On the PCT (Pacific Crest Trail), this year, somewhere around the California/Oregon border I saw a mountain lion. It was just off the trail and had its back to me. It was looking in the base of a tree, probably hunting rodent and didn’t hear me coming. Startled, the first thing I could think to say was, “Whoot! Whoot! Whoot!.” It turned around and stared at me with the most serious looking face I have ever seen. Because I had my MP3 player in my hand, I couldn’t clap so I made motions like I was clapping and said, “Clap! Clap! Clap!” and it trotted off.
An hour up the trail I met a southbound hiker, a guy named Starman who had hiked the PCT in 2001 and was now doing a section hike. I told him about the mountain lion up ahead. He said, “About an hour up the trail? No! That was where I was stalked by a mountain lion at night in 2001.” He said he couldn’t see it then, but he could feel it stalking him and he took a picture of its eyes glowing at him.
Note: I would have stolen a picture of a mountain lion to post with this, but I couldn’t find one that captured the dead serious look on that cat’s face.
