Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Securing items at Trail Camp

Hi all. I will be overnighting at Trail Camp on 9/15 for my first summit attempt the following morning. I understand that the gear I leave behind ought be protected from the elements, and that the food/scented items ought be in my bear cannister. I also have read that tent flaps should be left open so that inquisitive hunters will not chew their way inside. I'm stumped as to how I leave flaps open while guarding my gear against inclement weather? Thanks for any insight and experience you can lend.

Jim

Don't leave any food or other scented items in your tent, and the marmots will have not reason to venture inside.

I've been with groups that have done it both ways, and we definitely did not appreciate the marmot pee inside the tent when it was left open (even tho no food inside).

I was also wondering about this. Do most people leave their packs outside and open so the marmots don't rip through them? Seems that they could get rained on, but then I don't want a ripped up pack/tent either. As long as you take everything scented out, should it be ok to zip things up?

I have heard people dryclean their tents before venturing out into the wild. Don't know if this is a good deterrent. Hey, I guess anything works.

First, do not eat in your tent! Oh, and if you leave behind your "Sierra Super Sherpa" overnighter pack, empty the contents of all food and crumbs and leave the zippers and compartments open.

Second, leave all scented items in your bear cannister and set several rocks on top of it to prevent High Sierra Soccer Trials amongst the marmots and other critters.

As far as leaving your tent open during inclement weather? Tough call at 12,000 feet. Especially at TC. Try placing clothing and sleeping bag in a waterproof compression bag to keep them dry. Place a large rock in them to prevent them from blowing away or secure with tent line and a deadman anchor.

I, too, would be curious as to the remedies to this perennial dilemma.

Have fun.

You may want to ask if anyone from another party can watch your gear while away. Something about them mountains that bring out the best in people. Just be sure to leave them your itinerary on when you expect to return.

Leaving tent doors open in exposed areas? Good way to turn it into a high altitude balloon, flying, bouncing and crashing downwind. Much more damaging that marmot scratches, or pee. If you can even find it.

Just take out all food, etc.

I think it depends on the tent you use. On some types it's possible to leave the inner door open while the fly/vestibule protects it. This allows the critters to get in without chewing through. They can usually slip in under the lower edge of the vestibule. A fully staked fly should be pretty weatherproof.

But some tents don't have vestibules.

"Leaving tent doors open in exposed areas? Good way to turn it into a high altitude balloon...

I do not think the original poster advocated leaving the tent completely open, acting as a wind catcher, but rather leaving the bottom flap/zipper slightly ajar, with the rain fly in place, tent secure and staked down tight... (Still safe from the wind but a small preventive opening for any possible inquisitive critters.)

If you are not there and they want in...
Those "pesky" marmots will, on occasion, gnaw through a tent wall/door just to see what is inside (if anything). A small opening, near the ground, might just save you a costly tent repair.
Learned this the hard way...nothing was left inside but still I found a gaping hole in my tent wall. Leaving a small "entrance" available might have prevented the damage.

I thought I'd heard that dry cleaning solvents remove water proofing.

We put the rainfly on our tent anyway in case of the usual thunderstorms.

Just made sure nothing smelly (e.g. toiletries) was inside the tent; left the packs empty, open, and unzipped, but under the overhang of the rainfly. No issues. Of course, we were lucky enough that it didn't downpour.

My tent has a mesh inner walls with a fly and a vestibule. I leave the inner door open and close the vestibule. I never eat in or right next to my tent. I keep the bear can away from the tent, and I leave my pack open inside of the tent. I have never had a problem, but maybe I am just lucky. If I had a single wall tent, I would leave the zipper open on the floor. I have seen people come home to holes in their packs and tents when they leave food in them so it is worth being careful.

I have also read stories of people who left the tent door open, made sure there were no smelly items inside and came back from their hike to discover that a marmot decided to relieve himself inside the tent. I'm heading to Whitney tommorrow for the first time and have decided to not leave the tent open at Trail Camp. I'm hoping that without any smelly items inside they wont bother with the tent. Either way there is a risk. I've heard that marmots also like the old salt residue from the shoulder straps and backpad of backpacks, something else to keep in mind. I was going to bring my ultralight day pack for the summit attempt but have decided to just use my overnight pack instead.

While on the subject, do people actually attempt the summit from Trail Camp without packs?

Thank you everyone for responding with helpful information. My plan for now is to pack all of my edible, and scented items in my bear cannister, weighted with rocks, away from my tent. Leave the door slightly unzipped at the bottom, and place my emptied pack inside, with all compartments open. Hopefully my tent won't be used as a critter latrine, but there's only so much one can do!

A little off topic, but are these precautions necessary off Whitney? I'll be backpacking Whitney via Cottonwood Lakes trail and was wondering if marmots are a problem over there.

Marmots are a "problem" everywhere. They associate "humans" with "F-O-O-D."

Marmots, pikas, squirrels, bears, grey-crowned rosy finches...

Best to pack the cannister and take necessary precautions.

Have fun.

That's what I figured. Thanks for the confirmation!

Additional Consideration:
a) Marmot pee: I put a silnylon tarp inside the tent. When I come back and see Marmot pee or crap, take the silnylon out to clean and the tent floor is OK no smell.

b) Sleeping bag: Never stuff bag in a sack! My friend had his expensive down chew through when there was no scent. Even when no smell some may be curious enought to chew it. Leave the sleeping bag out, and turn it inside out. When marmot go inside the bag they are actually touching the outside of the bag.

c) Tent closure: I zip and leave the corner of tent open, and marmot always find the easiest way in.

d) Pack: Empty it out, flip over a must because marmot will climb up and leave ugly scratch marks on the pack!

e) Want more to be scare: Critter may bring in flea, ticks, bacteria, and virus that you have not been exposed to. Make sure you don't touch food with your bare hand if you touch marmot pee, marmot hair, or anything else contaminated by critter.

Now that you know, relax and enjoy the high mountains.