Seasonality of Marmy / Porky Vehicle Wire Chewing at THs
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- PaulVee
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Seasonality of Marmy / Porky Vehicle Wire Chewing at THs
Does anyone have any insight as to the seasonality of the marmot / porky trailhead vehicle wire-chewing problem? I have read the multiple threads out there about these critters attacking vehicles at trailheads. But I'm traveling from far away and purchased a 100 ft snow fence and this thing is HUGE and will take up lots of precious cargo space. I will be hitting the mountains in mid-late August. Have been out the last 5 years at this same time of year and have never had a problem (and have not used any sort of barrier or other deterents).
Does anyone know if for some reason the marmys / porkys go do something else later in the year to where it isn't the same problem as earlier in the year? Or have I just been really lucky and should bring my huge snow fence for mid-late August?
Thanks for any knowledge about the seasonality of this problem.
Does anyone know if for some reason the marmys / porkys go do something else later in the year to where it isn't the same problem as earlier in the year? Or have I just been really lucky and should bring my huge snow fence for mid-late August?
Thanks for any knowledge about the seasonality of this problem.
- HikerGuy
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Re: Seasonality of Marmy / Porky Vehicle Wire Chewing at THs
My experience has been that porcupines are a problem in spring/early summer and marmots are a problem all of the time they are not hibernating. Which trailhead are you leaving your vehicle at? Some are consistently troublesome. What vehicle are you driving? Some have tasty wiring, others do not.
- PaulVee
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Re: Seasonality of Marmy / Porky Vehicle Wire Chewing at THs
Hi HikerGuy ... thanks for the response. I have a 2015 Xterra and have planned Columbia (N Cottonwood Creek), Wilson Peak (ROA - Silver Pick Rd), Uncompahgre (Nellie Creek), Crestone Needle (S Colony Lakes), Lindsey (Huerfano/Lily Lake) and possibly Bells / Pyramid or other Sawatch (Antero or Shav / Tab).HikerGuy wrote: ↑Tue Aug 03, 2021 9:43 am My experience has been that porcupines are a problem in spring/early summer and marmots are a problem all of the time they are not hibernating. Which trailhead are you leaving your vehicle at? Some are consistently troublesome. What vehicle are you driving? Some have tasty wiring, others do not.
Thanks again!!
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Re: Seasonality of Marmy / Porky Vehicle Wire Chewing at THs
Which vehicles have more tasty wiring?HikerGuy wrote: ↑Tue Aug 03, 2021 9:43 am My experience has been that porcupines are a problem in spring/early summer and marmots are a problem all of the time they are not hibernating. Which trailhead are you leaving your vehicle at? Some are consistently troublesome. What vehicle are you driving? Some have tasty wiring, others do not.
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- cottonmountaineering
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Re: Seasonality of Marmy / Porky Vehicle Wire Chewing at THs
i think youll be fine, its later in the season and those are all popular trailheadsPaulVee wrote: ↑Tue Aug 03, 2021 9:55 amHi HikerGuy ... thanks for the response. I have a 2015 Xterra and have planned Columbia (N Cottonwood Creek), Wilson Peak (ROA - Silver Pick Rd), Uncompahgre (Nellie Creek), Crestone Needle (S Colony Lakes), Lindsey (Huerfano/Lily Lake) and possibly Bells / Pyramid or other Sawatch (Antero or Shav / Tab).HikerGuy wrote: ↑Tue Aug 03, 2021 9:43 am My experience has been that porcupines are a problem in spring/early summer and marmots are a problem all of the time they are not hibernating. Which trailhead are you leaving your vehicle at? Some are consistently troublesome. What vehicle are you driving? Some have tasty wiring, others do not.
Thanks again!!
iirc hondas have tasty wiring
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Re: Seasonality of Marmy / Porky Vehicle Wire Chewing at THs
Anecdotally, Xterras are not tasty. That's what I drive, and I recently had my engine bay invaded by marmots while I was out for a couple days. They left feces scattered over every horizonal surface (and I do mean every horizontal surface), but nothing was chewed on.
- PaulVee
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Re: Seasonality of Marmy / Porky Vehicle Wire Chewing at THs
Aphelion wrote: ↑Tue Aug 03, 2021 10:04 am Anecdotally, Xterras are not tasty. That's what I drive, and I recently had my engine bay invaded by marmots while I was out for a couple days. They left feces scattered over every horizonal surface (and I do mean every horizontal surface), but nothing was chewed on.
Thanks for the information y'all!! Really appreciate it!!cottonmountaineering wrote: ↑Tue Aug 03, 2021 10:03 ami think youll be fine, its later in the season and those are all popular trailheadsPaulVee wrote: ↑Tue Aug 03, 2021 9:55 amHi HikerGuy ... thanks for the response. I have a 2015 Xterra and have planned Columbia (N Cottonwood Creek), Wilson Peak (ROA - Silver Pick Rd), Uncompahgre (Nellie Creek), Crestone Needle (S Colony Lakes), Lindsey (Huerfano/Lily Lake) and possibly Bells / Pyramid or other Sawatch (Antero or Shav / Tab).HikerGuy wrote: ↑Tue Aug 03, 2021 9:43 am My experience has been that porcupines are a problem in spring/early summer and marmots are a problem all of the time they are not hibernating. Which trailhead are you leaving your vehicle at? Some are consistently troublesome. What vehicle are you driving? Some have tasty wiring, others do not.
Thanks again!!
iirc hondas have tasty wiring
- HikerGuy
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Re: Seasonality of Marmy / Porky Vehicle Wire Chewing at THs
A lot of folks on the forum have Nissan Xterras, maybe they will chime in with their experiences. Not sure if your model/year has soy-based wiring or not. Toyotas and Hondas are the prime targets.
I would not worry about critters at N Cottonwood Creek, ROA/Silver Pick, S Colony Lakes, Huerfano/Lily Lake, Antero/Shav/Tab, I've never had a problem at these trailheads as they are well below treeline.
Issues at the Maroon Lake are usually with porcupines earlier in the season. Should be okay later in season.
Nellie Creek might be the location of most concern, but historically have not read many reported problems here, so probably okay as well.
Known problem areas are American Basin, Silver Creek/Grizzly Gulch, any area above treeline or remote areas with little traffic.
I would not worry about critters at N Cottonwood Creek, ROA/Silver Pick, S Colony Lakes, Huerfano/Lily Lake, Antero/Shav/Tab, I've never had a problem at these trailheads as they are well below treeline.
Issues at the Maroon Lake are usually with porcupines earlier in the season. Should be okay later in season.
Nellie Creek might be the location of most concern, but historically have not read many reported problems here, so probably okay as well.
Known problem areas are American Basin, Silver Creek/Grizzly Gulch, any area above treeline or remote areas with little traffic.
- Mtnman200
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Re: Seasonality of Marmy / Porky Vehicle Wire Chewing at THs
The Hunchback Pass TH near Beartown is another known problem area.HikerGuy wrote: ↑Tue Aug 03, 2021 10:14 am A lot of folks on the forum have Nissan Xterras, maybe they will chime in with their experiences. Not sure if your model/year has soy-based wiring or not. Toyotas and Hondas are the prime targets.
I would not worry about critters at N Cottonwood Creek, ROA/Silver Pick, S Colony Lakes, Huerfano/Lily Lake, Antero/Shav/Tab, I've never had a problem at these trailheads as they are well below treeline.
Issues at the Maroon Lake are usually with porcupines earlier in the season. Should be okay later in season.
Nellie Creek might be the location of most concern, but historically have not read many reported problems here, so probably okay as well.
Known problem areas are American Basin, Silver Creek/Grizzly Gulch, any area above treeline or remote areas with little traffic.
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- HikerGuy
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Re: Seasonality of Marmy / Porky Vehicle Wire Chewing at THs
Top of Wager Gulch Road above the Carson townsite is supposed to be bad also, a friend with a 4Runner had some marmots chew up wiring.
- E_A_Marcus_949
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Re: Seasonality of Marmy / Porky Vehicle Wire Chewing at THs
I'm heading back there soon and will wrap my car again like I did last year - snow fencing with rocks. I have a Forester (yes, one of those Suby people), and I've heard they have tasty wires. Not worth it to me.
I'd only heard San Juans (specifically those above) have issues with critters - I haven't heard any anecdotes about animal issues in Sawatch or elsewhere, but I could be mistaken. Unc, RoA, etc. I may take precautions depending on time of year and current-season stories.
- PaulVee
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Re: Seasonality of Marmy / Porky Vehicle Wire Chewing at THs
Thanks again everyone for all of the great info here!! As a note, I did park for day trips last year in mid-August at both American Basin and Silver Creek / Crizzly Gulch, and did not have any critters chowing on my Xterra wires. Perhaps they just aren't that tasty!E_A_Marcus_949 wrote: ↑Tue Aug 03, 2021 10:41 amI'm heading back there soon and will wrap my car again like I did last year - snow fencing with rocks. I have a Forester (yes, one of those Suby people), and I've heard they have tasty wires. Not worth it to me.
I'd only heard San Juans (specifically those above) have issues with critters - I haven't heard any anecdotes about animal issues in Sawatch or elsewhere, but I could be mistaken. Unc, RoA, etc. I may take precautions depending on time of year and current-season stories.