Even in the summer it is quite chilly at 14,000+ feet in altitude. In fact, it was 34 degrees when this image was snapped about an hour after sunrise. Of course these high country residents are quite able to handle the cold although even they seem to welcome the warmth of the sun’s rays.
Mountain Goats are actually not native to Colorado, having been brought here in the early 20th century as a tourist attraction. Unfortunately, they can carry diseases which are deadly to our state’s official animal, the Big Horn Sheep. When the goats roam into sheep territory, they are often killed to prevent them from infecting the sheep.
