[pct-l] mountain lions

[Marge]

 Unless it was raining I did not set up my tarp I usually just found a good
spot for the night. A lot of times I was hiking alone and frankly I was not
as a rule worried about animals.  I am a great believer in banging my poles
together to make a lot of noise especially if I see tracks of something that
was unfamiliar to me. I always did that before I went to sleep. I was hiking
on the section from Anza to the Pink Motel. The Robinsons, Roy and Brian had
given me a lift from the Adz and they were also driving my car up to Cajon
Pass. On the second day I had to cross a rock fall and on my final step one
of the rocks moved under my foot and I went backwards, breaking the small
bone in my leg. It took me awhile to drag myself onto the flat part of the
trail. and it was getting dusk.  The area was spooky to me and I immediately
thought I was in mountain lion territory. So I managed to get my tarp up and
took 2 big pain pills and woke up in the morning unharmed 
I was so far ahead of the herd that it was two more days before someone
found me.

Now if I was going to be afraid of cougars or mountain lions I would really
be afraid on Vancouver Island B.C.This is an island about 300 miles long by
about 60 miles wide and it is surrounded by water and you have to take ferry
boats to get to it. The population of cougars has really multiplied in the
past few years. I have hiked the west coast trail twice but we only saw
bears.

Heck, I would be afraid to go out into the woods where I live-in beautiful
Wood River Valley (Sun Valley, Idaho) because of the wolf population. The
Grey wolf has been on the endangered species and now is being taken off. The
wolves are Grey or jet black and are really big. They are following the elk
herds. Everyone will be glad when they move to the other side of the
mountains. I sure would not set up my tarp outside right now.
Cheers,
Marge (the old gal)