A Colorado man had a fatal encounter with a rattlesnake while hiking with a friend on Saturday. The 4-foot snake managed to bite Daniel Hoh's ankle, an endurance athlete. After being nipped by the snake, Hoh sat down while his friend called for help. Unfortunately, they were 1.5 miles from the trailhead in Golden, Colorado, however, a doctor on the trail did stop and render aid.
<img src="https://8ch.net/file_store/c3f956e82be283527373465b1c5de4ea4009a58baca3a582eba7d28b0d84a3ac.jpg" style="max-height:640px;max-width:360px;">
<span style="margin-top:15px;rgba(42,51,6,0.7);font-size:12px;">Credit: Glenwood Springs Post Independent</span>
Emergency responders made the hike in about 22 minutes and they rushed him to the hospital was but it was too late. The physically fit young athlete succumbed to the rattlesnake's venom. The official cause of death is still pending while an autopsy is performed. There are many signs warning hikers outside of Denver to be wary of the venomous snakes but their bites are rarely fatal. One local says, "I have seen rattlesnakes. You really have to use your senses. Watch for them, listen to them, and speak with other people coming the opposite way."
Hoh competed in triathlons and even liked to introduce his friends to the sport. His training partner, Heather Gollnick, called him "vibrant" and a man with a "huge smile and this energy that just made you happy. It was contagious to everyone." A state reptile specialist says hikers should leave the snakes alone if they ever encounter them and don't try to kill it.
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Source: http://www.newser.com/story/249795/endurance-athlete-dies-after-snake-bite-while-hiking.html
