Keep close to Nature's heart... and break clear away, once in a while, and climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods. Wash your spirit clean. John Muir

This hike takes place in Sulzer Gulch at Sylvan Dale Guest Ranch and begins at 9:30 am and wraps up between 2:30 and 3:00 pm. Details of where we’ll meet will be sent to participants. The focus of the hike is learning where, when and how to look for mountain lion activity, beginning with tracks. We will also spend time discussing the tracks of other wildlife species and learning why we’re seeing the activity in certain places along the trail. This will be a John Muir style hike, leaning into everything nature has to teach us.

Cost: $100 (The Hike is Now Full)

After studying and filming mountain lions for twenty years, I realize there were great benefits by focusing on the ecology of one animal. I ended up learning an incredible amount about a number of wildlife species as a result. I look forward to sharing what I’ve learned, the questions I still have and what I continue to learn on every adventure into these wild places.

Fresh Mountain Lion Tracks

You’ll be immersed in Nature’s classroom, a place always striving toward harmony. Every day we are moving from one season to another. I will point out what’s happening real time and help you make connections between different wildlife species, insects, habitat, slope, aspect, elevation. The connections are endless. And the more we understand, the richer our experience is.

The Hike Includes:

• understanding which animals to expect on the landscape and why

• air currents and how they decide wildlife movement for many mammals.

• learning how mountain lions hunt and navigate across their territories

• why mountain lions are elusive and yet predictable

• how mountain are different from other predators

• being safe in mountain lion country

• learning how to maximize your chances of seeing wildlife and wildlife activity

• being prepared to deal with backcountry emergencies

• setting up trail cameras or DSLR camera traps to film wildlife successfully

What To Bring:

• layered clothing

• sunscreen, sun hat and sunglasses

• decent footwear for hiking (closed toe footwear)

• snacks and lunch

• at least two liters of water

• camera (cell phone is plenty)

• a sauntering spirit

Finally, to explore these wild backcountry places with confidence and fully enjoy them requires being prepared. In Colorado, the weather can change on a dime. Hypothermia is your greatest risk and completely avoidable. Your guide takes backcountry safety seriously because he’s typically with his dog when studying and filming mountain lions and far from any road or trail. If he needs help, nobody is going to walk by him.

This is a great opportunity to ensure you have the Ten Essentials in your pack. Check out his Ten Essentials Plus system. If you’re just getting started, he recommends buying the SOL Bivvy XL first. It will save you from hypothermia and is an incredible shelter to wait out a thunderstorm.

Please contact David Neils with any questions or comments you have about the hike. Use the payment button above to pay for this hike.