A video circulating from the upper reaches of Glacier National Park is bound to make outdoor lovers’ blood boil. Two oddly ill-equipped hikers became irate when others asked them to get back on the trail and keep their distance from wildlife.
The video, captured last week by an NBC Montana cameraperson, showed two hikers taking what looked like an informal route to take pictures near mountain goats. Curiously, the hiker closest to the goats wore flip-flops and held a volleyball on a high-altitude peak near the tree line.
As other hikers told them to get back on the trail, they responded with a tirade of insults and racial slurs. “Mind your own business.” “Shut up. The goats go on that trail, too!” “What the f#%k is wrong with you?!”
When the pair came back down to the trail, the confrontation nearly turned physical, as each side picked up rocks, threatening the other.
It appears the goat-chasing duo was on what’s called a social trail — an off-trail route worn down by hikers breaking the rules, enticing others to do the same as the path becomes more visible. According to Glacier National Park’s website, they encourage hikers to follow “Leave No Trace” principles, which specifically say to avoid using social trails, stay more than 25 yards from wildlife, and to avoid shouting when near others.
