Mountain lion navigating along an edge below a rocky hillside. This is the same path deer and elk use.
Where: Aiken Canyon Preserve - 3350 Turkey Canon Ranch Rd, Colorado Springs, CO 80926
When: Saturday, May 18, 2024, 8:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Join other wildlife enthusiasts for a fun hike looking for mountain lion and other wildlife activity. Many wildlife species are on the move as they prepare for summer, a time to take a break from cold winter weather, fatten up, mate, care for young, etc.
Register through the Pikes Peak Birding and Nature Festival starting March 23, 2024 at 10:00 am.
You’ll learn how to find mountain lion as well as many other predator and prey species.
Expect a five mile hike with easy and moderate sections. Given the conditions, we will see tracks in dry sand and dirt, tracks in the mud as well as snow, where available.
Consider downloading the app iTrack for an excellent overview for mountain lions, coyotes, bobcats, foxes, bears and numerous prey species, beginning with deer and elk.
The goal of this hike is to help you identify mountain lion activity and know where, when and how to look for their sign.
Mountain lions follow deer and elk as they migrate off of winter range into their summer range.
WHAT TO BRING
layered clothing
decent footwear for hiking (plan on mud, dry ground and possibly snow in some areas)
snacks and lunch
at least two liters of water
camera (cell phone is plenty)
a sauntering spirit
We will be stopping often to discuss the tracks and habitat of the wildlife that call this place home. There are many incredible connections worth learning that will enrich your time afield.
This is a great opportunity to ensure you have the Ten Essentials in your pack. Check out my Ten Essentials Plus system. If you’re just getting started, I highly recommend buying the SOL Bivvy XL first. It will save you from hypothermia and is an incredible shelter to wait out a thunderstorm.
Meet Your Host - David Neils
David Neils and his dog Autumn in some of the best mountain lion country in Northern Colorado.
I offer these events as a way to share my passion for getting to know these wild places well. Like a great friend, they become an intimate part of our lives, nourish our souls and bring peace to our hearts. And it’s a chance to pay it forward after the gift I received as a child to spend time alone in the Cabinet Mountains Wilderness Area of NW Montana.
The last twenty years have been spent studying and filming mountain lions in some of the wildest country of Colorado and Montana. I developed a system, using four natural factors, which allows me to pinpoint mountain lion activity throughout the United States, Canada and Chile. I enjoy sharing this knowledge and supporting others to study this magnificent apex predator through a personalized Mountain Lion Workshop which includes mapping mountain lion activity in the client’s chosen area, up to 100 square miles.
In addition to sharing a passion for mountain lions and other wildlife, I enjoy supporting others to navigate boldly and safely in the backcountry. I’ve been refining a system since 1971, Ten Essentials Plus, which eliminates many of the factors that result in Search and Rescue operations. In fact, it completely eliminates the Search in Search and Rescue. I also provide hands on orienteering courses, supporting clients to have the confidence to explore the wild areas around them.