A Mountain Lion Encounter on the Pacific Crest Trail

Camping at Sunrise High Sierra Camp, Yosemite National Park

Case Conover, writing for the Sierra Magazine, tells this short and chilling story about being stalked by a cougar on the PCT.

I tried to sleep but couldn’t. Whatever it was kept circling the tent for hours. I yelled, whistled, banged my pot, even played Tom Petty on my phone at full blast. Then I heard something running toward my tent and skidding to a stop. It was 1:20 A.M. This was starting to freak me out.

I thought about my options. Part of me wanted to stay in the relative comfort of my tent. Maybe I should make a fire?

Like him, I've always wondered whether it's safer to stay in your tent and make noise, or to make a fire. 

He was smart to pack camp and seek the company of other hikers camping down-trail, something we don't always have the option to do. 

“Sorry to bother you . . . but there's an animal here.”

“Bear?”

“No.”

“Lion?”

“Yes.”

While not quite as nerve wracking as this story was, it reminded me of our own bear encounter in the Olympic National Park.

Read the happy ending and the entire article on Sierra Magazine's website.