Turnbull Canyon A-Line mountain lion/bobcat

I was in Turnbull canyon last night and hiked up the fireroad to A Line.

I then took pictures of A line (I was at A-line from about 8:20 to 8:45PM)

I then proceeded to hike down A-line and noticed a VERY LARGE CAT smack in the middle of the singletrack8-[ right before the Y (where if you go left it takes you to Friends ST and if you proceed right it is a fireroad).

I was within 40 to 70 ft of it and I froze as I saw it looking at me.

It was either a very large bobcat, but I think it was a Med to large mountain lion. It was a very dark color (black or dark grey) and had a huge head and looked very big in size even while it was sitting on its hind legs. I mean it WAS BIG!

I have not been that scared in a long time, I was scared sh*tless.

I then backpeddled quickly up A-line but kept my eye on the trail behind me. I thought about a strategy, which was 2 rocks in one hand, a cell in my other hand ready with 911 and remeberring to act big in case I met face to face with the cat.

I then got to the fireroad and ran down to my car. I didnt want to be lunch so I reacted quickly.

The strange thing was that 3-4 downhill riders went down Aline just 10 min apprx before i spoted the cat. I do not even want to think about riding down and running into this animal.

Lessons learned
1) Being out in the hills has its dangers
2) I should consider being with others in remote area and when being out as late or early morning
3) Have a phone fully charged in case an emergency
4) I rather be cycling than on foot hiking

 

My opinion: You saw a mountain lion!!!

I am a Turnbull local! I have seen them with my own eyes!
I have commented on them in the past!

Three (of my four sightings) have been at the beginning of A-Line or near the area you have described! The other time was on the Cow Trail climb!

Bobcats are scary... Mountain lions are are hauntingly scary!
Trust me Homie, you saw a mountain lion!!!

 

Big difference between a healthy bobcat and Mt Lion...

 

Bobcats are not scary. They are not a threat to an adult human. There used to be one in chino hills that was so tame it would sit in the trail, even if you rode past it.

But it is entirely possible to have a mountain lion out there at turnbull. I saw a big one in chino hills and aside from crossing a couple highways turnbull is just a nice stroll along the whittier hills from there.

 

Yup, they're up there. I've seen plenty of deer, and the rule of thumb is that where there are deer, there are also things that like to eat the deer: mountain lions!

On the information signs next to the trailhead it asks you to call a number and report any mountain lion sightings--I believe it's the sanitation department you need to call. The number should be posted on the sign.

I can guarantee you not one of the coffee shop philosophers or the bleeding hearts who were in favor of banning mountain lion hunting in CA ever go out on the trails themselves. I am referring to Prop 117 that passed in 1990.

Now, instead of the mountain lion population in CA being 'managed' by selling permits to hunters (and making money for the state outside of taxes), we have to wait until a lion becomes a menace (hurts or kills someone) and then the game warden spends our tax dollars to go out and shoot the menacing lion.

Waaaay backward!

Glad you're safe. I've been up in Turnbull solo at night before, but it's been a freaky experience that I don't repeat too often.

 

Sprockethead and I crossed paths with a MOUNTAIN LION a few years back...

Location: Carbon Canyon
Trail: Riding back to the cars on... Telegraph "Trail"
Time: 8:20pm

We had pretty much run out of light. We were rushing back to the cars. There was a 100 foot gap between the two of us. All of the sudden a MOUNTAIN LION decided it wanted to cross the trail after one of us had already passed. It's body was as wide as the trail. It's tail seemed to be just as long. Nearly scared us BOTH to death!

That (my friends) was the day I stopped asking myself, "Is it a bobcat OR is it a mountain lion?"

 

Which Trail is A-Line?

I consider myself a Turnbull Local (I live near Vallecito & Los Altos Dr. in Hac Hgts.) and ride there quite often and can never quite get it clear on what trail is called A-Line?:-k
I had always thought A-Line was the ST that drops down the backside of the graffiti'd water tank (at the top of 3-Bitches) where lots of big hit jumps have been periodically constructed and then razed:?:
But your description of the 'Y' before Friends ST has me totally confused now. The entrance to Friends ST is 3/4 of a mile away down the Rose Hills Service Road.
Also, I know others who have seen the Mountain Lion while riding Cow Trail...they are there!8-[ Not safe to be hiking solo up there in the evening Eruizela

 

A friend of mine saw a big mountain lion in Chino Hills, too. It was just after a fire there a couple of years ago. The plants had burned away on the slope, leaving my friend and the mountain lion in full view of each other.

A-Line is the singletrack that ends up in the parking lot right off of Greenleaf Ave. in Whittier.

If you're at the water tank looking toward L.A. then A-Line will be to your left about a mile away.

 

I've seen mountain lions in Chino, bobcats at Turnbull, and Cougars at Aliso...

 

1st off - Sorry to hijack your thread Eruizela!

Then what trail do you call 'Friends ST'? I been referring to the ST that ends at Friends/Greenleaf as Friends ST for years....We should hook up and ride one of these Wednesday night rides, I think I need a refresher on what the hell I been talking about all this time!#-o#-o

 

We're probably calling the same trail by two different names.

Yeah, come out on a Wednesday night. I've only been once, but it was a good group. Back to the original subject...if you ride in a group there's almost zero chance of getting attacked by a big cat...really!

 

Friends, A line, A side, Front side, Hellman, etc. etc. I think that singletrack has more names than I can keep track of!!

I've also heard of mtn lion sightings on escalator (the singletrack that takes you to Turnbull Canyon Rd. before cow trail)...

 

that moutain range has alot i ride powder canyon and i see them there .....best thing to do is scare them dont let them scare you..... run right at them and attack them...they will run .....remember they are pussycats...!!!:lol:

 

OK guys I could not get a good picture of them, but there was what looked to be huge cat prints near this tree I was sitting at :?:. This is above A-Line.

 

I'm surprised there aren't more sighting in this location. Turnbull canyon is part of a wildlife corridor reserve used by wildlife to migrate.

 

I think that was us heading down A-Line. And I worried about hitting a hiker on that trial, now i have to worry about getting mauled by a kitty. #-o

 

I ride that trail all the time... never that late... looks like i am not going to start riding it that late either

 

Did it lift up a spoon and say, "They're G-R-E-A-T!"?

If so it was a tiger.

 

I ride turnbull, and I've seen a bobcat while riding down to 7th St. It crossed our path fast. It looked more scared of us than us of him.
Never seen a mountain lion but I'm sure they are up there.

 

we ride Wed at 615 to 630pm

Maybe i will have to call A- Line by a new name, Lion County Safari

BTW, I think I seen you on the trail last week (turnbull), I also ride a Trance X (1).

Thats by the rock drop.

u seen a deer by there (in ur video), thats probably why mountain lions are also seen there.

I was the hiker that u guys passed on the way down, the cat showed up 10 min after u guys passed

No it lifted its spoon when he saw me and said "I love Mexican food"