The Magazine of The Sierra Club
ENVIRONMENT EXPLAINED
You're out hiking and encounter a mountain lion. Now what?
Expert advice on how to survive an encounter with a big cat
It was a beautiful morning, and I was hiking in California's Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park, in the Sierra Nevada foothills. I was thinking about getting back to watch my football team on TV and wasn't paying attention to my surroundings. I should have been.
At the top of a ridge, I stopped to drink some water and tie my shoe. I got a tingling feeling that somebody was watching me.
I stood up and looked behind me, but nobody was there. Then I looked to the left and saw it.
When we made eye contact, the mountain lion stood up and took a few steps toward me. I reached for my whistle, but today of all days I had forgotten it. I wanted to run, but I knew that was the wrong response.
So I started jumping and yelling "Touchdown!" over and over. Eventually the lion walked off, up the hill. I backed up, still making noise, until I felt safe enough to turn and walk away.
Ask the Expert
Susan Okey is a park interpretive specialist at Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park.
"A mountain lion encounter can be frightening. Signs at the trailheads of our park give good tips on staying safe. (1) Hike with another person. (2) If you encounter a lion, wave your arms and make lots of noise. (3) Report the incident to a ranger or another park employee."
