I can't find the exact location from the news. Was this the same trail used for all those fast downhill marathons? Terrible tragedy, very rare too.
I can't find the exact location from the news. Was this the same trail used for all those fast downhill marathons? Terrible tragedy, very rare too.
Good question. I was wondering the same thing when i read about it this morning.
I pulled up a few maps and it appears that the attack occurred about 5 miles away from the course, on the latter portion of the race course.
Link to where the attack occurred:
https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/eastside/1-dead-1-injured-in-cougar-attack-on-eastside/
As i recall, that would put the attack on the opposite side of I-90, a major interstate highway. That's a fair amount of distance away, but as i recall from the article, cougars cover on average a 36 square mile territory, so it would still be within its roaming area.
Very sad.
The story is scary, you can read it here:
https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/eastside/1-dead-1-injured-in-cougar-attack-on-eastside/
These is sad to hear about, but I wonder why they didn't dismount and use their bikes as "defense" shields as I and I'm sure others have done with dogs.
The dude who fled was obviously a disciple of the "you just need to outrun your friend" school of thought.
armchair observer wrote:
These is sad to hear about, but I wonder why they didn't dismount and use their bikes as "defense" shields as I and I'm sure others have done with dogs.
Can you explain what you mean about a defense shield with dogs? I regularly hike close to this area with my dog (Lab) and have always wondered about what I would do if I encountered a cougar. Would the cougar view my dog as prey or be scared off? I know you don't run and if needed you throw rocks or fight but am wondering if there is something else I should do? I am not sure what my dog's reaction would be, she is big but also kind of a scaredy cat.
armchair observer wrote:
These is sad to hear about, but I wonder why they didn't dismount and use their bikes as "defense" shields as I and I'm sure others have done with dogs.
Maybe they would have tried to do that, but a cougar's not a dog.
Use your brain wrote:
armchair observer wrote:
These is sad to hear about, but I wonder why they didn't dismount and use their bikes as "defense" shields as I and I'm sure others have done with dogs.
Maybe they would have tried to do that, but a cougar's not a dog.
Cats stalk their prey. They attack from behind. They are lighting quick. There is no dismount bike to use a shield. No human is faster than a cat.
Now, if you want to protect yourself you need to wear a face mask on the back of your head.
http://www.fatcyclist.com/2008/11/24/how-not-to-get-eaten-by-a-mountain-lion/armchair observer wrote:
These is sad to hear about, but I wonder why they didn't dismount and use their bikes as "defense" shields as I and I'm sure others have done with dogs.
Sounds like they did:
Captain Alan Myers with Fish and Wildlife says the two men didn't do anything to provoke the animal.
"It sounds like they were just riding bikes when of the victims hears a scream from his partner and sees they're being chased by a cougar," Myers said.
The men then fought it off once, swinging their bikes and the mountain lion ran back in the woods.
"Make a lot of noise, which is exactly what we tell people to do. Don't run, whatever you do, don't run, throw things at it, make noise. It sounds like that's what they started doing initially."
But then, officials say as the men were trying to understand what just occurred, the mountain lion attacked again.
The man who survived said he had his entire head in the mountain lion's mouth, but then his friend ran away and the animal chased him. That is when the survivor made his bike ride to call 911.
from
http://komonews.com/news/local/crews-respond-to-mountain-lion-attack-near-north-bendCould've been worse could've been a bigfoot attack.
Bigfoot uses infrasound to make you do strange things
like remove your clothes. So watch it out there.
Was the person killed biologically a man or a woman? I saw one article that said the person's name was Sonja "SJ" Brooks. If biologically a woman, might the starving mountain lion have been drawn by blood? I don't know if big cats react that way. Polar bears do, I think. Black bears and grizzlies probably don't, according to people who study that sort of thing. That was such an unusual attack that it has me wondering.
Clarity wrote:
Was the person killed biologically a man or a woman?
really?
language should be used for clarity not confusion. The context of the rest of question makes it very clear what you are asking.
I'm looking for clarity. I can probably get it if I google enough, but I was hoping someone might know.
Cats stalk wrote:
Use your brain wrote:
Maybe they would have tried to do that, but a cougar's not a dog.
Cats stalk their prey. They attack from behind. They are lighting quick. There is no dismount bike to use a shield. No human is faster than a cat.
Now, if you want to protect yourself you need to wear a face mask on the back of your head.
http://www.fatcyclist.com/2008/11/24/how-not-to-get-eaten-by-a-mountain-lion/
the bloodshot eyes render is a nice touch. Would put this to use if I lived somewhere with mountain lions.
In my old age, I can honestly say I’ve come across a lot of wildlife while running/backpacking - lots of black bears, a few brown bears, bobcats, moose, etc., but nothing scares the heebie-jeebies out of me like a big cat. They never announce their arrival, and once they engage you they usually don’t stop, as opposed to a brown bear, if you’re fortunate enough to back off (been there...). I have read where it’s best to try and “look big” - however that works - and just scream, yell, just make a lot of noise. I do know they have a natural aversion to dogs, and if I lived in the northwest I probably wouldn’t go anywhere in the mountains without a good sized dog (long time owner of airedales).
I’ve always been curious as to why you never hear of any big cat attacks during the ultras? I’d love some feedback from some of you folks who run regularly in the Rockies and NW mtns. as to how you would handle the situation or have handled cat situations.
I have had to fend off a large male mountain lion in this same area. This has been a long time coming and sadly, it is almost certain there will be more attacks in the near future. Trail runners throughout the I-90 corridor have been encountering the cats on a regular basis. I now carry a knife.
Cougars scare the crap out of me. I regularly run trails in northern Utah and I know they are around.
The reason they scare me so bad is how a Park Ranger once put it when I asked about cougars: If you see one, it has probably been following you for a while and decided you aren't dangerous enough to hide from.
As is usually the case, there’s a reason when odd things happen with wild animals......I’m guessing it was sick. Here’s the latest:
Slow Region wrote:
If you see one, it has probably been following you for a while and decided you aren't dangerous enough to hide from.
That’s what nightmares are made of, right there. Thanks for the future night terrors!
Spending 1000's of hours in the mountains and seeing 1 mountain lion is a once in a life time event.
Run through your neighborhood enough and you'll be bit by a dog. Hopefully the damage isn't permanent.