Marmots for Robert

[thomascanty]

Robert said he wanted to see some marmots (http://www.photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=60018), so here they are. :D The first three were on White Mountain Peak and the fourth was on Mount Whitney.

http://www.ldphotography.net/cdpf/marmot01.jpg

http://www.ldphotography.net/cdpf/marmot02.jpg

http://www.ldphotography.net/cdpf/marmot03.jpg

http://www.ldphotography.net/cdpf/marmot04.jpg

[Maz]

Nice photos. We have woodchucks around here but I have never seen a marmot.

Thanks for sharing.

Maz
http://www.homesteadsforsale.com

[tim]

I'd personally like to photos of them that filled more of the frame, but they look like they'd be quite difficult to take photos of - quite quick.

[thomascanty]

I'd personally like to photos of them that filled more of the frame

Me, too. Unfortunately, they don't let people get very close and my zoom range was pretty limited. I was using an Olympus C-4040Z for those. The 20D and 100-400 would be much better for the task, but there's no way I'm going to lug that much weight around on a hike like this (White Mountain Peak was about 15 miles and Mount Whitney was 23).

[stoneylonesome]

Yup look an aweful lot like there Eastern cousins, the Woodchuck, another one that doesn't let you get to close.

[robertwgross]

Yes, those look like garden-variety yellow-bellied marmots. The one on the Whitney Trail looks like the one that lives around 9500'. This summer when I go up there with my camera, it will be Year 30 (thirty consecutive years up the trail in a day). The only animal shot that tops the marmot is the one of the American Pika that I got last year.

Marmots are closely related to the woodchuck, except that marmots evolved to eat grass up high and woodchucks prefer to eat other stuff down lower.

---Bob Gross---

[thomascanty]

The one on the Whitney Trail looks like the one that lives around 9500'.

Wow! Good call. He was just above Lone Pine Lake. That would put this shot just under 10,000'.

This summer when I go up there with my camera, it will be Year 30 (thirty consecutive years up the trail in a day). The only animal shot that tops the marmot is the one of the American Pika that I got last year.

This was only my first time up Whitney. I skipped last year, but I put in a permit application again this year. I'm still waiting to hear from them, but since I always ask for mid-week, I'm pretty sure I'll get the days I asked for. I'm also thinking of doing it twice this year, the other time via the Mountaineer's Route. We'll see about that.

I haven't seen a Pika yet. Or a bear, which is very surprising considering the amount of time I spend in the mountains. I think I've seen just about everything else that lives up there, though. :)

[marie]

Robert said he wanted to see some marmots (http://www.photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=60018), so here they are. http://www.photography-on-the.net/forum/images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif The first three were on White Mountain Peak and the fourth was on Mount Whitney.










Lonnie
I see only four X's http://www.photography-on-the.net/forum/images/smilies/icon_surprised.gif
your marmots must be x rated
http://www.photography-on-the.net/forum/images/smilies/icon_eek.gif

[robertwgross]

Wow! Good call. He was just above Lone Pine Lake. That would put this shot just under 10,000'....

Do I know the critters on that trail, or what?

There are two or three pikas that live there just above Lone Pine Lake, but they are pretty skittish when I have a camera out.

Last year, I was hiking up above 13,000', under full steam at about 7a.m., when I found a pika that had just come out of its burrow to warm up in the first sun rays of the morning. He was just sitting there next to the trail, so I shot about six frames of film before he finally hopped off. You can't get much cuter than a pika, with the possible exception of a baby pika.

Yes, I put in my permit application also, for mid-week, of course, so I'll likely get something in the mail soon.

---Bob Gross---

[boomer1959]

Nice shots Thomas :D
Here is one of mine I took last summer. Hope you don't mind.

http://images.fotopic.net/?iid=y3mtyb&outx=800&quality=70

[sparker1]

I was planning to respond to Bob's request, hope you don't mind if I tag along here. I think this is a Hoary Marmot (taken in Alaska, but not sure of altitude). Certainly Bob will know for sure which variety.

http://pbase.com/sparker1/image/37650702.jpg

[robertwgross]

Interesting Hoary Marmot. How do we know that it is a Hoary type, and not the yellow-bellied type? There are some shadows on this one, so it is hard to tell.

The only clue that I have is that your marmot is running around in leafy bushes, so that suggests that it is at a much lower elevation than the typical California-style yellow-bellied ones. The California critter virtually never goes lower than maybe 7500' elevation. Most of them are at 10,000' or 12,000', and I have seen a gang of them above 14,000'.

I guess we are going to have to go by photos, because I don't think we have their DNA samples.

I saw a baby marmot once. It was about the size of my right palm, and it had a black puff of a tail that was about the size of a dime.

---Bob Gross---

[sparker1]

This one looked different to me than the ones I've seen in WY and MT, although they were not at great elevation, either. Those clearly had a reddish/yellow fur, while this one looked more gray to me. I agree the shadows make it tougher to tell his color.

Here's another Alaska marmot, taken 1000 miles away from the one above. Note that his color is on the rear end, the front (as best I could see) is gray.

[thomascanty]

Lonnie
I see only four X's

Unfortunately, my web host provider isn't exactly the best. If you ever get that for one of my pictures, just wait a few minutes and try again.

Do I know the critters on that trail, or what?

Yes, I'd say so! I'll have to look for that Pika when I go back up there this year.

Dave and Stan: It looks like you were able to get a lot closer to those guys than I was. I think when I go back to Whitney this year, the day before I actually go up the peak, I'll take the 20D and 100-400 up as far as Lone Pine Lake and see if I can find that one again. I should be able to get some good shots with that combination, and that's only a few miles round trip.

[robertwgross]

Yes, I'd say so! I'll have to look for that Pika when I go back up there this year.

For the Pika, go up the switchbacks until you are around #83-85, and get there within an hour or so of sunrise.

For a Marmot, go on over the crest and down to the junction with the JMT, and set a backpack down there with food in it. Come back about an hour later with your camera ready. There will be a Marmot-size hole in the side of your pack, and Mister Marmot will be emerging with the look of "Who, Me?"

The Rosy Finches will fight with the Marmots over who gets the food handout first.

---Bob Gross---

[thomascanty]

For a Marmot, go on over the crest and down to the junction with the JMT, and set a backpack down there with food in it. Come back about an hour later with your camera ready.

I might not have to leave my own backpack. Last time, there were about a dozen packs lined up at that junction from people who wanted to lose a little weight before finishing the hike to the summit. :)

I don't think I can get that far into the switchbacks by an hour after sunrise to see the Pika, though. I applied for dayhike permits. I won't be camping at Trail Camp. Maybe I can start a few hours earlier than planned...

[robertwgross]

I might not have to leave my own backpack. Last time, there were about a dozen packs lined up at that junction from people who wanted to lose a little weight before finishing the hike to the summit. :)

I don't think I can get that far into the switchbacks by an hour after sunrise to see the Pika, though. I applied for dayhike permits. I won't be camping at Trail Camp. Maybe I can start a few hours earlier than planned...

You could smear some peanut butter onto some stranger's pack and then sit back and wait for the action.

Normally in previous years, I would start from the bottom at 5 a.m. and get on the summit between 9 and 11 a.m. However, lately I have been carrying more camera gear which slows me down. Last year, I had a very slow hiker in a group, so we started at 1:45 a.m.! At 6 a.m., I was still waiting for them at 12,000', so I finally trotted on up the switchbacks in order to find animal shots like I described. It was cold on the summit at 9 a.m., and I had to go into the hut to warm up my film camera.

---Bob Gross---

[thomascanty]

You could smear some peanut butter onto some stranger's pack and then sit back and wait for the action.

Oooh, you're mean! :evil: I like it... :D

Normally in previous years, I would start from the bottom at 5 a.m. and get on the summit between 9 and 11 a.m.

That sounds like my time. I started at 4:30 a.m., and if I remember correctly, it was about 10 or 11 a.m. when I reached the summit.

So, what kind of camera gear do you carry on hikes like this? I'm beginning to think about using my old 10D for hikes. It hasn't been getting much use since I bought the 20D. My only dilemma is that I'd want to bring the 24-70 and 100-400 lenses along. Ideally, I'd also like to have the 17-40 with me, but we're already talking about an awful lot of weight with those other two. I'll have to do this on a short, local hike and see if that kind of added weight wears me out too much.

[marie]

Unfortunately, my web host provider isn't exactly the best. If you ever get that for one of my pictures, just wait a few minutes and try again.



still can't .
will try again another time Lonnie


I can see the other shots
all are lovely

[thomascanty]

still can't .
will try again another time Lonnie

You should be able to. I know my server is responding now. How about if you try them as links?

http://www.ldphotography.net/cdpf/marmot01.jpg
http://www.ldphotography.net/cdpf/marmot02.jpg
http://www.ldphotography.net/cdpf/marmot03.jpg
http://www.ldphotography.net/cdpf/marmot04.jpg

[robertwgross]

So, what kind of camera gear do you carry on hikes like this?

It kind of depends on my mood, and how fast I intend to go, and how many photo opportunities I think will be there. After 29 previous years hiking that trail, I pretty well have about every scenery shot that there is. In general, I carry a lightweight Canon film Rebel with a single 28-200mm zoom, and sometimes a wide-angle, and generally one piddly little tripod (1.5#). The film camera weighs less than half of my D60, so it has a purpose.

One of the best shots is about 3/4 mile down from the summit at about 14,000'. Line up some Alpine Gold (wildflowers) in the foreground with the Keeler Pinnacle in the back, and go for maximum depth of field so that everything is in focus from 5 feet on out. Blue sky behind, of course.

If there are other hikers with me, then I generally try to shoot stream crossings.

---Bob Gross---

[thomascanty]

In general, I carry a lightweight Canon film Rebel with a single 28-200mm zoom, and sometimes a wide-angle, and generally one piddly little tripod (1.5#).

Unfortunately for me, I don't have a flexible lightweight combo like that. Normally I use my Olympus C-8080WZ, which is an excellent camera, but the focal length range is a bit limited and it has a fixed lens. I do have a lightweight tripod (Bogen Manfrotto 724B Digi Compact Tripod) that I have strapped to my pack on every hike I take. I love that little thing!

One of the best shots is about 3/4 mile down from the summit at about 14,000'. Line up some Alpine Gold (wildflowers) in the foreground with the Keeler Pinnacle in the back, and go for maximum depth of field

Sounds like a great suggestion! Thanks.

[marie]

You should be able to. I know my server is responding now. How about if you try them as links?

http://www.ldphotography.net/cdpf/marmot01.jpg
http://www.ldphotography.net/cdpf/marmot02.jpg
http://www.ldphotography.net/cdpf/marmot03.jpg
http://www.ldphotography.net/cdpf/marmot04.jpg


no luck Lonnie
this is the message I receive >


Hot Linking Not Allowed!

With a few sites excepted, hot linking from my site is not allowed. If you feel the link you followed when arriving at this page should be allowed to hot link to images here, please send me email using the link above.

[marie]

I can see them now Lonnie
thank you

they are very small creatures.
must have a great time around those rocks

[robertwgross]

For those who are not familiar with marmots, the size may be helpful. The smallest ones are about the size of a very small house cat, and the biggest ones are about the size of a huge house cat, but with short legs. Its alert call is that of a high-pitched chirp that can be heard for 50 meters.

---Bob Gross---