Mountain Lion Incidents in Colorado
Just weeks before a hiker was tragically killed by a mountain lion in Colorado, another frightening encounter occurred on the very same trail. Gary Messina, while running on that northern Colorado trail one dark November morning, was approached by a mountain lion.
Messina recounted how he threw his cell phone to distract the animal as it circled him. After a tense few minutes, he managed to escape by striking the mountain lion with a stick he broke off a nearby log. “I had to fight it off because it was basically trying to harm me,” he stated. “I couldn’t just run away—my life was at risk. Any attempt to back up would make it lunge at me.”
A spokesperson for Colorado Parks and Wildlife mentioned that on New Year’s Day, a woman was found dead on the same trail, and her injuries suggested a mountain lion attack. During a press conference, Kara Van Hoose explained that hikers spotted a mountain lion near the victim’s body.
In the aftermath of the suspected attack, wildlife authorities killed two mountain lions and are now searching for a third to check for rabies or other health issues.
This incident marks the first fatal mountain lion attack in over 25 years, with the last one happening in 1999.
Messina shared his encounter days later, prompting authorities to post warning signs about mountain lion activity, although these were later removed. He suspects the mountain lion that threatened him might be the same one responsible for the hiker’s death.
While mountain lion sightings are fairly common in Rocky Mountain National Park, aggressive behavior is rare. According to the Mountain Lion Foundation, the New Year’s incident was just the fourth deadly mountain lion attack in North America in the past decade, and the 30th since 1868. Byron Weckworth, the foundation’s chief conservation officer, noted that as human populations expand into wildlife areas, interactions are likely to rise. It’s not that mountain lions are getting more aggressive; it’s more about where we’re choosing to live.
Experts advise those venturing into the wilderness to steer clear of dawn and dusk when these animals are most active. It’s also recommended to hike in groups, maintain eye contact, appear larger, and back away slowly if confronted—running is not advised.
