A Sunday hike on Montecito’s Buena Vista Trail turned serious when a rattlesnake bit a woman on the ankle, but a coordinated response from firefighters and search-and-rescue crews got her off the slope and into a hospital. The bite happened roughly three-quarters of a mile up the trail, in an area with little to no cell reception, officials said. Rescuers ultimately loaded her into a Stokes basket, carried her down to the trailhead and transferred her to an ambulance.
Rescue and response
Around 3:38 p.m. Sunday, crews from the Montecito Fire Protection District were dispatched to the Buena Vista Trail for reports of an injured hiker, according to the Los Angeles Times. With no reliable cell service, the hiker managed to text a friend, who then contacted emergency services, officials said. Dispatchers told the woman to blow a whistle she was carrying so rescue teams could home in on the sound and pinpoint her location.
Montecito firefighters worked with Santa Barbara County Search & Rescue to secure the woman in a Stokes basket and carry her back down the trail. From the trailhead, she was transported by ambulance to a hospital, Noozhawk reported.
Seasonal spike and local pattern
The rescue was the second snakebite-related emergency on Montecito-area trails in recent weeks and part of a broader uptick along the South Coast, local outlets report. Statewide, the California Poison Control System logged 77 snakebite-related calls between January and March, an unusually high count for that stretch of the year, according to KSBY.
Crews also responded to a rattlesnake bite on Cold Spring Trail earlier this month, a pattern that tracks with warmer weather pulling snakes out of dormancy sooner than usual, the Santa Barbara Independent reported.
What officials recommend
Agencies are reminding trail users to stick to marked paths, wear sturdy footwear, and keep dogs leashed while wildlife activity is up, officials say. If a bite does happen, responders warn against using tourniquets, cutting the wound, trying to suck out venom, or packing the area in ice. Instead, call 9-1-1, keep the victim as still as possible, and be ready to share the exact trail location or GPS coordinates, according to guidance summarized by ABC7.
For hikers in spots with weak reception, text-to-911 or satellite messaging can be crucial. In this case, Montecito dispatchers relied on the whistle the hiker carried to guide rescuers to her.
How to prepare for local trails
Montecito Fire spokesperson Christina Atchison emphasized that clear details about where a hiker is located can dramatically speed up a rescue. “Remain vigilant and have an emergency plan in case of a bite,” she told Noozhawk.
As rattlesnake activity ramps up with warmer weather, local crews are urging residents and visitors to plan ahead, know the names of nearby trails or their GPS coordinates, and carry basic signaling tools so help can find them if something goes wrong.
