Deputies rescue campers who say they were stalked by mountain lion in Colorado backcountry
When two campers in the Colorado backcountry thought they were being stalked by a mountain lion last week, Clear Creek County deputies decided to mount a rescue themselves.
In a social media post, the Clear Creek County Sheriff's Office said, "We admire Alpine Rescue Team so much that we wanted to be like them."
According to the sheriff's office, the two campers were on St. Mary's Glacier late Thursday night when one of them reported they were being stalked by a mountain lion. The camper had left the campsite to call for help, and a sergeant and a deputy took an ATV to meet them at the trailhead parking lot.
CCSO said the trio took the ATV up the trail as far as it could go, and then hiked a mile through rocky terrain, snow, and high wind to reach the other camper. The camper told them he believed a mountain lion was walking around his tent and pushing up against it.
The rescuers did not find the mountain lion and brought the campers back to safety.
The sheriff's office said the conditions "proved WHY we leave backcountry rescues to experts at Alpine Rescue Team."
The National Park Service says mountain lion attacks are rare but possible. They suggest that if someone sees a mountain lion, they should stay calm and not approach it. They said hikers and campers should not run from the lion, which can stimulate its instinct to chase, or to crouch down or bend over. If a mountain lion moves towards someone, they said that person should try to appear intimidating by appearing larger, speaking firmly and loudly, or throwing things at it.
