Actually, we probably were not "stalked," in any ominous sense, anyway. Cougars are curious kitties, and he was evidently just checking us out. Hikers were rare on that trail at the time. Mountain lions are not.

To my disappointment, I have climbed that peak over seventy times over the years, including many overnight trips, and i have yet to see a cougar in the wild. But I have recognized their tracks many times.

Watching the various footprints along a trail can provide useful and interesting information. The rudimentary skill I developed came in handy on several SAR operations.