on a tightrope

Being on a tightrope is living. Everything else is waiting. -- Karl Wallenda

I never did find out how this Mountain Goat, Oreamnos americanus, managed to get down. I was there for more than an hour and it kept licking away at the mineral in the rock. It was a sheer drop below, there was no apparent way up or sideways. But then other’s did some amazing feats of climbing that the best mountain climbers would be envious of. Goat Lick Overlook, Glacier National Park, MT

When contacting us regarding this print, please refer to image file Mountain Goat, Oreamnos americanus, Goat Lick Overlook, Glacier National Park, MT. Fine Art Prints are available: 24”x36” $595, 16”x24” $395, 8”x12” $195. We donate 10% of purchases to environmental or educational causes. All images are available at no charge for use by environmental, charitable, or educational organizations as long as the source is properly referenced and the image remains unedited. For commercial use, please contact us.

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Comments

N. Mexico says:

This is absolutely amazing!!! How did he even get there, I wonder. Crazy goat! :) An amazing capture! By the way, how did you get there? Was this taken through a large telephoto lense or were you somewhere nearby?
Posted 16 months ago. ( permalink )

J Gilbert says:

Amazing.
Posted 16 months ago. ( permalink )

AllieW (busy) says:

Wow! Breathtakingly good. Simply stunning.
Posted 16 months ago. ( permalink )

wildphotons says:

Thanks everyone. I had climbed down the other other side of the gorge. I used a Nikon D2X and their delightful 200-400mm F4 lens.
Posted 16 months ago. ( permalink )

Kayleigh McCallum says:

Amazing Great Shot!!!!!
Posted 16 months ago. ( permalink )

msummerchick(Deja-Vu photography) says:

omg that is awesome..great catch
Posted 16 months ago. ( permalink )

silviaON says:

what a pose and capture !
Posted 16 months ago. ( permalink )

Paul Tixier says:

oh wow, great shot

NaturesFinest
Please add this great photo to Nature’s Finest
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Posted 16 months ago. ( permalink )

CharlesLam says:

Amazing acts, great shot.
Posted 16 months ago. ( permalink )

lemperleconnie says:

Holy smoke! AMAZING capture! Sure hope the goat was able to get off the ledge safely.

~I SNIFFED out this wonderful image!
You deserve this nose worthy award!~
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Posted 16 months ago. ( permalink )

rlw5663 says:

Amazing!
Posted 16 months ago. ( permalink )

Pat Ulrich says:

this is absolutely amazing! wow!

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Seen in my contacts' photos. (?)
Posted 16 months ago. ( permalink )

bud_marschner says:

super shot! looks like a tight place!
Posted 16 months ago. ( permalink )

Groove Kitten1 says:

OMG! That is some rock climbing talent!
Posted 16 months ago. ( permalink )

Panchóv says:

:O :O really amazing!!!!
Posted 16 months ago. ( permalink )

Soleil is me. says:

wow.... how to walk?

Congratulation! Great composition, nice presentation:) This is the inspiration art worked.
Thank you for sharing such a beautiful photo to flickr friends. I pleasure and honor to give the awards. BE HAPPY & ENJOY to display your BEST photos; OR feel free to be the member;
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Posted 16 months ago. ( permalink )

kojo_46 says:

There must be some special nutrients there. Seems like a lot of dangerous work!
Posted 16 months ago. ( permalink )

Rule_62 says:

pretty!
Posted 16 months ago. ( permalink )

PixelHawk says:

That is extreme! Very cool shot! Got to love that 200-400mm. ;-)
Posted 16 months ago. ( permalink )

Nils van Rooijen says:

Amazing. Great work getting this on photo!
Posted 16 months ago. ( permalink )

Ketosea says:

really incredible
Posted 16 months ago. ( permalink )

wildphotons says:

Thanks everyone. It made explore.
Posted 16 months ago. ( permalink )

Amatuer critic says:

GREAT capture!
Posted 16 months ago. ( permalink )

~MAMA Z~ says:

Good Lord, Dan, and this without all the mountain climbing equipment! Isn't life amazing?
Posted 16 months ago. ( permalink )

shotzy says:

wow - this image has to many scenerios to it (before and after) that tweek the curiousity and imagination.
Posted 16 months ago. ( permalink )

© the big pictures says:

awesome!

~Just stopping by for
another SNIFF of this
Impressively beautiful image!
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Find 2nd Sniffer HERE.
Posted 16 months ago. ( permalink )

iTail ~ Busy says:

Terrific image!
----------------
A Big Fave
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Posted 16 months ago. ( permalink )

Hard-Rain says:

Did you "rotate counterclockwise 90"??? Unbelievable shot. How can they do that?
Posted 16 months ago. ( permalink )

wildphotons says:

No, that is the exact location and rotation I found him. I chose the vertical frame to show the scariness of it all. I quite a few others, some horizontal frame, but they were not nearly as dramatic as this one.

If you look closely at the split hoofs, they are wrapped around the rock and that's how they can climb these amazing angles. If you spend some time with them, you will be amazed at how fast they can scale up and down rocks. The make the best human climbers look like snails.
Posted 16 months ago. ( permalink )

Coleslaw Soup says:

... **hard blink** ... un ... be ... lievable. I mean ... wa ... wow ... ju ... just wow.
Posted 15 months ago. ( permalink )

jasperroz says:

Amazing.................
Posted 15 months ago. ( permalink )

Kristina_5 says:

wow I am speechless
Posted 15 months ago. ( permalink )

Ginkyhackle says:

That's one corageous goat!
Posted 14 months ago. ( permalink )

Dru! says:

nom nom nom
Posted 14 months ago. ( permalink )

Darvin Atkeson says:

You deserve "Another Diamond" on your Great Photo!
I have seen your Great Photographic Art in:
Flickr Diamond: The Diamond Class Photographer
Posted 13 months ago. ( permalink )

Andrew WC Brown says:

Wow, that goats from the matrix
Posted 12 months ago. ( permalink )

miralize says:

Thats amazing. That goat can climb better than me
Posted 12 months ago. ( permalink )

hangglide says:

Hi, I'm an admin for a group called Wild Animal (In the wild), and we'd love to have this added to the group!
Posted 12 months ago. ( permalink )

Zexarious says:

OMGGGGG I hope it got down without falling :[
Posted 12 months ago. ( permalink )

Sean Nieuwoudt says:

great capture!
Posted 12 months ago. ( permalink )

Peggy Dembicer says:

between a rock and a hard place.
Posted 12 months ago. ( permalink )

btnheazy03 says:

$195 for an 8x12 print???
Posted 12 months ago. ( permalink )

llamasonic says:

that must be one tasty rock
Posted 12 months ago. ( permalink )

wildphotons says:

Thanks everyone! It's amazing that it's passed 80,000 views. It's now my most popular photo ever. -- dan
Posted 12 months ago. ( permalink )

Fascist Nation says:

Obviously with all of the possible rocks to lick, not the brightest bulb on the tree. Tastes like chicken.
Posted 12 months ago. ( permalink )

kdh3000 says:

Maybe your photo`s hit number will increse rapidly.
Because your photo introdued by korean representative portal site `NAVER`
Anyway this photo is really impressive and it makes me wondering.
Could you tell me a few thing?
1. How many hours did you watch this moutain goat?
2. Watching this goat. is it possible to get over or not?
3. Do you know about the end of this poor goat?
Tanks for your wonderful and thinking photo.
Posted 12 months ago. ( permalink )

youpidou says:

brilliant! and you even managed to have her sort of looking straight at you while doing this acrobatic performance!
Posted 12 months ago. ( permalink )

wildphotons says:

I watched this goat for 2 hours and I never got over it. I don't know the end of the goat, but I'd seen some amazing jumps that day.

As for looking at me, it was simply waiting for the right shot.
Posted 12 months ago. ( permalink )

kdh3000 says:

Thanks for your answer~~!!!
Posted 12 months ago. ( permalink )

zoe-delay says:

Hallo, ich bin Zoe, die Administratorin der Gruppe 100.000 Views, und wir würden uns freuen, wenn Du dies zu unserer Gruppe hinzufügen würdest.
Posted 11 months ago. ( permalink )

Anya Photography says:

that's envious it cud put some of the best mountain climbers to shame...well, that's nature after all...brilliant shot!!!
Posted 11 months ago. ( permalink )

wildphotons says:

Thanks everyone for making this such a hit. It's now past 185,000 views, which I find just astounding!
Posted 10 months ago. ( permalink )

janoid says:

185,001! :)
This is one of the most amazing shots I've ever seen.... :)
You deserve every view, and word of praise, my friend....
Incredible capture!!!
Posted 10 months ago. ( permalink )

GuggaH says:

Amazingly cool pic!
Posted 9 months ago. ( permalink )

Nikalicious2009 says:

both you and the goat are truly amazing
Posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

rcparis says:

My God what a climber guess a fence wont work for this guy.
talk about no fear Man i'd be messing my pants.
great shot
Posted 7 months ago. ( permalink )

Pockafwye says:

Heavens! I feel just like that some days :)

--
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Posted 6 months ago. ( permalink )

BigSkyKatie says:

Wow!

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Posted 4 months ago. ( permalink )

jimgoldstein says:

Amazing creatures. Excellent capture.

--
Found in a search. (?)
Posted 4 months ago. ( permalink )

karens_shot_at_life says:

Amazing capture here. What a magnificent animal!
Posted 4 months ago. ( permalink )

rob_santry says:

In rock climbing jargon, that Mountain Goat is doing 5.10 moves! Great shot! By the way, you must have been pretty exposed yourself!
Posted 4 months ago. ( permalink )

fahad....Q8 says:

Amazing shot
Posted 3 months ago. ( permalink )

Daedalus_T says:

This boggles the mind. Nice luck on being there to catch it :)

Seen on Flickriver for tag "glacier."
Posted 2 months ago. ( permalink )

www.GeorgeLowther.co.uk says:

Amazing!
Posted 4 weeks ago. ( permalink )

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Taken with a Nikon D2X.
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Taken on June 27, 2008
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