# Why do mountain goats climb mountains? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 28, 2014, 9:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-mountain-goats-climb-mountains/679937 "2014-01-28T09:35:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Qwertol](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Qwertol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qwertol)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2014, 9:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-mountain-goats-climb-mountains/679937/1 "2014-01-28T09:35:47Z")
What they get from this? ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Nader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Darth\_Nader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Nader)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2014, 9:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-mountain-goats-climb-mountains/679937/2 "2014-01-28T09:42:53Z")
The view is nice. ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Wayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4bbf92/32.png) [@Charlie\_Wayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Wayne)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2014, 9:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-mountain-goats-climb-mountains/679937/3 "2014-01-28T09:47:10Z")
Once, I saw a documentary that showed how they escape predators that way. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2014, 10:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-mountain-goats-climb-mountains/679937/4 "2014-01-28T10:52:22Z")
They are successfully exploiting an otherwise unexploited niche. It is an environment that offers a balance (ha!) of food and protection. They don’t consciously try to “get” anything from it other than an opportunity to thrive and survive. ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2014, 10:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-mountain-goats-climb-mountains/679937/5 "2014-01-28T10:54:51Z")
I always tried (without much success) to convince my children that they have two legs on one side shorter than on the other. This meaning that they always had to go one way round the mountain. ---
**Author:** ![Space\_Vegetable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6de8d8/32.png) [@Space\_Vegetable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Space_Vegetable)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2014, 11:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-mountain-goats-climb-mountains/679937/6 "2014-01-28T11:13:42Z")
Because they are there. (The mountains, not the goats. Well, the goats too I guess.) Because if they didn’t climb mountains, we wouldn’t have named them mountain goats. (I think **Novelty Bobble** gave you the good answer, so it’s time for the baaad ones.) ---
**Author:** ![Qwertol](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Qwertol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qwertol)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2014, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-mountain-goats-climb-mountains/679937/7 "2014-01-28T12:42:39Z")
But still it seems like they trying to climb the steepest slopes and make the hardest jumps. Can’t they just find easier ways? I don’t think they are very busy and don’t have time… ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2014, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-mountain-goats-climb-mountains/679937/8 "2014-01-28T12:52:21Z")
> [@Qwertol](#): > > But still it seems like they trying to climb the steepest slopes and make the hardest jumps. Can’t they just find easier ways? I don’t think they are very busy and don’t have time… No, those are just the one showing off for YouTube videos and nature documentaries. Your average Mountain Goat is just trying to find some forage. And the things most likely to eat Mountain Goats have not yet learned how to climb as well as they can. ---
**Author:** ![MikeS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MikeS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeS)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2014, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-mountain-goats-climb-mountains/679937/9 "2014-01-28T13:23:44Z")
> [@bob\_2](#): > > I always tried (without much success) to convince my children that they have two legs on one side shorter than on the other. This meaning that they always had to go one way round the mountain. You and my father both. Is this one of the things they teach you in Dad School? ---
**Author:** ![shijinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@shijinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shijinn)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2014, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-mountain-goats-climb-mountains/679937/10 "2014-01-28T13:28:36Z")
> [@DrFidelius](#): > > No, those are just the one showing off for YouTube videos and nature documentaries. … seriously, i don’t care how much they like salt, but climbing the steep walls of a dam is just showing off. ---
**Author:** ![GreenElf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@GreenElf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenElf)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2014, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-mountain-goats-climb-mountains/679937/11 "2014-01-28T13:33:00Z")
> [@Qwertol](#): > > But still it seems like they trying to climb the steepest slopes and make the hardest jumps. Can’t they just find easier ways? I don’t think they are very busy and don’t have time… They don’t like the tourists that inhabit the easier ways. Or maybe they’re just trying to impress the tourists with their advanced climbing abilities. 😕 They probably just want to avoid the predators that are going the easier ways because they can’t outrun them. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2014, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-mountain-goats-climb-mountains/679937/12 "2014-01-28T13:56:16Z")
they are snooty. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2014, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-mountain-goats-climb-mountains/679937/13 "2014-01-28T14:50:42Z")
> [@Qwertol](#): > > But still it seems like they trying to climb the steepest slopes and make the hardest jumps. Can’t they just find easier ways? The ones that stick to the easier ways are the ones that are more likely to become carnivore food. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2014, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-mountain-goats-climb-mountains/679937/14 "2014-01-28T14:55:12Z")
> [@shijinn](#): > > seriously, i don’t care how much they like salt, but climbing the steep walls of a dam is just showing off. [You’re not kidding](http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/article-1320804/Mountain-goats-climb-160ft-near-vertical-Cingino-dam.html) (I assume this is what you were referring to). ---
**Author:** ![Gagundathar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a183cd/32.png) [@Gagundathar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gagundathar)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2014, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-mountain-goats-climb-mountains/679937/15 "2014-01-28T15:30:05Z")
Q: Why do mountain goats climb mountains? A: To get to the other side. \ Thank you, thank you… remember to tip your servers. And try the veal. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2014, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-mountain-goats-climb-mountains/679937/16 "2014-01-28T15:43:50Z")
> [@bob\_2](#): > > I always tried (without much success) to convince my children that they have two legs on one side shorter than on the other. This meaning that they always had to go one way round the mountain. That’s the [Sidehill Gouger,](http://www.lumberwoods.com/p39.htm) or Sidehill Dodger, not the mountain goat. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2014, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-mountain-goats-climb-mountains/679937/17 "2014-01-28T15:53:22Z")
> [@Gagundathar](#): > > And try the veal. The special was going to be goat curry but we couldn’t catch the blighters. ---
**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2014, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-mountain-goats-climb-mountains/679937/18 "2014-01-28T18:15:08Z")
You will understand goats when you look deep into their eyes… They do what they do because they are from ‘out there.’ Just look at their eyes… ---
**Author:** ![74westy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/74westy/32/3950_2.png) [@74westy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/74westy)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2014, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-mountain-goats-climb-mountains/679937/19 "2014-01-28T20:49:52Z")
Because it’s there. ---
**Author:** ![Washoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ecae2f/32.png) [@Washoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Washoe)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2014, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-mountain-goats-climb-mountains/679937/20 "2014-01-28T21:18:41Z")
What I’ve always wanted to know (seriously) is if they ever biff it. Are there piles of goat mush at the bottoms of 1000-foot alpine cliffs? If so, how often does it happen? Has anybody ever been killed by falling goat? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-mountain-goats-climb-mountains/679937.md?page=2)