As far as I know, cougar and mountain lion are interchangeable. For whatever reason, we called the large cats mountain lions when I was growing up. I tend to be loyal to local terms when speaking of natural phenomena. I want to claim my Western heritage and Montana upbringing. This is especially true now that I am in my seventies and much of Montana is owned by wealthy people from out of state who have bought ranches as personal retreats. In the area where I grew up, as many as half a dozen or more properties that used to be working ranches have been acquired by rich out-of-state people who build multi-million-dollar mansions on the property in which they do not live year-round. The properties function as hunting lodges or retreat cabins and are among multiple properties with homes owned by these millionaires. The current Governor of Montana and one of its US Senators are not long-term residents of the state. They did not grow up there, and I suspect have not often spent winters in the state. For those who grew up among the working ranches and historic properties of Montana, they will always be outsiders. Senator Steve Dains grew up in Montana, but he is sponsor of a bill to sell of public lands in the state that will allow the rich folk to prevent locals from accessing land that has been shared for more than a century.

I am not uneducated. The animals we call buffalo are American Bison, not buffalo at all. But buffalo is the local name for the animals, and the one I prefer to use. I know that if you hear someone pronounce “coyote” kai-OH-tee, they are not from Montana, North Dakota, or South Dakota, where the locals pronounce it kai-YOTE. University of South Dakota sports fans know how to pronounce their team mascot, and it doesn’t have three syllables.

I prefer to refer to the elusive mountain cats as mountain lions, even though I know that others use the term cougar. Depending on where they are found, they are also called puma, catamount, and panther.

One of the places where I ride my bike regularly is across a large area of buffer land owned by British Petroleum. The buffer land surrounds the largest oil refinery in Washington, which is located within sight of our home. The refinery’s principal output is jet fuel, which is supplied to the International airports at Vancouver, BC, Seattle, WA, and Portland, OR. The refinery also produces diesel, gasoline, and propane. Crude oil, primarily from Alaska’s North Slope, arrives by tanker, and refined products leave by train and truck.

The refinery allows public access to the buffer zones for walking, biking, and hunting. My favorite trail across their property is a paved trail that extends a mile south of Grandview Road to a lookout with a great view of Lummi Island and other San Juan Islands. The trail then extends for a little over a mile east to a parking area where it connects to another trail that skirts the south side of the refinery and connects to Kickerville Road. It is about 4 miles from my home to the beginning of the trail, so if I ride from home, ride the trail, and return on different roads, I can make an eight to ten-mile loop, depending on which roads I take going to and from the BP property.

At the trails' entrances, signs warn of possible encounters with wild animals. There is information on bears and cougars on the signs. (Their choice of words, not mine.) The signs get my attention because mountain lions and bicycles are a dangerous mix. Mountain Lions see moving objects in two categories: prey and threat. Bicycles fall into the prey category. They move quickly, and the lions give chase. There are numerous stories from Colorado, California, and other areas of mountain lions chasing cyclists and causing severe injuries and death. Mountain lions can leap over a 12-foot fence from a sitting position, pounce more than 20 feet at a run, and in a sprint can go 45 mph. No one will outrun a mountain lion on a bicycle, even an electric one like I ride.

However, there hasn’t been a mountain lion sighting in our county since I’ve lived here, and the only ones that would be in the open grasslands of the BP buffer zone would be transient cats heading elsewhere. Still, I am careful to bike only in the daytime and prefer to do so when others are on the trail. The area is a wonderful place for people to allow their dogs to roam off leash, and I always feel a bit safer when there are dogs in the area that would provide ample warning should a mountain lion appear.

I’ve only seen a mountain lion in the wild twice. The first time was when I was a teen and riding with my uncle in the mountains near Libby, Montana. The second was early morning as I drove through the Black Hills in South Dakota. Both times, the glimpse was fleeting as the big cat ran across the road and disappeared into the forest. Both times, there was no mistaking the animal. I was struck by how long their tails are.

There is a possibility of a mountain lion sighting in our area because there are numerous cats in the mountains north of the border. The Canadian Cascades provide a rugged and remote habitat for the cats. They have made the local news because there have been several sightings of mountain lions in the Whistler-Blackcomb ski area this spring. Two cats have been seen chasing, stalking, and being close to hikers and mountain bikers.

As soon as the snow melts from the ski runs, Whistler-Blackcomb becomes a destination for mountain bikers who can ride to the tops of the mountains on ski lifts and descend on their bikes on the winding trails through beautiful mountain scenery. However, mountain lion sightings have closed all of the bike trails in the area until wildlife conservation officers can decide what to do about the mountain lions. It is theorized that they are young cats exploring new territory. Mountain lion cubs are pushed out of the den and away from their families in their second year and must establish their hunting grounds. Usually, they settle far from the resorts with all their human activities. These cats will likely leave the area within weeks.

In the meantime, if you bike in the area, know that some creatures see you as prey.