There is only one species in the Genus Oreamnos, that of the Mountain Goat which 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.

Despite its vernacular name, it is not a member of Capra, the genus that includes all other goats, such as the wild goat, Capra aegagrus, from which the domestic goat is derived.

Both billy (male) and nanny (female) mountain goats have beards, short tails, and long black horns, 6 to 11 inches in length, which contain yearly growth rings.

A billy stands about 3.3 feet tall at the shoulder and often weighs up to 30 percent more than the nanny. Mountain goats can weigh between 100 and 309 pounds, and in most cases, a billy will weigh less than 180 pounds.

The head-and-body length also varies much, 47 inches to 70 inches with a small tail adding about 4 to 8 inches.

The billy goats also have longer horns and longer beards than nanny.

The white double coats protect them from the elements. 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 degrees F and winds of up to 100 miles per hour.

Although mountain goats have never been domesticated and commercialized for their wool, pre-Columbian indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast did incorporate their wool into their weaving by collecting spring moulted wool left by wild goats.

The feet of the mountain goat are well-suited for climbing steep, rocky slopes with pitches exceeding 60 degrees, with inner pads that provide traction and cloven hooves that can spread apart.

The tips of their feet have sharp dewclaws that keep them from slipping.

Also, the mountain goats have powerful shoulder and neck muscles that help propel them up steep slopes.

On day 943 TB, I just happened to stop on the highway just before the Goat Lick Overlook, not because of any mountain goat sighting, but rather because of a deep gorge over which an extraordinary train trestle was crossing high above.

Most all of my life, I have been so in love of extraordinary train trestles and hope to be creating a gallery soon.

But, back to the Goat Lick Overlook. Less than a quarter mile west on US highway 2, I arrived at the overlook and was desirous of getting a few more photos of the train trestle, however, I was in a surprise in that at this overlook, there would be a much better subject for photographing.

After taking plenty of photos of the nanny and kid, I look around and see at the other end of the overlook area that there is a walkway leading east above the river. I move to that walkway and begin exploring what this portion of the overlook has to offer.

To my surprise, I find out that there are more goats that have come down from the high country to lick the salt and other minerals.

After many photos from the end of the walkway, I return to a location where I can see the nanny and kid again, however, from this angle, I see that there is not one but two kids. I resume taking photos of the nanny and her family.

Soon, they rise from there rest and begin moving.

With mom out of sight, the two kids continue to eat the tasty sand warts until one looks up and not seeing mom, begins to look for her, The second kid follows and in a short time, my photo subjects have left the area.

Methinks, as many times that I have taken steps in the Yellowstone caldera, there should be more opportunities to photograph mountain goats. However, so far, it has been only once and the opportunity was at great distance, about a thousand yards.