Boulder White Clouds Council -Outings & Events

Goat Rock Goat Watching & Pronghorn Antelope - Part 1
Go To Part 2
Saturday June 7th, 2003

PHOTO SLIDESHOW 1
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LOOK AT: Photo Slideshow 2

*Slide 1: Learning of Mt. Goats
*Slide 2: Galena & Sawtooths
*Slide 3: Watching Mt. Goats
*Slide 4: Goat Rock
*Slide 5: Abe's Chair Habitat

Mountain Goat – Species Oreamnos americanus, Bovidae Family. From Galena Overlook, Idaho Fish and Game Dept. Conservation Officer Gary Gadwa of Stanley, pointed out mountain goat and pronghorn habitat of the upper Sawtooth Valley. This includes portions of the Sawtooths, Smoky Mountains and White Clouds. According to aerial surveys done in March 2003, there are about 45 mountain goats from Galena Pass to Alturas Lake, about 40 in the Sawtooths north of Alturas and between 80 and 120 in the Boulder-White Clouds.

Goat populations are relatively stable in the Sawtooths. However, in the White Clouds they are declining as in many other areas of Idaho. These declines are a concern to state biologists but no clear-cut explanation has been found. One key issue, which needs more study, is the impact of increased human activity in goat wintering areas. Goats are especially vulnerable to harassment on their winter range as they try to survive a meager existence in the severest of habitats. Goats stay on the peaks all year, searching out grasses, forbs and shrubs. They also have to avoid avalanches and their number one predator -- golden eagles. After learning some of mountain goat biology, we hiked into Goat Rocks in Frenchman Creek and watched three goats on the crags.