[pct-l] Night hiking and rodents in food, p.s.

[enyapjr at comcast.net]

Regarding mountain lions:
> ...somebody said last year that the most common place to see them on the trail is the
> Marble Mountains in NoCal.  Can anyone confirm this as true?

The Marbles are my old stomping grounds...  I normally go back to visit for 2 or 3 weeks
and spend a week to 10 days up in the mountains...  I haven't seen any up close and
personal up in the mountains, but have seen 'sign' of them...
My son has worked trails for Klamath NF the last few years, too...  His crew hasn't seen
any, either...  If mountain lions were so 'common' there, one of the two of us would have
photos by now - and a mountain lion is one of the few animals I don't have pics of...

Now if you want to talk about down in the foothills around the valleys - yes...  One used to
go by my sister's every 5 to 6 days on its 'rounds' covering its territory - late evening well
after dark and far enough away a photo only shows two tiny bright spots (the eyes)...  You
could tell when it was wandering through because nearby dogs would start barking after
catching its scent...  She hasn't seen it for a couple of years - it could have moved on, been
killed, or relocated since it had been turned in numerous times over 2 years to the F&G,
sheriff, and police...

Maybe folks think the Marbles is "most common" because of the numerous small caves in
parts of the Marbles...  I don't think anyone should worry - I can't recall any mountain lion 
attacking humans in that area at all...  Stick to worrying about stepping on a rattler instead!

If anyone does know of a definite spot where a mountain lion lives, please let me know -
I need some photos of one!!

Maybe Deems Burton will chime in - he lives on the N side of the Marbles and works for
the FS, maybe he has heard more info through the FS office...

Happy trails!!!
Jim / PITA