Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Question on marmots.

Are they a problem to worry about? I am planning my 1st Mt Whitney accent this summer. I am planning a 2 day trip on the Main Whitney Trail and camping overnight at Trail camp.I have been reading about how the marmots will chew through tents, packs etc.Any helpful advice to keep them out of the gear?

Since bear cans are required on the trail anyway, as long as all food, trash, and other smelly things are in the bear can you are ok. Keep food out of the tent, and consider leaving pack pockets open so critters can crawl in without chewing.

I stayed 2 nights at trail camp over the weekend of Oct 7th last year. Did'nt have a problem with the critters but if you want to be on the safe side you could leave your tent and pack unzipped while you summit to prevent damage. phil

Thanks. Do you have to leave your tent open at night while sleeping so they don't chew through or do they leave your tent alone if you are in it?

<font size=5 color=#3399ff>On the lookout for your arrival...</font>


<img src="http://image53.webshots.com/653/6/55/82/2386655820058316307TOEMJY_ph.jpg?action=&track_pagetag=/page/photo/outdoors/hikingbackpacking&track_action=/Shortcuts/FullSize" />

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Went up for a 4 days at Cottonwood Lakes & New Army Pass and then swung over to the portal to do MR for 3 days. No problem whatsoever. The only time they ever bothered me was at Pear Lake. They're more of an irritant than a problem. Do note that they do seem to find urine tasty. Do your bizniz far from camp.

If all of your food and scented items are in your bear canister and are away from your tent, and if your tent doesn't itself have much of the smell of those items, then you might consider leaving the door zipped closed. (You could leave your opened pack outside the tent.)

I have heard of very few people whose tents were chewed into but of a fair number who, leaving the door open, have had marmots poop or pee in their tents.

I haven't had any issues with marmots around Whitney. The worst place I have ever seen for them is Monarch Lake. They will come up and dive into your pack with you standing 10 feet away. Last year I left my pack by my tent while I summited Sawtooth, and I thought I was safe because I put all my food in the bear canister and opened the pockets. When I came back down, I discovered that a marmot had chewed away on the foam padding where the pack rides on my back.

An ongoing joke by my "friends" concerning a Nalgene water bottle and insulation sleeve that I left up at Trail Crest:

"Are you going to go back up and get it?" - Rick Kent, when we were several hundred feet, vertical, from TC.

"Why don't you just hike up there and get it?" - TT, during the cold snap that sent temps down low to sub-zero.

Anyway, I did finally retrieve the bottle this weekend. The bottle didn't burst, but something (probably the same crow that had its way with the pack that was left unattended when BeachAV8R and I were up there in October) chewed at the insulation sleeve.

Last summer our group only had one problem with marmots. One guy had his food in his bear box but chose to leave his tent open at Trail Camp while summiting. He came back to find "gifts" inside left by the critters.

The rest of us either summited with our packs & tents closed, or in my case summited with my camelbak, left my backpack outside my tent, all food in bear box, tent closed and had no incidents.

norma

Those "gifts" should be no suprize. Until we develop wi-fi with sufficient range to penetrate into the wilderness, how can we expect the marmots to be current with the Whitney-zone 'carry it out' issue on this message board.

Dale B. Dalrymple
http://dbdimages.com

Like they say, ingnorance of the law is no excuse!

Don't forget to protect your vehicle from Marmots:

<a href="http://www.rickkent.net/ViewerPlus/viewphoto.asp?ID=13878"> [img]http://www.rickkent.net/ViewerPlus/sendbinarydb.aspx?ID=13878&width=500[/img]</a>

-Rick

Rick Kent's picture must be Mineral King. Is that big blue thing like a giant garbage bag that one drives into? If there weren't unprotected cars around that were easier marks, it seems that the marmots would probably chew through those blue baggies if they wanted to. Or maybe the owners are fumigating their cars while they hike. Nah.

Yes that's Mineral King. Some people seem to go to extremes apparently.

-Rick