I've climbed North Maroon Peak three times and never saw any goats. It would be easy to fall if you got distracted. I guess his number was up. Hope he died happy.
KC
Three ascents for me too. I never saw goats there either.
I read somewhere once that the Maroon Bells have claimed the lives of more climbers than all of the other 14,000ft peaks in Colorado combined.
The Bells are extremely steep rotten rock. One of the last places that I would ever want to attempt to descend hauling an animal.