Your most special camping spot

My site had a big boulder in the middle of it that I tried to circle and keep between him and me as he cruised my camp. He exhibited 0 fear. I had the impression he would take food out of my hand if I offered it. I'm guessing he's been fed by campers. This is a really popular basin in the Gores, so he sees a lot of people and that group site is probably often occupied. He was making his nightly rounds.

I've never heard of one charging or threatening anyone, though, have you? My daughter has had several camps where she's been surrounded by them all night and morning, and never had a problem.

It was my trip to be put in my place. On my way out in the morning, I stopped to fish a beaver pond and these guys walked right into it. I started looking for hiding places.

In 2010 one fatally gored a man at Hurricane Ridge (in Olympic NP). The goat got the femoral artery and wouldn’t let anyone near until the man had bled to death. Not a pretty way to go. I remember the year, because it was just a week or two after a goat had stalked me for my pee in Glacier. That goat came to within about 10 feet and stood their waiting for me to do my thing, which was kind of problematic since it’s hard to perform for an audience. But at least I didn’t know about the fatality then, or I would have really freaked out!

cweston, I think since that incident they have been a bit more serious about removing at least some of the goats from ONP—they aren’t native there. I think they were introduced in the early 1900s for hunters, as usual.

TrailElder, be sure to separate the sheep from the goats!

(Sorry, couldn’t resisit).

I don't have pictures of one of my favorite camps, as for decades I took none, always thinking the visions were permanently implanted in my mind. It was at a place called Fishing Cove in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. It's a lovely cove between headlands with a trout stream running into the Strait of Northumberland. The only time I have caught Salters, or sea run brook trout. The meadow between the headlands was carpeted with low bush blueberries and we stayed for three days eating trout, harbor pollock I caught in the cove and berries at least for one meal a day. We were entertained by eagles and otters, but had some disconcerting wildlife encounters. One morning I was sitting in front of my tent , drinking coffee, when I heard a trotting sound. I turned to see a cow moose heading directly for our campsite. It trotted through, passing me a mere five feet away and got a drink out of the stream. It turned and followed the same path back up over the headland when it was done. The next morning both my wife and I were out of the tent eating breakfast when a cow and her calf did the same thing! This time we stayed dead silent and didn't move a muscle, as we didn't want to make the moose mom mad. In those days we traveled by motorcycle, pulling a trailer with backpacks in it. We hiked out just in time for a two day blow of torrential rains. Had to ride in it, as vacation was drawing to a close and we were 900 miles from home. We just gritted our teeth and rode it out and the memory of that backpacking camp has stayed pleasant and dry.

You piqued my curiosity. This is an article on the relationship between the sheep and the goats in Summit County, CO, the area we are talking about. You are right!

www.summitdaily.com/news/two-competing-species-mountain-goat-v-bighorn-sheep/

Bottom line is that the goats are more hearty, more aggressive, and therefore more populous in the Eagle's Nest Wilderness. The state is trying to figure out how to manage the sheep so they don't have to manage either. This article is now almost 10 years old, and I fear not much has changed (but I can't find an update -- I'm going to ask my brother, who is with state parks and wildlife). Big horn sheep thrive in other parts of Colorado that are lower and warmer, like the area of the first campsite I pictured above, which is near -- literally -- Big Horn Sheep Canyon on the Arkansas River. I don't know why the state believes it needs to (over?) manage this...seems like the two species would just sort it out. Anyways....

BTW, my theory is that the sheep are just more wily in their aggression. I was nearly beaned by a small herd walking on a canyon cliff above me, dropping rocks down on the trail. They just missed!

The only place I've ever seen goats and sheep in close proximity was in Jasper. It was in May during a heavy snow year, and everything was driven down into the valleys. It was like a drive through zoo. I watched a ewe get mad at a car trying to drive away while it was licking the tires. It slammed into the passenger door and left a good size dent. We were following the car, so I did a quick escape in reverse. We ended up at a different trailhead. How do you explain to the rental car company?