Mountain Goats
Oreamnos americanus

f8 @ 1/6400s, ISO:3200, Nikon D3S w 300mm

\"Mountain Goat,\" Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The mountain goat, also known as the Rocky Mountain goat, is a large hoofed mammal endemic to North America. A subalpine to alpine species, it is a sure-footed climber commonly seen on cliffs and ice.Both billy (male) and nanny (female)[2] mountain goats have beards, short tails, and long black horns, 15–28 cm (5.9–11.0 in) in length, which contain yearly growth rings. They are protected from the elements by their woolly white double coats. The fine, dense wool of their undercoats is covered by an outer layer of longer, hollow hairs. Mountain goats molt in spring by rubbing against rocks and trees, with the adult billies shedding their extra wool first and the pregnant nannies shedding last. Their coats help them to withstand winter temperatures as low as −50 °F (−46 °C) and winds of up to 100 mph (160 km/h).

Mt Evans (14,271 ft.) Rocky Mountains, Colorado

09/23/2015