Yesterday, the Higher Calling Wildlife® team returned to Colorado’s Mount Blue Sky, and it felt like coming full circle.
Last year Higher Calling Wildlife published a story called The Girl, the Mountain Goat and the Promise. The article centered on an encounter between my daughter Faith and a mountain goat high above the treeline on one of Colorado’s most iconic peaks.
It was a story about wildlife, but more importantly, it was a story about connection—the kind of connection that happens when a young person experiences wild animals up close and begins to understand why they matter.
That story resonated with readers and later earned recognition from the Press Club of Southeast Texas at its 2026 Excellence In Media Awards. Looking back, what makes that story meaningful is not the award itself, but the fact that the promise behind it continues to unfold.
Yesterday, Faith captured some of her best mountain goat photographs yet.
Watching her carefully work the alpine landscape with camera in hand was a reminder of how powerful wildlife experiences can be. My wife, Lisa Moore, was there as well, sharing another memorable day in a place that has become special to our family and to the mission of Higher Calling Wildlife.
Over the years, we have returned to Mount Blue Sky multiple times and have brought young people there to photograph wildlife and experience conservation firsthand. For many, it was their first opportunity to see mountain goats, bighorn sheep, marmots and other alpine wildlife in their natural environment.
Those moments matter because conservation is not built solely through research, regulations and management plans. It is also built through personal experiences that inspire people to care.
Mount Blue Sky is uniquely suited for that mission because it is one of the most accessible places in North America to observe alpine wildlife. Yet behind the incredible scenery lies one of the most fascinating conservation stories in the West.
The mountain is one of the few places where introduced mountain goats and native Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep occupy the same landscape. While both species are beloved by wildlife enthusiasts, their coexistence presents challenges for wildlife managers.
Mountain goats can harbor pathogens that may pose risks to bighorn sheep populations. Because of those concerns, wildlife managers have spent years studying how the two species interact and looking for ways to reduce unnecessary contact between them.
The issue is especially important around the Summit Lake area, where both species can be drawn to mineral-rich locations near roads and parking areas. During previous visits, members of our team encountered personnel associated with Denver Zoo conservation efforts applying mountain lion urine around portions of the Summit Lake area. The scent was being used as a deterrent to discourage wildlife from congregating in locations where sheep and goats might gather together.
To many visitors, the idea sounds unusual. But it demonstrates how creative wildlife management sometimes becomes when conservationists are trying to protect vulnerable wildlife populations.
Mount Blue Sky has also become one of Colorado’s most important research sites for mountain goats.
One of the most memorable examples involved a collared nanny goat we photographed during a previous expedition. What initially seemed like a simple wildlife sighting turned into a fascinating conservation story.
The goat carried a GPS collar and ear tag. After reporting the animal and contacting Colorado Parks and Wildlife, we learned she was identified as Ear Tag #1128 and had been fitted with a GPS collar in October 2016. Biologists estimated she was at least five years old when collared. Although the collar ultimately stopped transmitting after only a few months, the data it provided revealed something remarkable. During the period it functioned, the nanny spent her entire time within approximately 2.2 square miles of the Mount Blue Sky area.
That information may sound simple, but it helps researchers better understand mountain goat movements, habitat use and survival. Every data point contributes to a clearer picture of how these animals live on the mountain.
The experience reinforced an important lesson: reporting wildlife tags matters.
A photograph, a tag number or a collar observation may seem insignificant to the average visitor, but those observations can provide valuable information to wildlife managers and researchers. Conservation is often advanced not only by scientists but also by ordinary people who take the time to notice and report what they see.
Standing on Mount Blue Sky yesterday, it was impossible not to appreciate how all of these elements come together.
Research. Conservation. Education. Inspiration.
The mountain serves as a living classroom where visitors can witness wildlife management in action. Researchers gather data that helps guide conservation decisions. Families experience wildlife they may never see anywhere else. Young photographers discover a passion for the natural world.
That is what the original promise was really about.
It was never simply about a mountain goat.
It was about helping people, especially young people, discover why wildlife matters and why conservation deserves their attention and support.
As Faith photographed mountain goats against the spectacular backdrop of Colorado’s high country yesterday, that lesson felt as relevant as ever.
The Higher Calling Wildlife team is currently on expedition in Colorado, and along the way we have been sharing wildlife conservation gift packages with young people and families, encouraging them to learn more about wildlife and become involved in conservation. Whether through photography, wildlife watching, hunting, fishing, scientific research or habitat stewardship, everyone can play a role in protecting the natural world.
And the journey isn’t over.
We’re heading back to Mount Blue Sky again before this expedition concludes.
There will likely be more mountain goats and more bighorn sheep. There will hopefully be more opportunities to share conservation messages with young people. And there will certainly be more chances to witness firsthand the incredible wildlife that makes this mountain so special.
Because every collar tells a story.
Every mountain goat has something to teach us.
And every young person inspired by wildlife represents hope for the future of conservation.
Chester Moore
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Email Chester at chester@chestermoore.com.