Max, Ultimate Fox Hunter Extraordinaire

Just one look at past headlines and posts from this site (see below) tell the sorry tale of the misery these critters have caused over the years. We have tried everything in the past to stop our tents being ripped to shreds and our food being stolen. One client even woke up in her one man tent to find the fox in there with her, head in food bag! We have tried pepper, sprays and even urinating round the tent. We purchased commercial fox deterrent powder that failed miserably. We invested in an anti fox beacon with very mixed results.

All efforts have failed. Until now that is. Because we were fortunate to come across a “Max”. Now Max hates foxes and can run all day and night. One whiff of a Max round the campsite and the fox will run a spanish mile. He also is very street wise (or mountain wise?) as he requires very little water (good for our guides’ lightweight backpacking ambitions). Therefore he will be coming along with us on all our high mountain camping expeditions in the Sierra Nevada this summer, including the 5 day ridge traverse Los Tres Miles Ruta Integral.

He has already started his mountain guide training with us and has climbed Trevenque in the Cumbres Verdes in searing heat. Next week he aims to climb Mulhacen, without oxygen, and become the highest dog in mainland Spain. Who knows where this will lead? Maybe the first ever dog to complete the 7 summits ???????

Good luck to you Max!

Related Foxy Headlines…..

Feb 2011 More fox related attacks on campers at Siete Lagunas
July 2009 Coordinated fox raids on trekkers in the Sierra Nevada
May 2009 Foxes a problem at high mountain camps in the Sierra Nevada
December 2009 Winter traverse of 3000m peaks runs into fox problems
June 2008 Foxy problems in the Sierra Nevada

And from our Forums…..

Thread: Are we the next victims for the foxes?
Thread: High Camps and Foxes?
Thread: I have heard there are problems with foxes whilst wild camping?
Thread: More problems with foxes in Sierra Nevada
Thread: Foxes still a problem in the Sierra Nevada

Max and my spanish neighbour on Trevenque

Max still going strong whilst training on Trevenque

Los Ladrones!

I was cooking in the tent porch at around 8pm when I heard fast-paced scratching on the tent fabric at the bottom of the tent and I started shouting. I was able to look backwards over the side of the tent and saw the fox in the torch light standing there. He was about the size of a Husky.

Before leaving, I followed the clearly visible fox tracks and was able to retrieve most of the contents of the bag. Apparently the fox neither liked spaghetti, tomato puree, parmesan cheese nor soup. I am pretty sure it was a second fox because I later saw tracks leading in and out of the Refugio Carihüela.

What can you do? Best advice is to take a dog. Shop bought fox deterrents may help but the real answer is to take a dog! If you have been affected by fox attacks in the Sierras will you let us know as this is becoming an increasingly serious problem.

See our previous posts on this subject for background detail:
Foxes still a problem at high mountain camps in the Sierra Nevada
Foxy problems in the Sierra Nevada

Latest attacks from Spanish Highs Mountain Guides clients came this last week. A group of 10 clients were raided at the Laguna de Caballo. Tents were ripped and food was stolen.

Reports from the trekkers suggested that the attacks were co-ordinated. Strange this, as foxes are by nature solitary animals. It is the first reported incidence of coordinated behaviour by the foxes.  The lead fox would approach the tent and attempt to draw the human away. Then other foxes would nip into the tent and quickly snatch anything available.

I myself was camping at the cu±eta de Vacares below the Puntal de Vacares last Friday evening. At 5:30 in the morning a fox ripped through my very expensive Bibler I-Tent. I managed to wake quick enough so the damage was minimal and I scared the fox away.

Why my tent and not one of the other 3 tents around me? I had no food and had cooked well away from the tents. Any rubbish was stored in plastic bags deep inside my rucksack. Only mistake I think I made was my rucksack lent against the inside of the tent. This gave the fox the location of something inside and so started to rip the tent fabric. Be warned!

Below a “tongue in cheek” video report of the Laguna de Caballo raid by Jason Leary.