The hoary marmot occurs at high elevations near the timber line on talus slopes and alpine meadows from Idaho and Washington north to Alaska. The front half of the back is white with black hair. The rest of the back is brown. Hoary marmots have cinnamon or brown heads and necks, with white edges around their noses and lips. The rest of their bodies are covered with brown hair.
Males are usually slightly larger than females.
Hoary marmots, and all members of the genus Marmota, have thick, slightly curved claws. These claws are heavier on the front feet than they are on the hind feet. Food Habits Little is known about the food habits of hoary marmots. They are mainly herbivorous, and in the spring and early summer, hoary marmots eat leaves and blossoms of many different herbaceous plants and grasses. Late in the summer, hoary marmots like to eat plenty of seeds.