RAT on Torment-Forbidden traverse

[Panos]

Hey there,

 

Here is a note for whoever is planning to take a bivi on the T/F ridge. As another T/R mentions, monstrous rats have their habitat on the ridge and they attack climbers who wish to take some sleep up there.

 

These beasts are not afraid of people while they like to bite anything that is not rock. Apart from badly damaging the non-metal gear in a way that is not always visible they can also be dangerous for your own safety: I have read that their saliva has anesthetic so that they can eat your ear or nose (or other prodruding parts of your body) without noticing.

 

To save our gear and find peace we were forced to rappel in the middle of the night from the notch next to Torment to the neighboring glacier and sleep on the snow instead. I should not miss to mention the specs of the beast: 17-20cm long (body and head), dark brown with relatively short tail that is thicker at the end and with astonishing swiftness, climbing skills, and impudence.

 

 

If I go up there again I will not miss taking the most useful:

 

 

Ibex

Edited July 25, 2008 by Panos

[Panos]

I have read that their saliva has anesthetic so that they can eat your ear or nose (or other prodruding parts of your body) without noticing.

Are you serious ?

 

Not really

[G-spotter]

Snafflehounds are a part of the Cascades. Deal.

[mattp]

Snafflehounds are a part of the Cascades. Deal.

 

Sorry. No deal.. When they try to crawl in bed with me or dance on my face it is not ok. Fred has a nice essay about this at the beginning or end of one of the chapters in the green guide. It has been not ok for 100 years.

[G-spotter]

I climb with tastier partners and never have a problem.

[fenderfour]

I'm tough and bitter. They always go after my partner first.

[KaskadskyjKozak]

I'm tough and bitter. They always go after my partner first.

 

I recall one trip to Boston Basin where I left my trekking poles outside my tent as did a climbing partner. His hand straps were chewed to shreds; mine were untouched.

 

Evidentally, they don't like the taste or smell of me. I like it that way.

 

[Panos]

I managed to cut his tail half with a rock after placing a piece of cheese one yard below my sleeping bag. This devil was too fast but next time I will catch him alive and let him die in a bag full of chock. This will register a fear of climbers in rats' collective memory.

Edited July 21, 2008 by Panos

[billcoe]

My wife has a great story of how she layed awake petrified as these damn Rat things were running all over everything and everywhere all night long one night out, while I slept quietly through the whole thing. Including all the times they ran right over over me. (too numerous to count according to her and in disbelief that this was occuring she was trying to count it as they ran over me).

 

I was ready to roll the next day while sadly, she was trashed before the day even started.

 

 

So the moral of that story is: plan on prioritizing it this way. Sleep #1. Sleep #2. Until a griz or a big cat shows up, sleep is a priority. You'll sleep better that way and be rested and ready to roll out of the sack early. I've never hiked up with D-Con, but it seems like a reasonable thing perhaps?

[Off_White]

My wife is a helluva good mouser: to see is to react, swiftly, savagely, and without remorse. Mouse on the pantry shelves? Bam, crunch, squished by a can of beans. Scampering across the Vanagon floor? Stamp! Of course, that's usually followed with the plaintive call, "Off, there's a dead mouse under my foot." Eh, disposal is no big deal, damn sure beats rodents in inappropriate places.

 

You know, come to think of it, I've always been more of a cat guy than a dog obsessive, maybe this proclivity was part of the initial attraction.

[layton]

I thought this would be about Rolf, but it was an amazingly similar description.

[JoshK]

Snafflehounds are a part of the Cascades. Deal.

 

Sorry. No deal.. When they try to crawl in bed with me or dance on my face it is not ok. Fred has a nice essay about this at the beginning or end of one of the chapters in the green guide. It has been not ok for 100 years.

 

LOL. No doubt.

[G-spotter]

Unfortunately killing one snafflehound does not register a fear of climbers in the others. It reduces the competition for your chewables. The remaining snafflehounds eat the corpse and get bigger and stronger.

 

Since the park rangers got bent out of shape when Layton bbq'ed a devils club I'm guessing they will probably crucify you for killing a snaffle without a permit? Best not to brag about such feats.

[JoshK]

Self defense. If a snaffle chooses to do battle with a climber, it gets what it deserves.

[Wacky Iraqi]

My first time up Mt Stuart via the W Ridge in '95 I encountered snafflehounds for the first time. Persistant little buggers and amazing climbers. At one point we had our food bag hanging from a chock 15' off of the ground above our bivy until we watched one jam DOWN the crack headfirst, only to be disuaded at the last minute by a near strike from a rock. It was only after rigging the climbing rope between two trees on the ledge that we got some peace; they just wanted our food. I took a party up to the same spot to bivy 3 years later. Fueled by my horror story of the above-mentioned sleepless night one of them brought a paintball gun. We never saw or heard a single one that night! Remember, we are the intruders there, not that I like them any more then anyone who has had a hole chewed through their pack or the cork grips of their trekking poles devoured. As to anesthesia by saliva..........? Sounds like BS to me.

[lancegranite]

Treking poles make a bitchin blowgun.

16 penny nails can be shot quite accurately by a skilled user.

Use a little duct tape to make a cone specific for your caliber pole.

[AlpineK]

I thought this would be about Rolf, but it was an amazingly similar description.

 

My thought as well.

[Panos]

I did not know this species. They are utterly disgusting to me. But now I have a kit that I will always carry with me when climbing. It is extra light: an 8-feet long fishing line with a bight and a small bit of cheese. For more effective pulling the fishing line can be attached to a ski pole if there is one handy. Other effective ways of "self defense" may include a water pistol with vitriol or a light straw for blowing needles (or other means of more massive destruction).

 

 

Snafflehound is used to describe any of various rodents that inhabit the alpine zone. Snafflehounds are notorious for gnawing on gear left at the base of an alpine climb; primarily boots because of the sodium left by the wearer's sweat, as well as backpacks to get at any food left inside. Numerous cases have also been reported of snafflehounds gnawing holes in sleeping bags while climbers slept inside them.

 

...large rats that can be seen on the summit of Mt. Stuart.

 

Ah, the snafflehounds in the Bugs....I have pictures of them coming right up to our MSR stove and even the tent door -- when we were in it -- and sniffing about for chewables. In daylight as well as at nighttime. Some years back the park service installed metal clothesline sorts of things so climbers can hang packs, foodbags, etc out of the little varmints' toothy reach.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited July 24, 2008 by Panos

[ptownclimber]

I have read that their saliva has anesthetic so that they can eat your ear or nose (or other prodruding parts of your body) without noticing.

Are you serious ?

 

Not really

 

I didn't feel any f***ing anesthetic. Would have been nice to have some except for losing tissue...

 

I'm still finding crap the little bugger chewed on...