Mountain Lion at Whiting

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by BigTex, Jul 10, 2012.

  1. BigTex

    BigTex Member

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    There are signs at the Borrego trailhead warning of a mountain lion sighting. Ran into a couple of rangers who said it was spotted yesterday evening, don't know where.

    Otherwise, it was a lovely lunchtime spin around the park. Except it was hot. And the braking bumps on Cactus are heinous. Live Oak was beautifully shady after the grind up Mustard. That is all.
     
  2. gooseaholic

    gooseaholic Active Member

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    It was some riders on here that spotted it. I will let them chime in.
     
  3. proraptor

    proraptor The Bikes & Brew Crew

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    OMG! Someone spotted an animal in the forest? CRAZY
     
  4. snownow

    snownow Too slow

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    Rode at dusk the two nights ago with a group, we spotted some decent sized M tracks... :) Its their house, i'm just visiting.
     
  5. HardtailBlazer

    HardtailBlazer Member

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    So true I rode there yesterday evening, I guess no mountain lion sightings for me, but cactus was so chunked up! it was kinda nice and fun though made it more technical for sure!
     
  6. papabear050

    papabear050 New Member

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    Rode it tonite, conditions are good. Although they closed the bottom part of the park and detour us up Line Shack road where it meets Serrano. They closed Serrano trail with a note that said the lion was spotted down there. Serrano is the trail where there are a bunch of dips with the low overhanging trees correct? If so, that part was closed.

    Other than doing the 3rd unplanned extra credit up line shack, it was a good ride. Also at the top of line shack we ran into a herd of 4 deers crossing the trail. Amazing!!
     
  7. Waldo

    Waldo Lebowski Urban Achiever

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    I thought from FB posts that the kitty sighting was in Sleepy Hollow. Either way, it seems funny to me to close just one segment - Sleepy Hollow, Serrano, Live Oak, or whatever. They have a territory of up to 200 square miles, so why wouldn't it cover a couple hundred yards from one day to the next, especially when there's food and water throughout that canyon?
     
  8. BROWNIE

    BROWNIE I'm good at recess!

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    Always ride with someone slower...take a newbie! (and no I don't want to go riding, LOL)
     
    krunner44 likes this.
  9. genusmtbkr5

    genusmtbkr5 STR Moderator

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    It was on Sleepy Hollow and it's the same sighting as it was reported by 1 of the riders in that group. OMR was on that ride with 15 others, maybe he'll chime in. The pics are Vickie's and she no longer post on STR, but here's a blown up pic of one of the photos posted on FB:

    552609_10151028139267351_1758185747_n.jpg
    Photo Credit: Vickie
     
  10. BikeThePlanet

    BikeThePlanet Active Member

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    Shoot, well ignore my PM then Brownie. :)
     
  11. dirtvert

    dirtvert Whine on!

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    I think the lesson here is: Don't tell the rangers you saw a mountain lion unless you want trails and/or the park to be closed.

    At least if the lion was acting normally--like this one was, just drinking water out of the creek. It's kind of like closing the beach when a shark is spotted; it might make some people feel like we're asserting ourselves over nature, but it really doesn't affect our overall safety. That lion was probably back in the Santa Anas before the warning signs were even posted.

    What really chaps my hide is that I almost always ride in small groups or solo, and I've never seen a big cat. But a 15-pack of riders thunders through Whiting and they all get to watch the kitty lapping water. <<kicks dirt>>

    :beer:



    VV Dean- Lions roll through that area on a regular basis, so maybe they should just permanently close the park? There's already a sign at the entrance warning people that they're entering an area that contains wild animals. How much hand holding should we do? Rattlesnakes and coyotes pose a far greater risk to public safety than big cats. Should we call the ranger about them?! I appreciate where you're coming from. Nobody wants anyone to get hurt. But temporary trail closures don't really solve the "problem". Maybe I'm just naive since I grew up near Disneyland and the only thing I feared was giant mice. :lol:
     
  12. dstepper

    dstepper (R.I.P.) Over the hill

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    You're right we should not tell the ranger and risk loosing trail temporary access. We should let the neighborhood kids wander down there and find out on their own. Or maybe a toddler following their parents on an afternoon walk. No a federal game warden should be brought in and the cat should either be trapped, chased off or killed.

    Dean
     
  13. Monster Mash

    Monster Mash New Member

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    You mean it's their house, you're just delivering dinner.....:)
     
  14. TRJ

    TRJ New Member

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    Yep rode there yesterday and was not happy to have to ride up Line Shack since they closed the one trail only, I thought as I was riding Line Shack okay that trail they closed is just on the other side of this, so the mountain lions don't travel daily? Oh well, no sitings. Still a fun, hot ride.
     
  15. grimix

    grimix New Member

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    a-****ing-men. tacos?
     
  16. dburdett

    dburdett Member

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    I guess I won't mention the kitty I saw last night then.
     
  17. Rumpled

    Rumpled Longtime Newb

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    Just don't tell the rangers - but I'd like to hear about it.
     
  18. snownow

    snownow Too slow

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    Cougars in RSM bars don't count.
     
  19. grendal

    grendal Member

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    What about the cougars in CDM?
     
  20. mtnbikej

    mtnbikej Well-Known Member

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    I was having this conversation with a friend last night.

    As cool as it was for the group to catch a glimpse of the cat in the wild.....the group was there for some time. From the sounds of it, the cat was not even bothered by the group standing there watching. Sounds like the day is not affraid of us....and that could be a danger.

    Unfortunately I wasn't there and didn't get to see it....but did talk to a few that were there.
     

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