If you see a mountain lion a mile from your hike destination then it doesnt matter what happens after that. Maybe a mile before arriving at Aztec Peak (our camping spot the night before) we saw a mountain lion trotting up the road, for a few seconds Greg and I were confused. Its like drinking out of a glass that you think has one liquid in it but its something else, it may be water but for a few seconds your completely confused as to what it is. deer? horse? zebra? great blue whale? MOUNTAIN LION!!! what can I say other than "cool" we spent the night at Aztec Peak (very windy) and set out the next morning from Murphys Ranch. a very different trip then other times I've been up there. Bees everywhere, of course lots of flowers, very large amounts of song birds it was a choir of singing. And a beautiful sunny day. Lizards were everywhere, unlike previous trips no bears or Timber Rattlers. I didnt take many pictures but I'll post what I've got. It was a very nice trip not very taxing when you take bushwacks out of the equation. In the words of Douglas MacArthur "I SHALL RETURN"