Rocky Mtn. Bighorn Sheep Rocky Mtn. Bighorn Sheep

When I am in Golden, I often take a couple mile walk west of town. My route follows a bike path until it goes under U.S. 6, and then continues as a wide dirt path for another mile or so up Clear Creek Canyon, paralleling U.S. 6.

Tonight, as I neared the end of the path, I ran into a couple of women standing by the side of the path looking up at the mountain N. of (temporarily closed) U.S. 6 up Clear Creek Canyon. They stopped me and pointed out a couple of Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep on the side of the mountain. I indicated my surprise, as Bighorn Sheep tended to stick to much higher elevations, most notably north of I-70 on Georgetown Hill, about 40 miles west.

On the way back, I took a little higher route along a large irrigation ditch and saw them again. It was a herd of about 15 sheep, led by a big ram, heading back up the mountain. All this, about one mile west of the Golden City Limits. I wonder whether they had come down to drink from that irrigation ditch that I was walking along. In any case, a magnificant site to behold, making the walk well worthwhile tonight.