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Maysho
climber
Soda Springs, CA
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Sep 24, 2010 - 10:54am PT
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I stand corrected! That photo of the cute creature that I posted above is a mink! Thanks to Dr. Will Richardson (Willoughby on Supertopo), I will no longer be miss-informing hundreds of school kids! (or old climbing buddies for that matter)
The Fisher:
The Mink:
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Toker Villain
Big Wall climber
Toquerville, Utah
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Sep 24, 2010 - 11:11am PT
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That must be an old photo of Minks. I've heard he has white fur now.
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mike m
Trad climber
black hills
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 24, 2010 - 12:05pm PT
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I would say that last picture of the Fischer was it. it definately was not that cute cuddly little black thing below it. I have been thinking about it and i wounder if it would have been inside the chimney when we came up on the ground and then had to climb up as it might have felt trapped unknowing to us. This is the other side of Spire One from the picture at the start of the thread. the crack is on the lower block of of the three teird spire on the right and there is a person barely visable at the top of the first pitch belay. The spire on the left with people on top is spire two.
By the way how heavy can a Fischer get? Pine Martin as well?
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hobo_dan
Social climber
Minnesota
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Feb 12, 2011 - 05:46pm PT
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Did it have a very long tail? Fishers have long tails
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Ricardo Cabeza
climber
All Over.
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Feb 12, 2011 - 05:56pm PT
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A fischer cat prowls my 'hood in NH. It killed many cats a couple of years back, including mine.
Ironically enough, he was named Fischer, due to my employment at Fischer Skis.
Ever hear them scream? It's creepy.
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mongrel
Trad climber
Truckee, CA
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Feb 12, 2011 - 07:40pm PT
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Interesting sighting, whichever species. For more information on both animals, go to http://www.fs.fed.us/psw/publications/zielinski/uncaptured/psw_zielinski026.pdf. Unfortunately it's a scanned rather than exported pdf, so may take a few minutes to download if you do not have high speed.
From the range maps, it would appear that marten is more likely, and it's a bit more of a climbing species. But either looks like an uncommon beastie to see in the Needles. A full size marten is about 2 feet long; fisher about 3 feet. But the fisher is much chunkier and heavier. Furry critters like either of these tend to look a lot heavier than they really are, but either would be a tough customer in a dispute inside a chimney, if it felt cornered.
There are all manner of rodents in the crevices on cliffs; witness all the laments about rats raiding the food stash halfway up the Salathe Wall. Plus, at the right time of year, nice juicy sleeping bats. Perfect place for a marten to go hunting.
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SteveW
Trad climber
The state of confusion
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Feb 14, 2011 - 09:32pm PT
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A buddy of mine spotted gulo gulo in Yellowstone NP a couple of
years back. . .and one was spotted in Cowlowrado knott too long
ago. . .
I was fortunate to see a pine martin kill in Yellowstone one
morning years ago--driving slowly down one road and something flashes
across the road and gets a br'er bunny. . .
then it pulls the thing over it's shoulder and climbs 5.11 to
take it for a safe breakfast. . . amazing!
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rottingjohnny
Sport climber
mammoth lakes ca
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Feb 14, 2011 - 10:31pm PT
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Richard Head...can you get me a pro form from fisher..?
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Captain...or Skully
climber
The Seas of Stone.
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Feb 14, 2011 - 10:35pm PT
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Mink, cute & cuddly? Hehehe. Try again.
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mike m
Trad climber
black hills
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 14, 2011 - 10:51pm PT
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Never saw the tail and I was in a precarious position to say the least. I even thought about leaving my #6 but I think we would have had to go rounds to give that up. Tammy could probably make a good cartoon for that one.
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mike m
Trad climber
black hills
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 15, 2011 - 12:55am PT
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After seeing this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-rDumZ77lE I am sure what I saw was a Fisher or Fisher Cat. There are a bunch of Videos on there one where there is interviews with people that saw one attack a small child.
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mike m
Trad climber
black hills
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Topic Author's Reply - Jan 9, 2012 - 11:06pm PT
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I am now pretty sure it was a honey badger.
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couchmaster
climber
pdx
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Maysho said: "Fisher, yes it is super cute, but one of the fiercest hunters in the woods, one of the only creatures that can kill a porcupine, it flips it over and rips out the stomach."
Damn, if it's giving lessons on how to avoid the quills Peter, this Pit Bull will pay extra for some.
Mike, (or anyone who unexpectedly encounters wildlife) at the base of the climb, I'd suggest that you chalk out a "NO CLIMB" with a big "DO NOT" European style circle on it. Date it. This is where actual chalk blocks do well, and not those Eldo Prancer (stolen from Russ) pounce pads called sacs.
Most likely that critter is protecting young or their home. It helps the animal but it also helps the rest of us. The next person might get up even higher and actually get attacked, bit and fall. Bad place to fall ...chimneys. Bad shots to get: tetnus and rabies.
My last somewhat similar experience surprising wildlife while climbing was was a nesting goose. I was belaying but we were both startled. It was back out of sight on a ledge. We backed off as fast as we could, grabbed our gear and chalked "NEST", the no climbing thing with an arrow pointing up at the base in big letters in a place where it wouldn't wash off easily - then got the hell back and made room for her. Hopefully she returned and got back on the eggs fast enough. Hunters got to eat too ya know. I've never known a goose to nest on a cliff, but I'll admit its a great anti-coyote strategy. BTW, this thread needs some needles climbing shots:-)
Something to consider. Regards to all:
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mike m
Trad climber
black hills
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Topic Author's Reply - Jan 10, 2012 - 01:00am PT
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Honey badger didn't seem to give a sh*t.
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Willoughby
Social climber
Truckee, CA
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Jan 10, 2012 - 01:36am PT
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Geese are pretty clever, and they'll nest in all sorts of high and precarious spots to keep safe from would-be nest robbers. University rooftops, abandoned hawk nests, broken-off tree tops, etc. They commonly nest on cliffs along rivers, and then the challenge for the goslings is getting down without breaking their necks. All the cavity nesting ducks (Wood Ducks, Bufflehead, both goldeneyes, all the mergansers, etc.), face the same problem. Luckily the chicks are squishy, so they just huck their meat and bounce:
[Click to View YouTube Video]
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Mighty Hiker
climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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Jan 10, 2012 - 01:43am PT
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Bad shots to get: tetnus
Not at all - as outdoors people, we should all get tetanus shots every five years. They're no trouble.
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Willoughby
Social climber
Truckee, CA
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This poor guy got nailed on the road right near Tahoe City this afternoon. Sad, but it will make an incredible addition to TINS' education/outreach materials
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little Z
Trad climber
un cafetal en Naranjo
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nice photo Will, looks pretty intact for a roadkill.
that's quite a bump for this thread. So you've been waiting 2 years for a Marten encounter so you can post up?
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mike m
Trad climber
black hills
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Topic Author's Reply - Jan 5, 2014 - 03:48pm PT
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That could have definitely been the animal I saw in the Chimney. Looks like he could do some damage to you in tight quarters. Well not that one ...
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