Marmots do damage at Yosemite

[ERIC]

Marmots do damage at Yosemite

Associated Press
Last update: November 14, 2005 at 9:03 AM
http://www.startribune.com/stories/1513/5725378.html


YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK, CALIF. - Yellow-bellied marmots are large, furry rodents -- about the size of cats, related to groundhogs. But considering their relatively small size, they've done some major damage at Yosemite National Park.

The critters have undermined granite boulders that hold up a retaining wall built almost 50 years ago at Olmsted Point, which offers a sweeping view of a glacially carved canyon, peaks and domes in Yosemite.

"Apparently, they love to burrow into the soil around the rocks. The wall had been compromised," said Yosemite Association President Bob Hansen.

Construction of a cement wall is underway. The work will be paid for by the Yosemite Fund, a nonprofit fund-raising group, which hopes to complete the work this year, if the weather cooperates.

Thousands of people stop at Olmsted each summer for a rare view of magnificent backcountry landscape without the grueling hike.

"Along with Glacier Point and Yosemite Falls, it is one of the most popular places for visitors," park spokesman Scott Gediman said.

[JM21760]

Hmmmmmm, Ya think the Marmots will start chowing down on automobile belts and hoses, like they do in Mineral King? I've been told by my Brother in Law who has a cabin in MK, and the rangers there, this is the only area in the Sierra that Marmots do this. Question to everyone out there, have you ever had Marmot damage while parked at an MK trailhead? Monarch/Sawtooth TH seems to be the worst. At my Brother in Law's cabin, across the East Fork, we would park with no damage at all. The Silver City store used to sell emergency fan belts years ago, but I don't know if they still do. There are true stories of MK Marmots riding all the way to SoCal under the hood! You can tell the folks who know about this by the chicken wire baskets wrapped around their cars, with possible moth ball "inhalers" underneath the chassis. Cheap insurance.

[Snow Nymph]

We were in Mineral King with a big group and everyone 'protected' their vehicles ( http://community.webshots.com/photo/802 ... 4538aaBowA ) I used mothballs and ammonia, and left the hood cracked (no wrapping or chickenwire). They didn't touch my 4Runner. A snowboarding friend diaper wrapped their 4Runner, and on the way home found out the marmots chewed thru some wires ($500 damage)

Earlier that first morning we heard something crawling around (we were sleeping inside), and when SnowDude opened the hood, the marmot jumped out. They like dark places, so just pop the hood open and let some light in.

Here's a marmot (photo of newspaper, so its not sharp): http://community.webshots.com/photo/525 ... 3857VSvlBP

[JM21760]

Erosion Control. Yeah man! That's what happened to all the old signs at Lower Monarch.