Scouting for Mt. Goats above tree line..

[H&Hhunter]

So as some of you already know my wife drew her Rocky Mt Goat tag this year. I drew my Shiras Moose tag. So we are alternating scouting trips. This time it was all about goats in the high country. Last time it was for moose.
In any case here we go....

Lacing up at the trail head.


Slow and steady takes the day. Above tree line, about 10,500 feet at this latitude, figure about 1 MPH and about 1 hour per 1000' of altitude gain. With a load on your back, this is a sustainable pace in the high country.


My lovely bride crosses the first in a series of late season snow fields. She does so with grace and beauty. This one about 100 yards wide and about 10' deep at the center. Several are still 20 to 30 feet deep which is rare for this late in the season.


Myself crossing another snow field. I am admittedly sucking some wind! Elevation here is about 12,200'. Walking in decaying snow and breaking through takes a lot of effort and it will knock the sass out of you after a while!


Finally after 3 hours of solid climbing we make it to GOAT COUNTRY!!


Here is what we came for. Several goats at about 1 mile distance. Sorry for the poor quality image, this was taken with a cell phone camera through a spotting scope. BTW how many goats do you see?

Action shot!! Nanny goat taking a pee in the high country! We always strive to keep it interesting here on THR.


Pooped pooch at day's end. It ain't easy running up and down mountains and sniffing and stuff you know.

At the end of the day we did a 7 mile loop with about 2500' elevation gain. We had sore feet, tired dogs and yet another day together in the high country looking at critters in God's Country! In my book it doesn't get much better than that!

 

[oldandslow]

Tough country. Looks like a great outing for the family. What states is this?

best wishes- oldandslow

 

[jim in Anchorage]

Great post but man 12000 ft? Co sure is different than Ak. At 12000 I'm standing on a glacier. Goats/Sheep to me are at 4-6 thousand during the season.
I would highly recommend some aircraft spotting. You may learn more in a day than a month of hiking.

 

[H&Hhunter]

Tough country. Looks like a great outing for the family. What states is this?

best wishes- oldandslow

Colorado.

 

[H&Hhunter]

Great post but man 12000 ft? Co sure is different than Ak. At 12000 I'm standing on a glacier. Goats/Sheep to me are at 4-6 thousand during the season.
I would highly recommend some aircraft spotting. You may learn more in a day than a month of hiking.

Jim,

That is as great idea on the aircraft spotting except that light aircraft at these altitudes give me the creeps! On a normal day you are operating at very close to the service ceiling of most piston singles so you have almost zero performance to start with. On a warm summer day the density altitude exceeds all but the most powerful or turbo charged/turbo prop aircraft. Not to mention there are zero options for a forced landing up there if you lose an engine.

If I could find a turbo Beaver to rent I'd think about it.

 

[steveno]

there are a number of people that have tried flying small airplanes over the mountains and you can probably find the wreckage of a few of them. I lived in Windsor , Colorado for 21 years and everyday you could hear pilots and their small airplanes taking off from the Loveland airport circling trying to get some altitude before heading west over the mountains. small airplanes and mountains don't mix very well and especially if the pilot doesn't know what they are doing

 

[Patocazador]

Depending on when the season opens, isn't scouting at that altitude counterproductive? I imagine the goats will descend to new areas when the snow starts in earnest.

When hunting blacktails in Washington in September, we saw goats below the timberline.

Late-season goats have the best hair too.

 

[H&Hhunter]

Depending on when the season opens, isn't scouting at that altitude counterproductive? I imagine the goats will descend to new areas when the snow starts in earnest.

When hunting blacktails in Washington in September, we saw goats below the timberline.

Late-season goats have the best hair too.

Pato,

Our season is early enough that goats are still above tree line during the hunt.

Late September 4 years ago. Same area.

 

[jmr40]

Beautiful country. I haven't been there since 2011 and am having a serious itch to go back. My wife doesn't hunt, but I'm seriously considering taking my bow, buying an over the counter elk tag and spending the entire month of September there with her. With a bow I'm much less restricted on where I can hunt and the weather isn't bad yet. We can both hunt, and have time to see the sights All of my other visits have been either summer camping trips, or an October hunt. I think September would be a great time to be there.

 

[Fremmer]

Great pics and details! Good luck! What rifle will she use?

 

[H&Hhunter]

Great pics and details! Good luck! What rifle will she use?

She will be shooting her Styer Scout in .308, using 165 Gr Hornandy Interbonds. the rifle is all original except that she is using a 1X4 IER scout scope instead of the original 2.5 power fixed scope.

 

[jim in Anchorage]

H&H
I did think about the thin air at 12000 when I posted. I suspect that played a major role in Steve Fosset crashing his Decathlon at 10000. Highest I've ever flown a normally aspirated plane[172] was 13000 and yes it was weak. Mixture way lean barely getting 50 FPM climb. You need a turbo 206.I would think they would be common in CO given the altitude.

Engine failure? looks to me from the pictures best glide would get you back to the road. You should see the passes I fly though.

 

[MtnCreek]

What kind of dogs are those?

 

[H&Hhunter]

You need a turbo 206.I would think they would be common in CO given the altitude.

There are a few of them around. But like most places in the lower 48 G.A. is kind of withering in the vine here.

Engine failure? looks to me from the pictures best glide would get you back to the road.

I'm sure you could but I'm getting to old for that stuff....

You should see the passes I fly though.

I have seen the passes you fly through, looking out from inside of many different light aircraft. The AK Range is some serious stuff!!

 

[H&Hhunter]

What kind of dogs are those?

Those are German Hunting Terriers AKA Jagdterriers.

 

[MrBorland]

BTW how many goats do you see?

ok, I'm curious.

Other than the nanny, I think I see her kid behind her. I'm assuming the 3 shiny "rocks" above the nanny are, in fact, rocks.

 

[H&Hhunter]

ok, I'm curious.

Other than the nanny, I think I see her kid behind her. I'm assuming the 3 shiny "rocks" above the nanny are, in fact, rocks.

Yes you saw her kid to the left. And the shiny white "rocks" above her and to the right are another nanny and her kid is the little shiny white "rock" above and to the right of her. So 4 goats..

It's kind of a trick as the camera washed them out a bit.

 

[hoghunting]

Great pics, thanks H&H, glad you saw goats and found them in the same area.

 

[jim in Anchorage]

H&H
I forgot to ask what's a legal goat in your area? Is it a min horn size [and yes "horn" is correct here] or"any goat?"













7

 

[H&Hhunter]

H&H
I forgot to ask what's a legal goat in your area? Is it a min horn size [and yes "horn" is correct here] or"any goat?"













7

Any goat...

 

[wankerjake]

Looks super cool, can't wait for hunt pics

 

[longknife12]

Good luck to both of you! Just remember the two rules of mountain flying.......
1. Pay homage to the cloud god.......2. Canyons are to fly down...not up them!
Dan

 

[H&Hhunter]

Good luck to both of you! Just remember the two rules of mountain flying.......
1. Pay homage to the cloud god.......2. Canyons are to fly down...not up them!
Dan

I like those..

After multiple seasons of flying for the BLM as smoke jumper/ low level aerial delivery/OAS low level carded pilot. I've got a couple more that I've strictly obeyed as well.

1. A pilot can look at things on the ground or fly the airplane. In the mountains you can't effectively do both. Bring a spotter.

2. Airspeed is life. If you fly low have enough airspeed to maneuver and recover.

3. Never start a low level approach without having at least two escape routes.

4. If you find yourself flying into rising terrain make a turn and gain some altitude. No matter how slight the terrain gradient seems to be, chances are you can't out climb it.

5. You are always better off flying into a crash under control. If you have to put it down do it as slow as possible and fly it as long as you can.

 

[Art Eatman]

And never forget "Avoid cumulo-granite."

 

[H&Hhunter]

And never forget "Avoid cumulo-granite."

Induces heavy amounts of parasite drag.