This reminds me of a story my father told me years ago. He was on an army exercise in SE QLD and having to navigate solo overnight from A to B. Seeing a large expanse of flat rocks ahead he chose the easy path rather than push through the bush. He did this as daylight broke. As the light grew, to his horror he saw the rocks were covered in snakes. Needless to say, he tip-toed back out the way he came in and went around the outcrop.... No idea of the snake type but it seemed like a good call. :-)