Northern California - Warning - Mountain Lion sighting Alpine/Pescadero area

Sunday night there was a sighting of mountain lions on Alpine Rd.

Pescadero Creek County Park (including Old Haul Road Trail) is temporarily closed, I expect Portola Redwoods State Park is as well.

Please be very careful if you plan on cycling through this area (either Alpine Rd. or Pescadero Creek Rd.), I'd suggest you think about alternate routes for the time being.

Did this mountain lion attack someone? Mountain lions live full time all over the Santa Cruz Mountains. There are regular mountain lion sightings around I-280 and Skyline Blvd. I am very surprised that they would close nearby parks because of a mountain lion sighting unless something extraordinary has happened.

I was told that 2 of them cornered a deputy. He managed to somehow fight them off and I believe got away unharmed.

Deputy? As in, one of the people that carry a gun?

Deputy? As in, one of the people that carry a gun?

Yeah, but no one said they can actually know how to use it. :roflmao2:

Cornered, in an alley?
Just an interesting way to phrase it.
Down here in some parks they deny that what you saw was a lion; in others it's almost a daily occurence.

One right near me might reach its' end soon - it's gotten some livestock.

I've had 2 sightings in the last 3 years of living on the coast. One was by the ocean, the other was about 3 months ago on Tunitas Creek. Made me ride faster, heh, heh.

I wouldn't want to guess how many times mountain lions have spotted me without my knowing :eek:

[QUOTE=SesameCrunch;10356070]I've had 2 sightings in the last 3 years of living on the coast. One was by the ocean, the other was about 3 months ago on Tunitas Creek. Made me ride faster, heh, heh.

I wouldn't want to guess how many times mountain lions have spotted me without my knowing :eek:

"Don't look back. Something might be Gaining on You." Satchel Paige

If you’re determined to tackle W. Alpine this weekend, to be safe you should make sure it’s with someone you know for sure is slower than you.

Also, if your boss (or rival) has recently expressed interest in more ambitious cycling—well, this may be a golden opportunity for you! (if you know what I mean).

Now is a good time to test the whole sticker-eyes on the back of your helmet. Let me know if it works for anyone.

Yeah, but no one said they can actually know how to use it. :roflmao2:

Heh.... I used to compete in a lot of matches with various LEO's. Most of the time I thought the safest place to be was behind their targets. :)

I wouldn't want to guess how many times mountain lions have spotted me without my knowing :eek:That could be interpreted as one of two ways, told from the mountain lion's perspective:

a) Nah, we don't have a chance. Let's wait for something easier to catch.
b) Where's the sport in that?

I'm going with a!


Heh.... I used to compete in a lot of matches with various LEO's. Most of the time I thought the safest place to be was behind their targets. :)Ah, gun training by the Galactic Empire.

Although there haven't been huge numbers of fatalities due to mountain lion attacks, you should be alert when biking. One of the fatalities in California in 2004 was a cyclist who was killed and partially consumed while riding at Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park. Don't just look for them at ground level, if you're passing near rock outcroppings or trees be aware that my be above you. (One of the recent fatal attacks in Alberta was a female jogger, visiting her parents over a holiday. She was out running with an mp3 player and earbuds and probably wasn't as aware of her surroundings. She was attacked by a mountain lion crouching in a tree.)

I think people are over reacting. :innocent:

fyi - here is a list of all known mountain lion attacks on humans in California, dating back to the 1800s: http://tchester.org/sgm/lists/lion_attacks_ca.html

The list is fairly short and the only attacks in the Bay Area were more than 100 years ago.

The web page does have detailed information on the 2004 Orange County incidents involving mountain bikers in a wilderness area. Authorities are speculating that the mountain biker died of natural causes. However, a second mountain biker was attacked while riding her bike. She was saved when the lion could not bite through her helmet (always wear a helmet!) and 2 other mountain bikers fought the lion off by throwing rocks and bicycles at it.

Story in the Mercury-News: http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_14328778

A couple of hikers got close to a couple of mountain lions. Not much happened. Game wardens closed Pescadero Creek Park for a day and used dogs to chase the lions out of the park. The park should be open again today.

Good to know, thanks for the update. Apparently there was another sighting last night in La Honda.

Although there haven't been huge numbers of fatalities due to mountain lion attacks, you should be alert when biking. One of the fatalities in California in 2004 was a cyclist who was killed and partially consumed while riding at Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park. Don't just look for them at ground level, if you're passing near rock outcroppings or trees be aware that my be above you. (One of the recent fatal attacks in Alberta was a female jogger, visiting her parents over a holiday. She was out running with an mp3 player and earbuds and probably wasn't as aware of her surroundings. She was attacked by a mountain lion crouching in a tree.)

I subscribe to the theory that if a mountain lion was really after us, we'd never see/hear them before they pounced on our necks. Humans just don't have those developed predator/prey instincts anymore.

The two lion report probably means yearlings learning to hunt.
The Whiting Ranch killining of Mark Reynolds and attack on Anne was about four miles as the crow flies from my house and I ride that area regularly. Right now there is a problem lion within half a mile of there that has taken livestock and harrassed people.
This lion is collared and someone is monitoring it; but won't tell us.
DFG has been involved and this lion's time on earth might end soon.

The danger, slight as it is, is that the lion might have rabies and attack for no reason, or might have cubs close to the trail and attack out of defense. Doesn't hurt to make noise while you're riding so you don't startle one, and if you have to stop to fix a flat or something - don't hunch down and look small - make yourself look big and mean.

Mountain lions are not aggressive toward humans by nature. On the contrary they will do all they can to avoid contact even visual. We are not part of their menu however deer is. Most of the attacks against human have been on moving individuals. A stalking cat will see a runner or a biker as a fleeting deer. What's why it is recommended to make noise (bell or talking) while hiking in cat territory and highly advised to hike, run, or bike as a group (especially true for kids). When encountering a cat never try to run away, always face the beast, make yourself as big as you can (raise arms, stay close to others), and make noise than a prey doesn't make, or throw stones and sticks.
In the few other instances where a cat would directly attack a human the lion is either sick (rabies), hurt, or protective (kill, kittens, or feeling trapped).

Please see following story: "Brave Mountain Lion fends off group of Hikers"

http://www.theonion.com/content/news/brave_mountain_lion_fends_off

lol, I love onion.

Chronicle article:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/02/05/BA391BSCBC.DTL#ixzz0eg2IE1eD