Marmots at Mineral King Trailhead? What is the update?

[mattzigg]

I just got back Tuesday from a five day trip. Rangers are still recommending precautions. I can't think of a worse way too end a trip then to have marmots destroy your car. (Obviously there are worse ways). By the way, mosquitoes were not too bad. Most trails were snow free except for Precipice Lake and Black Rock Pass. Creek crossings were manageable. Some route finding was necessary at Kaweah Gap and in the Big Arroyo. Other than that, conditions were perfect.

[longri]

I just got back Tuesday from a five day trip. Rangers are still recommending precautions. I can't think of a worse way too end a trip then to have marmots destroy your car. (Obviously there are worse ways). By the way, mosquitoes were not too bad. Most trails were snow free except for Precipice Lake and Black Rock Pass. Creek crossings were manageable. Some route finding was necessary at Kaweah Gap and in the Big Arroyo. Other than that, conditions were perfect.

I can think of worse things, but yeah, it would suck.

What specifically are the rangers recommending? What did you do to your car?

Everything I've read suggests that chicken wire and tarps are often defeated by persistent marmots.

[kpeter]

I also was just there. I bought a 20' by 16' tarp, parked on it, and cinched it up. It has to be able to cover your bumpers and wheel wells at least. That seems to be what most people were doing. I also put chicken wire around the outside of the tarp but almost no one else took that added measure. I parked at the Sawtooth trailhead which is reputedly one of the worse ones, and no problems.

[longri]

Marmots are known to chew through all sorts of things. They eat leather boots. They're after your car's hoses and belts. So why would a tarp be expected to stop them?

But that's what SEKI recommends:

How can you protect your vehicle and marmots?

-Wash the outside, undercarriage, and engine compartment of your vehicle before visiting.

-Physically bl[o]ck marmots by driving over a tarp and then wrapping it around your entire vehicle. Cover the wheel wells and leave your hood up. Wrapping chicken wire around the vehicle is no longer advised, as marmots have learned to get around the wire.

-Use only non-toxic methods to prevent marmots from accessing your vehicle. Do not use any poison or substance that pose a risk to the environment, human or animal health, safety or property.


Rangers recommend using tarps that cover the wheel wells from early Spring to mid-July.

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