Frankazoid Posted April 28, 2011 Share Posted April 28, 2011 Just bushwacked to the top of deception crags, high above nevermind wall... in the deep and dark woods i found a tall steep crag with some high potential for new routes. On top of the wall was a HUGE cougar staring down at my friend and I. The experience was truly unbeleivable. Steep scrambling above deception crags, heavy heavy rain, daylight dissappearing, dark mossy woods with old groth trees and deadfall, steep crags jetting out... and a absolutely HUGE and powerful cougar in all it's glory. The setting for this experience was mind blowing. I wish I could transfer the image from my brain to yours. I always pictured that when I came across a cougar it would be the normal slim, athletic build, not too huge and bulky cougar you see in photos and video. But NOPE! This thing was like a damn tiger! Just a cool experience I wanted to share. . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScaredSilly Posted April 28, 2011 Share Posted April 28, 2011 Cool experience though you were being eyed with being a diner guest ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
obwan Posted April 28, 2011 Share Posted April 28, 2011 Nice Bushwhack! Definitely a close encounter of the third kind! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quarryographer Posted April 28, 2011 Share Posted April 28, 2011 I've been checking out crags all over that neighborhood for potential development. I definitely think the best rock at that exit is high up there, in nearly inaccessible places. I've seen scat and tracks of every mountain critter up there, including cougar, but never had the pleasure of a face to face... Except for a goat. What an experience! But it also brings me back to the same nagging feeling, that maybe I shouldn't make a reason for more monkeys to slog up the hill, and use their living room for a jungle gym... Goddammit, I sound like DAWG! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tyson.g Posted April 28, 2011 Share Posted April 28, 2011 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Posted April 28, 2011 Share Posted April 28, 2011 Nice! Very, very lucky. As an ecologist I spend quite a bit of time out and about in the PNW on top of climbing/skiing. I've see 3 cougars in 30 yrs of work. Once was following a cat on telemetry and it still took us an hour of looking when the dang thing was up a tree 20 yds from us. Sounds like a chill-up-the-spine moment. Excellent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DPS Posted April 28, 2011 Share Posted April 28, 2011 After 25 years of hiking, backpacking, trail running, climbing, and skiing, I finally saw a Cougar on West Tiger 2 last year. I am guessing they reclusvie, rare, or both. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ivan Posted April 28, 2011 Share Posted April 28, 2011 shit, it's much easier to spot a cougar at pike's place Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
area51 Posted April 28, 2011 Share Posted April 28, 2011 I got a call from my neighbor last night that a cougar killed a few sheep down the road from me and buried them on the northern edge of my 20 acres Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rad Posted April 28, 2011 Share Posted April 28, 2011 I saw one in Argentina years ago. Haven't seen one in the US yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lisa_D Posted April 28, 2011 Share Posted April 28, 2011 Wow! I've never seen one. But I wonder how many times they see us without our noticing. Earlier this spring, I was biking up this road on the outskirts of Bellingham called Squalicum Mountain Road. There was still snow on the side of the road. I saw what I guessed were cougar tracks in the snow: it was too huge and round to be a dog's print, plus the tracks went straight into the woods. Now every time I ride there I feel like I'm being watched! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G-spotter Posted April 28, 2011 Share Posted April 28, 2011 i mostly see'em in the bar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob Posted April 28, 2011 Share Posted April 28, 2011 They hunt me constantly; I'm their favorite meal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riley81 Posted April 28, 2011 Share Posted April 28, 2011 I always figured that a cougar would see me long before I saw it, and if I did see it that it was probably because it wanted to eat me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hanman Posted April 28, 2011 Share Posted April 28, 2011 There's a big resident one I've seen a couple times up at Spring Mtn near the ravine before the parking spot. Pretty amazing animal- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j_b Posted April 28, 2011 Share Posted April 28, 2011 Should we be weary of giving exact locations for these sightings as some people don't always have the best intentions? anyway, something to consider perhaps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
treknclime Posted April 28, 2011 Share Posted April 28, 2011 Saw a bobcat up close while skate skiing this year. Pretty cool experience seeing it bounding in the snow. I agree with j_b...with not disclosing sighting locations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peakpimp Posted April 28, 2011 Share Posted April 28, 2011 The folks over at Conservation Northwest would be very interested to hear your story. With full disclosure. As they are currently working on tracking any wildlife activity in the I-90 corridor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
treknclime Posted April 28, 2011 Share Posted April 28, 2011 Thx, PP...I just wrote them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E-rock Posted April 29, 2011 Share Posted April 29, 2011 But it also brings me back to the same nagging feeling, that maybe I shouldn't make a reason for more monkeys to slog up the hill, and use their living room for a jungle gym... Goddammit, I sound like DAWG! No, you sound like a reasonable conservationist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mountainsloth Posted April 30, 2011 Share Posted April 30, 2011 exciting stuff! I always get paranoid about cougars when out in the Middle Fork by myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Posted April 30, 2011 Share Posted April 30, 2011 Cool experience though you were being eyed with being a dinner guest ... Fixed that for ya.... Last time I saw one was about 10 years ago. Driving up the Middle Fork road at close to dusk a cougar darted across the road in front of us. Damned thing was huge! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DPS Posted April 30, 2011 Share Posted April 30, 2011 I don't hope I get killed by a cougar, but 'hiker killed by cougar' makes better headlines than 'middle age man dies of a heart attack'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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