Читать книгу Afoot & Afield: Orange County. A Comprehensive Hiking Guide онлайн

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Special Hazards

Other than getting lost or pinned down by a rare sudden storm, you may face these three most common hazards in the foothill and mountain areas: poison oak, ticks, and rattlesnakes.

Poison oak, in bush or vine form, is common along many hillsides and canyons below 5,000 feet. It often grows thickly on the banks of streamcourses, where it seems to prefer the semishade of live and scrub oaks. Learn to recognize its distinctive three-leafed structure, and avoid touching it with your skin or clothing. Poison oak is deciduous, losing its leaves usually in summer or fall, but the bare stems harbor some of the urushiol that causes an allergic reaction in some people. If you cannot avoid contact with the poison oak plant, thick pants (such as jeans) and a long-sleeved shirt will serve as fair barriers for protecting your skin. Remove these clothes as soon as you’re finished hiking, and make sure you wash them carefully afterward. Take a shower as soon as possible. And be aware that dogs can pick up the urushiol on their fur, so wash your pup when you get home if he brushed up against the plant.