As we descended the trail toward the trail head, on some cliffs off the trail we were treated to a view of one of the icons of the Rocky Mountains, somewhat rare now outside of Glacier Park; a Rocky Mountain Goat, (Oreamnos americanus). For obvious reasons, I couldn’t get any close-ups. When I was a child we saw them fairly often, but it has been years since I encountered one outside of the park. It was a very rare treat!
As if to make a closing statement at the very end of our Cabin Lake trip, along the Forest Service access road, these were in bloom, another wildflower that I had not encountered before.
Mountain Hollyhocks, lliamna rivularis
Montana Outdoors 
I adore Mountain Goats!! Truly a treat to see one I bet….
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Comment by Stacey Dawn — July 23, 2010 @ 11:45 pm
It is indeed a real treat!
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Comment by montucky — July 25, 2010 @ 8:39 am
The flowers are pretty.
We have sheep here (it’s Wales, where sheep vastly outnumber humans)that are incredibly good on mountains! I often look at them and try to trace how they got to the point where I see them… as indeed I am doing with the goat in your photo!
🙂
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Comment by absurdoldbird — July 24, 2010 @ 5:07 am
I did the same thing. Personally I would have been quite apprehensive maneuvering through that area. The goat seemed quite relaxed.
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Comment by montucky — July 25, 2010 @ 8:41 am
I remember seeing mountain goats somewhere in the Rockies, while traveling to California. It must have been in Colorado.
This is a neat photo with lots to look at.
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Comment by sandy — July 24, 2010 @ 9:28 am
I’m sure there must be places that have a larger population of them than we do here. For some reason their numbers have gone down in this region over the years.
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Comment by montucky — July 25, 2010 @ 8:43 am
One guess which photo today is my favorite? Yes, the goat! Wonderful scenery, too!
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Comment by wildlifewatcher — July 24, 2010 @ 12:44 pm
I thought you would enjoy seeing the goat!
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Comment by montucky — July 25, 2010 @ 8:44 am
What a beautiful mountain for him to be on!
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Comment by Juls — July 24, 2010 @ 1:07 pm
Quite a cliff, isn’t it! Kind of a classic scene for the goat.
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Comment by montucky — July 25, 2010 @ 8:45 am
Always nice to see pix of “Rocky.” What amazed me, while laboriously climbing in the park, was the fact that they could scamper past me like they were running on flat ground.
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Comment by knightofswords — July 24, 2010 @ 1:22 pm
It’s amazing where they feel at home. I’ve seen much the same thing with Big Horns too. Following their trails in not for the faint of heart!
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Comment by montucky — July 25, 2010 @ 8:46 am
Nice little surprises to have at the end of a beautiful hike. The only mountain goats I’ve seen in person are those at The Phoenix Zoo up in the Papago Buttes.
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Comment by Candace — July 24, 2010 @ 4:29 pm
Just off one of the trails above the lake we found a small tuft of white wooly hair and I saved it, saying half in jest that it came from a goat. After seeing this guy, I’m pretty sure that it is goat hair.
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Comment by montucky — July 25, 2010 @ 8:51 am
Very cool shots! You captured that lil guy wonderfully!!! & the flowers, too!!!
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Comment by Tricia — July 25, 2010 @ 2:05 am
Finally carrying that 2 lb telephoto lens over five miles of trail paid off!
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Comment by montucky — July 25, 2010 @ 8:52 am
Wow!Awesome to see and photograph the mountain goat! Your photos reveal the sheer depth, for sure.
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Comment by Anna — July 25, 2010 @ 6:18 am
It was really a thrill for me, especially seeing him in that kind of terrain.
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Comment by montucky — July 25, 2010 @ 8:53 am
Beautiful mountain– wow! Gorgeous flowers, too! I’ve never seen a mountain goat– pretty cool!
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Comment by Barbara — July 25, 2010 @ 11:36 am
I would have liked to be much closer… but, maybe not.
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Comment by montucky — July 25, 2010 @ 8:17 pm
When I was in the Canadian Rockies we caught one fleeting glimpse of a mountain goat family with two little ones. Such beautiful graceful creatures!
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Comment by kateri — July 25, 2010 @ 3:40 pm
They are beautiful creatures and so perfectly at home in an environment that is entirely theirs.
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Comment by montucky — July 25, 2010 @ 8:18 pm
thank you for sharing ! what beautiful moments you captured
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Comment by ohzoey — July 26, 2010 @ 6:58 am
Thank you for the visit and the comment!
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Comment by montucky — July 26, 2010 @ 8:14 am
nice treats, thanks for sharing!
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Comment by silken — July 26, 2010 @ 8:37 pm