Only about a half a mile from the trail head, I came across a mountain lion sitting in a bend in the trail. I paused, slowly withdrew, and began waving my arms and making loud sounds to scare it away. It didn't move. For a good 5 mins, I stood there watching it, it watching me. Eventually, another hiker came up the trail behind me and the two of us advanced up the trail and sent it running up the slope. Only a week later, a mountain lion attacked a young girl in nearby Rancho San Antonio Park. Shortly afterwards, the lion was killed by park personnel. I can't help but wonder if these were the same individual, since the lion I saw had lost it's fear of humans.