[pct-l] Lion story

[alec]

slow wrote:


"If you encounter a cat with an aggressive, domineering or unyielding
attitude, and if the situation is such that avoidance by retreat is
unlikely or seems potentially dangerous.  Displace your fear!  Stand
tall, wave your poles aggressively, growl, grimace, snarl, yell and
stamp your feet.  I am a total believer in carrying an ice axe and
good knife in the wild.  If you believe within yourself that you will
fight to kill an animal if he dares to attack you - it will sense it.
Predatory animals instinctively have a healthy respect for courage as
well as an equal disdain for  weakness, fear and cowardice, it's part
and parcel of their instinctive survival mode and their kill to eat
and/or territorial defense makeup."


i agree 100%!
i had what some would call a "near-death" experience
with a mountain lion on june 10, 2000 in the los padres 
national forest. i was laying on my sleeping mat,
meditating as the sunset.  i stood up, took a deep
breath, stretched my arms wide, and realized that there
was a full grown mountain lion 15 feet in front of me
staring straight through me.  after what seemed like an
eternity (but was probably no more than 1 second) the
reality of what i was seeing sunk in and EVERY HAIR
ON MY BODY STOOD STRAIGHT UP.

the cat didn't growl.  the cat didn't bear teeth.
the cat didn't move towards me.  it just stared at
me with the BIGGEST feline eyes i've ever dreamed of 
seeing in the wild!  i can still see them today.

and then, my primordial instinct kicked in.  interestingly,
i've often regretted it, but without thinking about it
i experienced the greatest adrenaline rush in my life.  
i grabbed my knife and i let out a tremendous roar.
i raised my arms and quite literally, i became a "bigger
lion."  i have no doubt in my mind that i could and would
have fought off that lion had he chosen to attack me.
no doubt at all.

...and i guess that beautiful lion agreed.  after an
eternity (probably 5 - 10 seconds) he broke our stare
and sauntered over the ridge.  it's not for nothing that
the chumash referred to cougars as "one who walks with
soft mocassins.

i've thought alot about that day and i celebrate
the event every year;  i will NEVER forget those eyes
or that feeling... and as crazy as it sounds, 
i've sometimes regretted scaring that lion away.

so as slow says, be prepared and hike strong.
 



 
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