Pine Martens

A couple of times over the last few years hiking the Whites I've seen the flash of a yellow/orange mammel out of the corner of my eye. Too big and wrong color to be a squirrel, wrong shape and color for a fox. But since I never got a good look I didn't think about it too much.

Yesterday, hiking down Nineteen Mile Brook Trail at the end of a very pleasant loop over Middle and South Carter, I saw the flash of color again. But this time the critter ran up a tree about 10 feet away, and stopped about head height. It seemed as curious about me as I was about it, and we watched each other for several minutes before it continued up the tree then across some branches to disappear in the forest. About two feet long, luxurious golden yellow fur, lighter on the belly and tail, piercing inquisitive black eyes.

Of course I looked it up as soon as I got home, and found that it was a Pine Marten. A stunningly beautiful creature - unfortunately I can see why they were almost hunted to extinction. I had this urge to just rub my face in its silky fur!

Maybe others have seen the same yellow/orange streak and have wondered about it, so I thought I'd share. This is one of the few times I really wished I had brought a camera! Anyway, it turned an otherwise enjoyable walk in the woods into something really special. I hope everyone will have the chance to see one some day.

They're sometimes seen in parts of the high peaks in the Adirondacks. One almost got my lunch one day at the beginning of the Gray Mt. herdpath.

They are "beggars" but seem to be quite harmless. I actually think they are cute. One time winter hiking in the Santanoni's, four Pine Martens surrounded us at Times Square. Feeding them kept them quite happy and they definitely weren't shy.

We also have seen them on Phelps.

Did it look like this?

People had good luck seeing one near Mt Clinton/Pierce and I caught another glimpse of one near Crag Camp above King Ravine.
The one by Clinton was a similar viewing as the one you had ..it ran up the tree about 10 feet and stopped... full of curiosity from head to toe.
A very beautiful animal.

Armstrong has one (or more) near the summit.

They are "beggars" but seem to be quite harmless. I actually think they are cute.

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I wonder if they really are (harmless). Their cousin the Fisher Cat is a vicious SOB that will try to eat anything it can catch, even mammals much larger than it. I once saw one in the Whites and he was anything but cute...

I have seen the Pine Martin frequently in the Santanoni Range over the years. They are not shy and will take anything not secured, even while you are there.

Earlier this month (April) we stayed at the Feldspar lean-to and one visited us several times. It did wake me up as it rummage around our gear. I also saw one at the Uphill Lean-to and came within 3 feet of me as I ate lunch. This is the first year I saw them in these locations. It does spell trouble for our unsercured gear.

Gris said:

..... is a vicious SOB that will try to eat anything it can catch, even mammals much larger than it. I once saw one in the Whites and he was anything but cute...

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Opps... for a minute there I thought you were talking about our species...the most historically documented species of doing just that.

The Fisher, another handsome cousin of the Pine Marten, has about the same diet needs of the Marten. Though hardly vegetarians, fruit plants and honey, rabbitts, mice and birds. (Marten)
Porcupines and much the same for the Fisher.

Members of the weasel family have a much higher metabolic rate and they often get a bad rap for hunting and killing as much as they do, yet they would starve in short order if they didn't.
One of the 1st things I noticed in a survival manual...kill everything thing you get your hands on..much as these animals do, always in a constant state of survival.

..but not to worry we can sit back and enjoy viewing them as we are not on the menu...

The Fisher, another handsome cousin of the Pine Marten

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The one I saw was anything but handsome. Twas dark, fat and ugly w/ a scraggly coat and kinda mean lookin - like an enlongated badger with no striping. Nothing I wanted to get too close too, nor he to me either...

....Perhaps he was having a "bad hair day".....?

We had this guy steal a bag of Combos from our pack at Uphill leanto during the night then he came back to share breakfast with us.

I saw a Pine Martin at Times Square on a Santanoni/Panther hike and one on the trail to Wright peak in the ADK's. They are very cool.