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sling512
Trad climber
Chicago
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Topic Author's Original Post - Jan 26, 2007 - 09:38am PT
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Holy crap! She tried to jab the lion in the eye with a pen and it bent!!
By LISA LEFF, Associated Press Writer
Thu Jan 25, 11:03 PM ET
Wildlife officials on Thursday credited a woman with saving her husband's life by clubbing a mountain lion that attacked him while the couple were hiking in a California state park.
Jim and Nell Hamm, who will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary next month, were hiking in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park when the lion pounced.
"He didn't scream. It was a different, horrible plea for help, and I turned around, and by then the cat had wrestled Jim to the ground," Nell Hamm said in an interview from the hospital where her husband was recovering from a torn scalp, puncture wounds and other injuries.
After the attack, game wardens closed the park about 320 miles north of San Francisco and released hounds to track the lion. They later shot and killed a pair of lions found near the trail where the attack happened.
The carcasses were flown to a state forensics lab to determine if either animal mauled the man.
Although the Hamms are experienced hikers, neither had seen a mountain lion before Jim Hamm was mauled, his wife said. Nell Hamm said she grabbed a four-inch-wide log and beat the animal with it, but it would not release its hold on her husband's head.
"Jim was talking to me all through this, and he said, 'I've got a pen in my pocket and get the pen and jab him in the eye,'" she said. "So I got the pen and tried to put it in his eye, but it didn't want to go in as easy as I thought it would."
When the pen bent and became useless, Nell Hamm went back to using the log. The lion eventually let go and, with blood on its snout, stood staring at the woman. She screamed and waved the log until the animal walked away.
"She saved his life, there is no doubt about it," said Steve Martarano, a spokesman for the Department of Fish and Game.
Nell Hamm, 65, said she was scared to leave her dazed, bleeding husband alone, so the couple walked a quarter-mile to a trail head, where she gathered branches to protect them if more lions came around. They waited until a ranger came by and summoned help.
"My concern was to get Jim out of there," she said. "I told him, 'Get up, get up, walk,' and he did."
Jim Hamm, 70, was in fair condition Thursday. He had to have his lips stitched back together and underwent surgery for lacerations on his head and body. He told his wife he still wants to make the trip to New Zealand they planned for their anniversary, she said.
Nell Hamm warned people never to hike in the backcountry alone. Park rangers told the couple if Jim Hamm had been alone, he probably would not have survived.
"We fought harder than we ever have to save his life, and we fought together," she said.
-sling
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jstan
climber
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Jan 26, 2007 - 09:55am PT
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The details of this encounter substantiate reports you increasingly hear that wild creatures are losing their fear of humans - for obvious reasons. A book, "Bear Attacks, The Deadly Truth" by James Shelton out of British Columbia is, IMO, well worth reading. My regard for and treatment of wildlife has not changed. But I have stopped assuming they will be afraid.
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Hootervillian
climber
the Hooterville World-Guardian
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Jan 26, 2007 - 10:31am PT
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everyone of those trails in PCRSP is an elk corridor. herds of roosevelt elk (and black tail deer) move from the inland prairie through the redwood and sitka spruce forests to the beach and back constantly. many of the trails cut through forest that is quite overgrown and are perfect places for an ambush.
i've spent quite a bit of time in that area, often on those trails alone....i guess it pays to move quickly and definitively and maybe project a little power.....cuz them kitties seem to know.
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Hootervillian
climber
the Hooterville World-Guardian
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Jan 26, 2007 - 10:44am PT
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nope, Cervus elaphus roosevelti.
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happiegrrrl
Trad climber
New York, NY
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Jan 26, 2007 - 10:45am PT
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Wow! That lady stared down a mountain lion!
On a lighter note.....their 50th anniversary. He is 70 years old, so was 20 at the time of marriage. She is 65 years old....so either she was only 15....or else lying about her age! hahahah.
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wildone
climber
Isolated in El Portal and loving it
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Jan 26, 2007 - 10:49am PT
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Yeah, but they're down in the central valley mostly.-Not that far north, I do believe.
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sling512
Trad climber
Chicago
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Topic Author's Reply - Jan 26, 2007 - 10:49am PT
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happie-
Without saying really how, I checked her BD and she is 65. So she musta been married at 15! But, that was back-in-the-day.
Brave woman for sure!
-sling
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Hootervillian
climber
the Hooterville World-Guardian
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Jan 26, 2007 - 10:57am PT
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they are the largest species, found in the Pac West and Coastal Ranges. Alot of them on the Olympic Peninsula as well.
the bulls are magnificent.
you get to spend alot of time with them in that particular park. they have no fear, and are usually the biggest threat to tourons.
we were run down one time on our mtn bikes by the 'second or third in commmand'.....had to make for the thick and uncut.
[url="http://www.nwtrek.org/page.php?id=96" target="_blank"]fact check[/url]
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Hootervillian
climber
the Hooterville World-Guardian
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Jan 26, 2007 - 11:20am PT
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ANYWAY, for all that, for all my time out of doors, I've never seen a mountain lion in the wild. I suspect the first one I do see will be the one that pounces on me.
yeah that always tripped me too. lot's of prints, den sign and scat. ....this one time, on the red river in NM, we saw the largest 'log'. i couldn't believe it... that cat had to be close to two hundred #'s.
but now i've seen two. and one of those was just a moonlight silhouette against the tent wall.
curiously enough, i've seen none in Wild Nevada..........$500 for a good pelt these days. think they know?
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sling512
Trad climber
Chicago
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Topic Author's Reply - Jan 26, 2007 - 11:35am PT
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My wife and I lived way off Summit Rd in Los Gatos and one morning on the way to work my wife saw a 'kitten' off the side of the road. Ever the animal lover, she stopped because she was worried that someone's kitty got loose. She walked toward the animal and then realized as she got closer it was no regular kitty. Then... the growl. Just up the hillside was this 6-7 foot long mama cat staring down, I'm sure within pouncing distance.
We saw at least 2 or 3 lions in the year we lived up there. Lots of bobcats too.
-sling
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TradIsGood
Happy and Healthy climber
the Gunks end of the country
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Jan 26, 2007 - 11:36am PT
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My son was about 30 feet away and only 2 years old when a cougar went after him.
Those things are so fast, powerful, and determined while attacking, that it made the hair stand up on my neck.
Thankfully, it was stopped by the cage. I could not have gotten between them in time.
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wildone
climber
Isolated in El Portal and loving it
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Jan 26, 2007 - 11:38am PT
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TRADISGOOD_ You kept your kid in a cage? No wonder rajmit is so annoying.
I've been lucky enough to see three in my 26 years. One, from a car on a 4wd road, two, on a 4:30 AM training run with my bro-as soon as the cat knew we saw it, it casually stopped hiding behind a bush and walked off, the third was most impressive to me. I was running up Foresta road behind El Portal here two years ago. I was a few miles up, kinda watching my footing and spacing out, when I glanced up and saw that I had reached a rare straightaway on the road of 75 meters or so. I saw an animal running casually, but quickly down the middle of the road directly away from me. The animal was probably 50 yards away and seemed about the size of a medium domestic dog. "That's a huge bobcat!", I remember thinking, as it's movement was distinctly cat-precise. Then, as it turned to the right and bailed downhill through the underbrush, I got a sidelong view. I saw that it was at least five feet long in the body, with an incredibly long tail, and had just seemed smaller because it had been kind of running in a crouch with it's legs bent low, as to be less visible. It was nearing dusk, so I figured it had been laying in the middle of the road just soaking up the last of the day's warmth from the road and napping. The sound of my feet coming must have awakened it, which is when it must have started jogging away from me. On the way back down the road, in nearly the same spot, I saw a fresh pile of scat in the middle of the road. The moisture from it had barely seeped into the dirt underneath it. I felt very lucky to have seen this magnificent creature.
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G_Gnome
Boulder climber
Sick Midget Land
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Jan 26, 2007 - 11:44am PT
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I've only seen one mountain lion and that one was running across the road in Joshua Tree out by Jumbo campground. Looking for poodles I suspect.
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TradIsGood
Happy and Healthy climber
the Gunks end of the country
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Jan 26, 2007 - 11:50am PT
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haha.
It was a zoo, obviously. The intensity, focus, and speed...
I'll never forget it.
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Gary
climber
Desolation Basin, Calif.
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Jan 26, 2007 - 11:54am PT
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New route name: Lions Are Poodles Too
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Hootervillian
climber
the Hooterville World-Guardian
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Jan 26, 2007 - 11:59am PT
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yeah, if you really want to see lions in their native habitat, raise Lhasa Apso in your sprawling .13 acre, in Rancho Chingadera, OC.
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Ksolem
Trad climber
LA, Ca
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Jan 26, 2007 - 12:16pm PT
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I've seen mountain lions three times. Two sightings were from my car in the viciniy of Camp Nelson near the Needles. One of these was momentary, at night, but the other was great as I was not moving and observed the large beautiful cat for at least 30 seconds. The third I saw while hiking near Shaver Lake. It had it's back to us, looked over it's shoulder in our direction and casually walked away, didn't exactly look scared. Also heard one take down a deer at night just outside our camp near the Kern River one winter night. Actually most of the noise came from the deer.
I'm not a big guy, and when I am hiking around alone in certain remote areas I keep a kabar knife strappped to my pack strap for easy deployment.
Three cheers to this marvelous couple for their successful fight. I am less thrilled to read about the killing of the lions but I guess it's to be expected.
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bluering
Trad climber
Santa Clara, Ca.
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Jan 26, 2007 - 12:19pm PT
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Damn Dingus, you should carry a large knife on your belt or something. Sounds like you've had some close calls...
It's kind of ironic, because I was checking out new route potentials with my wife and asked her if she knew what to do if we were assaulted by a lion. Start wailing on it!!!!
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Duke
Social climber
PSP
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Jan 26, 2007 - 12:35pm PT
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Juvenile I came upon in potato field.
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cliffhanger
Trad climber
California
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Jan 26, 2007 - 12:56pm PT
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A book on Indian lore said many Indians of California would carry a walking stick made of Mountain Mahogany or Juniper for defense. It said one Indian used his to kill a grizzly after it attacked.
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Mighty Hiker
Social climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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Jan 26, 2007 - 01:27pm PT
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"The Beast in the Garden" provides some interesting perspectives on cougars and cougar attacks. There are one or two each year in B.C., usually on children or smaller people. Though a full-size friend was once stalked by a cougar in Squamish's Little Smoke Bluffs.
Cougars tend to attack from behind and above - they jump on the back of the deer (or human), and bite its neck. Maximizing the chance of a fast, low risk kill. Hard to defend against that.
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feelio Babar
Trad climber
Sneaking up behind you...
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Jan 26, 2007 - 01:33pm PT
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I saw a huge one in the Kolob once...while walking the base of wall routes. From it's reaction I must have startled it ( though it scared the living sh#t out of me even more) as it took off through the brush, stopped long enough in a clearing to see it, and it me...and then took off. Amazing animal...HUGE. Would have no problem taking out a human. Seen a bobcat at night once on a wildland fire here in Utah also....cool animals for sure.
Cool thing is, there are more out there than people think...even in busy places like the Wasatch.
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Bruce Morris
Social climber
Belmont, California
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Jan 26, 2007 - 01:34pm PT
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Seen lions 3 times in Huddart Park in Woodside, California and twice in Edgewood County Park in Redwood City. Lots of fat Western Black-tailed deer in both locations. Heard from a Ranger 'off-the-record' that there are about 12 reported lion sightings in Huddart Park each year. They're certainly out there close to major population centers. If they were really inclined to attack hikers, we'd read a lot more newspaper stories like this one. Sounds like sometimes, on a random basis, they do make mistakes about choice of prey.
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TGT
Social climber
So Cal
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Jan 26, 2007 - 01:47pm PT
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An old timer that used to work for me had this as one of his best huntin stories from the 30's.
There were two of them hunting opposite sides of a narrow canyon for deer. His buddy was being stalked and he just watched for awhile thinking it would move on. The lion got ahead of him and on top of a large rock in front of him and went into a pounce posture.
He got a shot off rapidly not thinking he had much chance of hiting it but the need to scare it off was obvious. He got lucky and the lion droped a few yards in front of his friend who proceeded to fill his pants.
I've never seen one, just tracks where I know I've been followed.
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SammyLee
Trad climber
Memphis
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Jan 26, 2007 - 02:27pm PT
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Super rare sighting when I saw one in South Florida near Lake Okeechoobee on the West Palm side. It was starting to cross the road when I asked my then girlfriend, "What in the hell is THAT?!" I initially thought it was a huge dog but the tail was all wrong for a dog. It sensed the car and in one leap was across and gone. I used to solo hike/camp within a few miles of that place three or four times a year. Never saw one then.
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johnboy
Trad climber
Can't get here from there
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Jan 26, 2007 - 02:33pm PT
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Wow, great story with a great outcome, except for the 2 cats.
Big cats are so thick in the hills anymore that for the last 2 years they've had a season on them.
My wife and me put on between 600 to 800 miles thru the hills each year and we've only seen a big cat once. It was fleeing quickly for cover. We see fresh track everytime were out and no doubt were being watched most of the time. Thankfuly we walk with 2 large dogs. If you've ever heard a cat screaming out at nite, you'll never forget it, stands the hair on the back of your neck up, and makes the dogs run under our legs.
Humans aren't much of a mark for cats, they prefer something with a little more meat on their bones, much like a shark. But some get desperate, some get defensive and some are curious. With more and more forced proximity between cats and humans, these episodes will increase.
An old saying around here; if your hiking and spot a cat, its to late, they could of already had your a$$.
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Trusty Rusty
Social climber
Tahoe area
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Jan 26, 2007 - 03:22pm PT
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The story provokes a grisley image. I've seen two in Ca. (Ventana area) and both times I got the crystal clear message of "hunter killer". Encounters & sign seem to be increasing in Nevada & Placer Co. "loosing their fear of humans" is an issue, but on the other hand. . .in AK. there's two basic variations of Griz. Browns on the coastal side (used to humans) and Grizzly in the interior (not used to humans) having spent 9 years in an isolated part of interior, it was common that of the two kinds, interior bears are more dangerous cause they often have never seen us. Either way, the thought of close encounters with kitty "shivers me timbers"! Glad the story ended on a happy note.
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dufas
Trad climber
CA/NV
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Jan 26, 2007 - 04:01pm PT
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mountain lions look at humans the same way humans look at a guy who just sh#t his pants.
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DavisGunkie
Trad climber
Davis, CA
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Jan 26, 2007 - 04:56pm PT
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Dingus,
My wife and I were hiking in Cold Canyon once and we ran into a group of people who had just realeased a mtn. lion that was rehabilitated, so they must have a population around here. it was cool sight to see
on a side note
Can you recomend some hikes near cache creek/blue ridge, i have been meaning to get out there
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mack
Trad climber
vermont
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Jan 26, 2007 - 05:38pm PT
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I heard a story a few years ago that in India in areas that have tigers, the people wear a mask of a face on the back of their heads when they are out in tiger country. Supposedly the cats only attack from behind and the face on the back of their head is a deterrent.
I certainly don't have any experience with big cats but my domestic cat always gets me from behind when she's mad.
Mack
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Jaybro
Social climber
The West
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Jan 26, 2007 - 10:00pm PT
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I've had the same experience as TradisGood twice, now. Once was a mtn Lion at the wildlife place outside of Tucson (sonoran museum?) who definitely would have my daughter for dinner had there been no barrier. And another time at the San Diego Zoo with a Kommodo Dragon
this guy charged the glass, bonked his nose and licked his lips
Ksolem, I've heard the greater Shaver lake area has the highest concentration of Mtn. Lions in California. Twice I've seen them when descending from Patterson Bluff / Balch camp flake, in the dusk / evening. And I've only climbed there probably a dozen days altogether.
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quietpartner
Trad climber
Moantannah
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Jan 27, 2007 - 02:24am PT
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One evening at dusk I was riding my dirtbike quietly (yes, it IS possible, dammit, you enviro extremists!) along a logging road in Idaho when I came around a bend and there were two cats ambling along, probably hunting for deer below. Their eyes caught the glare of the bike's headlight and reflected the glow as brightly as road reflectors. The smaller of the two quickly jumped aside, but the buck cat stood casually as though saying, "That yooman it settin' out in the open....bet I could take 'im." With hair standing on the back of my neck, I poured on the coal, heading straight for him since I was too chicken to stop and pet them. He slowly and incredibly gracefully flowed aside with no fear, only a few feet away, to keep from getting run over.
What beautiful animals!
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Nefarius
Big Wall climber
Fresno, CA
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Jan 27, 2007 - 02:52am PT
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Jaybro -- I've heard the same thing, a few times from rangers. Courtright/Wishon, which is right above Shaver is supposed to be filled with them. I've seen a a number of them there, while climbing/camping, so that says something.
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ec
climber
ca
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Jan 27, 2007 - 04:01am PT
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On the way up Hwy 180 to Sequoia-Kings I saw this beautiful mountain lion sauntering across the road around 2am. It just looked at me with a 'whatevah' kind of look without missing a step or speeding up and disappeared into the night. A year or so later, I saw the same critter in the same spot around the same time.
While camped up at this remote spot on the very southern part of the Sierra called Lamont Pinnacles, I awoke to find fresh mountain lion tracks around my sleeping bag and everyone else's as well. Then it occurred to most of us that in our slumber during the night we recalled hearing some weird cries/growls...however never really waking-up to check it out. Maybe that was best.
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NoRushNoMore
climber
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Jan 27, 2007 - 04:48am PT
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Cali is filled with them. Saw two of them while mountain biking in Santa Monica Mountains a while back, biger one did not even bother to move when we were approaching.
Saw another one in Purisma Creek Park of the Skyline some 5-6 year ago. And yet another one not that long ago in the Edgewood park (lots of stupid deers in that park, bastards run towards your when you rase your hand as if you to feed them).
In each case felt the intense stare but never felt threatened. Sad they killed them
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Bruce Morris
Social climber
Belmont, California
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Jan 27, 2007 - 03:10pm PT
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NoRushNoMore: Wonder when you saw that kitty in Edgewood County Park in Redwood City? Think they sneak in there under the overpass on US 280 from the area around Crystal Springs Lakes. Saw one slinking low down the Serpentine Trail on the way (evidently) to the field by the picnic area where the deer come to feed at night. Another time, one was in a tree right next to the running trail. Didn't seem to be stalking me, just spying on the deer trails.
The deer are real dumb in Edgewood because they're "commuters"; that is, when fodder runs out in the Park in summer they "commute" into the surrounding 'burbs to feed in the gardens or are feed by the naive and well-meaning suburbanites. Sort of feral-urban hybrids.
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Apocalypsenow
Trad climber
Cali
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Jan 27, 2007 - 03:37pm PT
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I am with "Colbert." Fear bears.
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crusher
climber
Santa Monica, CA
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Jan 27, 2007 - 04:25pm PT
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About 8 years ago I went for a mountain bike ride up in the Santa Monicas - Westridge for those of you who know it - it was Summer so daylight savings time. I had ridden up the fire road to the top where the Nike tower is, and was on my way back down. There were a few people out, but it was getting later (not really dark yet) and I was riding alone. I was tired having been out late the night before, so the uphill slog to the tower had kinda worn me out. The way back is mostly downhill but for maybe two uphill sections.
I was coming down and almost at the longer of the two last uphills when I saw what I assumed was a dog on the fire road in front of me, trotting down the same way I was going. No person, just this "dog". As I got closer I realized it was a cat. Started to freak a little and said to myself "oh it's just a bobcat, don't worry". Then I realized that this was no bobcat as it had a nice, long tail and was bigger.
Off it went down the side of the hill and into the brushy canyon. I went past the place where it had gone down and tried to get as much speed as I could since I had the dang uphill part in front of me! I think that's the fastest I ever rode up that hill, my heart was pounding out of my chest. I was sure it was coming after me but didn't dare turn around to look!
Haven't seen one up there since but I don't doubt they're there.
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426
Sport climber
Buzzard Point, TN
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Jan 27, 2007 - 04:41pm PT
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Always got a paranoid feeling up in the Rubys night hiking but never saw any "eyez".
Did see eyez being stalked while night hiking up to Gilbert eons ago. Couple hours of "cat and mouse" in the dark. Got all axed up with my own "claws" and wrapped up "protect yer neck" style. Eyez shutting only to be seen moments later higher up in the cliff bands was dicey. Had the early model "Duo" and inadvertently spotted kitty while checking terrain with the hi beam...
I'd add to the above quote, "(or) if you spot 'em...they could be sneaking up on you..."
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chollapete
Trad climber
tucson, az
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Jan 28, 2007 - 12:19pm PT
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I've seen a mountain lion once, driving in the country 15 miles southwest of Leavenworth, Kansas. A Sunday morning in May, 2005, about 11:45, a cloudy day with occasional sprinkles. Was driving to town in the Ford Ranger, a winding, two-lane asphalt road. Coming up a slight rise, I noticed what looked like a kitty-cat slinking across the road, crouched low. As I approached, doing about 50, the cat kept getting bigger and bigger, until a felt a twinge of visceral fear in my gut--that was no housecat!
As it crossed my lane, I had a clear view--the length of the cat was nearly equal to the width of the traffic lane, or so it seemed, and it had a long tail held out straight back with a black fluff at the tip. It immediately disappeared into the bush at the roadside.
I later ID'd on the internet. Until then, I hadn't really believed my mother's story of having seen one sunning itself on a big, round haybale the year before as she was driving to work. That was about 10 miles from where I saw mine.
There are occasional reports in the media of homeowners seeing big cats in the Kansas City & Leavenworth area, which the authorities always pooh-pooh. Of course, they couldn't deny the one that a woman hit and killed driving to work one morning, which the Fish & Game autopsy showed was a wild cat. People say that they are migrating down the Missouri River valley from the Rockies due to expanding populations (of people or cats?) in the mountain states.
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;aljdf;lkj
Social climber
santa clara, ca
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Jan 30, 2007 - 12:34am PT
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ive been hiking on a regular basis at joseph d. grant state park (east san jose, ca hills)for the last three or four years and finally saw my first mountain lion this past july (2006). i was driving with my brother just after sunset after a hike and right before the entrance to the park a large mountain lion walked across the road. it didnt run away or look scared. it just looked at us and slowly walked up the hill. there was something else further up the hill that i couldnt see very well. im guessing either a deer or another mountain lion. ive always been scared as hell of them and am even more scared now. im thinking chain mail, a neck brace, and a helmet for future hikes. i see wild pigs and or deer every time i go there so i know there's gotta' be a lot of mountain lions to feed on them.
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rhyang
Ice climber
SJC
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Jan 30, 2007 - 02:34am PT
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Cool. I used to spend a fair amount of time backpacking in Henry Coe SP and have never seen a lion, though plenty of other wildlife (coyote, pigs, bobcats, deer, etc). Once I did see a deer skeleton that looked a lot like a lion kill about a mile from my camp in the Orestimba Wilderness. I know there are a fair number of them in the park. Hasn't stopped me from hiking there though.
One night in the Ventana Wilderness I was camped at Vicente Flat and heard the eerie scream of a lion off in the distance. Utterly hair-raising.
Vivid reminders that these are places "where man himself is a visitor who does not remain."
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TradIsGood
Happy and Healthy climber
the Gunks end of the country
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Jan 30, 2007 - 07:23am PT
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If he was attacked on CNN, must have been a neo-con.
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Patrick Sawyer
climber
Originally California now Ireland
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Jan 30, 2007 - 09:02am PT
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Not bad TradIsGood, sort of reminds me of the following dialogue in The Thin Man (1934):
Nora Charles (Myrna Loy): I read that you got shot in the tabloids.
Nick Charles (William Powell): It’s not true, the bullet didn’t come anywhere near my tabloids.
I was thinking on moving back to the States, Humboldt County probably to finish my masters at Humboldt State. Not far (sort of) from where the lion attack took place. I also noticed a Rattlesnake Hill up in that direction.
Hmmm… Ireland, no snakes no lions.
Koward with a capital K, that’s me.
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Aya
Uncategorizable climber
New York
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Jan 30, 2007 - 10:39am PT
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"ats have the absolute worst bacteria in there mouth and claws. They are much, much more dangerous than dogs as far as being bitten and clawed."
Ohmygod tell me about it... I was in the hospital for 3 days because of one tiny little cat bite!
We don't really have any lions out here, at least not enough for everyone to have their stories - just enough for there to be rumors. We also don't have too many bears, rattlesnakes, etc... Some poison ivy, and that's about it!!!
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Irisharehere
Trad climber
Gunks
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Not true Pat, there are a lot of snakes in Ireland now.........
They're the ones wearing the Armani suits........
;)
I hardly recognise the place when I go back
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Jerry Dodrill
climber
Bodega, CA
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Feb 16, 2007 - 07:13pm PT
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So the wife and I went away for a little romantic get-away up the coast this week and ended up hiking at Prairie Creek Redwoods. This place has a sense of awe and spiritual grandeur I've seldom experienced. The mind-boggling scale reminded me of my first visit to Yosemite. You keep catching yourself standing there with your mouth open.
We of course inquired as to where the couple was attacked and headed for that trail. It was amazingly beautiful, but sorta creepy too. Any sound in the forest got your full attention. I can totally understand the situation now. This is not a migration route for the elk -too far up the canyon. It's in a steep brush-choked side drainage with a gurgling brook among old growth trees. (The elk would, however, be in the valley just a half mile away.) Lots of big logs and dry caves the cats could live in. We kept looking up into every tree branch that overhung the trail. We couldn't help feeling like we were being watched and that any step could be our last despite knowing the cats had been killed. It was unclear exactly where the incident transpired, but it could have been anywhere along the trail. It's so obviously their domain, not ours. An unfortunate situation for all. We heard that Jim had been released from the hospital, though the doctors were still concerned about infection.
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WoodySt
Trad climber
Riverside
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Feb 16, 2007 - 07:21pm PT
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Yes cats do have very nasty mouths. I believe it has much to do with what they eat. Interestingly enough, the human mouth is worse as far as the potential for infection from a bite.
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Robb
Social climber
Under a Big Sky
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Feb 16, 2007 - 09:12pm PT
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Patrick
If you think cats & snakes are fun, just wait till you take up surfing & meet the BIG fish!
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Dropline
Mountain climber
North Conway, NH
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Feb 16, 2007 - 11:02pm PT
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Aya, as you are a New Yorker, there are lots and lots of black bears all along the Shawangunk Ridge, among other places. And a good number of coyote packs these days working the deer up against the eastern flank of the escarpment too.
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JuanDeFuca
Big Wall climber
Stoney Point
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Feb 17, 2007 - 12:29am PT
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Seen two Mountain Lions. One driving out of Yosemite near Wawwona. Another behind JPL.
Scary.
JDF
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Anastasia
Trad climber
Mammoth Lakes, CA
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Feb 17, 2007 - 12:56am PT
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There are a ton of mountain lions in the Sespe and the California Condor Sanctuary.
I would never have seen them without my dog. My German Shepherd would always reacted to their presence with a low growl and puffing up twice her size. They are huge, unpredictable and 99% invisible.
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Bruce Morris
Social climber
Belmont, California
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Feb 17, 2007 - 01:14pm PT
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Obviously, there are lots of 'em out there in open spaces and state lands adjacent to densely populated areas. If they really did have a propensity for attacking people, there would be reports of mountain lion attacks on a weekly basis.
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Patrick Sawyer
climber
Originally California now Ireland
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Feb 17, 2007 - 02:43pm PT
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Robb, the last time I was on a surfboard was December 1989 near Sennen Cove, Cornwall, southwest England. No Great Whites there, though it appears one was sighted off Cornwall a couple of years ago.
Prior to that it was 1973 at Santa Cruz, and we know that they are there, but I never encountered one, but then I didn't surf that much. But I know guys who have been in the water when there has been a Great White around, and they tell me they were scared sh*tless.
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Robb
Social climber
Under a Big Sky
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Feb 17, 2007 - 04:58pm PT
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Patrick
When we moved to the north coast, there were three attacks w/in about two years- one upon a kayaker just offshore from my house!
Needless to say that put the kabosh on my planned return to surfing.
Robb
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kev
climber
CA
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Feb 17, 2007 - 05:09pm PT
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bump - this is climbing related....
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| Messages 1 - 56 of total 56 in this topic |
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