A mountain goat stands on a rocky outcrop with jagged peaks fading into the distance behind it

The Most Incredible Mountain Goat Experience I’ve Ever Had

I’ve had some magical wildlife experiences in my life: humpbacks in Hawaii, brown bears in Alaska, polar bears in Churchill, but one experience, high in the Washington state alpine, sticks with me.

Mountain Goats in the North Cascades.

Rugged mountain ridgelines with rocky peaks and a broad alpine valley stretching into the distance
Photo Credit: Alec Sills-Trausch
A mountain goat faces the camera on a rocky ridgeline with expansive hazy mountain ranges behind it
Photo Credit: Alec Sills-Trausch
A steep rocky mountain wall rises sharply with a small mountain goat visible on the slope below
Photo Credit: Alec Sills-Trausch

Two friends and I were on an overnight backpacking trip in North Cascades National Park. After a magical sunrise, we started packing up. Then, seemingly to appear out of nowhere, a half dozen mountain goats joined the party.

We immediately stopped what we were doing and grabbed our cameras.

One by one, they streamed into view. I had seen mountain goats before. But never in a place like this. And never with them standing in such a photogenic location.

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The goats, with towering, jagged peaks behind them, meandered around; unbeknownst to them, they were the stars of the show.

As they mulled around Sahale Glacier Camp, thousands of feet above the valley floor, we respectfully tracked them. At one point, they caught us off guard, coming within 15 feet of our campsite and bags. A tense staring contest created some remarkable images before they wandered off, looking to startle the next unsuspecting group.

Enjoy these photos of Mountain Goats in North Cascades National Park

  • Layered blue mountain ridgelines recede into haze above a rocky alpine ridge
  • A steep rocky mountainside rises sharply against a backdrop of hazy blue peaks
  • A mountain goat stands on a rocky outcrop with jagged peaks fading into the distance behind it
  • A mountain goat faces the camera on a rocky ridgeline with expansive hazy mountain ranges behind it
  • A mountain goat walks across a rocky alpine slope with layered blue mountain ridges in the background
  • A mountain goat stands on a rocky slope with jagged peaks and a sweeping alpine valley below
  • A mountain goat navigates a boulder-strewn slope with steep rocky ridgelines in the background
  • . Two mountain goats on a rocky high-alpine slope with dramatic snowy peaks behind them
  • A mountain goat on a boulder field with glaciated peaks visible in the distance
  • A mountain goat picks its way across loose rocks with snowy peaks and ridgelines in the background
  • Rugged mountain ridgelines with rocky peaks and a broad alpine valley stretching into the distance
  • A steep rocky mountain wall rises sharply with a small mountain goat visible on the slope below
  • Two mountain goats on a rocky ridgeline with rugged snow-patched peaks rising behind them
  • Two mountain goats on a rocky ridgeline with rugged snow-patched peaks rising behind them
  • A glacier-carved valley stretches between rocky ridgelines with snow and ice visible in the distance
  • A steep mountain ridge with snow patches and rocky terrain under blue skies
  • Jagged snow-patched peaks rise sharply under an overcast sky in a high alpine landscape
  • A mountain goat stands on a boulder-strewn slope with rugged snow-dusted peaks in the background
  • A hiker in a blue jacket stands among large boulders on a rocky alpine slope with distant peaks behind them
  • A mountain goat stands on a rocky high-alpine ridge with hazy peaks filling the background
  • Close-up of a mountain goat's head and horns against a soft blue mountain backdrop
  • A mountain goat stands broadside on a rocky ledge with hazy mountain peaks stretching across the horizon

Wildlife Photography Tips

Whenever you photograph wildlife, the goal is to capture a crisp shot. This means having a fast shutter speed and good autofocus. It’s better to land a clear shot with grain than to keep your ISO low and end up with a blurry photo because you slowed your shutter too much.

Now, in this case, for mountain goats, they don’t move too quickly, so you don’t need a shutter speed of 1/2000, for example. You can probably get away with 1/500, especially if you’re only using a 70-200 lens like I was.

The point is, don’t be afraid to bump your ISO to 500-1000 to get a good photo, and then fix it in post.

Next, try to find unique angles to photograph animals. Low and shooting up is always great, as well as getting the animal mid-step with a foot/hoof slightly in the air.

Finding small, unique moments that set you apart (like a tongue out) will make the viewer take a longer look at your image.

Until next time, adventurers, stay safe.

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Author: Alec Sills-Trausch

Title: Founder of Explore with Alec

Expertise: Hiking, Backpacking, Photography, and Road Trips

Alec Sills-Trausch is a hiker, backpacker, landscape photographer, and syndicated travel writer. He enjoys showing off the beauty of the world through his photos, videos, and written work on ExploreWithAlec.com. Alec is also a 2x cancer survivor and bone marrow transplant recipient, showing the world that there is a future from this terrible disease.

He lives in Denver, where he gets to enjoy the stunning PNW mountains in addition to all the other places he attempts to visit each year! You can see more work on IG at @AlecOutside