Two hikers were stunned to find a Rocky Mountain goat on Mount Hood.
Jackson Smith and his friend were backpacking on Yocum Ridge Trail on July 27 when they saw the animal, according to Coin 6.
“I heard a rock fall along the ridge to the north and looked up to see this Rocky Mountain goat about 30 to 50 yards away from us,” Smith told the outlet.
“We were both in complete shock, but we stood still and silent as the goat began to descend the ridge toward the Sandy River below.”
Rocky Mountain goats, Oregon’s rarest game mammals, are most common in the eastern part of the state and the Central Cascades.
Jackson Smith and his friend were backpacking on the Yocum Ridge Trail in Oregon when they spotted a Rocky Mountain goat.
Smith described the experience as “absolutely amazing” and said he and his friend were stunned by the sight of the goat.
“My friend and I were completely surprised and amazed by the goat’s sudden appearance, and we pinched ourselves because neither of us knew there were goats on Mount Hood,” Smith said.
Mount Hood National Forest spokesperson Raven Reese told KOIN 6 that Rocky Mountain goat sightings on Mount Hood are rarely confirmed as true.
“We don’t have an established population and we’re not working on reintroducing them,” Reese said.
‘The goats observed are likely dispersed or vagrants from established populations elsewhere.’
According to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW), Rocky Mountain goats in Oregon are the result of efforts to reintroduce them to the area.
“We have had some lone mountain goats on Mount Hood over the last few years,” spokeswoman Michelle Dennehy told KOIN 6 News.
‘One (goat) has been sighted near Mount Hood Meadows or Timberline several times this summer.’
He added that the Rocky Mountain goats spotted on Mount Hood were “likely migrants” from Mount Jefferson or various areas of Washington.
Rocky Mountain goats are Oregon’s rarest game mammal and are most common in the eastern part of the state and the Central Cascades.
Mount Hood National Forest spokeswoman Raven Reese told KOIN 6 that sightings of Rocky Mountain goats on Mount Hood are rarely confirmed as true.
Rocky Mountain goats typically live up to 15 years in the wild and are known for their white fur, dark horns and strong bodies, according to Alaska Wildlife Alliance.
Male Rocky Mountain goats can weigh up to 280 pounds and, as adults, have slender horns with bent tips.
Female Rocky Mountain goats typically weigh up to 180 pounds and have horns the same length as a male’s.
Nature lovers might spot these animals eating plants in their habitats, which are sometimes found 13,000 feet above the ground.
These goats should be careful around animals such as wolves, cougars and bears, according to the National Park Service.
They may appear friendly from a distance, but Rocky Mountain goats can injure or kill when threatened.
Rocky Mountain goats typically live up to 15 years in the wild and are known for their white coats, dark horns, and strong bodies.
Although they have not been seen as frequently on Mount Hood as elsewhere, they are not an endangered or threatened species.
Some things that can affect the Rocky Mountain goat population include weather and wildfires.
The Alaska Wildlife Alliance has called severe winter weather conditions one of the “most impactful factors” on goat welfare.
Avalanches caused by heavy snowfall are dangerous for all Rocky Mountain goats because they live at high altitudes and sometimes result in death.
Wildfires are equally dangerous because of the damage they can cause to wintering areas and the decrease in the number of food sources for them.
Other problems affecting the Rocky Mountain goat population include hunting, disease and climate change.
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