Archive for the ‘Olympic National Park’ Category

Don’t urinate on the trails in Olympic National Park

Thursday, July 21st, 2011
Visitors to Olympic National Park are being advised not to pee near trails, or face the risk of being attacked by mountain goats.

This warning stems from a fatal goring that occurred in the park last fall. Witnesses at the time of the attack described an aggressive male mountain goat, weighing more than 350 pounds, that approached, followed and fatally gored a Port Angeles man while he was hiking last October.

The warning is a new measure park officials are instituting as part of their revised Mountain Goat Action Plan. Biologists point out that hikers that urinate along trails are turning the pathways into "long, linear salt licks", which attracts the mountain goats. To avoid potential conflicts, park officials are advising hikers and campers to urinate at least 50 yards from a trail or campsite.

The report also provides some examples of unacceptable mountain goat behavior:

* Goat does not retreat when comes in sight of people, lets people approach within 150 feet.

* Goat approaches and follows people on trails or at camp or rest sites.

* Goat aggressively seeks out areas where humans urinate and consumes soil and vegetation where human urine is deposited.

* Goat makes contact with clothing or equipment; chews gear seeking salt.

* Goat displays aggressive postures or behavior to people when encountered on or off trail.

I think this advice should be taken by anyone who hikes out west, not just in Olympic National Park. Long time readers of this blog may recall my run-in with a mountain goat family on Quandary Peak in Colorado last year. Looking back now, these goats clearly demonstrated "unacceptable mountain goat behavior".


Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com

Posted in Mountain Goat Action Plan, Olympic National Park, mountain goats | Comments Off

U.S. Mint releases designs for 2011 Park Quarters

Sunday, December 5th, 2010
Earlier this week the United States Mint announced the designs for the second set of coins in its America the Beautiful Quarters Program.

The U.S. Mint America the Beautiful Quarters Program is a multi-year initiative to mint and issue 56 circulating quarter-dollar coins with reverse designs emblematic of a national park or other national site in each state, the District of Columbia and the five U.S. territories. The quarters are being released in the order in which the featured site was first established as a national park or site. The designs will rotate five times each year through 2020, with the final coin being released in 2021.

The 2011 quarters will bear designs honoring Gettysburg National Military Park (Pennsylvania); Glacier National Park (Montana); Olympic National Park (Washington); Vicksburg National Military Park (Mississippi); and Chickasaw National Recreation Area (Oklahoma).

The quarter for the Great Smoky Mountains, which will be representing Tennessee, is scheduled to be issued in 2014.

To see all of the designs for the 2011 and 2010 quarters, please click here.



Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com

Posted in 2011, America the Beautiful Quarters, Glacier National Park, National Parks, Olympic National Park, U.S. Mint | Comments Off

Fatal goat goring investigation continues at Olympic NP

Tuesday, November 2nd, 2010
The preliminary investigation of the October 16th fatal mountain goat goring near Klahhane Ridge has concluded and the findings were consistent with initial accounts of the incident.

Witnesses and others in the area at the time describe an aggressive male mountain goat that approached, followed and fatally gored Robert Boardman while he was hiking. Following the fatal encounter, the goat stood over Boardman until several visitors, including an off-duty National Park Service employee, succeeded in scaring off the goat. First aid and CPR were administered at the scene and a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter transported Boardman to Olympic Medical Center in Port Angeles, where he was pronounced dead.

Following the incident, the goat was positively identified by park rangers and destroyed. A necropsy and comprehensive tissue analysis were conducted on the goat and preliminary results have been released. A wide range of tests, including the initial visual examination during necropsy, followed by microscopic study of the major organs and a battery of diagnostic tests, have not revealed any signs of disease or other physical abnormalities.

The goat is estimated to have weighed over 350 pounds. Tests for rabies virus, encephalitis virus, plague and tularemia revealed no evidence of those diseases. Salt concentrations in the animal’s urine were within normal limits. Tissue analysis showed that the goat was in breeding condition or “rut.” Additional diagnostic tests for several diseases are still ongoing, including listeria and chronic wasting disease, as are several chemical assessments for key nutrients.

Rangers and wildlife biologists conducted daily goat behavior monitoring patrols during the week of October 18th, but these have not continued since snowfall began on October 24th – nearly two feet of snow is now on the ground at Hurricane Ridge. Up to eight goats were seen in a day but there were no observations of aggressive mountain goat behavior. Some goats appeared to be habituated to human presence, but quickly moved away when people yelled or waved their arms. Patrols will resume this fall if weather and snow conditions permit.

Once winter weather begins, mountain goats typically move to their winter range, which varies from herd to herd. Winter range for goats in the Hurricane/Klahhane area is primarily along a rocky, windswept ridge north and east of Klahhane Ridge. Park biologists, in collaboration with biologists from neighboring land and wildlife management agencies, have solicited and have been receiving information about mountain goat–human interactions from across the animals’ range. Park staff will incorporate all new information learned through this incident into the park’s nuisance and hazardous animal plan.

You can read about my encounter with a mountain goat in Colorado a couple of weeks ago by clicking here.


Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com

Posted in Olympic National Park, Robert Boardman, mountain goat goring | Comments Off

Hiker killed by mountain goat versus my recent experience

Saturday, October 23rd, 2010
Most of you have probably already heard the story about the hiker that was fatally gored by a mountain goat in Olympic National Park last weekend.

After reading the details that have emerged this week, I couldn’t help but relate this to my own recent experience on Quandary Peak in Colorado.

Here's a quick recap of the incident in Olympic:

Last Saturday 63-year-old Robert Boardman of Port Angeles, WA was hiking with his wife and a friend on the Switchback Trail in the national park. They stopped for lunch at an overlook when a goat appeared and began acting aggressively toward them. After chasing him for a bit, the ram gored Boardman in the thigh, then stood over him as he lay bleeding to death, staring at people trying to help.

That goat was killed shortly thereafter, but rangers and biologists continue to investigate the area for other signs of aggressive goat behavior.

I pointed out in my blog posting from a couple of weeks ago that the highlight of our hike up Quandary was seeing a family of mountain goats. It was the closest I’ve ever been to a mountain goat. However, the story of Boardman’s death hit a little close to home as the goats we encountered appeared to express a degree of aggressiveness towards us as well.

The first indication of this behavior was when the largest male goat laid down on the trail as we approached from below, thus preventing us from proceeding forward. The only reason the ram started moving again was due to another group of hikers ascending the trail below us. This group included a dog.

Although the goats were at least walking again, they stayed on or near the trail, not allowing us to pass. This went on for several minutes until another group of hikers approached from above, prompting the goats to move off the trail. We were finally able to safely pass, and got about a quarter of a mile away from the goats when we decided to take a quick bathroom, food and drink break. Because we were on a fairly narrow ridge, we were just off the trail at this point.

After sitting down on a rock for a couple of minutes we noticed the goats moving again. The large male, the same ram that plopped down on the trail earlier, was making a direct bee line towards us. In a somewhat similar situation as the Olympic incident, I told my wife to get moving as quickly as possible. She was already up the trail when I was finally able to get my backpack together and hurriedly moved out as the goat got to within 75 feet of me. It was the last time we saw the goats.

Interestingly, since the incident in Olympic, park officials there have warned hikers not to urinate on or near the trail because goats are attracted to the salt. Was this the reason the ram approached us?

Obviously I’m not a mountain goat expert, so I don’t know if this behavior is considered normal or aggressive, but I’m going to forward this posting to rangers at the White River National Forest as an FYI.




Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com

Posted in Olympic National Park, Quandary Peak, Robert Boardman, White River National Forest, attack, colorado, gored, mountain goat | Comments Off

Shenandoah N.P. lodging offers BOGO deal during National Park Week

Sunday, April 11th, 2010
In honor of National Park Week and the 40th anniversary of Earth Day this month, Shenandoah National Park's Skyland Resort is offering a special promotion where guests can book one night and receive the second night free. The offer is valid April 18-29, 2010.

ARAMARK Parks and Destinations, an authorized concessioner of the National Park Service, recently announced several deals on lodging, tours and retail items in conjunction with the National Park Service's Fee-Free promotion and the 40th anniversary of Earth Day.

In addition to receiving free entrance to the national parks April 17-25, visitors can take advantage of buy-one-get-one free offers on lodging and tours at select destinations managed by ARAMARK. Guests can also receive 40 percent off select 100 percent recycled tees at retail shops during the week of April 17-25 to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day.

Guests of Shenandoah National Park in Virginia can book one night at Skyland Resort, priced at $125, and receive the second consecutive night FREE. This offer is valid April 18-29, 2010. Please click here for more information.

ARAMARK is offering similar deals at other parks as well, including Mesa Verde National Park, Olympic National Park, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, as well as the Togwotee Mountain Lodge near Yellowstone National Park. Please click here for more information.


> If you're planning on doing some hiking at Shenandoah, please click here for a list of trails and some recommended hikes.


Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com Detailed information on trails in the Smoky Mountains; includes trail descriptions, key features, pictures, video, maps, elevation profiles, news, hiking gear store, and more.

Posted in ARAMARK, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Mesa Verde, National Park Week, Olympic National Park, Shenandoah National Park, Skyland Resort, Togwotee Mountain Lodge, Yellowstone National Park | Comments Off