Above - Moonscape. Looking down Kelso Ridge from the top of Torreys.
The Colorado Mountains never fail to amaze me. With such a wealth of beauty and wildlife it's hard to remain at home in one's armchair for long. Climbing 14,000 - foot mountains such as Gray's and Torrey's Peaks near Georgetown along I70, is one such adventure free for the taking in Colorado.
In 1997 my husband, John, and some of his friends decided to climb Torrey's Peak via a then little-known route called Kelso Ridge.
It is common to see mountain goats on this peak and the surrounding areas, as these magnificent animals live above 11,000 feet. So, as the group climbed this rugged ridge they constantly scanned the area hoping to see a mountain goat or two.
Kelso Ridge involves quite a bit of serious scrambling, and in 1997 the trail was poorly defined, so occasionally members of the group found themselves straying from the trail and climbing unexpected rocky ledges.
As John neared the top of one of these ledges, a little dirt was scattered over the edge into his eyes. When he drew his face level with the ground above, his eyes focused on the four white legs and black hooves of a mountain goat.
John hung there precariously trying to shoo the goat away, but it would not move. While clinging to the rock face, trying to decide what to do, he felt a tugging on his backpack. Looking up, he saw that the goat was leaning forward and had grabbed the pack with its teeth.
Finally John managed to scare the goat away and pull himself up onto the ledge. He sat on a rock to wait for the rest of the group to join him, but almost immediately felt another sharp tug on his pack, causing him to lose balance and fall off the rock backwards. John gathered himself out of the dust and noticed the male goat was still close by, showing an abnormal interest in his pack. Three female goats stood higher up the mountain, watching with interest.
As John considered this unusual behavior he recalled having packed carrots for lunch, and guessed the smell was simply too much for these normally shy goats to ignore. The goats hung around until more of John's friends joined him, then the goats moved away to a safe distance.
For the rest of the climb, John spotted the pack-tugging goat often. It watched him intently from some obscure rock, no doubt hoping John would lay his pack down carelessly, giving the goat a chance to steal it.
It became apparent that some well-meaning hiker must have fed the goat carrots in the past and had unknowingly turned him into a carrotaholic. It is for reasons like this that it's illegal to feed wildlife in Colorado. Animals can become dependent on humans for food, or become too trustworthy of them, resulting in dangerous situations for both humans and animals. Though this goat was harmless it had still behaved in an abnormal manner that was not necessarily good for its welfare.
So remember, if you ever climb Gray's or Torrey's Peaks, despite the temptation of eating a nice cool, crisp, refreshing carrot on the summit, you might want to reconsider and leave the carrots at home.
By Roxy - [email protected]
Tales From The Trail - 2003