So the residents of the Palisades speculated that the panthers had come from Alpine, New Jersey, a few miles south, where one would find mansions and therefore, presumably, citizens more inclined to own and then abandon pet panthers.
Britain should win their first medal on snow at these Winter Olympics, but there's no expectation that it might come in alpine skiing.
Next came an Alpine event, as we turned suddenly at the boom of an avalanche shearing down the mountain side, but only caught sight of the settling cloud of snow because the sound arrives four seconds after the fall.
Here, guests come to experience Alpine winter holidays as they used to be.
Like Rahlves and Puckett, most of the world's elite ski cross racers come from an Alpine background, rather than a free-skiing tradition.
You come to an alpine meadow where you can see Mount Greylock, 45 miles north, the highest point in Massachusetts (3,491 feet).
Swish hotel complexes cater for Bakuvians who come for the alpine air and views, and in one of these live Tony and his assistant, Gary Stevens.
Smartwool socks ($15.95) come in muted alpine-inspired patterns.
But first, before the race against the clock on Saturday, comes the major Alpine stage.
Puckett, 37, a four-time Olympian in Alpine, came out of retirement to try to make it back to the Olympics in ski cross this year.
