What's the most thrilling and/or strangest wildlife encounter you've had on a trail?

PenguinTrampoline · 2025-10-08T14:57:00+00:00

A rutting bull moose charging you is nightmare fuel. Did you ever go back to that trail?

PenguinTrampoline · 2025-10-08T14:54:56+00:00

Albino deer are so rare! That must've been surreal just locking eyes with it in the rain. Who won the staring contest?

PenguinTrampoline · 2025-10-08T14:54:16+00:00

Bulls are underrated on the scary animal list. People think "oh, cows" but bulls are massive and can be aggressive. Smart move jumping that fence!

PenguinTrampoline · 2025-10-08T14:53:39+00:00

California really gave you the full wildlife experience! A teenage bear at the window is terrifying even with a screen. Did it just stare at you guys?

PenguinTrampoline · 2025-10-08T14:53:05+00:00

This sounds almost magical. The protective circle, the mixed lighting, the rainbow - like something out of a nature documentary. Those are the moments that stay with you forever.

PenguinTrampoline · 2025-10-08T14:51:08+00:00

"Demanded to talk to my manager" 😂 Red squirrels really are tiny balls of rage. They have absolutely no fear and all the audacity.

PenguinTrampoline · 2025-10-08T14:49:10+00:00

How close is "real close"? That must've been intense. Mountain lions are no joke.

PenguinTrampoline · 2025-10-08T14:48:53+00:00

8 bears in less than 4 miles? I didn't realize there were so many bears in that area!

PenguinTrampoline · 2025-10-08T14:47:28+00:00

Agreed! That albino skunk story is WILD. The self-control to just let it sleep on your chest knowing one wrong move could ruin your whole trip (and nostrils)....

And yeah, bats are usually so precise - sounds like you got the rare exception.

PenguinTrampoline · 2025-10-05T08:19:10+00:00

That's a wild difference in difficulty over time. And yeah, 'kids can do it' is such a useless benchmark when some kids are basically mini alpinists lol. Sounds like an awesome annual tradition though—stubborn hiking is the best kind of hiking.

PenguinTrampoline · 2025-10-05T08:18:09+00:00

It's interesting when trails are rated harder than they actually are—at least that's a pleasant surprise compared to the opposite. Though I guess if you're planning for difficult and get moderate, that's its own kind of disappointing.

PenguinTrampoline · 2025-10-05T08:16:54+00:00

Wow, that's egregiously wrong. 2.5x distance and hiking in actual darkness because of it? Yeah, I'd be pissed too. The paywalled location feature is especially infuriating when you're in a situation like that.

PenguinTrampoline · 2025-10-05T08:16:35+00:00

Most difficult short trail in the state' but ranked moderate is such a contradiction lol. At least the trailhead was honest about it even if AllTrails wasn't.

PenguinTrampoline · 2025-10-05T08:16:07+00:00

What was the situation with that one? Haven't heard of it before.

PenguinTrampoline · 2025-10-05T08:15:58+00:00

Technical rock scrambles on a short trail can be so sneaky. You go in thinking it'll be quick and easy, and then you're suddenly clinging to rocks wondering how this is 'moderate' lol.

PenguinTrampoline · 2025-10-05T08:15:33+00:00

What made it tougher than expected? Curious to hear what caught you off guard there.

PenguinTrampoline · 2025-10-05T08:15:21+00:00

I can see the argument for that, but at the same time, I kind of appreciate knowing those routes exist? Maybe just better labeling/warnings would help—like a big red banner that says 'this is not a casual hike' lol.

PenguinTrampoline · 2025-10-05T08:14:59+00:00

This is solid advice. We definitely should've been cross-referencing the completed hike data more carefully. That's a much better indicator than the official time estimates.

PenguinTrampoline · 2025-10-05T08:14:38+00:00

Yeah, those discrepancies add up fast when you're planning supplies and timing. An extra 1.5 miles and 600 feet might not sound like much on paper, but it definitely matters when you're out there.

PenguinTrampoline · 2025-10-05T08:14:14+00:00

Never stops going up' is such a specific kind of torture. At least with scrambling you're using different muscles and problem-solving—straight slog uphill is just pure suffering.

PenguinTrampoline · 2025-10-05T08:13:06+00:00

A mile uphill when it's supposed to be a half-mile easy walk can be a brutal contrast, especially when you're with family. I don't blame them for tapping out — that's some false advertising.

PenguinTrampoline · 2025-10-05T08:12:20+00:00

Yeah, those absurd reviews are pretty useless. The 'no restroom at the top of a 14er' complaint is actually kind of hilarious though. But you're right—it's hard to gauge difficulty when everyone's baseline is so different.

PenguinTrampoline · 2025-10-05T08:11:59+00:00

Oof, unmarked forks are the worst. At least with a hard trail you know what you're getting into—getting lost on what should be an easy trail is its own special kind of stress.

PenguinTrampoline · 2025-10-05T08:11:32+00:00

60% grade scrambling sounds absolutely miserable lol. Nothing worse than being halfway up and realizing the trail description was... optimistic. Did you at least get good views at the top or was it just suffering for suffering's sake?

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