Goose Rescued by Rangers at 10,000 Feet on Mount Shasta

Two rangers on patrol made an unusual discovery high on Mount Shasta—a goose at an altitude of about 10,000 feet.

The bird, clearly out of its element, was spotted by U.S. Forest Service rangers Nick Meyers and Eric Falconer during a patrol in December, according to a recent news release.

The goose seemed to have made the ascent through a combination of flying and walking, rangers from the Shasta-Trinity National Forest reported. Found at such a high elevation, the goose was ill-prepared for the harsh conditions.

“The climber (or flyer?) had on only one layer of down and was neither prepared for the temperature nor overnight camping,” joked the rangers in their report.

Meyers and Falconer safely rescued the goose and relocated it to a pond at a much lower, more suitable altitude.

Mount Shasta, standing at 14,163 feet, presents harsh conditions at higher altitudes—conditions even tougher for an unprepared goose.