Mountain Lion on Skyline ....or, Quail in Army Boots?

[cynthia23]

This is probably another episode of my vivid imagination aka paranoia, but better to err on the side of safety and report this: I went up to 3000 feet today, and when I was on the shady slope, (it was around noon), I heard this loud rustling in the brush above, about fifty feet away. I threw some rocks, but the rustling didn't stop but got louder/closer. It was quite loud, like a dog moving through brush. Not having a better plan, I kept hustling up the trail, throwing rocks and yelling. The rustling continued, not so much coming towards me as going parallel. I got up above it, whatever it was, and after some more yelling and rockthrowing, the rustling seemed to stop. I stayed briefly at 3000 feet for a few minutes, then headed nervously back down, shouting idiotic stuff at the top of my lungs. No rustling. I'm typing this so you know I returned uneaten.

I have no idea what that was, but it scared the rhymes-with-sap out of me. It could have been a smaller animal or even birds. Birds can be surprisingly loud in the brush. But it was freaky that it seemed to want to get closer to me. I recall Yicchus saying several years ago something seemed to stalk him through the brush near Flat Rock, not leaving until he threw rocks. On the other hand, maybe it was just some small innocent woodland creature frantically trying to get away from my insane shouting. We'll never know. But solo hikers, keep an ear and eye out, especially in the dark. As you know, Ellen reported a friend had a close encounter with two mountain lions on the lower portion of Skyline, a month ago. Although I understand that mountain lions have a fairly wide range, it's also not like they take a bus out of town. If they were there a month ago, they're probably still around, somewhere. Don't look appetizing.

btw, bluerail, I saw the giant pile of empty bottles. I agree, what the ?? What was the point being made there? That was almost as freaky as my stalker.

[zippetydude]

Hi Cynthia. I'm glad you weren't eaten. And I understand when something unknown scares the map (well, it rhymes with sap) out of you. I can't tell you how many times a sudden explosion of quail has startled the heck out of me. I'm curious what it was. You never saw any mountain lion tracks?

z

[cynthia23]

No, I did look, but nothing. But whatever it was was off-trail, above me, on the slope. It was probably nothing serious. Although I did have a freaky sense of something aggressively curious about me, and though the loudness of the noise did seem like something large, that's obviously pretty subjective and could be a function of my pre-existing nervousness. I wouldn't bother posting, except for Ellen's friend's recent sighting, and because I'd feel bad if I said nothing and somebody got attacked. But I think the most salient fact here is that somebody actually did see two mountain lions, relatively recently, so regardless, solo hikers should be cautious (and noisy).

[Carl F]

Just so you know, on my last Skyline 11/27/11 there was a nice coyote up around those big rock formations probably where you are talking about. Sorry I forgot to mention it in my brief blurb from the Super Pat post.

[Carl F]

P.S. No trash or bottles were there on 11/27. Just clean, pristine trail, and a greyhound named R.M. !!

[bluerail]

the furthest I've ever jumped was from quail turning a bush into a hurricane.

Yea, besides woodland creatures, I think there are true problem humans up there.

everyone have a safe weekend, and good luck Zip.

[PatrickSupra]

Sorry I forgot to mention it in my brief blurb from the Super Pat post.

I see you still haven't let that go. All I did was post a time. Didn't know people were gonna make such a big deal about it...

[Carl F]

Sorry no offense - If I thought you would take any I never would have posted it. Hey, have a nice weekend hiking up there - I'll be stuck in S.D. for the next few weeks. Maybe we'll meet up on the trail someday! (and yes I'll watch you pass me)

[Ellen]

Howdy MAJESTIC

Yikes!!! That would have scared the carp out of me Glad you're OK. In the spring of 2009, I ran into a group of guys who were heading down in the dark. They said they were being stalked by a mountain lion while heading up the switchbacks at Shade Rock.

Fortunately, all Jack and I saw yesterday were deer at 4 K. Makes me think of Hiking Jim's photo of the cougar with the caption "Solo hiking -- you're never truly alone"

Miles of smiles,
Ellen

[phydeux]

Its easy to mistake the fluttering of quail in brush for the low growl of a mountain lion. Happened to me last weekend in the Santa Ana Mountains; it always scares the crap outta ya until you suddenly realize its quail fluttering to safety. The two are kind of tough to tell apart, but a warning growl would have lower 'bass tones' than a quail in panic flight mode. And from what I remember, a lion will only growl when its trying to protect something it can't easily remove from the area (like a fresh deer kill); if it really wanted to attack you you'd probably never hear (or see) it.