Mountain Goats in the Alpine

Mountain goats inhabit the Rocky Mountains, Cascade Range, and other western mountain ranges in North America.  They are found in Washington, Idaho, Montana, British Columbia, Alberta and into the southern Yukon and southeastern Alaska.  They have been introduced elsewhere, including  Idaho, Wyoming, Utah, Nevada, Oregon, Colorado, South Dakota, and the Olympic Peninsula of Washington.

In my home state of Washington, we are fortunate to see them on most any mountain hike we may go on.  They are primarily found in alpine and sub-alpine areas, so the key is to ascend above the tree line for the best viewing opportunities.

I photographed and watched this nannie and kid for an extended period of time during a fall visit to Ingalls Lake in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness. 

This image is currently appearing in the pages of a world-wide distributed wildlife book.