Dry River Canyon, about 18 miles e. of Bend just off Highway 20 will be closed tomorrow for the next several months to enhance raptor nesting. The big attraction of the canyon for the last couple of months has been a Mountain Goat that seems to have made the canyon its home for the winter. This morning Kathy and I decided that we should take a hike and get a glimpse of this creature that must be close to 180 miles from its home range in the Elkhorn Mountains (w. of Baker, OR). So we joined hundreds if not a thousand or more people this beautiful Sunday. There were at least 30 cars at a trailhead designed for a half dozen and people were rotating in and out constantly.
After taking a bunch of photos we headed out. The canyon, about 3.5 miles in length, has more going for it than just the goat. It has great old Juniper snags, lots of lichens, and my favorite
After returning to the 4 Runner we headed east a couple of miles to a canyon overlook where we discovered that the mountain goat was only about 2/3 of the way to the top of the north rim! Our distance from here was so far away that photos of the goat were not worth sharing. So we headed home and about 12 miles east of Bend we were confronted with this view:
A nice day counting down the time for my next Sierra visit. For some action views of the mountain goat on a day it was a little more active see: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ashrunner/ ... otostream/
Mike
It was great to see families out. Sometimes it was clear that there were 3 generations in one party! At any rate about a half an hour in we got our first glimpse of the goat near what appeared to be the north rim of the canyon.HST Community Wandering Mountain Goat
Wandering Mountain Goat
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Wandering Mountain Goat
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Mike
Who can't do everything he used to and what he can do takes a hell of a lot longer!
Who can't do everything he used to and what he can do takes a hell of a lot longer!
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oldranger - Topix Junkie
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Re: Wandering Mountain Goat
Mike,
Nice report and photo essay!
When I first saw the title though, I thought it was going to be your autobiography, not about a four-footed creature.
Nice report and photo essay!

When I first saw the title though, I thought it was going to be your autobiography, not about a four-footed creature.
Mountainman who swims with trout
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markskor - Founding Member & Forums Administrator
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Re: Wandering Mountain Goat
Hi OR
Thanks, enjoyed the photo's and the write up, pm sent. Mav
Thanks, enjoyed the photo's and the write up, pm sent. Mav
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maverick - Forums Moderator
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Re: Wandering Mountain Goat
mark,
Kind of thought you'd say something! Considered really misleading you by titling the report "wandering old goat" but then I have no idea how old the goat is!
Mike
Kind of thought you'd say something! Considered really misleading you by titling the report "wandering old goat" but then I have no idea how old the goat is!

Mike
Last edited by oldranger on Thu Feb 04, 2010 5:10 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Mike
Who can't do everything he used to and what he can do takes a hell of a lot longer!
Who can't do everything he used to and what he can do takes a hell of a lot longer!
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oldranger - Topix Junkie
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hikerduane - Founding Member
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Re: Wandering Mountain Goat
i'm still wondering why you can get a great pic of a mountain goat with a telephoto, and not of the two nymphs at the lake.. 

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rlown - Topix Junkie
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Re: Wandering Mountain Goat
Russ,
The ladies were shot with little panasonic, goat was with slr with telephoto. Besides my hands weren't shaking.
Mike
The ladies were shot with little panasonic, goat was with slr with telephoto. Besides my hands weren't shaking.

Mike
Mike
Who can't do everything he used to and what he can do takes a hell of a lot longer!
Who can't do everything he used to and what he can do takes a hell of a lot longer!
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oldranger - Topix Junkie
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Re: Wandering Mountain Goat
Got My Goat......
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Bad Man From Bodie - Topix Regular
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