Marmot Harassment
- maverick
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Re: Marmot Harassment
Back in the early 90's at Pear Lake met 3 brothers that come to this lake every
2-3 years as a kind of a family reunion. All are avid backpackers living in different
parts of the US.
Well during a discussion around dinner one of the brothers starts telling me about a
story of how one day as they were coming back to the tent they noticed some movement
inside the tent. Thinking is was a bear they started to make noise to scare if out
of the tent, suddenly there was a flash from inside the tent and a marmot scurried out
from inside running into and under some rock near the solar toilet at the lake.
When reaching the front of the tent they had noticed that the zipper was left open
and that there had been no damage to the tent itself but the inside of the tent had
been turned upside down. They also notice that there camera had been pulled from
inside the backpack and had ended up towards the tent door. Some how the marmot
had removed the camera and while pulling it and fumbling around with it accidentally
pressed the shutter the flash went off, scaring the animal. The funny part was that
one of the brothers had a picture in his wallet of a brown fuzzy creature, which was
of coarse the marmot, it had taken a self portrait while in the act!
2-3 years as a kind of a family reunion. All are avid backpackers living in different
parts of the US.
Well during a discussion around dinner one of the brothers starts telling me about a
story of how one day as they were coming back to the tent they noticed some movement
inside the tent. Thinking is was a bear they started to make noise to scare if out
of the tent, suddenly there was a flash from inside the tent and a marmot scurried out
from inside running into and under some rock near the solar toilet at the lake.
When reaching the front of the tent they had noticed that the zipper was left open
and that there had been no damage to the tent itself but the inside of the tent had
been turned upside down. They also notice that there camera had been pulled from
inside the backpack and had ended up towards the tent door. Some how the marmot
had removed the camera and while pulling it and fumbling around with it accidentally
pressed the shutter the flash went off, scaring the animal. The funny part was that
one of the brothers had a picture in his wallet of a brown fuzzy creature, which was
of coarse the marmot, it had taken a self portrait while in the act!
Professional Sierra Landscape Photographer
I don't give out specific route information, my belief is that it takes away from the whole adventure spirit of a trip, if you need every inch planned out, you'll have to get that from someone else.
Have a safer backcountry experience by using the HST ReConn Form 2.0, named after Larry Conn, a HST member: http://reconn.org
I don't give out specific route information, my belief is that it takes away from the whole adventure spirit of a trip, if you need every inch planned out, you'll have to get that from someone else.
Have a safer backcountry experience by using the HST ReConn Form 2.0, named after Larry Conn, a HST member: http://reconn.org
- lambertiana
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Re: Marmot Harassment
Funny you should mention Mineral King, because the most persistent marmots I have ever encountered were at Monarch Lake. I play games with them there - set my pack down, and move away about 15', and wait. Soon a marmot will pop up, look at my pack, look at me, then take a few steps toward my pack. This is repeated over and over until the marmot reaches my pack. Then I stand up and take a step toward my pack, whereupon the marmot scurries back down a hole. I sit back down, and the process begins all over again. You can do this for hours at Monarch Lake.
Once when I came back from summiting Sawtooth, I found that the hip belt on my pack was all chewed up. They sure like salt.
Once when I came back from summiting Sawtooth, I found that the hip belt on my pack was all chewed up. They sure like salt.
- Cloudy
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Re: Marmot Harassment
Pear Lake - lol. I was laid out flat next to a rock when a marmot popped out of a hole under the granite boulder, looked at me, scurried a bit closer and took a whizz next to me (I think that it would have whizzed on me if I were asleep...). I of course ran it off and took a whizz on its whizz to mark my territory and didn't see it again :-)
- Herm
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Re: Marmot Harassment
I'll chime in for Mineral King - Eagle Lake. On a dayhike from Cold Springs, came across two harried backpackers who were bailing out of Eagle Lake wearing sandals - their boots had been destoyed by marmots. At Eagle Lake, while fishing on south shore, marmots went after my daypack laid down not 10 feet away. They were relentless, to the point that I just kept the pack on my back. It was neat to see a golden eagle come screaming in above the lake, to hear the pikas "ack ack" their warning, and to see the marmots dive for cover.
I am not in a hurry, so don't be hasty.
- DoyleWDonehoo
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Re: Marmot Harassment
Marmots ate my chair.
Doyle W. Donehoo
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- juscro
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Re: Marmot Harassment
light snow camping at Bishop pass on memorial day several years ago. day trip traversed to thunderbolt col and came back to our tent with a friendly marmot hanging around. Took some pictures. Went to my tent and grumbled because I left the zipper open. Crouched on my knees and stuck my head into the tent to rummage around. Noticed odd condensation I stuck my hand in that must have pooled in the tent until I smelled my hands...marmot pee. Popped my head out to exact vengeance on the varmint but it was gone.
- rlown
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Re: Marmot Harassment
i'm not sure why, but that's the funniest thing I read all day!DoyleWDonehoo wrote:Marmots ate my chair.
- SSSdave
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Re: Marmot Harassment
Some of you guys are so mean!
It is true there are a few rotten apples among us.
Here let this young gal give you all a smooch and make up.
- rlown
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Re: Marmot Harassment
I kind of agree.. It is his rock!
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- Herm
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Re: Marmot Harassment
I wonder if the fur would have any utility in tying fishing flies? A "marmot" caddis, for instance. Those two pictures put that thought in my head.
I am not in a hurry, so don't be hasty.
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