A warning to those hikers who find wild goats irresistibly cute on rocky mountain trails. Those cute, shaggy mountain goats are no stuffed animals to play with,
warns the Washington Trails Association. There have been plenty of
mountain goat sightings on alpine trails throughout North Central
Washington this year. They’re great to see, but the WTA advises hikers
to keep their distance and give the animals wide berth on trails,
especially nanny goats protective of their young. While mostly friendly
and inquisitive, there have been several aggressive goat encounters with
hikers this year, forcing the closure of some popular trails in the
Olympic National Forest.
Goats are frequently seen in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, along Nason Ridge and around North Cascades National Park.
If a goat is persistently curious or begins to act aggressively, hikers should use noise — screaming or blowing a whistle is good — and flap clothing to get the goat to go its own way.
“If a goat wants the trail, give the goat the trail,” said Nancy Jones, spokeswoman for the Okanogan and Wenatchee National Forest’s Cle Elum Ranger District. Hikers should stay at least 50 yards away from mountain goats at all times, she said.
Goats are frequently seen in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, along Nason Ridge and around North Cascades National Park.
If a goat is persistently curious or begins to act aggressively, hikers should use noise — screaming or blowing a whistle is good — and flap clothing to get the goat to go its own way.
“If a goat wants the trail, give the goat the trail,” said Nancy Jones, spokeswoman for the Okanogan and Wenatchee National Forest’s Cle Elum Ranger District. Hikers should stay at least 50 yards away from mountain goats at all times, she said.
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