Where have people had trouble with marmots/porcupines?

Trailhead condition requests, questions, alerts, etc.
Forum rules
  • This is a mountaineering forum, so please keep your posts on-topic. Posts do not all have to be related to the 14ers but should at least be mountaineering-related.
  • Personal attacks and confrontational behavior will result in removal from the forum at the discretion of the administrators.
  • Do not use this forum to advertise, sell photos or other products or promote a commercial website.
  • Posts will be removed at the discretion of the site administrator or moderator(s), including: Troll posts, posts pushing political views or religious beliefs, and posts with the purpose of instigating conflict within the forum.
For more details, please see the Terms of Use you agreed to when joining the forum.
Post Reply
User avatar
Cool Hand Luke
Posts: 189
Joined: 3/14/2011
14ers: 58  1  5 
13ers: 105
Trip Reports (6)
 

Re: Where have people had trouble with marmots/porcupines?

Post by Cool Hand Luke »

I had trouble at Navajo Lakes TH for the Wilsons, a marmot crawled behind my tire while I was 10 ft away from the car. Please do not use mothballs at the Navajo Lakes TH, as it is extremely close to the West Delores River and would drain directly into it.

The marmots were also really bad at Navajo Lake and near the ROA Saddle; they ate a pair of shoes and all my food stashed in the mine cart near the saddle. They even hopped on my bivy sack around dusk; this was early May so my gear may have been one of the first meals of the season. I would strongly recommend using a bear bag and suspending anything they may chew when you leave camp.
User avatar
EZSide
Posts: 113
Joined: 3/26/2010
14ers: 11 
13ers: 2
Trip Reports (7)
 
Contact:

Re: Where have people had trouble with marmots/porcupines?

Post by EZSide »

DArcyS wrote:Does anybody know if the porcupines and marmots go after the same thing on the cars?

I had a porcupine chew on my car, but I heard it because it sounded like he was going after some metal.

Marmots seem to go after wires because, as I've heard, the wires are made out of soy protein. Really? Is that true?
My brother and I speculated that the wires are appealing because they are rodents and a copper wire may leave a sensation on their teeth (bite a piece of copper wire sometime) - perhaps they even get the DC 12v sensation, or perhaps they just can't tell the difference between wires and hoses and they like the taste of antifreeze (sweet) but toxic in a large enough amount. The soy protein sounds like BS to me.

In the end it doesn't matter why. Rodents chew (I'm assuming like many rodents their teeth don't stop growing) and if they chew on your car you've got trouble.

I heard a rumor that if you block your hood open a little to let in light they are less likely to think its a cozy place to take up residence. I may try that sometime. Be sure to tie it down however to keep unexpected wind from doing damage ...
"There are times when the most complicated actions are suddenly summed up, distilled, and strike you with illuminating clarity" - Maurice Herzog
User avatar
JeffR
Posts: 774
Joined: 8/15/2005
14ers: 31 
13ers: 175
Trip Reports (13)
 

Re: Where have people had trouble with marmots/porcupines?

Post by JeffR »

Works equally well on carjackers and marmots.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQbHnLSasfQ
To recognize the beauty in sadness, without playing host to the pain...
- Under the Sun, "Reflections"
User avatar
cougar
Posts: 1181
Joined: 8/9/2007
14ers: 58  2 
13ers: 135 2
Trip Reports (10)
 
Contact:

Re: Where have people had trouble with marmots/porcupines?

Post by cougar »

DSC03712.JPG
DSC03712.JPG (119.36 KiB) Viewed 2824 times
my setup - a bit shorter chicken wire, used rebar all along the bottom and stuck in the holes to hold it down (3-4 ft rods), and some gardening stakes - the ones with the hoops on the end, using rocks to hold down the hoops. I also put out the rodent repellent all around the edge of this. I think you need both as a deterrent.
SkiBikeClimb99
Posts: 169
Joined: 4/12/2011
Trip Reports (0)
 

Re: Where have people had trouble with marmots/porcupines?

Post by SkiBikeClimb99 »

35's and a 3.5" OME lift!

I've done the same with chicken wire. Never had any success with coyote urine...
User avatar
flintster
Posts: 93
Joined: 8/10/2009
14ers: 45 
13ers: 23
Trip Reports (0)
 

Re: Where have people had trouble with marmots/porcupines?

Post by flintster »

DArcyS wrote:Marmots seem to go after wires because, as I've heard, the wires are made out of soy protein. Really? Is that true?
Yes, my 4Runner got chewed last year and the Toyota dealership said that the hoses/wires are coated in a soy based material. Well, at least the emission system related hoses that I found were damaged they said that about.
User avatar
GregMiller
Posts: 1001
Joined: 6/16/2011
14ers: 37  4  1 
13ers: 30
Trip Reports (5)
 

Re: Where have people had trouble with marmots/porcupines?

Post by GregMiller »

We got harassed by porcupines three times on Saturday night at Snowmass Lake, trying to get into our packs/tents. Loud noises and headlamps drove them off temporarily. They did leave behind some quills on the ground, so be careful walking around barefoot up there. Didn't see any trouble with the car when we got back to the TH.
Still Here
been scared and battered. My hopes the wind done scattered. Snow has friz me, Sun has baked me,
Looks like between 'em they done Tried to make me
Stop laughin', stop lovin', stop livin'-- But I don't care! I'm still here!
Langston Hughes
peter303
Posts: 3535
Joined: 6/17/2009
14ers: 34 
13ers: 12
Trip Reports (3)
 

Re: Where have people had trouble with marmots/porcupines?

Post by peter303 »

Mineral King trailhead, California
User avatar
hoodayer
Posts: 24
Joined: 8/17/2012
14ers: 58  2 
13ers: 45 1
Trip Reports (5)
 

Re: Where have people had trouble with marmots/porcupines?

Post by hoodayer »

Nice setups on those vehicles. I keep going back and forth between "I've never seen other vehicles wrapped in wire, so don't bother" and "All it takes is once and you're absolutely screwed". I'll probably suck it up and make it happen -- it will at least give me piece of mind while on the trails.

Thanks for all the info, peeps!
User avatar
Trotter
Posts: 1409
Joined: 6/5/2013
14ers: 58  5 
13ers: 220 2 8
Trip Reports (10)
 

Re: Where have people had trouble with marmots/porcupines?

Post by Trotter »

DArcyS wrote:
Marmots seem to go after wires because, as I've heard, the wires are made out of soy protein. Really? Is that true?

The plastic around the wire could have soy as part of the ingredients.
After climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb. -Nelson Mandela
Whenever I climb I am followed by a dog called Ego. -Nietzsche
User avatar
geojed
Posts: 932
Joined: 6/30/2009
14ers: 58  8 
13ers: 138 13
Trip Reports (29)
 

Re: Where have people had trouble with marmots/porcupines?

Post by geojed »

I've heard it's the salt residue from winter driving that they are attracted to. When they wake up from hibernation they have a sodium deficiency so anything with salt on it tastes yummy. This is also why they are worse earlier in the summer.
• It's by getting away from life that we can see it most clearly... It's by depriving ourselves of the myriad of everyday experiences that we renew our appreciation for them...I've learned from my experiences in the mountains that I love life. — Dave Johnston
• Mountains are not climbed merely to reach a geographical location — but as personal and spiritual challenges to the participants. — David Stein
Ranger6223
Posts: 17
Joined: 1/20/2014
Trip Reports (0)
 

Re: Where have people had trouble with marmots/porcupines?

Post by Ranger6223 »

Sonab*tch! I'm heading up to the Mt Yale area in July. My plan is to leave my rental car parked near a TH for the week while I do basically a "loop trip".

Didn't think to worry about critters chewing up the car.

Can anyone verify if the urine sprays or critter repellants from Home Depot work?
Post Reply