[MtnGoat]

On Sunday I went for a back road ramble. I pulled over at a viewpoint for Klickitat canyon, a little sleepy from a huge pretty yummy double cheese n bacon at the new diner in tiny Glenwood. On the far side I saw white dots moving. Hmm. Went back to the rig, got the Nikon P900 I borrowed from work. This thing kicks butt. I was dubious about a $500(+) DSLR ...with a non removable lens. No longer. Unless you're doing astro (prime focus use) , there is no need to have another lens. The 35mm equivalency for this 16 Mpx sensor plus lens is 24-2000mm! 83x zoom, all optical, no digital BS. I propped it on one of the posts for the chain link fence at the edge of the drop. When I got home, I checked the map and measured off the shot distance...a minimum of 2200'. I may actually need one of these, and I'll just dedicate my Canon to astroshots permanently. The viewpoint I stopped at is about a mile E of the unsigned one for nearby Outlet Creek falls, which is itself pretty decent with a big plunge bowl and nice free falling drop. Check it out. All shots are reduced rez to fit upload limits at the host. Not bad for nearly half a mile distance in the afternoon heat. With a bone stock lens.

[olderthanIusedtobe]

Nice long distance captures. Seems like a bit drier country than usual for goats? I saw some fuzzy pictures of a goat hanging around on Dog Mountain in the last year or 2. I think they are spreading out!

[MtnGoat]

Yeah I thought it was too dry myself, but it seems that's not the case! They must have bred and wandered their way down from Goat Rocks/Adams etc, following the canyon. Bighorn sheep are pretty common in the eastern gorge, though. I drive 84 a lot, and see them mostly just east of Rufus (Home of Bob's Texas T Bone, just 25 short miles E of The Dalles!...sorry, got the darned radio ad stuck in my head so when I think of Rufus...). They like the stretch from Rufus to John Day crossing, and on around the big bend in the river on the way to Arlington. Some days in the spring they'll be right on the shoulder, munching away.

[olderthanIusedtobe]

I grew up in White Salmon, my parents are still there so I visit several times during the year. I rarely travel further east along The Gorge. Can't say I've ever seen the bighorn sheep along I-84. Pretty sure they weren't in the area when I was a kid. Did see some sheep up above the canyon during a multi day rafting trip along the John Day. I think we put in around Clarno? I know we drove through Antelope on the way to the launch. Saw some pronghorn antelope too if I remember correctly.

[wildernessed]

I miss taking my ultra zoom. Nice shots!

[MtnGoat]

Thanks! Yeah ultra zoom no lie. This was the first time I'd ever used something like this that wasn't attached to one of my scopes. The capability of this thing is amazing. It a bit of a monster at 2lbs though, which I guess isn't that bad considering one lens does everything

[fourteen410]

A fixed lens with optical zoom?

[MtnGoat]

maybe non removable is a better term.