JOGGER STALKED BY MOUNTAIN LION.

Byline: Amy Raisin Darvish Staff Writer

VALENCIA - A woman jogger sought shelter in a neighbor's house late Wednesday after spotting a mountain lion trailing her at a brisk pace, authorities said.

The woman spotted the big cat shortly before midnight Wednesday as she jogged near Skycrest and Crown Court circles in Valencia, according to a report released by the Santa Clarita sheriff's station.

When she noticed the mountain lion keeping pace behind her, the woman ran to a neighbor's home for help. Once inside, the woman reported the sighting to sheriff's deputies.

``She was adamant about seeing it,'' sheriff's Lt. Diane Walker said. ``She ran to a neighbor's house and they let her in. She was quite sure what she had seen.''

Homes in the area in which the animal was seen back up to a brush-covered hillside and are bordered to the west by San Francisquito Creek. Wildlife is known to follow Santa Clarita's dry river corridors to migrate.

This was the second mountain lion sighting in Valencia in less than 10 days. Officials at College of the Canyons closed the campus cross-country trail July 12 after a runner reported seeing a mountain lion in a tree the day before.

The cat was seen on a little-used stretch of the trail that parallels Interstate 5.

Both sightings were reported to the Department of Fish and Game.

Amy Raisin Darvish, [phone]

amy.raisin(at)dailynews.com

SAFETY TIPS

Some tips for those living in mountain lion country:

Do not hike alone.

Keep children close to you.

Do not approach a lion.

Do not run or turn your back on a lion.

Do not crouch down or bend over.

To make yourself appear larger, wave your hands over your head and speak firmly and loudly.

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SAFETY TIPS (see text)