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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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Oct 16, 2009 - 02:07pm PT
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Twice I've seen mtn lion tracks in Texas canyon southern Utah, both times (years apart) in the same place. The second time they weren't there when we hiked to the crag but there when we hiked out.
Once, on the Headlamp illuminated descent from Patterson Bluff East ( 60 miles east of Fresno) my partner, Richard Leversee, calmly commented,
"Someone is tracking us"
Then he turned his light on a huge Mtn Lion. We hiked on, and every time I thought about it, and swept my light around, I could see reflective, green, cateyes a couple of feet off the ground.
In 1965 on a family hike in the Maroon Bells in Colorado, we were hiking back to the car when we came across lion tracks and part of a carcass.
"They're watching us, I know", said my mom.
Cool, if scary, sighting, Greg!
Edit,
Coz, Leversee told me that that area in California (and I know you've been there, more or less, with Leversee, no less) has the highest Lion concentration in the state. I don't know how he came upon that fact, but I believe him!
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msiddens
Trad climber
Mountain View, CA
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Oct 16, 2009 - 02:07pm PT
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Greg,
AWESOME.....only ridden at night at Coe once and never alone. Still, pretty cool bud.
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Fat Dad
Trad climber
Los Angeles, CA
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Oct 16, 2009 - 02:12pm PT
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Whenever I'm up in the San Gabes, especially when there's no one around, I always keep my eyes peeled. A few years back, a biker claimed he was attacked by a mt. lion on Mt. Lowe, which I think some folks later disputed. Still, it's both cool and kind of freaky at the same time. Nothing like being reminded you're on the food chain.
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wack-N-dangle
Gym climber
the ground up
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Oct 16, 2009 - 03:21pm PT
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G Barnes,
I was being a little facetious about heading up with a paint gun and riot gear. Also, maybe the word "predation" wasn't entirely accurate. I didn't hear that one hiker had a heart attack, and the other incident involved a cat defending its food. Still, the result was pretty negative for all parties involved (including the cats). Also, if the victims were consumed, I would call it predation. Maybe this is why Fish and Game usually puts down animals that exhibit this behavior.
I suppose the only incident of "predation" I recall was a 20 something old running around his college campus (in Maine?). Was the woman in SoCal dragged off of her bike?
Finally, I agree that the sightings are rare (and a lucky occurence). If they happened in an area with a spring, and near a part of a trail that would make escape more problematic, it seems all the more incredible. I studied ecology in a previous life and the questions were from a somewhat sarcastic (morbid) scientific curiousity. Should, I link the creation thread here? Would the cougar bible say that god gave cats dominion over man (at least some of the time)?
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Jingy
Social climber
Flatland, Ca
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Oct 16, 2009 - 03:30pm PT
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Greg - I got to it late but...
"No more solo night mountain biking at Henry Coe state park."
Yeah.. that was probably a bad idea to begin with..... I'd assume that with the growth of the San Jose area creeping into the foothills, that it may have pushed the lion population into that last remaining area (Co Park)....
Glad to hear you made it out in one piece!
Cheers
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Srbphoto
Trad climber
Kennewick wa
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Oct 16, 2009 - 03:37pm PT
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This list was from an article in 1995. Most would be predation (see article). #11 always gets to me, used to do a lot of hiking and mtn biking up there.
http://www.aws.vcn.com/mountain_lion_fact_sheet.html
Here are a few documented mountain lion attacks on humans:
1. Spring, 1986 - Orange County, California - Laura Small, age 5, was attacked by a mountain lion in the Ronald W. Caspars Wilderness Park. The female lion attacked her head and dragged her off. Laura suffered paralysis of her right side and was confined to a wheelchair for a period of time. She has had 11 operations. Now Laura has a steel plate in her skull. Her right leg is weak, her right arm is partially paralyzed and she is blind in her left eye.
A lawsuit of $100 million and $750,000 in personal damage was filed against Orange County. Small was awarded $2 million dollars. Orange County appealed the ruling.
2. August 1986 - Justin Mellon, age 6, was hiking in Ronald W. Caspars Wilderness Park. He was attacked and mauled by a female lion. Mellon suffered bites to the head, leg and stomach. His injuries were not as severe as that of Laura Small. Note: Due to the lawsuit over the Laura Small attack, the Board of Supervisors for Orange County decided not to allow minors into Caspars Wilderness Park at all. (Information compiled from Ronald W. Caspars Wilderness Park, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Wildlife Services, Sacramento, California and various news reports.)
3. 1989 - Evaro, Montana - Jake Gardipe, age 5, was killed by two or three mountain lions (possibly a female with two kittens) while riding his tricycle in his front yard. The boy was dragged from the yard and the body was found nearby several hours later. The boy's home was 100 yards from U.S. Highway 93 just outside of Evaro. (Associated Press, September 13, 1989)
4. 1989 - Apache Junction, Arizona - Joshua Walsh, age 5, was mauled by a mountain lion near Canyon Lake, some 30 miles northeast of Phoenix. Without warning, and near a parking lot and boat dock filled with people, the mountain lion attacked Joshua, bit him on the head and began to shake him with its jaws and drag him away. Tim Walsh, Joshua's father, leaped down a 20-foot embankment, grabbed a rock, threw it and hit the lion on the head, scaring it. The lion dropped the boy. Joshua was air-lifted to Phoenix Children's Hospital where it took 100 stitches to close Joshua's head wounds, including re-attachment of his right ear which was nearly severed in the attack. (Phoenix Gazette, May 1, 1989, page A-1)
5. 1991 - Nevada Test Site, north of Las Vegas, Nevada - Mary Saether, was attacked by a 120-pound female mountain lion. She suffered minor cuts and received 21 stitches on her head, right arm, and back. The cougar crept up on Saether and two male companions and attacked before they were aware of its presence. The two men beat the lion with their cameras forcing it to release Saether. A Wildlife Services Specialist arrived the next day. As he was doing a preliminary check, he heard noise in a tree and turned to find the lion charging. The man had only enough time to draw his handgun and shoot the lion at point blank range. The lion was found to be in good health. (U. S. Department of Agriculture, Wildlife Services, Reno, Nevada and various news reports)
6. 1991 - Idaho Springs, Colorado - Scott Dale Lancaster, age 18, was killed by a lion while jogging near his high school. Lancaster was attacked by a 90 - 100 pound female cougar and dragged some 60 feet away. When asked how severely the boy was mauled by the lion, Undersheriff Dave Graham replied, "Bad!" It took authorities two days to find Lancaster's body. (Clear Creek Courant, January 16, 1991, page 1)
7. 1991 - Riverside, California - Searchers found evidence that Travis Zwieg, age 3, of La Quinta, California, was possibly attacked by a mountain lion. Shoe prints thought to be Zwieg's were found a half mile from where the toddler disappeared. The prints stopped at a rocky overhang where mountain lion prints were found. "Where the shoes stopped, there was a slide area and what they believed to be drag marks," said Sgt. Craig Kilday. (Associated Press, February 26, 1991 - Note: We found no record of the boy being found.)
8. 1992 - Gaviota State Park, near Santa Barbara, California – Darron Arroyo, age 9, was attacked by a mountain lion as he walked along a park trail. Darron was hiking with his two brothers when a lion rushed from the bushes and attacked, attempting to drag him off in the brush. Steven Arroyo, Darron's father, was walking about a hundred yards behind the boys. He heard the screams and saw the lion dragging Darron. Steven rushed toward the cat, picked up a rock, threw it and struck the lion between the eyes. The lion dropped the boy and left the area. Darron sustained bites to the face and head and scratches to the chest. (Information compiled from Santa Barbara News Press, Gaviota State Park and California Department of Fish and Game, Sacramento, California.)
9. 1992 - Wenatchee, Washington - Jessica Vanney, age 5, suffered cuts and puncture wounds when a 60-pound mountain lion attacked her as she walked along a path through trees at a 100-site campground in Lake Wenatchee State Park. Her father, Michael Vanney, witnessed the attack. "Jessica was 4 or 5 feet in front of me. She walked between two trees and I saw some movement out of the corner of my eye. Then I saw the cougar run around a tree and jump on her. Its front paws just wrapped right around her head and shoulders." Vanney grabbed his hunting knife and attacked the animal. This is the third known lion attack in the state. (Associated Press, June 18, 1992 - Note: What if this was a full grown lion weighing 150 pounds? What if Jessica was walking that path by herself?)
10. 1992 - Vancouver Island, British Colombia - An 8-year-old Kyuquot Indian boy, Jeremy Williams, was fatally mauled by a mountain lion in the village of Kyuquot. The boy's father and a dozen youngsters witnessed the attack. Jeremy was attacked as he sat on the grass in the elementary school playground. The cougar rushed and attacked the freckled, red-haired youngster as other children ran for help. Kevin Williams, Jeremy's father and a teacher at the school, hurried to the scene and watched helplessly while children screamed in panic. The school's janitor shot and killed the 60-pound lion. Richard Leo, a Kyuquot Indian chief, said angry parents accused the school board of ignoring the danger of wild animals. (Associated Press, 1992)
11. 1994 - Auburn Lake Trails, California (near Sacramento) - a 40-year-old vocational rehabilitation counselor, Barbara Schoener, was attacked and killed by a mountain lion. Schoener was jogging in the popular Auburn Trails area when a cougar attacked her from behind. The force of attack caused Schoener off the trail. Schoener made two strides before falling 30 feet. Schoener the stood up and moved another 25 feet down the slope where the final attack occurred. Wounds on Schoener's forearms and hands showed attempts to defend herself, but the 5-foot-8-inch, 120-pound woman was no match for the lion. The lion dragged Schoener 300 feet downhill and, after feeding on her, buried her with leaves and debris. Schoener received two fatal wounds - a crushed skull and bites to the head and neck. (Sacramento Bee Final, April 27, 1994, page B1 and B4)
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Greg Barnes
climber
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Topic Author's Reply - Oct 16, 2009 - 04:15pm PT
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coz, I know I'm lucky. My dad has been hiking, backpacking, peakbagging, driving at night through the Sierras, and jeeping all over CA since the 1950s, and he may have seen one dashing away from his headlights one time in the 1960s.
These were the 4th, 5th, and 6th ones I've seen. First was coming into the Valley in the late '90s. It was a big huge male between Crane Flat and the Foresta road at about 1:30 am, it bounded across the highway, stopped about 20 feet up the hill, and looked at me while I slowed to a stop - then bounded into the brush. Second was in late fall last year in Tuolumne, driving right before dusk near the store, and saw it walking along a LONG ways into the meadows - 400-500 yards. Dark tan on light tan grass. The shape, size (bigger, longer, lower than deer), and especially the walk marked it as a lion. The third was just a few weeks ago, on a cloudy cold day in Coe, and I startled it while blasting down a remote fire road at 30mph - it jumped and ran fast down a hill and dove into the bushes. That was a small/medium size one.
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FeelioBabar
Trad climber
One drink ahead of my past.
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Oct 16, 2009 - 05:02pm PT
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Sweet! they are amazing creatures. Spotted one while it watched me roped-soloing in the Kolob a few years back. Yikes! Good motovation to NOT BAIL! Also seen a few while fighting fires in Utah's west deserts. Amazing, freaky, and gorgeous all at once. I am 6'4, 245...and I have no doubts that it could have destroyed me a hurry had it wanted to.
More of em out there than most folks think.
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Joe
Social climber
Santa Cruz Mountains/Los Gatos
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Oct 16, 2009 - 05:07pm PT
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nice Greg.
I'm totally jealous.
never seen one.
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Greg Barnes
climber
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Topic Author's Reply - Oct 16, 2009 - 05:12pm PT
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That's funny Joe, since I'm sure there must be one living within a couple miles of your house!
My friend Barry saw two running away from him (in broad daylight) across late spring snow on the flanks of Mt. Tom about 10 years ago.
Hoping that Mike or Paul will chime in with their story of being followed by one at night on the way down from Mt. Humphreys, with only weak LED headlamps to look around (and see the eyes following them...). When they finally reached the car they jumped in, then within a few hundred yards they had a flat which rolled off the wheel, and they had to change the tire while looking over their shoulders...
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Fletcher
Trad climber
Shivasana
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Oct 16, 2009 - 06:37pm PT
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I was lucky enough to spot one when running in Monte Bello Open Space Preserve above Palo Alto almost 15 years ago. I was just running onto a dirt road just off of Page Mill when I spotted the big cat going down the road in the same direction as me, maybe 200 to 300 feet ahead. It wasn't aware of me, but since we were going in the same direction, I wanted the creature to know about me. I'm not into surprising cougars. :-) I yelled and it took off into the woods.
I'd just seen a wild turkey on a trail between the road and parking lot and I always wondered if the cougar was hunting it.
As I recalled, I did report the sighting to some agency for the open space preserves. Figured they'd want to know.
Beautiful creatures.
Eric
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Batrock
Trad climber
Burbank
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Oct 16, 2009 - 07:21pm PT
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I used to trail run in the Verdugo Mountains near LA years back and never saw a single cat. In the last 5 years I have seen a few a year, thankfully from a ridge away. I expect to see more since the Station Fire burned much of their habitat in the Angeles NF, they will probably migrate across the Crecenta Vally to the Verdugos still comparatively lush vegetation.
How have the number of Mt Lions changed since the hunting ban and is there a critical population level? Too many lions not enough deer or other food?
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Mtnmun
Trad climber
Top of the Mountain Mun
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Oct 16, 2009 - 07:37pm PT
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Greg, nice siting and most unusual. I have had weekly hikes, runs rides and spent 30 years on trails in CA and I have never seen one. Fresh prints a couple of times, but not the real deal. My x-wife's neighbor had a lion tear the rear leg off their dog as it entered the dog door. Now it is a three legger.
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Zander
Trad climber
Berkeley
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Oct 16, 2009 - 08:12pm PT
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Hey Greg,
The chance of an adult getting attacked by a mountain lion is almost zero. You were in more danger driving to the park than in your encounter. I bet it was scary as hell though. I wish I had been with you. Go with a friend next time and report back if you see them again. To see a mountain lion in the wild is a rare privilege. You are a lucky man.
Zander
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Toker Villain
Big Wall climber
Toquerville, Utah
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Oct 16, 2009 - 08:44pm PT
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Back during the drought for a while they moved down into Zion Canyon proper from the surrounding high country, at least three, perhaps more.
They impacted the fawn population but preyed more heavily on the turkeys.
Several times I'd watch them from ledges while soloing.
At least one of them knew it and would crap at the bottom of my rope.
A couple of times I watched them spying on hikers from within 100' of the trail,..
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Toker Villain
Big Wall climber
Toquerville, Utah
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Oct 16, 2009 - 10:07pm PT
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Oh, and Greg,
regarding the thread title; if there were three of them then they were not on a solo ride.
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Banquo
Trad climber
Morgan Hill, CA
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Oct 17, 2009 - 08:52pm PT
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Like Rokjox sez, you can sometimes get an image where there seems to be none, especially in the underexposed parts. Blown highlights are usually gone. Post the original, full size images and see if sombody here can find the big cats.
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chez
Social climber
chicago ill
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Oct 17, 2009 - 10:26pm PT
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Cozzy,
Ned Guy was walking in Yosemite one evening and saw a lion ahead. He decided to try and get a closer look but after failing he looked benind him and there it was sitting on the trail and eye balling Ned. Needless to say he hightailed lit out of there.
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