+- Pack Goat Central (https://www.packgoatcentral.com/forums)
+-- Forum: Goats on the Trail (https://www.packgoatcentral.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?fid=4)
+--- Forum: Tales from the Trail (https://www.packgoatcentral.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?fid=6)
+--- Thread: 4th Annual Hassey "Goat Vacation" (/showthread.php?tid=1166)
RE: 4th Annual Hassey "Goat Vacation" - Charlie Horse - 10-19-2015
You know, some of your pics could go in the next calendar with a little adjusting.
Did the goats show any signs of missing their ole pal Pack Man? I doubt it. Too much to keep them interested out there.
Things always look prettier out in the desert after a rain. Did you know the San Rafael got 1 inch of rain a couple days after we left? The slot canyons would have been more exciting if we'd been there.
RE: 4th Annual Hassey "Goat Vacation" - Nanno - 10-20-2015
Quote:Did the goats show any signs of missing their ole pal Pack Man?
Funny you should ask. There was definitely a kerfuffle in our little herd once Pac-Man was gone. Cuzco became very mean to Finn--unreasonably so--to the point where Finn wouldn't go in the trailer or truck if Cuzco was there first. When traveling in the open truck I had to make sure Cuzco was tied short and far from Finn because I was afraid he would actually try to shove Finn out while we were moving. Cuzco is not usually this mean to anyone, but he was establishing some very firm boundaries with the precocious Finn. Finn can't wait to be herd king and Cuzco knows it all too well. The best defense is a good offense, right? Cuzco was making sure that Finn knew beyond doubt that he had only climbed ONE rung up the pecking order ladder!
Quote:Things always look prettier out in the desert after a rain. Did you know the San Rafael got 1 inch of rain a couple days after we left? The slot canyons would have been more exciting if we'd been there.
Funny you should mention this too... we actually went back to San Rafael on our way home from Escalante. We didn't stay long, but we took a short 2-3 hour hike up Little Wild Horse Canyon. I knew it had rained (that same storm hit us in Escalante), and there was still a good bit of water in the low places and puddles here and there. I'm happy it wasn't raining while we were in there though! I'm not interested in getting caught in a flash flood! You could still see how high the water had come up on the canyon walls, and I can only imagine how fast it was going in those narrow slots. Kinda scary!
RE: 4th Annual Hassey "Goat Vacation" - Taffy - 10-20-2015
I was noticing how high the debris was on the walls when we were hiking and am also very happy it didn't rain while we were there! I'll bet the speed with which it comes barreling through the chutes is amazing since it is so funneled.
RE: 4th Annual Hassey "Goat Vacation" - Nanno - 10-22-2015
We took the trip from Escalante to Rye in two days so we'd have time to stop along the way. We decided to swing back by San Rafael and hike partway up Little Wild Horse Canyon. Here's evidence of that rainstorm you mentioned, Charlie Horse! The water looked deep and the climb out on the other side looked sketchy so we took an alternate route along the side of the canyon wall.
We found fossilized footprint evidence of massive prehistoric goats!
We came to a boulder that was easy for people and young goats, but Cuzco could not get over it.
I ended up taking Cuzco up the canyon wall and around. This was fairly easy on the outward journey, but proved quite difficult on the return. It took us almost half an hour to figure out how we were going to get our big guy back to the trailhead. He tried scrambling up the canyon wall the way he'd come, but the slope that was easy to slither down turned out to be too steep for him to climb up. Poor fella. He tried his hardest and was very cooperative to try to follow me up every weird route I tied to lead him along. I finally ended up taking him along a very narrow shelf with a low ceiling where we both had to crouch down. From there I was able to scramble down to the narrow people trail (not navigable for hooves), but Cuzco had to leap on top of the high boulder. The only way down from there was to jump, and jump he did. It was a long way down (probably six feet), but luckily the landing was soft sand.
It has finally hit me this trip that Cuzco really isn't up for much serious hiking or climbing any more. We've tried to be careful about the type of terrain and length of trails we take him on, but even when we think we're being easy it's still sometimes too much for him. Because while the younger goats can do this:
Cuzco is not able to do much more than this:
RE: 4th Annual Hassey "Goat Vacation" - Nanno - 10-22-2015
The canyon walls were weird and beautiful.
Slot canyons make for some great shadows.
After hiking for maybe an hour, the canyon opened up before continuing on into another narrow slot, and here we decided to take a break before heading back down. We climbed up onto a big rock and let the goats browse. Whatever that bush is that Sputnik is eating, the goats couldn't get enough of it. The stuff was like candy to them and we had a hard time pulling them away from it when we had to leave.
A final look back at the canyon.
I hate it when they do this! Makes me nervous. At least there's water at the bottom of this one!
A final drink.
RE: 4th Annual Hassey "Goat Vacation" - nebs - 10-22-2015
So cool! Love the fossilized goat tracks
RE: 4th Annual Hassey "Goat Vacation" - IdahoNancy - 10-22-2015
This is the best vacation thread you have ever made. Stunning photos. Thank you
RE: 4th Annual Hassey "Goat Vacation" - Nanno - 10-24-2015
I'm glad you liked it! This was probably the best "goat vacation" yet! Meeting all those other goat folks in the Swell was a an especially special treat.
RE: 4th Annual Hassey "Goat Vacation" - sdgoatlady - 10-25-2015
What fabulous photos. Thank you!!