Deputies scan the wilderness after being called in about a big cat scare. Photo: Clear Creek County Sheriff’s Office
There’s a lot of things that can go bump in the night in the wilderness. But of all the potential critters and hazards lurking in the darkness, a mountain lion is far up on the list of most terrifying prospects. That’s why, when a pair of hikers in Clear Creek County, Colorado, thought they were being stalked by a big cat they called in the cavalry.
“We admire Alpine Rescue Team so much that we wanted to be like them,” wrote the Clear Creek County Sheriff’s Office on Facebook. “So when we got a report of two campers who believed they were being stalked by a mountain lion at St. Mary’s Glacier at 10 p.m. on Thursday, April 2, we decided to do our own backcountry rescue.”
From there, two officers loaded up an ATV and met one of the campers at the trailhead parking lot. The trio took the ATV up the trail as far as it would go, then hiked the remaining mile to get to the second camper who had stayed behind.
“The very cold midnight trek on rocky terrain through snow and wind proved successful in that they were able to scare off any wildlife and bring the other camper back safely,” continued the Sheriff’s department. “It also proved WHY we leave backcountry rescues to the experts at Alpine Rescue Team.”
In the end, the dramatic rescue may have been more of a case of perceived danger, rather than actual peril. “We appreciate Colorado Parks and Wildlife for their willingness to respond the night of this backcountry excursion,” concluded the statement. “They explained that it is not typical for a mountain lion to stalk a campsite. If an animal was present, it may have been a fox.”
