Woman goes on a solo hike in CO on New Year's Eve, eaten by a mountain lion ⚠️

Why would a woman even go solo hiking without adequate defense in a place where mountain lions are known to be common? A bear spray should’ve been sufficient. Two lions have now been euthanized as per their policy and more might be until they find human DNA on one to be sure it was the killer.

Humans become complacent because we have a nearly infinite capacity to take things for granted. I hike a bunch in the area and still find it amusing when I'm miles from the trailhead on fairly rocky trails and meet up with people hiking in Vans or Jordans and cotton sweats or jeans and looking absolutely miserable by that point. And that's just the obvious ways they're willingly unprepared for what they are attempting.

You don't seem all that Coloradoan. Are you a transplant?

Attacks are quite rare, less than 1 per year on average in the state. The last fatality in the state was in 27 years ago when a 2 year old boy wandered off the trail (or was snatched when others were not looking).

Native. Namaste.

Pray tell, how do carry “adequate defense” when a mountain lion typically attacks in a stealth mode from behind or above and first bite is the neck?

Can you be preventative? Absolutely.

What a way to start the year!

It’s rare but it happens. I used to hike this area fairly frequently (I would hike up to Lost Lake in RMNP). Heard from some others who saw cats up there but never saw one first hand. The Colorado Front Range has tons of them. There was the guy that got attacked by a Juvenile one a while back at Horsetooth, the high school runner at Clear Creek who got killed by one a little over 30 years ago and the kid who got scared to death by one on the East Portal trail in RMNP just outside of Grand Lake maybe 40 years ago. I frequented all those places in my youth, and in all my 50+ years living here, I’ve only seen one.

Actually, I think it was the North Inlet trail just a little beyond Summerland Park not the East Portal trail (they all meet at the top of Flatop Mountain just tracing different headwater streams. There is a big wall of granite they hit about 2-3 miles in, and that is where the cats are. They are primarily ambush predators and like the rocky outcroppings so they can funnel their prey.

In the past six months, mountain lions have snatched pets in Boulder, Erie, and Ft. Collins. To range into urban areas and onto the plains to feed means there could be diminished prey in their wildland habitat.

They snatch pets all over their range since people brought domestic animals into their area (it’s one of many reasons why you keep pets indoors at night). Had a friend who lived in Roxborough. The local convenience store was littered with lost cat and lost dog flyers.

As Superman might say, statistically speaking the reason she shouldn’t go hiking along is other humans or perhaps unleashed domesticated dogs - not mountain lions that only attack people if they get really confused. It happens, but it is very rare.

Can you read? A example of a defense is right in my post. Mountain lions are smaller big cats and can’t kill a human instantly. You have a fighting chance.

people.com

Colorado Man Who Survived Mountain Lion Attack by Killing It with His Bare Hands Speaks Out

https://www.facebook.com/peoplemag

Travis Kauffman, 31, said the sound of snapping pine needles caused him to turn around and spot the approaching mountain lion

Open link

You may have only seen one but I guarantee more than one has seen you.

Well you win the upvote to downvote ratio. But geez, I'm pointing out that someone died tragically and all you could say that they should have been better prepared implying, what carry a 38-special to shoot a mountain lion. There are millions of hikers out on the Colorado trails each year, and less than one attack per year. This is the first death in more than 26 years and that's what you have to say?! Have you no compassion? You don't even know the context of what happened. What is wrong with you and the people of letsrun?

RIP to the person who died and condolences to their family. Colorado and the West are great, however there are risks to being outside whether you are "prepared" or not. Getting struck by lightning, falling or getting hit by a falling rock, or having a traffic accident on the way to the trailhead are a much greater risk.

Why is this being down voted lol, he's right. She had little reason to be concerned. Such a low chance this would happen, more likely she's killed driving to the trailhead x10 -1000. Rip.

Lol. If a mountain lion attacks you it is very unlikely you will see it until it has its jaws around your neck. The idea that you are just going to pepper spray it is hilarious.

No, the person I replied to said that. I implied that it would not be unusual if she were unprepared. Though I was not there to see what actually happened, of course. I honestly cannot be sure that it has been proven that she was killed by the mountain lion or if it was just after her lifeless corpse that died of some other unfortunate cause. Which I could have responded with if you had asked a different question rather than assume. Please do not let me slow your roll, because I actually agree with you. Heaven forbid her survivors read this trash site.

Should SJD be concerned because of his lack of muscle to defend himself against this predator?