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Marmotte sightings

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
It's wake-up time for marmotttes. PG reports seeing them at Les Arcs. I saw one once in late April at Tignes. They are pretty commonly visible in summer. Any early sighting stories?


Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Thu 29-04-04 15:40; edited 1 time in total
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
They also "whistle", so you may have heard them without knowing.
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 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Saw one just popping out of his hole in Ste Foy last Sat. First one I'd seen one for years.
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I've seen a Marmotte piste in practically every (French) resort I've been to. But I've never seen a real one, ever Sad
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
This is a marmotte - honest! Taken yesterday on my way up the Grand Col lift in Les Arcs. Unfortunately a skier went past just as I was taking the photo, and it made a bolt for its hole, and is all blurred.... The day before ise and I saw three, a couple playing together, having a whale of a time (it's that time of year!)
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maggi, it's only about now that they start making an appearance... I've seen a few in the summer as well, on the way up the Jandri Express in Les 2 Alpes at 7.30 in the morning, easiski pointed out their haunts....
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Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
I usually look out for them when getting the cable car up from Wengen to Mannlichen - but didn't spot any this year. Maybe the recent heavy snowfalls had driven them underground.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
PG, I think I've sent the photos of us skiing together. Marmottes are pretty shy. If you haven't seen the marmotte pics on the caption competition from about a month ago then you are missing something.

Taking up maggi,'s point, where is your most challenging marmotte? I'd nominate the one from the top of Saulire. It's a steepish red that seems to go on for ever. Not quite what I expected from a furry named piste!
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There appears to be a largish colony of them living here, on the slopes of the glaciated valley below Freiwandspitz. I saw quite a few in September 02 - can you spot them in the photo?

______________
My name is Charlotte, and I'm a marmotte...
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I tend to have a less appreciative view of the little rascals after spending too many nights bivvying in the rocks beside the Chamonix valley glaciers and having to prevent them stealing our food or eating through our kit in order to get to it Sad
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
By Courmayeur, Val Veny & Val Ferret are great places to see them in summer. You can hike up to a small glacier in Val Veny, where there's a small lake. If you go mid-week, when it's quiet, you'll definitely hear them there and if you're quiet and still, will probably see some.
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 And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
The caption competition I referred to above was Ian's N+1. I'm not clever enough to post a link to it.
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So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Chris Bish, Here are three of your Les Arcs photos from earlier this month...
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
skanky, "By Courmayeur" is in South Wales, by here. Val Ferret must be the place for all small mammals Exclamation Cool
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Quote:

They also "whistle", so you may have heard them without knowing

what kind of whistling>? thinking of a weird, loud, sort of cross between a whistle/hoot/screech noise we heard in Courchevel 1650 a few weeks ago, early in the morning. No idea what it was but definitely not human (or even saisonnaire) Wink
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
I saw one at Val Claret a couple of years ago in late April, sitting right under the Grattalu lift by its hole, quite oblivious of all the people in the chairs going over its head.
I photographed one quite close up one summer. I'll try to find the print.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
I did wonder if there was a connection, but never got round to finding out/asking.

Incidentally, the Val Ferret signposted from some roads in Valais, is not the same one as the one I'm on about. It's very close, though, merely separated by a ridge and the Col Ferret (2537m), and there's no road over the top, but there is a footpath.

This is the site of a refuge on the ridge above Courmayeur, accessible from Val Ferret and Courmayeur. The food is excellent, the walking superb, and the views are not done any favours. The panorama at the bottom is worth a look at. the obvious peak at either end of it is Mont Chetif which overlooks the ski slopes on one side and my sister's house on the other. It's the one with the statue of the Madonna on it (for those who have been there), statue that's big enough to enter.

Oh, and the big mountain with cloud stuck to it is Monte Bianco. snowHead

Erm, sorry, went on a bit there.
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 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Poma, click on the play button to hear a marmotte whistle....
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I just knew you guys would come up with the real live noise! No soundcard in the office unfortunately (how would it be if EVERYBODY was setting off whistling marmottes every 5 minutes?), but great website for my son who is just about to embark on a project on the Alps - this'll fill a few gaps in his knowledge (nature), and I was going to get him some stuff on environmental concerns (psc), avalanches (geography), snow cannons (science) - etc, etc.
So what does that whistle sound like? Suspect my early morning noise was some kind of (big) bird.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
PG wrote:

This is a marmotte - honest!


Naaah - that's bigfoot!
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I also watched an ermine playing outside our chalet just up the valley from Argentier as I ate breakfast.
Out skiing, I have twice seen an eagle with a dead snow-hare. The first time, several years ago off-piste at Alp d"Huez, we were only a few yards away and the eagle took-off, leaving the white hare on the ground. It circled up above, waiting for us to move on.
The second time was this year and the eagle went over us, low, carrying the hare.
I've also seen several live snow hares, a Bone-Crushing Vulture (did I get that name right), over a dozen Bouquetin (a sort of antelope) and probably 150 chamoix over the years.
Also, one of the few times I've done a helicopter drop, we found ourselves flying level with an eagle. Amazing.
(This is an Advert for off-piste skiing, folks)
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
poma wrote:
I just knew you guys would come up with the real live noise! No soundcard in the office unfortunately (how would it be if EVERYBODY was setting off whistling marmottes every 5 minutes?), but great website for my son who is just about to embark on a project on the Alps - this'll fill a few gaps in his knowledge (nature), and I was going to get him some stuff on environmental concerns (psc), avalanches (geography), snow cannons (science) - etc, etc.
So what does that whistle sound like? Suspect my early morning noise was some kind of (big) bird.


I think you're right. The Marmotte whistle sounds like he's doing it through those two big teeth at the front - which he might be doing. It can be quite powerful, though could be imitated by anyone who can whistle using their fingers (cue facetious comment Confused ).
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
snowball, on the subject of chamois, they make a strange call that can be mistaken for a large bird as well (ref poma's query....)
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Thanks guys! going to find myself a machine with a soundcard then work my way through the beasts on PG's website (connais-tu la montagne) until we find the right critter! Very Happy
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Saw two cavorting under the Idéal chairlift in Megève last week. None on the obligatory Marmotte piste though!
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 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
I was told that the resort of Whistler in Western Canada got its name from the whistling marmottes there. Interesting that marmottes live in both Europe and North America - anyone know if they are the same species, or only related?
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 And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
Depends if they have red legs or yellow legs doesn't it?
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
I spotted a very thin and suprised one under the piste Nationale lift in Crans Montana on 30th March. I think he went straight back to bed when 20 cm fell that night!

Do people who live in mountain regions write letters to their newspapers when they see the first one of the spring? I guess they don't write when they hear cuckoos as the swiss would be writing a letter every hour.
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Sad to say I see one every working day....the stuffed one on my desk!!

He's there to commemorate the one we saw in Alpe D'Huez one April...pottering about on the side of the piste, didn't seem at all bothered by the skiers!
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Until one came along and stuffed him Shocked
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Is that why you don't see many on the mountains? They're all stuffed and hanging in the shop windows....
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
They're slow little things, I almost ran one over on my mountain bike in Zermatt last summer. Did you know that the fat from these little furry things are sold in jars in the shops in Zermatt?
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 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
homphomp, or stuffed and stuck on work desks. Sad

Kit Wong, being on a bike, you probably had an advantage in the speed stakes. Very Happy
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Kit Wong, OK (I had to ask Sad ) what do they do with the rest if it? Burger? Kebab? - Or is this why there's always something on the menu that translates as 'mountain stew'? Shocked
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Yes. Any Marmotte recipes, anyone?
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Masque- whatever culinary use they put it to, it wouldn't taste like chicken, that's for sure!
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Marmotte on toast?
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
What like Marmotte soldiers?
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 You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll even love it, or hate it.
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Kit Wong, The fat that is sold in jars is also used to impregnate a sort of elastoplast square, which the physio here slaps on your back when it's sore! I keep telling him I like Marmottes and am vegetarian, but he keeps slapping it on! Crying or Very sad

They (Marmottes) have been out an about round here for about 3 weeks now, so lots of the kids got to see them at Easter. As PG said we have a great view of a marmotte "village" from the Jandri Express. It's on the flat terrace just before pylon number 4 in case you get round this way!!!! rolling eyes
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