Domestic Goat Near Stovepipe Wells

[DeathValleyDazed]

Not funny due to disease spread. Just saw this on DEVA Instagram so took screenshot because not sure how to link:

http://salamandersociety.com/deathvalley...va2021.png

[MojaveGeek]

Ugh. This respiratory disease has been one of the big factors in the decline of the sheep population over the last 100 years. Something stupid behind this story I'm sure - hopefully the goat will die soon.

While climbing Titanothere Peak last week there was a wonderful "ahhhh" moment. We got through a bit of gnarly stuff to attain the ridge, but then it appeared we had at least two very nasty dragon-back bumps to traverse before reaching a summit block that looked challenging from a distance. Well we passed the bumps on the ridge by a challenging but only class 2 route, and as the summit block came into view 1) we saw two / heard to bighorns, who paused at the ridge top to look back for the perfect classic desert sheep photo op and 2) realized that was a gentle slope and rather easy walk up around the side of that summit block. The combination made it the best day of the week.

[DeathValleyDazed]

  The combination made it the best day of the week.

Hey Geek, Yup, those bighorn are always a day maker whenever encountered in DEVA. On a cold and gusty early spring morning while approaching the summit of Tucki Mountain I had my head down into the blasting wind as I crested a ridge and startled two bighorn bucks only twenty yards upwind (who did not smell or see me) so as our eyes met simultaneously I don't know who startled each other more. I got a big joyful laugh over that as they bounded off down the other side to safety. 

The second event I was able to capture on video camera just below the summit of Pyramid Peak and this time the rams did not know I was there. 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kcDCM32bcLM

While exploring the Black Mountain ridge line between Dantes View and The Borax Benchmark following the sheep trails got me out of several dicy jams. My motto became,"When in doubt find the sheep trail!" 

P.S. Even though I don't aways reply to your various posts I always enjoy your attention to detail and vivid writing style that keeps this forum alive and vital. So thanks, Geek!

[Bluegreen kayak]

  The combination made it the best day of the week.

Hey Geek, Yup, those bighorn are always a day maker whenever encountered in DEVA. On a cold and gusty early spring morning while approaching the summit of Tucki Mountain I had my head down into the blasting wind as I crested a ridge and startled two bighorn bucks only twenty yards upwind (who did not smell or see me) so as our eyes met simultaneously I don't know who startled each other more. I got a big joyful laugh over that as they bounded off down the other side to safety. 

The second event I was able to capture on video camera just below the summit of Pyramid Peak and this time the rams did not know I was there. 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kcDCM32bcLM

While exploring the Black Mountain ridge line between Dantes View and The Borax Benchmark following the sheep trails got me out of several dicy jams. My motto became,"When in doubt find the sheep trail!" 

P.S. Even though I don't aways reply to your various posts I always enjoy your attention to detail and vivid writing style that keeps this forum alive and vital. So thanks, Geek!

That clip of the bighorn rams was amazing - thank you for the link. I'm amused by how shy the sheep are in Death Valley compared to how nonchalant they are in Badlands NP. There the ewes just saunter across the road, paying no mind to us.
[img]Bighorn ewes Badlands by Patricia Boylan, on Flickr[/img]
[img]Bighorn lamb Badlands by Patricia Boylan, on Flickr[/img]

[MojaveGeek]

That was a nice vid there DVDazed!   (and thanks for the kind comments). There's clearly a resident flock on Tucki.  There's a spring way up Mosaic - Twin Spring IIRC - and if you google it you can find at least one video showing lots of evidence of sheep using it.  (I tried to get up there once, but took a rather nasty fall that left me bloodied and shaken, but not really hurt, on the crossover between the upper side canyons).  I've seen sheep down in the canyon east of Grotto (<something> Bridge), on the road in to the Tucki Mine, and further up the mountain.  So I think that's a prime sheep viewing area. That pic of the lamb in the middle of the Badlands road is pretty cute!

As to behavior...  clearly shows that animals learn, right?  In fact just yesterday we were talking about how much more exciting it was to see the sheep up on Titanothere than in East Zion - where about 1/3 of the time you drive through, you see a small group next to the road.  And a few years ago in Joshua Tree, on a very popular trail. a ram was so close to the trail, and so unwilling to move, that I had to step off and work my way around him.  But what a classic pic!

[MojaveGeek]

And here's the two rams I saw on Titanothere Peak last week.