Goats in the Gorge?

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kepPNW
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Goats in the Gorge?

Post by kepPNW » June 16th, 2018, 9:19 am

They announced the lifting of closures on a number of trails Thursday, so you know where a few of us had to go Friday, right? (Sorry I missed crossing trails with you, Don!)

As I was ambling southward along the PCT, I came across what I'm almost certain was a snag of goat hair on a branch that overhung the trail...

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Another angle...

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For comparison, here's a shot I took up on Mount Adams, near Glacier Lake, a few years ago...

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Nothing else it could be, right? :shock: My understanding is it's been decades since any have been seen there! Would appreciate hearing otherwise, if I'm mistaken.

Yesterday's photos taken here, where the rectangular photo icon is, just a bit south of (what's left of) Camp Smokey...

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Other friends stumbled across a black bear on Herman, yesterday, too. Seems the wildlife has appreciated our absence over the winter! :D


General observations...

I was actually quite surprised what fine shape the PCT was in! Had been prepared to see far worse devastation than what was encountered. Most of the plateau was either completely spared or fairly low intensity burn (no crowning). Only from about Camp Smokey south to nearly Chinidere was the destruction severe.

Herman was far worse. The upper stretches have sections that are completely grown over, including plenty of devils club. Thankfully, nothing at all is burned from Chinidere until some ways below Cedar Swamp, which is just as freakin' glorious as ever! Fair number of hefty logs to hurdle farther down, in the burned areas. Kind of sad walking through there.

The joy of walking these trails again on the Oregon side was profound. I didn't hurry at all...

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General route.

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Final stats.
Last edited by kepPNW on May 2nd, 2019, 6:07 am, edited 1 time in total.
Karl
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pcg
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Re: Goats in the Gorge?

Post by pcg » June 16th, 2018, 9:43 am

Looks goaty to me, but I'm really skeptical. You should grab some and give to USFS for DNA analysis. It could also possibly be insulation from someone's ratted out jacket? Were all the pieces you found in close proximity to one another? On or off trail? Any other spoor?

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adamschneider
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Re: Goats in the Gorge?

Post by adamschneider » June 16th, 2018, 10:42 am

I suppose it's possible that the Yocum Ridge goat has wandered north...

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kepPNW
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Re: Goats in the Gorge?

Post by kepPNW » June 16th, 2018, 11:46 am

pcg wrote:
June 16th, 2018, 9:43 am
Looks goaty to me, but I'm really skeptical. You should grab some and give to USFS for DNA analysis. It could also possibly be insulation from someone's ratted out jacket? Were all the pieces you found in close proximity to one another? On or off trail? Any other spoor?
It was one clump on one overhanging branch. Looked for droppings, and didn't see. Thought I may have seen a few hoof prints, but non-definitive. I hate to say it, but I did snag a smallish sample thinking it could be significant to someone. So that's available, if there are any researchers reading this.

adamschneider wrote:
June 16th, 2018, 10:42 am
I suppose it's possible that the Yocum Ridge goat has wandered north...
Tom reminded me (in PH) that there were some introduced on Tanner awhile ago, too?
Karl
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Don Nelsen
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Re: Goats in the Gorge?

Post by Don Nelsen » June 16th, 2018, 8:04 pm

Hey Karl, nice TR and great info - and great job doing such a major hike! Sorry I missed you too - looks like we travelled some of the same ground yesterday just not at the same time. I saw Collette on the way back hiking out with the Sprengers4JC and they told me a little about what you were up to.

Also, looks like goat hair to me too. I'll keep a lookout for more of it as I will be doing all the open trails over the next couple of weeks.

dn
"Everything works in the planning stage" - Kelly

"If you don't do it this year, you will be one year older when you do" - Warren Miller

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kepPNW
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Re: Goats in the Gorge?

Post by kepPNW » June 17th, 2018, 4:39 am

Don Nelsen wrote:
June 16th, 2018, 8:04 pm
Hey Karl, nice TR and great info - and great job doing such a major hike! Sorry I missed you too - looks like we travelled some of the same ground yesterday just not at the same time. I saw Collette on the way back hiking out with the Sprengers4JC and they told me a little about what you were up to.
Thanks, Don! That's such a lovely loop, even still. I pulled into the TH just a bit after the gals, so we caught up there, and they told me you'd been through. I need to do that loop of yours, sometime soon, as well!
Don Nelsen wrote:
June 16th, 2018, 8:04 pm
Also, looks like goat hair to me too. I'll keep a lookout for more of it as I will be doing all the open trails over the next couple of weeks.
Pretty amazing to think they may be wandering around up there, (almost) completely undetected, huh? Not sure I'll hit every newly re-opened trail that quickly, but definitely appreciating them (far!) more than usual this time of year.
Karl
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cfm
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Re: Goats in the Gorge?

Post by cfm » June 17th, 2018, 6:12 pm

How exciting!

I've been working on an art project in recent months on this topic. It's the tale of an epic goat journey in graphic novel form. Will share......eventually.

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kepPNW
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Re: Goats in the Gorge?

Post by kepPNW » June 19th, 2018, 11:12 am

cfm wrote:
June 17th, 2018, 6:12 pm
How exciting!
IKR? Totally blew me away to see it hanging over the trail. Would be so fun to have them join us there again. :)

cfm wrote:
June 17th, 2018, 6:12 pm
I've been working on an art project in recent months on this topic. It's the tale of an epic goat journey in graphic novel form. Will share......eventually.
Cool! Look forward to that.
Karl
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mtnhiker56
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Re: Goats in the Gorge?

Post by mtnhiker56 » June 20th, 2018, 10:46 am

20161107_125107_1478571555109_resized (2).jpg
Ya mean a goat like this? Lookout Mtn.

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