Rangers rescue goose found 10,000 feet up Mount Shasta

MOUNT SHASTA, Calif. (KRCR) — In a twist to their usual duties, rangers from the Mount Shasta Avalanche Center found themselves rescuing an unexpected climber last month—a goose attempting to conquer Mount Shasta.

According to the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), Rangers Nick Meyers and Eric Falconer were on a routine patrol when they stumbled upon the bird at 10,000 feet in elevation at Old Ski Bowl.

"The goose is suspected to have reached the 10,000-foot elevation at Old Ski Bowl through a majority of flight and some webbed feet. Upon our rangers' arrival, the climber (flyer?) had on only one layer of down and was neither prepared for the temperature nor overnight camping," the USFS wrote on their social media. "Our dedicated staff were able to offer the goose a quick descent to a local pond at lower elevations before returning to regular duties."

Typically, Mount Shasta rangers spend their winters patrolling the mountain and surrounding wilderness, assessing avalanche hazards, collecting snow depth data, and maintaining facilities at the Bunny Flat trailhead. While search and rescues aren't part of their daily routine, the USFS said they do happen from time to time.

Employees at the Mount Shasta Avalanche Center encourage visitors to be prepared and informed before exploring the area.

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