Two Lions Near Lily Lake Trailhead

[OmahaAdam Profile 14er Peak List Not Entered Trip Reports]

While the odds make me feel good at home, irrational fear usually wins when I'm alone at 10,000 ft. at 4:00 a.m.

This!!! lol

[Tony-DiAngelo Profile Website 14er Peak List (28) 13er Peak List (6)]

Always remember that wild life isn't necessarily hunting humans or dogs, they generally attack humans if they have been surprised or caught off guard. That's why I always make noise when hiking. I have yet to see a mountain lion up where I live in the mountains, although my neighbors warned me of one in the area once. The only time I have had encounters with mountain lions is a this place called White Ranch Park. Its a popular hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding system of 19 miles of trails right on the front of the foothills North/West of Golden. My dog and I came within 25 yards of a mountain lion there a couple of years ago. Neither one of us wanted a confrontation so the dog and I and the lion just backed up from each other slowly watching each other. Bears...pfft. I chase them off my deck every fall. They scare pretty easily, or at least in my encounters with them. We also see our share of bears when fall hiking through Golden Gate Canyon state park. So far, since we make noise hiking, we have never caught one off guard and they seem perfectly content in going about their business and leaving us be.

[BillMiddlebrook]

I remember being told once they don't go above 8,000ft by a park worker - when I showed them a photo of footprints at 9,500, they were certain I had mistaken where I had taken the photo

I've seen them above 10,000' feet and had an interesting lion encounter at 11,400' a few years ago. They go where the food is

[shaunster_co Profile 14er Peak List (27) 14ers Skied (3)14ers in Winter (3)13er Peak List (31)Trip Reports]

I have had an encounter with one at 10,500 in the IPW area. I was taking off skins and preparing to descend and it was directly behind me in the trees. If I remember right this same thing has happened to a number of people. I don't know what it is, perhaps removing the pack or being stationary gives them the cue.

[sue personett Profile 14er Peak List (58) 13er Peak List (69)Trip Reports]

I had an encounter with one at 7430 feet in my front yard one evening last October. Monument has lots of deer. I agree, mountain lions go where their prey goes. Do not encourage deer to linger in your yard. Many people in my area do just that. I chase the deer away because they try to eat my garden.
Namaste
Sue

[tenpins Profile 14er Peak List Not Entered]

its loosely pertinent to this thread. found black bear tracks in cottonwood creek this evening. From under I25 heading east. most awesome

[Boggy B Profile 14er Peak List (58) 14ers in Winter (6)13er Peak List (278)Trip Reports]

after years of hiking alone at night in the Colorado wilderness, I finally saw my first bear in the wild today! Two black bears, 100' off the trail.

... on Mount Sanitas in Boulder.

[HikerGuy Profile 14er Peak List (38) 13er Peak List (10)Trip Reports]

after years of hiking alone at night in the Colorado wilderness, I finally saw my first bear in the wild today! Two black bears, 100' off the trail.

... on Mount Sanitas in Boulder.

Congratulations! I've been in Boulder seven years now and have yet to see a bear here or anywhere in Colorado. When I lived in Virginia, I hiked in Shenandoah National Park frequently and would see at least one bear on almost every hike, sometimes three (surprised a mama and cubs once). One of these days I will see a bear out here.

[RoanMtnMan Profile 14er Peak List (45) Trip Reports]

The book 'Grizzly Years' by Doug Peacock is one of the best works of natural history you will ever read. If you have ever been in and around Glacier National Park, MT, you will know that he readily changes the names of familiar places to those which still can be recognized by the astute observer. It is a good read for those wishing to cultivate their natural history skills. And by the way, Doug Peacock is actually the real-life portrayal of Hayduke, the seminal character of 'The Monkeywrench Gang' by Abbey. They met in Glacier while Abbey as a fire lookout on top of Numa mountain. Their writings are those born only from raw experience...

Coincidental, I actually thought to mention Doug Peacock as well as Rick Bass in this thread. Reading their writings captivated me some years ago on the subject of wildlife. Unlike some writers, both fellas clocked some serious legwork in the quest for understanding. I didn't post because I thought Dick Bass, who I am not so much of a fan of, was more appropriate for 14ers.com interests. Glad you broke the ice though. Great stuff if you are into the subject matter.

[nyker Profile 14er Peak List (49) 13er Peak List (3)Trip Reports]

I remember being told once they don't go above 8,000ft by a park worker - when I showed them a photo of footprints at 9,500, they were certain I had mistaken where I had taken the photo

I've seen them above 10,000' feet and had an interesting lion encounter at 11,400' a few years ago. They go where the food is

Bill, what was your 'interesting' encounter?? do share.

[D8S Profile 14er Peak List (25) 14ers Skied (3)14ers in Winter (1)]

The original post sounds like a great encounter.

Many years ago I was hiking in the Selway - Bitterroot wilderness, and returning to my vehicle (still a mile or so away) I came around a bend in the trail to find 2 mountain lions about 200ft away. I stopped, (not particularly scared, just not wanting to frighten them) but they'd seen me and after a brief moment they beat it into the woods.

They weren't stalking me, but nonetheless they had been walking up the trail I'd come in on (hours before) for the better part of a mile.

This was shortly after a mountain lion study had been done at a ranch in the Selway river area, which was probably 10 miles away. Its interesting to think they might have been the same cats, somewhat accustomed to humans. I'll never know.

I think mountain lions do sometimes hang out together (how else would we get little mountain lions, for example), but other than that and immature cubs I don't know the details.

I've always considered myself fortunate to see large wildlife, though I've never had a bad encounter.

Dave

[bob863 Profile 14er Peak List Not Entered Trip Reports]

hmmm, maybe we need to be worried about the 2-legged critters as well...a recent post thought "bombing" in the backcountry should be considered....
I always thought that the 4-legged critters were my most feared, but with all the people carrying concealed weapons into the backcountry and onto the 14ers...