Mountain Goats

Photo: Seth Tonsmeire

Mountain Goats are a large-hoofed mammal only found in North America. Goats are a very sure-footed animal, and are often seen climbing around on rock cliffs. They are the only large mammals found at such elevations of 13,000 ft or more. Throughout most of the year goats stay above tree line, but will migrate to lower elevations seasonally. Goats spend most of their time grazing on grasses, herbs, sedges, ferns, moss, lichen, twigs and leaves on low-growing shrubs and conifers. Mountain Goats usually live between twelve and fifteen years, often being determined be the condition of their teeth. Goats have two coats of hair. The inner coat is a thick dense layer of wool. The outer coat is made up of long and shaggy hollow hair that provides great insulation for surviving in the climates that they do. (Wikipedia) We often see mountain goats on both the Middle Fork of the Flathead at natural salt licks and on Goatherd Mountain on the Alsek River in Canada.

Photo: Seth Tonsmeire

The mountain goat in this picture calls the North Fork of the Salmon River home, near Lost Trail Pass. I was lucky enough to get some photos the other day. This goat will lose the shaggy coat in the spring time. Hope you enjoyed the photos.

Seth Tonsmeire