Our ghost-like visitor returned this morning to set off the security camera just once, barely visible. It is the same size, same early morning hours, and same location as this first sighting earlier this year.
What baffles me is that each visit only produced one photograph. These game cam / security cams are meant to burst several takes when something comes by. The deer and pronghorn will set them off consistently, but with this mountain lion, it only seems to trigger one shot per visit.
I suppose it is too much to ask the creature to go stand in the middle of the driveway for a good picture, but we will see in the coming days and weeks if he/she humors me.
Security camera partial picture of a mountain lion in the driveway
Given we are rural folks and live up on a country hilltop in Wyoming, we have security/game cameras set up to help keep an eye on things. In the middle of the night this weekend, my phone app sent a motion alert.
I had to rub my eyes but there was the unmistakable profile of a mountain lion padding around the garage area of our property. I suspect it was moving swiftly just out of the hillside scrub, as we only got the one shot from the neck down and no more. Usually that means the animal was in and out of frame quickly.
I find mountain lions the most beautiful and majestic of wildlife out here. And they are ghosts : If they don’t want you to see them, you won’t.
Masters of camouflage and top predators, seeing one in real life has been a bucket list hope of mine since moving out here. Granted, I don’t want to be faced with a large cat on a hiking trail. But to be able to see a living one, to appreciate it’s stunning eyes and be in its presence, that’s just something I hope to safely experience.
Reality is difficult for ranchers and homesteaders where big cats can be a costly impact to livestock. Sometimes, federal predator hunters are brought in out here when a mountain lion continuously kills cows, sheep, or other animals and no other option is left. The balance between the land and livestock presence vs. the wildlife is never an easy one.
We are aware there have likely been visits to this property in times before over the years. Two or three years back, we found prints one snowy evening along the walls of the house. This is the first visual evidence of any cat itself, though. Maybe someday the opportunity will present itself I can see one in real life. To say I’ve seen and experienced one of natures most magnificent animals would be an amazing moment, indeed.
Safe and sound.
Better yet, from the car.
And just to be cautious, probably with a long lens.
11Nov2025 Aurora borealis view off of our back deck via iPhone camera on night settings.
Looking back on 2025, the one post I wished I had included that I missed publishing when it happened was the aurora borealis. It was on my bucket list and a total surprise that it happened as far south as Wyoming. We saw weather updates that it might happen, but part of me didn’t think it actually would.
11Nov2025 Aurora borealis view off of our back deck via iPhone camera on night settings.
Cameras using nighttime settings seems to be able to capture more vivid coloration and contrast of the borealis than the human eye can. These pictures have not been purposefully edited to make them more vivid, but those night settings did make them more vibrant.
In case you’re curious, this short video is what the northern lights looked like with my normal camera’s video settings and what my eyes saw:
11Nov2025 Video of naked eye view of the aurora borealis from our back deck in Cheyenne, WY
I never really felt or believed that any of my bucket list items would come true. (It’s a super short list presently and remaining opportunities are pretty out there). But as I stood there that night, I was filled with so much satisfying peace that if I don’t achieve any others in the coming years, I was blessed with this special one.
I saw the aurora borealis at least once. And it was everything I hoped it would be. Hopefully, I’ll get to see it again someday.
