20 years since Whiting Ranch mountain lion fatality

BonsaiNut

BonsaiNut

iMTB Rockstah
With the recent mountain lion attack in El Dorado county, it brought back memories of the attack in Whiting Ranch. I did a quick search and was surprised to see that the Whiting Ranch event happened 20 years ago (Jan/2004).

I was always a little surprised at the attack - given the volume of human traffic in and around Whiting, and the high traffic volume on Cactus Hill (which is where the attack happened, if my memory serves). Regardless... remembering Mark Reynolds who died that day.
 
BonsaiNut said:
With the recent mountain lion attack in El Dorado county, it brought back memories of the attack in Whiting Ranch. I did a quick search and was surprised to see that the Whiting Ranch event happened 20 years ago (Jan/2004).

I was always a little surprised at the attack - given the volume of human traffic in and around Whiting, and the high traffic volume on Cactus Hill (which is where the attack happened, if my memory serves). Regardless... remembering Mark Reynolds who died that day.
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I normally have the tv on while I'm working at home and the episode of "I Survived", with the women who was attached after Mark was on. It was different than I remembered as she and a friend told it. But, it was on Cactus.
 
If you remember the story, two women showed up on the trail and saw the downed bike, but no biker. They stopped and called to see if someone needed help, and were themselves attacked by the mountain lion, who grabbed one of them by the face and dragged her into the scrub. Fortunately her friend stayed with her, screaming and shouting and throwing stones. Shortly thereafter another group of four bikers showed up and helped scare off the mtn lion by beating it and hitting it with rocks. The woman who suffered severe injuries to her face was Anne Hjelle. She is the woman on the far left in my avatar. We took that photo on Veteran's Day 2010. I'm on the far right.
 
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-ROCKY- said:
So what is the deal if you see one? Are you supposed to get off your bike. Have I heard the motion triggers their hunting instincts?:confused:
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It's probably already seen you if you see it.
Look big, use the bike as a shield, make noise, look as big as possible.

Like @da big hills mentioned, they rarely attack humans. The one time I saw one I think it was 2002 at Chino Hills, it was just basking lazily in the sun-didn't bother to even look my way.
 
-ROCKY- said:
So what is the deal if you see one? Are you supposed to get off your bike. Have I heard the motion triggers their hunting instincts?:confused:
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If your interaction with a lion is any way how mine went, which was pretty much across the road from this one in Whiting, then its somewhat of the following....

Me: Hmm whats that movement beside me on the trail.... Damn thats a big kitty!
Big Kitty: Yo, whats up?
Me: You're bigger than I expected
Big Kitty: they all say that (feigned indifference)
Me: Do I stop and attempt to take a photo or just keep riding...
Big Kitty: I'm a feckin apex predator, you do you, I'll do me
Me: I think I'm going to keep riding up the hill.... (should I look back :unsure:)

Given we were all of 20 feet away from each other it couldn't have been less interested in me if it tried. Sadly I'm pretty sure its the female that got hit by a car recently down by Cooks Corner, looked the same including its radio collar setup. A very cool experience I will never forget.

Based on a sample size of one, leave it alone and it will leave you alone. That or wear orange so it thinks your poisonous, feel free to experiment and report back your findings :thumbsup:.
 
Lost Kiwi said:
If your interaction with a lion is any way how mine went, which was pretty much across the road from this one in Whiting, then its somewhat of the following....

Me: Hmm whats that movement beside me on the trail.... Damn thats a big kitty!
Big Kitty: Yo, whats up?
Me: You're bigger than I expected
Big Kitty: they all say that (feigned indifference)
Me: Do I stop and attempt to take a photo or just keep riding...
Big Kitty: I'm a feckin apex predator, you do you, I'll do me
Me: I think I'm going to keep riding up the hill.... (should I look back :unsure:)

Given we were all of 20 feet away from each other it couldn't have been less interested in me if it tried. Sadly I'm pretty sure its the female that got hit by a car recently down by Cooks Corner, looked the same including its radio collar setup. A very cool experience I will never forget.

Based on a sample size of one, leave it alone and it will leave you alone. That or wear orange so it thinks your poisonous, feel free to experiment and report back your findings :thumbsup:.
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Sweet! I would love to see one!
 
I used to work off the 91/Imperial.
One day after work I went to the ‘Schwartznegger house’ to scout and see if there was a way into Chino Hills State park.
There is an already established fire road that they can’t get rid of.
I hiked it in my work clothes/dress shoes.
Along the way I got the hair on the back of my neck feeling. I’m not superstitious and told myself I was just being silly.
Got to the end of the road and there was no way in.
So I turned around to a bit of an uphill.
I had my head down as a trudged, trying not to kick dirt on my shoes.
Then I noticed the cougar prints on top of mine.
I kept my head on a swivel the whole way back.

old video from Whiting

 
I rode right past one last season that was crouched in one of those drainage dugouts on the road shoulder less than 20ft away. It was interested in something in the pipe under the road and when it snapped its head up noticing me is when I noticed it. I was riding a long uphill at about 5mph and just kept going spending most of that time looking back until it was out of sight.

Seeing a mountain lion like that is really not as fun as it sounds.
 
Oaken said:
I used to work off the 91/Imperial.
One day after work I went to the ‘Schwartznegger house’ to scout and see if there was a way into Chino Hills State park.
There is an already established fire road that they can’t get rid of.
I hiked it in my work clothes/dress shoes.
Along the way I got the hair on the back of my neck feeling. I’m not superstitious and told myself I was just being silly.
Got to the end of the road and there was no way in.
So I turned around to a bit of an uphill.
I had my head down as a trudged, trying not to kick dirt on my shoes.
Then I noticed the cougar prints on top of mine.
I kept my head on a swivel the whole way back.

old video from Whiting

Click to expand...

Been there done that.
When I go exploring on bike or on foot up here I always carry a 45acp or 9mm noise maker now.
Last time I was hiking with my daughter near Tenaya Lodge, following an old hand dug flume for sending logs to Madera, I heard a grunt that shook me to the bone. My daughter didn't say anything at the time, but we turned around and headed back to the car. When we reached the car she asked what that sound was and I told her it was a bear. That was the last time I carried a 22.
 
The first time I saw a mountain lion was at Whiting, about a week before this happened. I was on top of Cactus and the lion was going down the hill away from me. I'm not sure if the lion even knew I was there. I was riding solo so I waited a few minutes until other riders came up. We rode down in a pack, as fast as possible and I was making loud motorcycle sounds. About 3/4 down the hill, we saw an adult cat and two cubs going into the bushes on the left side of the trail. They didn't seem in a hurry and never looked back at us.

I'm sure most of you saw the story of the two guys that were attacked (one killed) in NorCal last week https://www.outdoorlife.com/survival/california-brothers-mountain-lion-attack/

...and then there was this last month https://www.vitalmtb.com/forums/hub/mountain-lion-attacks-cyclist-washington
 
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mtbMike said:
The first time I saw a mountain lion was at Whiting, about a week before this happened. I was on top of Cactus and the lion was going down the hill away from me. I'm not sure if the lion even knew I was there. I was riding solo so I waited a few minutes until other riders came up. We rode down in a pack, as fast as possible and I was making loud motorcycle sounds. About 3/4 down the hill, we saw an adult cat and two cubs going into the bushes on the left side of the trail. They didn't seem in a hurry and never looked back at us.

I'm sure most of you saw the story of the two guys that were attacked (one killed) in NorCal last week https://www.outdoorlife.com/survival/california-brothers-mountain-lion-attack/

...and then there was this last month https://www.vitalmtb.com/forums/hub/mountain-lion-attacks-cyclist-washington
Click to expand...

Wow. So much for, heere kitty kitty kitty!
 
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