Wild goats half an hour from my house!
We had snow early this winter--in September. Not so much
that we haven't been able to drive into Lamoille Canyon in
the Ruby Mountains.
The last three times we were there we saw wild goats, wild
sheep, and wild turkeys! This is about half an hour from
our house.
The week after Thanksgiving we didn't drive very far up,
since there was snow on the road. We stopped on the road
by Camp Lamoille, pulled over, got out the binoculars,
and scanned the south side of the canyon.
And, there they were! The goats--mounds of white hair,
sharp black horns on narrow, angular heads, and puffy
white bodies--were rooting for moss beneath mahogany
trees on the mountainside. They clamored over cliffs,
disappeared momentarily in the trees and reappeared
higher up the rocks. Then as a storm moved in, misty
clouds descended and hid the mountaintops. Snow spit
at our faces, and the goats disappeared into the falling
snow.
A few days later John took Texans up the canyon and when
they rounded the corner right in front of the van was a
small herd of wild sheep. Right on the road! The male
with big coppery-colored, curled horns calmly surveyed the
van and finally led the band across the road and up a
mountain side.
John and the Texans were thrilled. They even stopped for a
snowball fight!
John usually takes folks into Lamoille village before heading
back home, and just on the side of the road they spotted a
big group of wild turkeys! We've seen turkeys around here,
but this "passel"(?) was led by a peacock! Strutting his stuff
with the big boys. What a show.
Rides into the Canyon from now on would have to be by snowmobile
or snowcat since the mountains are getting snow today. From my
living room window they've completely disappeared in a foggy
white blanket. The road up the canyon is probably humming with
snow mobiles and maybe a few hardy cross country skiers.
Makes for a good holiday season--all this snow. Hope yours is
not too busy and mostly with friends and family enjoying good
conversation and memories.
that we haven't been able to drive into Lamoille Canyon in
the Ruby Mountains.
The last three times we were there we saw wild goats, wild
sheep, and wild turkeys! This is about half an hour from
our house.
The week after Thanksgiving we didn't drive very far up,
since there was snow on the road. We stopped on the road
by Camp Lamoille, pulled over, got out the binoculars,
and scanned the south side of the canyon.
And, there they were! The goats--mounds of white hair,
sharp black horns on narrow, angular heads, and puffy
white bodies--were rooting for moss beneath mahogany
trees on the mountainside. They clamored over cliffs,
disappeared momentarily in the trees and reappeared
higher up the rocks. Then as a storm moved in, misty
clouds descended and hid the mountaintops. Snow spit
at our faces, and the goats disappeared into the falling
snow.
A few days later John took Texans up the canyon and when
they rounded the corner right in front of the van was a
small herd of wild sheep. Right on the road! The male
with big coppery-colored, curled horns calmly surveyed the
van and finally led the band across the road and up a
mountain side.
John and the Texans were thrilled. They even stopped for a
snowball fight!
John usually takes folks into Lamoille village before heading
back home, and just on the side of the road they spotted a
big group of wild turkeys! We've seen turkeys around here,
but this "passel"(?) was led by a peacock! Strutting his stuff
with the big boys. What a show.
Rides into the Canyon from now on would have to be by snowmobile
or snowcat since the mountains are getting snow today. From my
living room window they've completely disappeared in a foggy
white blanket. The road up the canyon is probably humming with
snow mobiles and maybe a few hardy cross country skiers.
Makes for a good holiday season--all this snow. Hope yours is
not too busy and mostly with friends and family enjoying good
conversation and memories.
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