Nasty Pussy...cat

[Alpinord]

Yup. Those are not lynx tracks. What's the width of those skis?

60's. There is a 100mm powder basket print at the end of the ski track on the right.

Here are a couple shots from 4 years ago:

[donutlynx]

Neighbor found deer carcass 20 meters from my front door a few weeks ago. They said it was most likely a cougar kill based on what was left (I did not see it firsthand). There are so many deer around town, but there is a "family" that consistently hangs out in and around our yards/property. Just before the carcass was found, I noticed one of the yearlings was limping with what looked like a broken back leg - perhaps the result of being hit by a car. Those deer didn't show back up for about a week, but when they did it was without the yearling with the bum wing. Neighbor did say the carcass was of a smaller deer, so maybe that was the one that got eaten. We're a little freaked out about the whole thing, and then a week ago the same neighbor wakes up in the early AM to a small black bear eating birdseed in his open garage - showed me pictures. Like a zoo around here.

I read "Beast in the Garden" about a decade ago and have been hyper-aware in the woods ever since. I ride with a bear bell when out solo, but I don't know if it'll make any difference...

[iceman]

Well they'll be able to tell it's your body because it has a bell.

[donutlynx]

That's true. And documented on the interweb.

[Kenny Satch]

I read "Beast in the Garden" about a decade ago and have been hyper-aware in the woods ever since. I ride with a bear bell when out solo, but I don't know if it'll make any difference...

I believe this to be true.
40 years ago near Deposit NY an experienced deer hunter surprised a big black bear. He empty his 30-30 and after he was able to get back down the mountain all soiled up and about an hour of incoherent jibberish he told us what happened.
We went up and found the spot he was posting at and the bear dropped less than a yard from him. Fuck it was usually big. Small wonder he got all discombobulated
That put the fear of such in me that making noise is a must IMO.
Black Bears have a surprise trigger that usually means an attack.

[mtngirl79]

Well they'll be able to tell it's your body because it has a bell.

Bells sound like wind chimes. People hang windchimes on their porches. People store garbage and pet food on their porches. Bells sound like dinner.

[Bobby Stainless]

[ridinshockgun]

hey is that a 30# fox?

for certain, feel for the family. positive vibes

people need to spend more time outside.

Whoah, look at that, let's follow it and see where it's going.

Went for a pretty long solo ride yesterday and have to admit I was a bit more aware, especially when that deer ran by.

[adrenalated]

I ride with a bear bell when out solo, but I don't know if it'll make any difference...

You should carry pepper spray too, and more importantly, be able to distinguish between black bear scat and grizzly scat. Black bear scat has bits of twigs and berries in it. Grizzly scat has bits of bells in it and smells like pepper spray.

[GhostofSeasonsPast]

I believe this to be true.
40 years ago near Deposit NY an experienced deer hunter surprised a big black bear. He empty his 30-30 and after he was able to get back down the mountain all soiled up and about an hour of incoherent jibberish he told us what happened.
We went up and found the spot he was posting at and the bear dropped less than a yard from him. Fuck it was usually big. Small wonder he got all discombobulated
That put the fear of such in me that making noise is a must IMO.
Black Bears have a surprise trigger that usually means an attack.

Black bears are actually super timid. Not that you want to try to surprise them, but they run when surprised. They are trash can nuisances along with lots of other critters, though.

[BCMtnHound]

Wild critters will almost always follow the path of least resistance in a stressful situation. Given due consideration and options, most non-predatory encounters will result in an animal leaving a human alone as quickly as possible. There will always be, however, exceptions. But in the vast majority of encounters (most encounters you are likely not even aware of), humans emerge physically unscathed. I’ll take a bear or cougar encounter over negotiating the WROD at a major resort on a long weekend any day.

[wooley12]

Black bears are actually super timid. Not that you want to try to surprise them, but they run when surprised. They are trash can nuisances along with lots of other critters, though.

They run if they wan't to and don't when they don't. You have bears in your front yard too? Or just access to Google?

[cycology1]

Bears here in Breck/Peak 7. Was up working late, heard the 'bear proof' trash bin get knocked over (didnt work). The tan thing on the ground is a 9" costco wheat tortilla. Not a great picture unfortunately...

After this, I stopped calling the Breck area black bears small...

fortunately, I havent seen sign of mtn lions up here / on peaks trail. I see moose/elk alot, maybe too big for the cats to stay up this far?

[GhostofSeasonsPast]

Wild critters will almost always follow the path of least resistance in a stressful situation. Given due consideration and options, most non-predatory encounters will result in an animal leaving a human alone as quickly as possible. There will always be, however, exceptions. But in the vast majority of encounters (most encounters you are likely not even aware of), humans emerge physically unscathed. I’ll take a bear or cougar encounter over negotiating the WROD at a major resort on a long weekend any day.

Bingo.

[BCMtnHound]

Size of prey doesn’t usually deter a big cat but escape terrain and numbers of competing predators do. What’s the local wolf population like? Cats and canines don’t mix well.

[GoldMember]

Whoah, look at that, let's follow it and see where it's going.

Went for a pretty long solo ride yesterday and have to admit I was a bit more aware, especially when that deer ran by.

I ride in a state park, solo, four or five times a week. All in an area somewhat near our neighborhood where I mentioned there's been plenty of sightings. Believe me, I've been pretty wary over the past few rides because of this but I also have been riding that same area for thirty years with nothing sighted other than deer, moose, and turkeys. Also remembering that this instance was only the second cougar-human fatality incident in Washington in the past 100 years makes me aware that I'm much more likely to get myself killed due to a crash on the bike than from a cougar encounter. Enjoy the woods!

[PNWbrit]

What’s the local wolf population like?

Where the biker was killed on Saturday?

Zero or as close to zero as makes no difference.

Has been covered in thread already.

[wooley12]

Bingo.

Need my address? Will this help? exactly 1 mile from this sign.

[BCMtnHound]

Where the biker was killed on Saturday?

Zero or as close to zero as makes no difference.

Has been covered in thread already.

My post was in response to the query posted by cycology1

[GhostofSeasonsPast]

My post was in response to the query posted by cycology1

No acknowledged resident wolves in CO. They have plenty of room and other states have a surplus of wolves, but a policy push to just export that surplus doesn't seem to be coming.

[wooley12]

What I AM going to do. I'd been planning to offer tourists, 5 to 10 mile bicycle rides on the trail here with my fleet of Schwinn cruisers. It's all down hill and ends right in town. I'm thinking I should ditch the "Enjoy the Rain Forest" pitch and should play up the danger. Market it as an extreme sport like bungee jumping or parasailing. "I SURVIVED" themed bumper sticker and tee shirts to upsell for added profit.

RIDE THE SCHWINNS IF YOU DARE!!!

TAKE YOUR TIME AND ENJOY THE VIEWS
BUT DONT BE LAST IN LINE

GOOD FRIENDS
RIDE BEHIND YOU

[lifelinksplit]

Has it been mentioned what kind of bikes they were on?

I'm guessing 26ers cause everyone knows they're obsolete and 29ers would've rolled outta that attack no problem.

[PNWbrit]

Has it been mentioned what kind of bikes they were on?

I'm guessing 26ers cause everyone knows they're obsolete and 29ers would've rolled outta that attack no problem.

Retro hippster Road/Gravel bikes I believe?

Local TV had video of Fish and Wildlife loading their bikes into pick up. One appeared to have bar end friction shifters.

[GoldMember]

^^ That's what I saw, too. Down drop handlebars, rack on the back, somewhat skinny tires. Definitely not mountain bikes.

[GeezerSteve]

pic of the victim, SJ Brooks, with an old Raleigh Portage, modded with flat bars and 32 or 35 tires: