Mon. July 6, 2009 Mt. Adams ascent/ cougar sighted

Mon. ascended Mt Adams (for a fat burning workout...) and then skied S.W. Chutes.  Lovely hike out-- what with all the creek babeling and the wild flowers...  On the drive back to Bend, about 5 miles above Trout Lake, as I was leisurely coming around a corner, THERE! all of a sudden right out in the road was a HUGE MOUTAIN LION!!  No @#%#!  As I slowly pulled closer, it casually walked out into the woods.  I pulled over and got out of my rig for a look, and there it was just hanging out a few hundred feet out in the sticks.  After about five minutes it just wondered away "into the wilderness..".   

Fun little exercise trip and then to cap it off with a cougar sighting....sort of made that trip into one of my most enjoyable of the last few years.....

THERE! all of a sudden right out in the road was a HUGE MOUTAIN LION!!  No @#%#! 

SOMEBODY should answer this post, so---
Great job seeing the cougar, esp. from behind the auto glass!

Last summer skierlyles and I saw a bear cub sitting by the roadside on our way out from Morovits Meadows.  I stopped tthe car to look for a bit, but Chris wanted the get the heck out.  Maybe he thought that bear-Mommy had a can opener.   :

Also last August, a bunch of us did a hike near Lake Quinault, and we  agreed to fib and tell everyone who did not hike that we saw a bear.  We had a good laugh and then told people.  Then the next day we were up on a remote forest road when three of us-who had hiked and lied the day before-saw a black bear duck into the bushes just off the road.  Itwas really big, and its rear end was REALLY black and shiny.

My wife, who was a victim of the first tall tale, was the only one who did not see the actual bear, and she still doesn't know whether to believe us or not.   
Anyway, I saw bears twice from the car in 2008, but I'd trade 'em both for one cougar sighting.   

This is exactly why I hike with a BD whippet this time of year! Guns are too dirt and water sensitive, never mind the politics.

The Whippet doing double-duty as a pole justifies the weight for me. But typically I can only be talked into carrying a real ice axe if it will also be a tent stake.

Sometimes the whole self-evisceration thing is scary when actually descending, but it makes me feel a bit more, well, battle ready in the wilderness. And the mosquito smashing is more dramatic.

Way to get the sw chutes Rich!

That sounds like a very cool experience, but a little scary too.

I saw one last nigt at a bar in Bellingham... I guess people should start thinking about carrying protection with them around here...

... at a bar in Bellingham... I guess people should start thinking about carrying protection with them around here...

There are some places that you have to wear a raincoat no matter how sunny and clear it looks...

There are some places that you have to wear a raincoat no matter how sunny and clear it looks...

THAT'S AN UNDERSTATEMENT!!!!!!!!!!!!