[pct-l] Mountain lion sightings on the PCT

[Tom Bache]

Warnings to beware of mountain lions are common in the San Diego County
backcountry.  They seem more serious than I¹ve seen elsewhere.  Curious, I
bought a book that attempts to catalog all reported mountain lion attacks in
North America from the beginning of European settlement through 2001.  Some
of the facts seem worth sharing, so I¹ll pass them on.
 
As all hikers know, mountain lion attacks are very, very rare ­ the author
could only find 104 since 1900, including 12 fatalities. But there is
evidence that attacks may be increasing ­ the author catalogs 61 for the 12
year period 1990-2001. Here's an interesting PCT connection --  Cuyamaca
Rancho State Park (the PCT passes along and through its eastern boundary) is
by far the U.S. leader in threatening mountain lion encounters.
 
Some facts are startling in view of the overall statistics: 8 of the 61
attacks in 1990-2001 were in Cuyamaca Rancho State Park, including one
fatality (December, 1994). There was another serious encounter in June 1988.
 
Most surprising to me is that park authorities felt compelled to kill 12 (!)
threatening lions in the 12 year period 1987-1998.  I suppose that is why
there haven¹t been any serious incidents since 1998, though people still see
tracks and get a glimpse of one occasionally.

There are certainly mountain lions around Warner Springs.  The locals see
them occasionally. 

I spend a lot of time in our local mountains -- especially in the Warner
Springs area. But I've never been lucky enough to see a lion down here.  I
did see a big one near Raymond Meadows (north of Ebbetts Pass) on my solo
hike through that area last June.  It was in an open area and he (best
guess) crossed the trail about 70 yards in front of me and headed up the
steep slopes of the volcanic peaks just west of the trail.  My mind still
holds a picture of him jumping on a big rock and showing me a full profile
for a few moments before jumping down out of sight (I was too mesmerized to
dig my camera out of my pocket).

Can you walk past a mountain lion and hike on up the trail without glancing
back occasionally?   I couldn't.

Tom Bache
San Diego