Hiking can be, and should be, an adventure. However, most don't want it to be a dangerous activity. Deadly snakes can add some anxiety for the every day hiker. In the New York, certain venomous snake sightings are on the rare side, maybe until this year.
Imagine going on vacation with your family and then settling in on your new confines only to discover a giant rattlesnake trapped under a tote. How quickly would your vacation be over?
This happened to a family while vacationing recently in Warren County. I don't know that it cut their vacation short, but it surely had them rattled for a while.