It was 1996, and whereas touring via the Misplaced Coast in far northern California, my boyfriend and I had been tenting and not using a tent on the seashore. We’d been to Yosemite and another locations, however we’d simply gotten there.
We took this street that goes up and thru the Misplaced Coast space. We lastly get to Shelter Cove, and the black sand is simply superior. The redwoods come straight right down to the water.
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We noticed the indicators warning about cougars, however, for some purpose thought that as a result of we had been close to the ocean and different homes within the small village, it was safer.
Initially, I’m from Pennsylvania, south central across the Harrisburg space. Pennsylvania has tons of cougars too. I had woods behind my home. I had them in my yard. All the pieces traipsed via my yard.
I got here to California in 1988, and I’ve lived most my grownup life in California. I typically didn’t see wildlife apart from marmots (that are annoying) and I are likely to go to trails the place I don’t see folks as a result of I attempt to get away from folks. You’re hardly ever going to have an encounter with a cat. That’s actually uncommon.
I went, “What? It’s the beach.”
We put our luggage on the sand a ways from the street, climbing up the seashore and on the base of some cliffs. We regularly did that. Simply went wherever. We thought, ‘Oh, we’ll simply camp out right here for the night time.’
I awakened in the course of the night time — in that center half between sleep and awake — to what seemed like a cat coughing up a hairball. I turned a flashlight on the highest of the cliff above us the place the redwood forest began.
I awakened in the course of the night time — in that center half between sleep and awake — to what seemed like a cat coughing up a hairball.
There was a mountain lion stalking us, doing that backwards and forwards stroll, with its head and eyes staying fastened on us beneath like literal pigs in a blanket. My blood ran chilly.
I awakened Steve, my companion, and panicking, stated, “There’s a cat! We are so dead!”
I knew we couldn’t run. That might worsen the entire scenario. We had no weapon, and I assumed, ‘Wow, I guess this is how it ends, I’m solely 31. S—. Surprise how lengthy it’ll take.’
In the meantime, my nugatory companion simply mumbled that I ought to “Forget it, go back to sleep, it’s fine.” It was so not wonderful.
There are moments alongside relationships the place you see these sorts of issues, the place you go, “Really?” It tells you about someone. We’re nonetheless good associates, 30 years later, however we’d solely identified one another lower than a 12 months. He’s actually good. He’s an engineer type of man, however doesn’t assume virtually typically, and at the moment particularly, flew by the seat of his pants.
I’m the daughter of a Holocaust survivor, and I feel like, “OK, what are you going to do?” You’ve bought to have a plan A, B and C.
I had all this time to assume as a result of I’m simply protecting the lion blinded. He can’t see me, so long as I maintain the flashlight on him.
“I knew we couldn’t run. That would worsen the whole situation. We had no weapon, and I thought, ‘Wow, I guess this is how it ends.’”
I questioned, if I threw an enormous ball of yarn, wouldn’t it chase it like a smaller kitty cat? What if I scratched it beneath the chin like I used to with my cat whereas it’s suffocating me? Would it not let me go?
I’m like, “Well, at least they suffocate their victims. At least it’s not going to rip me apart like a wolf does — because that’s awful. Well, at least that.”
How lengthy will I final? 20 seconds? I don’t know. That is the best way I’m going to go — actually?
I used to be attempting to amuse myself throughout that horrible wait. It appeared so lengthy that she or he saved doing that back-and-forth.
After an eternity with me protecting it blinded with the flashlight, it bought bored with attempting to see via that and gave up, stalking off into the woods. Evidently, I didn’t return to sleep, however bought my bag and headed for the automobile. It felt like without end, however in actuality it was in all probability 15 or 20 minutes.
I’m nonetheless certain I dodged a bullet that night time. Since, I’ve learn tales of the heaps of mountain lions in every single place there.
I’ve spent over 30 years of my grownup life backpacking within the Excessive Sierras and different wilderness areas in California and, with relation to huge cats, have solely had that one encounter ever.
Nonetheless, I’m solo 90% of the time and have had the sense — it’s an intuition all of us possess — that I’m being watched every now and then, and that’s going to be a giant cat.
You’ll virtually by no means see them. Once I get that feeling on the again of my neck, I simply decelerate, and do my greatest to look huge — having an infinite pack helps.
I will need to have succeeded that night time as a result of I didn’t find yourself as prey.
Tania Davidson is a psychologist who spends her free time backpacking, crusing and in any other case adventuring. Her retelling is edited for size and readability.
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