Mount Charleston and Cold Creek

One thing I haven't seen mentioned is Mount Charleston. Especially in the summer, I enjoy a quick drive out to Mount Charleston. It only takes about an hour, maybe an hour and a half. There are lots of nice hiking trails that range from easy to difficult. There are nice picnic spots out there. Grab some sandwiches from Subway or a nice deli, head out to Mount Charleston, enjoy nature, and eat lunch. It's a nice way to enjoy the day, and get out of the heat of the city. In the winter time, I know there is skiing up on Mount Charleston as well, although I haven't personally taken part in that yet. But in the summer time, I do enjoy heading up there, having a picnic, doing a bit of hiking, and then heading back to town for a nap before I hit the craps tables. :)

Not too much farther from Mount Charleston is Spring Creek. The town itself is nothing to visit, but on the way to Spring Creek, you may see the "wild" horses the area is known for. I use "wild" in quotation marks because if you stop your vehicle to take pictures of them, they will walk up to you looking for handouts. And I don't mean spare change. :) I have never tried feeding them since I always worry that a wild animal will get sick from something a city-boy feeds them, but they are cool to look at and take pictures of. I petted one on the nose once, but I will admit that sometimes I worry that one of them will bite me. Is it possible for wild horses to have rabies? The best part of driving up to Spring Creek is that the road that takes you there goes by the High Desert State Prison. If you have friends or a date who's never been, it's fun to get them in the car and not tell them where you are going. As they see the prison coming into view, and then see that you are turning on the road that heads to the prison, it usually tends to freak them out. I usually tell them I have family to visit. :)

Regarding rabies, it is possible for any mammal to get them, but it is extremely rare for any wild animal other than skunks, foxes, wolves, raccoons, and bats to get rabies. There are a few I've missed I'm sure, but contrary to popular belief, rats for example almost never carry rabies. Bats seem to qualify as the carrier that winds up infecting humans with a bite, sometimes the victim doesnt realize the risk and doesnt go to get shots. Did you see the basketball player who handled the bat? He wound up getting rabies shots! Oh, and people get infected by their own pets sometimes.

A normal acting wild horse would be as close to zero risk for rabies as could be imagined.

I'm an outdoorsman and have gotten interested in this subject. Link: I'm sure you would like to see the above statements backed up.

Mount Charleston in what state?

The Mount Charleston that I'm speaking of is in Nevada. It's North on the 95.

When I was a kid, I got bit by a dog at a lake. I was taken to the emergency room, where there was need of rabies and tetnus shots. I got really worried that something was going to happen to the dog. (Ok, I didn't much like the dog for biting me, but I still recognize that dogs are people's pets. Besides, I walked through its camp site and probably scared it, instead of sticking to trails like I should have.) Do they still have to euthanize pets for rabies?

Quote: konceptum

Do they still have to euthanize pets for rabies?

That's what is usually recommended it seems. If the dog had its shots it would not be put down.

If anyone ever got rabies, it was a death sentence, no exceptions, until recently. Even now the odds of surviving are extremely bad. Hey, sidetracked thread on topic after all!