[Brushbuffalo]

[Julia]

[Sgtxray]

I am former SF been in remote areas and have seen what I think followed you. You will never hear a cougar it was something else that I have encountered before DO NOT go into remote areas alone!

[slave524]

This thread made my Sunday! These stories are freaking me out and making me laugh at the same time

[coldrain108]

I was camped in upper Fisher Basin after coming up and over Easy Pass. We had hung the food quite meticulously and were on the verge of falling asleep when we hear a really loud grunt, then a thud like something heavy hitting the ground. One more time. Crap! a bear must be going after our food! And we had seen one earlier wandering in the meadows. As we are busting out of our sleeping bags we hear it again...once out of the tent we run over to where we hung the grub...it was a huge deer with an enormous rack, he was rising up on his back legs, snorting and slamming his front feet on the ground really loud directly under our food bag. Adrenaline rush subsides. Still weird though. I previously told my creeped out night story at 39 mile camp after finding boot sized bear poop on the trail. My first encounter with a bear trying to steal my food occurred in California. It got hold of the food bag but I was able to fight it off. (day 1 of a 10 day trip). My wife was sound a sleep when this happened and the sound of my screaming at the bear woke her in a state of panic - she let out a high pitched shriek that likely caused much pain in the bear's ears, or any dogs that were in the area. It is now a joke of ours, the dog whistle bear deterrent. People at the next camp over asked us sarcastically "how was your night?". I had a bear in Dose Meadows come wandering through as I was setting up camp. It looked at me, then stopped walking and sat down to keep an eye on me as I set up my tent. After I finished setting up I dug out some food. The bear was still there watching me, but by now it was laying down about 30 feet away. It raised it nose in the air and sniffed but made no motions towards me. We hung out for a long time together. After dark it took off and I didn't see it again. I have many run-ins with bears. I've never fed them, and that CA experience has made me extra cautious, as in I use a bear can now no matter where I go or what the regulations are. I'm not taking any chances that I kill a bear due to negligence or even just bad luck.

[Ojsefg11]

The big Guy was making sure you left his area.

[Slugman]

How about being watched from the hills? https://www.livescience.com/dark-watchers-california-optical-illusion.html

[BigBrunyon]

If you're in the know you know that the "brocken specter" is just how these figures reveal themselves! It has been proven over and over!! What you have to understand is these figures are invisible. So, said figures grab the water droplets and place them perfectly to create and change the shadows! Said figures are real!!

[Joseph]

About 10 years ago or so we backpacked to Lake Ann in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness. when we set up camp, I ventured out to the north of the lake and veered right up a slope to a meadow with a little meandering brook, the kind you see in so many areas of the cascades. This meadow had some pretty big boulders probably originating from Ingalls peak. I was exploring the area, hiking around, and it was getting near dusk, when I spotted out of the corner of my eye, a figure in the shadow of a small cave in one of those huge boulders. I assumed it was another hiker just checking out the cave. I waited for them to come out. Nothing. To this day I wonder what that figure was. Perhaps a hiker that didn't me to know he/she was there. a dark figure. Earlier above the meadow I saw what I thought was bear scat, but realized later it seemed too big for that. Hmm. I beat a hasty retreat back to camp, and told my story to my incredulous backpacking partners.

[Lokicat]

It could very well have been a cougar. Especially hiking alone you are less threatening than if you are in a group. I heard blood curdling screech one night at camp that made my hair stand on end. After googling the sound it matched that of a cougar. Yikes. Cougar attacks are rare. But with that said they are definately stealthy creatures!