Do you think it would be safe to just bury my pack beneath rocks? I'm thinking it would have to be a pretty serious covering to keep critters off. I'm sure marmots are pretty good at digging since they live in areas like that.

The marmots would love that--not so far to tote your food into their burrows!

No, my experience is that rock piles, tent walls, etc are not very varmint-proof. I like to have the food completely out of the pack and in a critter proof bag stashed elsewhere.

Thanks for the tips. I may see if I can bring along some sort of container to keep some food in. Will marmots go for food that is totally sealed still? Like backcountry meals? I don't see how they could smell that but human's sense of smell is horrible so I dunno haha.

Morlow wrote:Will marmots go for food that is totally sealed still? Like backcountry meals?

Yes.

so, does anyone know if their are bears in that area to answer his last question? -- that is, from the Pinedale approach into the basin?

We saw bear tracks on the approach to Titcomb in June. I don't think they were grizz, though.
We also watched a marmot move about a 15# rock. We hung our food bag from an overhanging rock.

I'm gonna look into getting a critter-proof container when I go to Bozeman this weekend. I don't want my food to disappear!