Looking out over the city and the the homes that back right up to the foothills who would of guess the peril we were in? On the high point of the Datoka Ridge Trail; well, to be exact, the high point of the ridge itself, 150 yards from the actual trail lower in the gully. To get to this high point you take one of the many cut offs from the actual Dakota Ridge Trail around a rock ridge to it’s crest where another narrow trail exists. This rock ridge is much like a mohawk ridding this long ridge and is quite fascinating to see.

I didn’t think anything of what was happening and even made a joke about my dogs silliness as perilous events began to unravel. Simply because it happens all of the time. My agro mutt Ike, who weighs about 50 pounds and definitely has some Chow in him, charges off back down the narrow trail to rides the ridge inevitably chasing a squirrel. We would always joke that Ike loves to going rock climbing with us because he’s content chasing squirrels in the talus below the cliffs for hours on end.

Just as Ike charges through a break in the rock ridge behind us down the trail 100 years he quickly doubles back and I humorously comment that the squirrel pull a fast one on him and doubled back. Before I finished my chuckle joking about his uncontrollable urges to chase animals smaller than himself, a large figure appears on the ridge above Ike. Twitching tail and amazingly graceful movement high on the ridge of rock I quickly realize there’s a mountain lion perched 15 feet above a clueless Ike; both of them still about 100 yards away from us.

I thought for sure the moment that I was in shock recoiling from misjudgement of the situation was the moment I would witness my dog becoming the next meal for the amazing creature. Having been given that extra moment, I began yelling at the lion hoping to scare him off. As his gaze shifted from Ike to me I suddenly realized the peril I was in as well. My mind shifted from concern for my dog to concern for my own well being.

From the lion’s perch, it undoubtedly had the upper hand and displayed it’s confidence in the fact by maintaining his position and not budging. Swallowing my fear I maintained his attention through verbal and physical gestures, all the while commanding Ike to come to me immediately. I just had to hope Ike’s retreat would be successful as he pranced towards me unaware of the danger lurking above him. I then commanded Mary to lease both of the dogs, Floyd was further from the lion than any of us (thank goodness) and to evacuate the area while I maintained the lions attention and hopefully kept him on his perch until they were safely far enough away for my retreat.

Thinking back at the events, it becomes clear that Ike was never chasing a squirrel but ran off after the lion, making thinking that like a deer it would provide a fun chase. Which makes me laugh that my silly little 50 pound dog got away with a close encounter with a lion. Perhaps this was the first time the lion had ever been charged by another animal and Ike had the initial element of surprise.