Have tentative plans to get back out to the San Juans or the Elks in late Sept/early Oct. When I was out in CO 3 weeks ago, I left my car at the Cunningham Gulch trailhead two nights, and came back to find that marmots chewed some wiring. Ended up limping to Montrose at 35 mph, got the wiring repaired, then on my way back to MO. But the question is...any advice on how to minimize the risk of this happening again? The mechanics I talked to said I should put out a salt lick or two, but is that only going to attract more critters, and just delay the inevitable?
I've left my car overnight on other occasions in the CO mountains, this was the first damage I've ever had. Wonder how frequent this happens?
Forgive me if this has been answered elsewhere, but I did a search before I posted.

I don't remember where I read the article, but some people go as far as putting fencing around their cars when going hiking where marmots live near the parking areas. The pictures of the fences that they had looked like really beefed up chicken wire around 3 feet tall completely surrouding their car. I think it was a researcher that worked at mount dana, or something like that.

Another thing to watch out for is squirrels. They also like to chew wiring (break lines too) and get into the air intakes / muffler.

from a thread on rodent damage to cars on edwards . com

Osterizer wrote:I don't remember where I read the article, but some people go as far as putting fencing around their cars when going hiking where marmots live near the parking areas. The pictures of the fences that they had looked like really beefed up chicken wire around 3 feet tall completely surrouding their car. I think it was a researcher that worked at mount dana, or something like that.

Another thing to watch out for is squirrels. They also like to chew wiring (break lines too) and get into the air intakes / muffler.

A trailhead or two in CA has problems with marmot damage. People regularly surround their cars with 1/4" square chicken wire.

To keep mice/rats/squirrels out of air intakes, keep mothballs inside the air filter box (opposite side of the filter from the engine!)

Thank you all for the prompt responses. Sounds like HD chicken wire is the most popular deterrent.

It's easy to blame the marmots, but I hear most of these problems are actually porcupines.
A friend of mine actually bought a roll of chicken wire designed to wrap around a car. Pretty slick and easy to set up. Don't know where he got it.
I don't bother with chicken wire. I give my undercarriage a good washing. I think the critters are going after road salt accumulations.

Lionel wrote:I've parked at numerous Colorado trailheads, but all of them lower than Marmot habitat zones. I've never had trouble. I think the highest was Grizzly Gulch at maybe 10,000'. Park lower and you'll probably be OK.

This year I've seen marmots at 8200' and 8500' this year.

+1 on the marmots going after salt, I had a marmot lick my partner's sweaty backpack and my hand clean yesterday because he wanted salt. He also bit me.

I am experimenting with Critter Ridder this year because, so help me God, if Marmot chews anything on my Rubicon, he'll be turned into a new hat or maybe camp slippers . (Note to PETA advocates: I'm kidding...)

www.havahart.com/CritterRidder

I cannot confirm it's the CR that's working, but it's cheap and worth a shot.

Cheers,
Sarah

Finally found this picture I took just N of Crested Butte on Slate River Road. Go figure.

[quote="CSUMarmot] I had a marmot lick my partner's sweaty backpack and my hand clean yesterday because he wanted salt. He also bit me.[/quote]
Carefull, marmots can carry rabies.

I have also heard that porcupines are the problem. Chicken wire does work - that's what is supplied at each of the campsites along Maroon Creek Road in the Maroon Bells. Of course I would think hauling enough chicken wire with you to get the job done would be a real PITA.

Larry V did put up a trip report on this subject.

http://www.summitpost.org/porcupine-hospitality/554886

I've parked at numerous Colorado trailheads, but all of them lower than Marmot habitat zones.

There are quite a few marmots around Craig (6150-6300 feet), even in town sometimes. I've seen them many times along the Green River in Dinosaur National Monument, especially around Jones Hole (elevation ~5,000 feet). They definately do live at lower elevations.

Funny, Alpine marmots are very shy creatures, and I know of only one place where you can actually touch them, that is at a ropeway station above Saas-Fee in the Valais, where tourists regularly feed them. We have regularly parked our car at marmot altitude in the Dolomites, but we have never had, or heard of, any problems with them.

A few years ago marmots did about a thousand dollars in damage to my car while it was parked at a trailhead outside Red Lodge, Montana. It was definitely marmots, because when I pulled in the lot there was one under a nearby car, looking like it was giving the car an oil change. A few local fishermen that were also at the trailhead told me I wouldn't have any problems unless I left my car there for a few days. They were wrong, because I returned to my car less than 10 hours later to find the full length of every wire and hose chewed. Now I always carry chicken wire to put around my car when I'm parked at high altitudes. People look at me like I'm crazy, but so what. I haven't visited many western states in winter so I don't know how they treat their roads, but where I'm from in PA it's with salt, salt, and more salt. Even after washing the undercarriage, I like the piece of mind chicken wire gives me. I tried using mothballs, but just can't stand the smell of them so I gave that up.