On a hot, balmy summer
morning not far from the Eastern edge of the city I finally had my
first close-up encounter with a mountain lion. I had dropped down
from a ridge and into a typical, rough desert canyon. In spite of
recent precipitation, the flow through the canyon was minimal but
nevertheless, I headed upstream to scope out a potential waterfall.
It was after nine AM and overcast with high clouds. After rounding
a bend, the canyon started to take on a wilder feel. Boulders, some
two stories high lined the sides of the canyon while the stream
course itself became steep sloping solid rock. Vegetation abounded.
In retrospect, the jumble of boulders created many sheltered nooks
and crannies in which a large predator could hide and wait for
unsuspecting prey.
I had just passed through a
smooth sandy area which, as always, seemed way too short. Ahead on
my left, were squarish boulders tan in color, half suspended
between the canyon floor and the slope above. On my right, was a
huge chunk of dark rock that had been stained and polished smooth
by water. I worked my way up the right side of the canyon on the
dark rock. At this point, the overhanging rock to my left obscured
the other side of the canyon. I crested the top of the rock and
moved beyond the overhang. Anticipating the next obstacle, I
scanned ahead and noticed movement to my
left.
There, headed in a parallel
direction, at a distance of not much more than 50 feet was The
Boss. As with all myths and true legends, you are never prepared
for their presence. The power, the arrogance, and the muscularity
of this big, rich-rufous-colored cat had my heart racing. Acting on
instinct, I moved back a couple of steps and I was away from its
gaze behind the overhang. I stood there for a few seconds wondering
if it would follow but all I heard was the trickle of water echoing
off the canyon walls. Going downstream a few more steps, I glanced
around but all I saw was land and sky. After putting some distance
between myself and the puma, I relaxed a bit but still threw an
occasional glance over my shoulder as I headed up the ridge and
out.
Once I was back on the
perceived safety of the trail, I began to regret that I was too
spooked to attempt a photograph of the cat. On the other hand, I
couldn't help but wonder: "what would the mountain lion have done
had I not slipped almost immediately out of sight behind the
overhang?"
I always imagined I would
encounter a cougar at the golden hours of dusk or dawn far away
from civilization, certainly not a crow's mile from the end of
Speedway. Although not often visited, I don't think I would
consider this canyon to be what is colloquially referred to as
the"backcountry." One never knows what treasures, secrets,
mysteries, or even dangers await beyond the confines of the urban
environment.
(map of mountain lion sighting in relation to
cache)
This cache is
placed appx. 900 feet from where my story occurred. There are at
least three discs nearby if you're into benchmark hunting, or you
can just find the cache and peer down into the dark depths of
"Mountain Lion Canyon." The recommend route, a moderate hike of
about 7 miles RT/1800' accumulated gain, is shown in the gallery
section.
Note: the area shaded
red on the map is Private Property
with ample signage promising to prosecute any
violators.
Also note: off-trail
travel within the boundary of Saguaro
National Park itself is not permitted below 4500 feet.
(near the cache)
(recommended
route starts in Saguaro National Park)
Even if
you you're not visiting the cache, please feel free to
post a note and share your first encounter with the big
boss!