m., Ventura County Fire Department spokesperson Andrew Dowd told the Thousand Oaks Acorn. Emergency services airlifted Bautista to Los Robles Regional Medical Center, where she died on March 19. While the incident occurred earlier this month, it had not been publicly reported until this week.

Bautista’s death came just weeks after another fatal snake encounter in Southern California. On February 1, Julian Hernandez, 25, was mountain biking near Irvine. He stopped to adjust his shoe when he lost his balance and fell into some brush, where a rattlesnake apparently bit him, the Irvine Police Department told Los Angeles’s ABC7. While Orange County firefighters rushed Hernandez to the hospital, he died just over a month later on March 4.

A warm winter and spring across much of the western United States may be contributing to higher-than-usual rattlesnake activity. Dowd told Los Angeles’s KTLA that in 2025 the department recorded 9 rattlesnake-related calls, and that since March 14 alone, it had responded to 4. Following the bites, San Bernardino National Forest issued an alert warning visitors of rattlesnakes in the area.

Deaths by snakebite are extremely rare in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 7,000 to 8,000 people suffer venomous snakebites every year, with only 5 or so dying as a result. In August of 2025, a hiker died from an allergic reaction to a rattlesnake bite in Tennessee’s Savage Gulf State Park. Authorities later said they believed that the hiker had picked up the snake, possibly in an attempt to move it.

Surviving a Snakebite

While rattlesnake bites are dangerous, the reptiles only bite humans in self-defense, generally when surprised or disturbed. But as the climate warms many experts expect encounters to rise.

• Stay alert and keep earphones out in areas where rattlesnakes are common. The snakes often—though not always—warn off threats by rattling.
• If you encounter a snake, give it a wide berth, at least 6 feet, preferably more. If it’s not safe to pass the snake, consider turning around. Do not, under any circumstances, attempt to move it or scare it out of the way.
• If bitten, stay calm and call 911. While waiting for assistance, stay still and keep the bite area below heart level.
• Do not attempt to cut or suck venom out of a bite. It does not slow the spread of the venom and can cause infection.

[tet68]

I keep reading it as , Hitler dies from rattlesnake bite on California trail.

[AZJeep]

You right, right now I can use the SOS on my I-phone to call in a chopper!
It was a while ago, before I had this feature.

AZ has a lot of areas out of cellular range.
I do lots of off roading and wilderness hiking, the SOS feature gives me some security now.

But then, I had several hours to even get into the range.
I almost step on it, I missed it by few inches, but, by grace of God, it never attacked.
In a way, it was obviously scared too.
Lot more rattlers get killed by humans than humans killed by rattlers!

[MayflowerMadam]

My BIL is on Verizon and just got an iPhone with satellite calling.

[paulcissa]

Did you know a rattlesnake can strike the distance of its length?

I read it on the internet so it must be true. /s

[DCBryan1]

Mojave (green) rattlesnake? Southern Pacific? or Western Diamondack?

[DCBryan1]

Wear boots and move away if you hear their warning. IF they rattle. Timber rattlesnakes here in AR are famous for NOT rattling.

[glennaro]

Follow the Left’s “logic” on this for a short distance and you will learn that falling into a bush causes “the climate to warm”.

[DCBryan1]

You can buy cheap kit on Amazon, but it does not really work! Do NOT rely on those!

Correct. The only medical tool you can use for rattlesnake (Crotalus) envenomization is only made by CROFAB. They will only sell to research facilities, "milking" centers, zoos, and hospitals.

The only individuals that they sell to are registered with one of the above and are usually either head zoo keeper, zoologist, herpetologist, trauma doctor, er doctor, etc. The last envenomization in AR was a large Timber rattlesnake who did NOT rattle, bit a landscaper. Had to have 20 or so vials......$400,000.00 hospital bill. Survived but had to have a fasciotomy (don't image search that).

Crofab vials are typically $10-20,000.00 per vial nowadays. The only thing more expensive is in South Africa for Mamba, Boomslang, and Russell viper antivenin. (Maybe Fer De Lance and Bushmaster in Brazil....also sold by Crofab).

Interestingly enough, go through the Crofab link above and they'll walk you through the clinical snakebite treatment protocol.

[DCBryan1]

Looks like certain subspecies of the Southern pacific rattlesnake have now been confirmed to have neurotoxic properties like the Mohave and timber rattlesnakes.

That means their venom is hemotoxic, cytotoxic, and now neurotoxic.....a hell of a battle in the ICU. I bet she died from complications breathing. It would be like treating a patient who couldn't clot, massive tissue damage, and having stroke symptoms with lack of breathing!

From the Annals of Emergency Medicine (Toxicology Report) March 2024

Abstract The Southern Pacific rattlesnake (Crotalus helleri) is commonly encountered throughout Southern California. Typical toxicity includes tissue injury and hematologic toxicity. However, neurotoxicity is not commonly reported with rattlesnake envenomations, other than infrequently with select species, including the Mojave rattlesnake (Crotalus scutulatus scutulatus). Importantly, clinical neurotoxicity has not been well described with the Southern Pacific rattlesnake, the only rattlesnake in the city of Los Angeles, along with the Southern and coastal regions of Los Angeles County. In this case series, 7 patients envenomated by the Southern Pacific rattlesnake with significant neurotoxicity, including dysarthria, ataxia, and myokymia, are presented. Clinicians practicing in this region should be aware of evolving patterns of toxicity associated with the Southern Pacific rattlesnake.

[Vaduz]

Shot guns should be allowed when hiking in California snakes are only part of a problem.

[TexasGator]

“My BIL is on Verizon and just got an iPhone with satellite calling.”

Communications. Calling coming later.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

Western Diamondback.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

Wow, what a story about that poor landscaper! I can’t believe the cost to survive a rattlesnake bite.

I take it there are no synthetic antivenoms?

[ProtectOurFreedom]

• Dysarthria: Slurred or unclear speech caused by weakness or poor coordination of the muscles used for talking (tongue, lips, voice box). It sounds like someone is mumbling or drunk, but it's due to a neurological problem, not alcohol.
• Ataxia: Lack of muscle coordination that leads to clumsy, unsteady movements. People with ataxia may walk unsteadily (like they're drunk), have shaky hands, or struggle with precise tasks like buttoning a shirt. It's often a sign of issues in the brain's balance and movement centers (especially the cerebellum).
• Myokymia: Involuntary, fine twitching or rippling of small muscle bundles, often seen in the eyelids, face, or other muscles. It looks like tiny worms moving under the skin and is usually harmless and temporary, though it can sometimes relate to nerve irritation or fatigue.
• If caused by Southern Pacific rattlesnake (Crotalus helleri) envenomation: These symptoms (dysarthria, ataxia, and myokymia) can occur due to neurotoxic components in the venom of some Southern Pacific rattlesnakes. They are signs of significant envenomation but are not typically fatal with prompt medical treatment. In reported cases, the symptoms improved after antivenom (such as FabAV) was given. Untreated rattlesnake bites can be dangerous or rarely fatal due to swelling, bleeding issues, or severe weakness affecting breathing, so immediate emergency care is essential.

Of course, other actions of the venom ARE fatal.

So, if you see somebody stumbling around with slurred speech on your hikes, think "rattlesnake-bite victim." Good to know.

FTA --> "Clinicians practicing in this region should be aware of evolving patterns of toxicity associated with the Southern Pacific rattlesnake."

Now that's interesting...it sounds like the snakes are evoloving their venom! Or maybe it's just the understanding of the venom that's evolving.

[DCBryan1]

Found out today there is a Pfizer antivenin awaiting FDA and another company Apavip.

[AZJeep]

Thanks for the info, my $5,0000 was kind of outdated, inflation hit antivenom too!

Reading through the CROFAB link, I realized that there are only few places who carry the antivenom. In AZ only 7 places, 4 in the Valley, one in Tucson, one in Show Low and one in La Paz. One can also fly to Vegas.
Nothing in e.g. Flagstaff, Prescott or Yuma.
And, even these hospitals do not carry full amount needed for typical treatment of one victim.
They carry just enough for starting the treatment and then, when they need more, they will get more delivered.
It is impossible to privately carry this stuff.

[wardaddy]

Almost bit on the Trace five years ago
His stuffed self adorns my baby grand now

I stepped on the head with flip flops

Teva

Heard him before I saw him

[wardaddy]

Wichita mountains in southwest Oklahoma is infested with them

Never see them as plentiful as there

And I’m Mississippian

Ours are bigger down here tough

[reasonisfaith]

Thanks for the reminder.

I’ve worked with chameleons and I know how they operate.

[anton]

I would not jump over a venomous snake.