A female hiker was airlifted to a hospital Monday morning after being bitten by a snake on the Cold Springs Trail near Montecito Peak, according to Santa Barbara County Search & Rescue.
Responders from SBCSAR, Montecito Fire, and the Santa Barbara County Air Support Unit were dispatched at 10:55 a.m. Copter 308 located the 22-year-old female hiker on the Ridge Trail.
The hiker had made it approximately 1.5 miles on the trail towards Montecito Peak when she was bitten on the ankle.
While the species of snake was not confirmed, her symptoms prompted a full emergency response for a venomous snakebite, according to the Montecito Fire Department.
Montecito Fire paramedics notified Cottage Hospital immediately to prepare for the incoming patient. Firefighters on Montecito Fire Squad 91 located the patient on the trail and began treatment until Santa Barbara County Fire Air Support Unit, Copter 308, arrived and airlifted her to the hospital just before noon.
With warmer weather bringing increased rattlesnake activity on local trails and in the backcountry, officials are urging hikers, runners, and families to stay alert and prepared.
Rattlesnakes are generally not aggressive but will defend themselves if threatened; most bites occur when people get too close or attempt to handle a snake.
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Safety reminders from SBCSAR:
- Stay on established trails; avoid tall grass and brush.
- Watch where you step and place your hands, especially around rocks and logs.
- Do not approach, move, or disturb a snake.
- Keep children and dogs close and under control.
- Be extra cautious during the warmer parts of the day.
If you encounter a rattlesnake:
- Stop, remain calm, and slowly back away, giving the snake plenty of space.
- Do not attempt to interact with it.
If a bite occurs:
- Call 911 immediately.
- Stay calm and limit movement to slow the spread of venom.
- Keep the affected limb immobilized and at or slightly below heart level.
- Remove tight clothing or jewelry near the bite area.
- Do not apply ice, cut the wound, or attempt to suck out the venom.
SBCSAR emphasized that early activation of emergency services is critical and said partner agencies stand ready to respond. “Stay aware, stay prepared, and enjoy the outdoors safely,” the team advised.
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A sixth person has been bitten by a rattlesnake in southern California’s Ventura county in just under a month, two-thirds of the number of people bitten in all of 2025.
Andrew Dowd, a Ventura county fire department spokesperson, said paramedics responded to a call on Sunday for a man who had been bitten by a rattlesnake. The victim said he had been bitten near California State University Channel Islands.
The victim was transported to a hospital with antivenom and was in stable condition on Sunday. In 2025, the county recorded nine rattlesnake bites.
There have been two fatalities from rattlesnake bites in southern California this year. On 14 March, a 46-year-old woman died after she was bitten by a rattlesnake while hiking in Wildwood regional park. In Orange county, 25-year-old Julian Hernandez died after being bitten while biking near the Quail Hill Trailhead on 4 March.
Wildwood Park and Channel Island Univ are rattlesnake hotbeds. I know the areas very well. There has always been an abundance of rattlers near the University. My aunt and uncle worked at the mental hospital at the site there for 20 years. i lived across the freeway from it for about 10 years as an adult and would hike and bike back there a lot. I’ve seen more RS there and in wildwood than i have ever seen in the back country trails. Wildwood is swarming with them on any given warm morning or evening.
Bad year for hikers vs. rattlesnakes. Tons of vegetation growth on our trails means you’re gambling out there.
Yep, let em’ die, amiright? Why should I have to pay to medevac these ignorant fools.
Don’t be foolish. Nature is metal.
And you’re floppy.
so we’re supposed to hide inside, right? you do realize when you get in your car and put around, you’re at greater risk of death and dismemberment than any amount of time on a trail. fact.
Republicans spend their lives in utter pearl-clutching fear of everything. It is what their leaders have programmed them for.
True dat!
Grampa so cringe
BASIC – of course you’re one of the first to come here to whine. Should SAR and all other emergency services be cut so your tax pennies aren’t paying for this type of rescue?
How would YOU (in all your “years” of “experience”) handle a venomous bite while in the frontcountry? Walk yourself down?
Brilliant logic. If you ever need medical assistance they should probably not send an ambulance as that would have to be covered by taxpayers.
Basic, you’ve gotten worse than beeknee with rocket scientist analysis like this.
you gamble just leaving your house and driving to the corner, Basic. its no reason to live in fear and be an agoraphobe.
I always wonder why some of these hikers listen to music or whatever via ear buds while on the trails. If you don’t hear the snake’s warning, then you just might get bit. One would think nature itself would be engaging enough, but no, apparently not.
Basic, i hike every weekend (saturday from 6am until 8pm on most weekends, part of my SAR training). i have been an avid hiker for over 45 years. i have not once, EVER, seen a hiker with earbuds in. Where are you getting this from?
KNein – BeeKnee makes up stuff like this after getting into the boxed wine. They find it amusing to disparage hikers and especially those hiking in need of rescue. It’s really quite odd.
ah, my bad, i meant to type Bees, not Basic. same thing though…
Thousands upon thousands of hikers have taken to our trails who have never seen a bear, have never seen a rattlesnake, have never seen a mountain lion, a pygmy owl, or any number of other things that inhabit our local environment. Some (lucky) people have seen one or more of these animals. Not seeing them and suggesting that bears, mountain lions, and such do not live amongst us is Illogical “logic” as my wise grandfather would say. Bears at UCSB? No Way! Mountain lions downtown Santa Barbara? No way. Sorry….”Way.”
Sounds like more feeble minded logic and dotard analysis for someone’s strange personal amusement. Grocery stores should do reality checks when selling customers boxed wine.
Sacjon: You may find the answer to some of your questions in this interesting article:
https://footstepsintheforest.com/earbuds-while-hiking-yea-or-nay/
People shouldn’t avoid hiking simply because there are rattlesnakes out there. Just be smart about it and avoid wearing headphones or ear buds as you wander around rattlesnake country. Also, if you bring a safety whistle along with you, be sure to have it within easy reach and not buried at the bottom of your daypack.
Hiker was experienced and prepared and not hiking with earbuds. And as a point of pride she was annoyed the author of the article said she was only 1.5 miles into the hike when in fact she had summited. She fought off unconsciousness long enough to vector in the SAR heli. There is no blame on a random snake bite.
TODD – thank you for the update. Please apologize to the hiker on our behalf for the imbecilic liars, morons and trolls that curse this site with their daily barrage of idiocy.
One of them even tries to tell us he/she is a doctor! Can you imagine that?