EISPIRATEN

Remember these tracks near Oakwilde?



Imagine my surprise when they were still there, still fresh this morning after more than two weeks. And that they were also bigger. Hrm...

Suspicions of a second lion were confirmed further up the trail - where the original set had veered off trail into the canyon bottom, these new ones continued all the way to the side canyon that held the camera. Imagine how unhinged I became when I saw these:



Seems we have a little romance going on here. If you watch closely, you can see the size difference between these two. And you might also note that the two of them walked through this morning at 5 am, just a few hours before little ol' me decided it was a fine morning to take a solo hike. As Matt says, this sort of thing won't go over well at a sanity hearing.

Nearly shat myself on the way back when a squirrel burst across the trail.

The camera is still there of course. I need to change the batteries, and stick a second camera there next weekend. Big strong protective volunteers are more than welcome....! Total hike and camera setting takes about 3 hours, and there's a steep, hot, no shade semi-bushwhack hike out of the canyon (Twin Canyon trail) which is a whole lot of no fun. But hey, this is for science!

Super cool! That second one is a big mofo.

Taco - they need names. You're good with the animal names - what do you suggest?

Excellent, excellent footage. I'd best not tell my wife that thar be cougars where I hike!

Ka ching!

Oh you hit the jackpot!

WOW years of searching... Persistance pays

Most excellent photos .... I didn't have high hopes for this spot

congrats
matt

Thanks for the help setting it up Matt!!

cougarmagic wrote:The camera is still there of course. I need to change the batteries, and stick a second camera there next weekend. Big strong protective volunteers are more than welcome....! Total hike and camera setting takes about 3 hours, and there's a steep, hot, no shade semi-bushwhack hike out of the canyon (Twin Canyon trail) which is a whole lot of no fun. But hey, this is for science!

Tentatively (depends on work) I can help either Sat or Sun if you need it. I'm sure there's a peak nearby I can bag!

Absolutely beautiful kitties! Persistence furthers, without a doubt!

awesome awesome awesome!

twin canyon....I descended once down a 'use trail' from the ACH that splits between Dark and Twin Canyons. is that the trail you took?

Wow, really cool videos!

Can you tell if they look well fed? If not, I'm staying out of the area!

What's the youngest lion you've ever captured on camera? Would be cool to see a family!

cougarmagic wrote:Taco - they need names. You're good with the animal names - what do you suggest?

Slappy, and Doctor Sandwich the Fifteenth.

You asked for it.

Zé wrote:twin canyon....I descended once down a 'use trail' from the ACH that splits between Dark and Twin Canyons. is that the trail you took?

Si

Winston wrote:Wow, really cool videos!

Can you tell if they look well fed? If not, I'm staying out of the area!

I think they look very healthy. In fact, I'm getting some advice from other camera trappers (there is an internet forum for everything, you know) that another possibility for them hanging around this one spot, which is unusual, is that there is a deer kill up the canyon somewhere and they're returning to feed on it every couple of days. Some say they might be a mother and (nearly adult) kitten, but I see fuzzy dice on the big one, and that would be one helluva kitten. So my guess is still that Slappy and Doc are currently in a committed relationship.

But - back to the original point - Both these cats are at least two years old ,and if you think about how many people go through the Arroyo every weekend, and even joggers and bikers - it's hundreds of people, weekly, I would think. Never been an incident, and aside from a sighting at JPL a while back where the cat ran away from people, no sightings either! These are very good lions. They haven't been a threat to people so far, and chances are astronomical that they would ever become one. I just can't stop thinking how big these animals are, and yet we never see them. It's pretty amazing...!

Zach wrote:What's the youngest lion you've ever captured on camera? Would be cool to see a family!

Never had any kittens, only adults - that would be really cool. Maybe this spring....

HikeUp wrote: Tentatively (depends on work) I can help either Sat or Sun if you need it. I'm sure there's a peak nearby I can bag!

Thanks!! Let's touch base later in the week then. The turnout where we park the cars is kind of a peak. We can bag ACH!

cougarmagic wrote:

HikeUp wrote: Tentatively (depends on work) I can help either Sat or Sun if you need it. I'm sure there's a peak nearby I can bag!

Thanks!! Let's touch base later in the week then. The turnout where we park the cars is kind of a peak. We can bag ACH!

This looks like a job for ... NHPS!

Hikin_Jim wrote:

cougarmagic wrote:

HikeUp wrote: Tentatively (depends on work) I can help either Sat or Sun if you need it. I'm sure there's a peak nearby I can bag!

Thanks!! Let's touch base later in the week then. The turnout where we park the cars is kind of a peak. We can bag ACH!

This looks like a job for ... NHPS!

I'm curious to see what you people find interesting about canyons besides poison oak, snakes, buckthorn, lions, etc.

HikeUp wrote: I'm curious to see what you people find interesting about canyons besides poison oak, snakes, buckthorn, lions, etc.

You didn't hear? Guinness seeps from the cracks in the canyon walls.

HikeUp wrote:I'm curious to see what you people find interesting about canyons besides poison oak, snakes, buckthorn, lions, etc.

The mountian lions know as we do how cool canyons are ,so we let em hang out...or maybe its the other way around

Its mostly about water. Water creates these unique places and the access to them. You gots a constantly changing look as you go along, and a somewhat different look from the first time should you go there again.
I like the wet look myself...waterfalls, waterslides, you name it...just not too many. Sculpted rock walls a definite plus.

HikeUp wrote:Tentatively (depends on work) I can help either Sat or Sun if you need it. I'm sure there's a peak nearby I can bag!

OK, given the rather 'balmy' forecast for Saturday (2,634 degrees) I'm gonna try for Sunday morning instead! Let me know if you can go. Last-minute notice is fine. If not this weekend, then I'll go next weekend when the temps are more reasonable.

Is that balmy forecast in Celsius or Fahrenheit? The former would be much too hot for hiking. By the way Cougar, who is that gorgeous cat posing as your avatar?

cougarmagic wrote:OK, given the rather 'balmy' forecast for Saturday (2,634 degrees) I'm gonna try for Sunday morning instead! Let me know if you can go. Last-minute notice is fine. If not this weekend, then I'll go next weekend when the temps are more reasonable.

I can go Sunday (either or both days are fine to be honest). Let me know when, where, etc. I think the temps on Sunday should be good for a hike (i.e. less than 2600 degrees).

PM sent.