GLENWOOD SPRINGS, Colo. -- A mountain lion cub had a bad encounter with a dog on Monday near Glenwood Springs.

At the end, the cub was up a tree with the dog down below.

Dog owner Ron de Moraes told the Glenwood Springs Post Independent newspaper this was the first time he's seen a mountain lion since he moved to the area in 1997.

Colorado Division of Wildlife spokesman Randy Hampton said it’s not uncommon for lions to be more active during the fall and late winter, increasing the number of sightings.

Hampton also said there are more people living in the area, increasing the chances for sightings.

In September, the Shugart family near the Sunlight Ski Area, outside in Glenwood Springs spotted a trio of mountain lions in their back yard.

"They were absolutely beautiful, you could see their eyes. There were three together just hanging out in our yard," Jan Shugart told 7NEWS.

The trio came into their courtyard, right outside the Shugart's dining room and peered through the patio door inside the house. The mountain lions sauntered around the garage for awhile and after about three to five minutes, they went up the trail behind the Shugart's home, the same trail Jan and her husband walk three times a week.

The Shugarts have lived in the area about 30 years. "You see the signs, but you don't actually see the mountain lions," she said.

Hampton said "As the deer and elk migrate to the winter range to escape the deeper snow in the high country, lions will follow because the deer and elk populations are a vital food source for the lions."