Mountain Goat, Mount Evans, Colorado, USA
This mountain goat was found along the Mount Evans Scenic Byway, near Denver, Colorado. We were definitely above 12,000 feet when this picture was taken, so there were not too many food choices for this goat. Mountain goats are not native to Colorado and naturally do not roam south of northern Wyoming. Goats were released in the Mount Evans area in the late 1950s and early 1960s.
Mount Evans stands at 14,264 feet and the Mount Evans Scenic Byway can take you within 134 feet of this summit (14,130 feet). This road is the highest paved road in North America.
Extreme caution should be exercised on this road not just because of the narrow roadway, winding turns, blind curves, and lack of guardrails, but because the lack of oxygen is so pronounced. Visitors from altitudes below Denver's 5,280 feet, should acclimate to higher altitudes in stages over a period of days. Going directly from sea level to the summit within a 48 hour period can cause severe reactions, including death.
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