Fatal mountain goat attack remembered after recent call for help in Colorado

Late last month, a hiker called emergency services after being confronted by a mountain goat on a trail in Summit County. While this might seem like an odd reason to call for help, it's important to know how to act around this alpine species as the species has killed at least one hiker before.

According to the Summit County Sheriff's Office, the hiker called looking for guidance because the mountain goat was staring her down. She wasn't sure if she was in danger or if the goat was just curious.

Ultimately, the goat eventually moved along in this situation and the woman terminated her request for assistance. That said, mountain goats can be cause for concern when an interaction isn't handled responsibly, and even when best practices are followed, there can still be risk.

With sharp horns and a powerful ramming ability, it's easy to see how getting physical with a mountain goat might be a bad idea. These negative interactions generally occur when a mountain goat is defensive of its territory or young, often initiated when a human gets too close.

These interactions can turn deadly, too, as was the case in a 2010 encounter in which a 63-year-old hiker encountered a mountain goat in Washington's Olympic National Park.

Per reporting from the Seattle Times , Robert Boardman was on the trail with his wife and a friend. When the group encountered an aggressive goat, Boardman requested that the two move ahead while he attempted to shoo it away.

Though no one saw the actual attack, Boardman was heard yelling and later found motionless on the trail while the goat guarded his body and wouldn't allow others to get near.

Boardman would die as a result of the attack due to a thigh wound from one of the goat's horns.

While goats don't typically attack humans, they can be aggressive from time to time and are also known to seek out human spaces in the search for salt left behind be human urine.

The safest approach when it comes to mountain goats is to keep a distance of at least 100 yards. If a goat suddenly appears and is aggressive, slowly back away in the opposite direction. Don't urinate when goats are nearby.

Thankfully, the recent Summit County interaction turned out to be a non-issue, but it's a good reminder to follow best practices in terms of safety when it comes to mountain goats on Colorado's trails this summer.

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