Rescuers rushed to save a female hiker who texted a loved one pleading for help after she was attacked by a rattlesnake on a Southern California trail. The Montecito Fire Department responded to reports of an injured hiker bitten by a rattlesnake around 3:38 p.m. on April 12 at Kings Canyon National Park in the Sierra Nevada Mountains.
The unidentified woman was about three-quarters of a mile up the Buena Vista Trail when she was bitten on the ankle, authorities said. She was unable to call 911 due to poor cellphone service but managed to send a text message to a loved one, who then contacted emergency services. Dispatchers instructed the woman to repeatedly blow a whistle to help rescuers locate her.
Video released by the fire department showed approximately ten responders carrying the woman to safety using a Stokes basket and wheel system, a stretcher designed for rugged terrain. She was then transported to the hospital via ambulance. An update on her condition was not immediately provided.
This incident marks the second snakebite reported on a Montecito trail this month and the seventh rattlesnake attack in Southern California in about six weeks, according to KTLA, including two fatalities.
The Montecito Fire Department urged hikers to know their location by trail name and be aware of GPS coordinates. Officials also advised those unable to call 911 to try text-to-911 or connect via satellite to reach emergency personnel.
The rescue follows another incident on April 6, when firefighters responded to the Cold Spring Trail area after a hiker was injured by a snake bite, as reported by the Santa Barbara Independent. That hiker was taken to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital by county helicopter, and their condition has not been released.
Rattlesnake encounters have surged this year in California due to unusually warm weather, experts say. The California Poison Control System reported 77 calls of rattlesnake bites in the first three months of 2026, compared to the typical 200 to 300 per year, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Greg Pauly, a reptile expert at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, explained that good plant growth has boosted rodent populations, providing ample food for snakes, while warm temperatures trigger more surface activity. Rattlesnakes tend to inhabit less developed areas, often encountered by hikers in wildlands.
California is home to seven species of rattlesnake, according to the state's Department of Fish and Wildlife, found from the coast to rural areas, including golf courses. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that about 7,000 to 8,000 people are bitten by venomous snakes annually in the U.S., with approximately five deaths, though long-term injuries occur in 10 to 44 percent of cases.
The Daily Mail has contacted Montecito Fire Department for further comment.
