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My husband and I went backpacking in the Snake Mtn. Range. In the first quarter mile of our 20 mile trip we ran across this beauty. I still read the rhyme in my head "Red next to yellow, your a dead fellow".

What surprized both of us is compared to other snakes(garter, striped whip, and gopher) we caught, this one immediately acted as tame as a red tail boa.

It was the most beautiful snake I ever looked at and it was so sweet I wanted to keep it as a pet, alas didn't see any reptiles on the way back due to rain.

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-Nicole

2.1.0 collared lizards
2.0.0 side-blotched lizards
1.0.0 desert tarantula
small tropical fishes

It's color is so bright compared to the landscape I have to wonder if someone didn't let the pet go here.

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-Nicole

2.1.0 collared lizards
2.0.0 side-blotched lizards
1.0.0 desert tarantula
small tropical fishes

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>>My husband and I went backpacking in the Snake Mtn. Range. In the first quarter mile of our 20 mile trip we ran across this beauty. I still read the rhyme in my head "Red next to yellow, your a dead fellow".
>>
>>What surprized both of us is compared to other snakes(garter, striped whip, and gopher) we caught, this one immediately acted as tame as a red tail boa.
>>
>>It was the most beautiful snake I ever looked at and it was so sweet I wanted to keep it as a pet, alas didn't see any reptiles on the way back due to rain.
>>
>>
>>-----
>>-Nicole
>>
>>2.1.0 collared lizards
>>2.0.0 side-blotched lizards
>>1.0.0 desert tarantula
>>small tropical fishes
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Chris Harrison
Does anyone else here think that these scrolling signature lines are stupid?

in the Mt. Moriah Wilderness of Utah where we found this one, and Great Basin National Park which is crossing the border into Nevada.
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-Nicole

2.1.0 collared lizards
2.0.0 side-blotched lizards
1.0.0 desert tarantula
small tropical fishes

That is a very good find! Are you saying you found it in Utah where the Snake mountains slightly cross the border? I can see there are approximately 5 canyons in that range that come into Utah. The Utah portion of those canyons is also quite low in elevation for pyros and your pictures indicate atypical habitat as well. All of that is very good information. The Utah Division of Wildlife resources is currently conducting a distribution study manned by volunteer surveyors for the Utah mountain kingsnake. I have been involved in this survey for the last 3 years.

That sighting and your accompanying picture and locality information would be valuable for this survey since they have never been documented from there. I am going to send you an e-mail detailing how you can report your sighting to the DWR.
I also know a biologist at Great Basin National park who would also be very interested in your information. I will forward you his e-mail as well.

Thanks for sharing your great find!

Brian Eagar

>>in the Mt. Moriah Wilderness of Utah where we found this one, and Great Basin National Park which is crossing the border into Nevada.
>>-----
>>-Nicole
>>
>>2.1.0 collared lizards
>>2.0.0 side-blotched lizards
>>1.0.0 desert tarantula
>>small tropical fishes

and that the pyro was in Nevada so I won't bother sending you his e-mail address.

Brian

>>That is a very good find! Are you saying you found it in Utah where the Snake mountains slightly cross the border? I can see there are approximately 5 canyons in that range that come into Utah. The Utah portion of those canyons is also quite low in elevation for pyros and your pictures indicate atypical habitat as well. All of that is very good information. The Utah Division of Wildlife resources is currently conducting a distribution study manned by volunteer surveyors for the Utah mountain kingsnake. I have been involved in this survey for the last 3 years.
>>
>>That sighting and your accompanying picture and locality information would be valuable for this survey since they have never been documented from there. I am going to send you an e-mail detailing how you can report your sighting to the DWR.
>>I also know a biologist at Great Basin National park who would also be very interested in your information. I will forward you his e-mail as well.
>>
>>Thanks for sharing your great find!
>>
>>Brian Eagar
>>
>>>>in the Mt. Moriah Wilderness of Utah where we found this one, and Great Basin National Park which is crossing the border into Nevada.
>>>>-----
>>>>-Nicole
>>>>
>>>>2.1.0 collared lizards
>>>>2.0.0 side-blotched lizards
>>>>1.0.0 desert tarantula
>>>>small tropical fishes

What a beautiful snake. I've herped for many years, rarely see more than a Garter. Have never come across a King.

They told me that they seen a kingsnake up that creek once, and it was two years ago. I feel so lucky.
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-Nicole

2.1.0 collared lizards
2.0.0 side-blotched lizards
1.0.0 desert tarantula
small tropical fishes

Very cool Local for a Pyro. Most of them are caught further south. You are luckier, from what I understand, than you think. Good job
Jason

...unbelievable. What will you do for an encore??
I would love to see a pyro in the wild.
:Mark

That is definitely the far northwest end of their range, and pretty low elevation too. Seeing a wild pyro is always a treat. Great find!

Greg

Was it in Utah, or Nevada? Regardless, that is one area where there are few pyro specimens from. They are probably common up there, but no one spends much time looking for them. Did you find the snake in
the flat drier habitat that is pictured, or was it near some rocks?
You should probably report the find and submit a photo to the state game and fish agency where you found it; I'm sure they would be interested.

FH

It was on the trail and ran into a bush along the trail. Basically what you see in the picture was the habitat it was in, returned to the bush it hid in after 5-10 minutes. My husband showed me the Snake Mtn Range on the Map. Part of it is the Nat'l Park and the rest in Mt Moriah Wilderness all in Nevada, but bordering Utah.

I talked to the herpetologist for Great Basin National Park today. This was all just very exciting. Isn't common in this area, but has been seen the most in this canyon.
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-Nicole

2.1.0 collared lizards
2.0.0 side-blotched lizards
1.0.0 desert tarantula
small tropical fishes

That is a great find! I'm sorry I don't understand, in one post I read it sounds like the snake was found in Utah in another it sounds like it was found in Nevada. Which state was it found in again? Either way great find.

I was confused about the Snake Mtn. Range. I thought that the part that was in the National Park was in Nevada, and that's why the park didn't encompass the whole range. But my husband showed me it on the map and Mt. Moriah Wilderness which makes up the other part of the range is in Nevada as well. The snake is from Nevada; albeit very close to the border
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-Nicole

2.1.0 collared lizards
2.0.0 side-blotched lizards
1.0.0 desert tarantula
small tropical fishes

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Really nice find, and great pic. It looks like a Utah Mountain Kingsnake. was the pyro under rocks or out on the trail. thanks for sharing the pics with us, dave flanagan

He was on the trail when I seen him and crawled into the bush to the left of me on the first photo.
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-Nicole

2.1.0 collared lizards
2.0.0 side-blotched lizards
1.0.0 desert tarantula
small tropical fishes

....Nicole, yours is a most interesting post. Surely you didnt take those photos right at the spot where you found the snake....did you??? It looks much more arid than typical Mtn. king habitat.
There is also a very good chance your find extends the known range for this spps.
Would you be able to put a spot on the map for your best estimate of where you found it?
Congratulations on a very fortouitous find...
Cheers, RxR

My husband and I like to handle wild reptiles and amphibians, but I do believe it very important to return them to exactly where they were found. In this case the very bush it crawled into, but a few feet away doesn't hurt.

I have contacted the herpetologist located in the mountain range and gave him the information he requested for the conditions the snake was found.
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-Nicole

2.1.0 collared lizards
2.0.0 side-blotched lizards
1.0.0 desert tarantula
small tropical fishes