Guyot shelter -- mice..?

[wardsgirl]

Don't laugh, The Hikers. One of the weirdest things I ever saw on a trail was a couple walking their pet orange longhaired cat on the Twinway. His name was "Lamont" and they had trained him to go backpacking with him since he was a kitten. They told me he liked staying in the tent too. Crazy!

I bet his favorite 4k'rs were Tom, Garfield and Wildcats, eh?

 

[TrishandAlex]

You know, I'm seriously thinking of trying one of our cats out on a short hike this summer. He's just over a year old right now and VERY friendly, VERY active, and seems to want to follow me everywhere. I'll put a harness and leash on him and see what happens. Probably not much, but I'm very curious...

 

[roadtripper]

I can't remember where I read it or heard it (Here? my friend who worked at the Lakes Hut? some book?), but supposedly one of the Mt. Washington cats used to routinely follow AMC Hut crew all the way from Mt. Washington down to the Lakes Hut and back.

 

[wardsgirl]

There used to be a cat at Zealand Falls Hut in the late 80s, who climbed up Whitewall Mtn. (whack) with the caretaker one day when I was there.

 

[peakbagger]

Of course there is the famous cat that did the AT and other adventures. Of course after a few days, the cat rode on the owners backpack for the majority of the trip, but apparently the cat reduced the population of shelter mice in exchange for the ride.

I have always thought that a Maine Coon Cat would be a good hiking cat as they tend to follow their owners around and they tend to be on the big side. Not many small to medium size dogs will mess with a Coon cat for very long.

 

[smitty77]

Also a cat at Galehead in the mid-80s that escorted us from the hut to the trailhead, then turned around and headed back as we got into the car.

I'm just in awe at how popular Guyot has become, along with hiking in general. Back in the 80s, it was unheard of to see parking lots filled to capacity and shelters with overflow sites that actually got used regularly. You were only worried about shelter and platform space on holiday weekends. Man times have changed!

I stayed at Guyot once, in the shelter, on the top floor. No mice that I remembered, but it would take an atom bomb to wake me anyway.

I do remember a persistent red squirrel or chipmunk stealing the top off a can of peanuts we mistakenly left outside the tent at Ethan Pond.

 

[Neil]

The more you dispatch mice to their deaths the steeper the mouse population density gradient becomes. You create a mouse vacuum and you are at the very center of this hole into which hundreds of mice, flowing down the gradient, pour relentlessly, until equilibrium is re-established.

Nevertheless, it's a lot of fun.

 

[TCD]

I plan to try some short walks with one of my cats in the Spring. Gothics is 6 years old and an indoor cat, but he has his claws. His behavior has always been dog-like; he follows me everywhere, is very calm and good with strangers, etc. Should be interesting!

I would never consider it with the other cat. Armstrong is 11, retarded/hyper, doesn't like anyone, and lives somewhere in a gray area between pet and vermin. He stays home.

TCD

 

[Woody]

As Dr. Wu mentioned staying at shelters can be fun when you have a good group of people. Besides Guyot I have stayed in the Hermit Lake shelters several times. The mice are not a problem if you keep your food and trash picked up. Generally the other people in the shelters are easy to get along with and will often share food with you. Of course it's nice to have something to share with them as well. Give the shelter a try.

 

[RollingRock]

Generally the other people in the shelters are easy to get along with and will often share food with you.

I agree. If I'm backpacking alone I'd rather hang out with people for the overnight than be next to my tent alone. It's really like hanging out with a bunch of VFTTers in a shelter. It can quite fun!

 

[skiguy]

I agree. If I'm backpacking alone I'd rather hang out with people for the overnight than be next to my tent alone. It's really like hanging out with a bunch of VFTTers in a shelter. It can quite fun!

Unless they snore and/or have flatulent tendencies.....

 

[RollingRock]

Unless they snore and/or have flatulent tendencies.....

I always carry ear plug and I have a bad sense of smell that works in my favor

 

[Jimmy Legs and Little D]

Mouse Scarecrow

Or should I say "Scaremouse"?

<:3)~~