Forest ranger rescues goose “in rough shape” from Mount Shasta during routine patrol
By Max Darrow
Click here for updates on this story
California (KPIX) — U.S. Forest Service Ranger Nick Meyers recently took a snowmobile ride down Mount Shasta for a rescue he will always remember.
“This poor goose was probably not going to make it up here,” he said.
Meyers and fellow ranger Eric Falconer were on a routine patrol when something off in the distance caught their attention.
“Anything that is dark colored pops really well. We saw this thing that looked like a rock or something on the snow that caught our attention. So, we snowmobiled over to it, and it was a goose,” he said. “It was completely crusted in ice, had a big ice lens over its head, it couldn’t fly because its wings were sort of battered. It was in rough shape.”
Their instincts kicked in, and he says their instincts told them they needed to rescue the goose.
“I put it under my arm like a football and started the snowmobile and started off down the hill. Its whole demeanor really, relaxed. At that moment, I really felt that connection of spirit. It was actually kind of a special moment,” he said.
It’s rare to see a goose up on Mount Shasta, Meyers said, but not completely unheard of.
“You know, from time to time, we do. They get lost in the clouds or extreme wind and get blown up onto the mountain,” he said.
They brought the goose down to a pond where it quickly found its footing, stayed for a few days, and then waddled off into the world.
“I’m an animal lover. We’re good people. We help people and things, that’s what we do,” Meyers said.
Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.