Touchstone Blog Archive
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Help Save Summit Rock
The Access Fund released a note about Summit Rock in Santa Clara. The crag is being closed because of bird nesting.
The County of Santa Clara, California has closed Summit Rock, a popular crag in the Bay Area to protect peregrine falcons nesting. Instead of implementing a seasonal climbing closure to protect the nesting site, the standard management practice at all levels of government nationwide, the County is enforcing a year round closure.
Summit Rock is one of the largest and most popular climbing destinations in the Bay Area. It features easy access, high quality sandstone, and a wide range of difficulty, including moderate routes for youth and beginners.
Summit Rock is the only year-round raptor-related climbing closure in the nation. The County has adopted a recreation management approach that the National Park Service and U.S. Forest Service, agencies with decades of experience in climbing and raptor management, did not even consider when the peregrine falcon was listed as an endangered species. The Access Fund supports dozens of legitimate seasonal raptor closures across the country and actively educates climbers about seasonal restrictions and the importance of protecting cliff-nesting raptors. The Access Fund believe that the county’s year-round closure of Summit Rock, while perhaps well-intentioned, is uninformed, misguided, and unnecessary.
The Access Fund needs your help to appeal to the County to lift this unreasonable closure and work with the climbing community to implement appropriate climbing management practices that protect the nesting raptors while still allowing recreational access.
You can also help by donating to the Save Summit Rock fund. We need your help to raise $2,000 to bring a renowned peregrine expert to Summit Rock to provide an assessment of the site and provide the county with a written opinion and recommendations on necessary closures to protect nest sites.
Check out more information at the Access Fund website for more information.
The County of Santa Clara, California has closed Summit Rock, a popular crag in the Bay Area to protect peregrine falcons nesting. Instead of implementing a seasonal climbing closure to protect the nesting site, the standard management practice at all levels of government nationwide, the County is enforcing a year round closure.
Summit Rock is one of the largest and most popular climbing destinations in the Bay Area. It features easy access, high quality sandstone, and a wide range of difficulty, including moderate routes for youth and beginners.
Summit Rock is the only year-round raptor-related climbing closure in the nation. The County has adopted a recreation management approach that the National Park Service and U.S. Forest Service, agencies with decades of experience in climbing and raptor management, did not even consider when the peregrine falcon was listed as an endangered species. The Access Fund supports dozens of legitimate seasonal raptor closures across the country and actively educates climbers about seasonal restrictions and the importance of protecting cliff-nesting raptors. The Access Fund believe that the county’s year-round closure of Summit Rock, while perhaps well-intentioned, is uninformed, misguided, and unnecessary.
The Access Fund needs your help to appeal to the County to lift this unreasonable closure and work with the climbing community to implement appropriate climbing management practices that protect the nesting raptors while still allowing recreational access.
You can also help by donating to the Save Summit Rock fund. We need your help to raise $2,000 to bring a renowned peregrine expert to Summit Rock to provide an assessment of the site and provide the county with a written opinion and recommendations on necessary closures to protect nest sites.
Check out more information at the Access Fund website for more information.
Labels: Access Fund, Peregrine nesting, Summit Rock
¶ Thursday, October 13, 2011 1 Comments
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Peregrine Closure at Yosemite's Arch Rock
Peregrine falcons are beautiful birds and also some of the fastest. Diving up to 200 mph, the peregrine owns the skies. Unfortunately, the use of pesticides have endangered this speedy bird. Currently, the National Park Service is helping the birds recover from a large population decline. To protect the birds, climbers have been asked to stay away from nesting cliffs.
One of Yosemite's best cliffs, Arch Rock, will be closed temporarily while a pair of peregrines are nesting at the cliff. Jesse McGahey, the Yosemite climing ranger wrote, "The location of the eyrie necessitates closing many popular climbs including "Anticipation", "Entrance Exam", "Midterm", "Leanie Meanie", "Gripper",and "New Dimensions".
McGahey continued, "We are monitoring the other nesting sites, and will lift closures in other areas if they are unoccupied. I know many of you are curious...the Rostrum pair is incubating so we can expect the closure to continue until August 1st."
For more information about the closure check out the Supertopo Announcement
One of Yosemite's best cliffs, Arch Rock, will be closed temporarily while a pair of peregrines are nesting at the cliff. Jesse McGahey, the Yosemite climing ranger wrote, "The location of the eyrie necessitates closing many popular climbs including "Anticipation", "Entrance Exam", "Midterm", "Leanie Meanie", "Gripper",and "New Dimensions".
McGahey continued, "We are monitoring the other nesting sites, and will lift closures in other areas if they are unoccupied. I know many of you are curious...the Rostrum pair is incubating so we can expect the closure to continue until August 1st."
For more information about the closure check out the Supertopo Announcement
Labels: Arch Rock, Jesse McGahey, Peregrine nesting
¶ Sunday, April 03, 2011 0 Comments
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Peregrine Seasonal Closures
Jesse McGahey, the head Yosemite National Park Climbing ranger, recently made an announcement about peregrine falcon nesting closures. The birds nest seasonally and some cliffs in the park, including areas on El Capitan and in Hetch Hetchy, are closed to climbing. A few birds have left their nests and closures have been lifted until further noted.
Jesse posted his announcement on Supertopo.com. Below is a brief summary of important closures. The Rostrum usually opens in the fall season, after the birds have left.
Since April 8, 2010, the southwest face of El Capitan from South Seas/Pacific Ocean Wall to Native Son have been and will remain closed. The Rostrum area, the Rhombus Wall, and Fifi Buttress will remain closed until further noted.
Effective June 18, 2010, the Hetch Hetchy area will have closures including the North Face and West Face of Kolana Rock. The Wapama Rock closure will be lifted.
All closures on Glacier Point will be lifted as well as all closures on the South Face of Half Dome.
Jesse posted his announcement on Supertopo.com. Below is a brief summary of important closures. The Rostrum usually opens in the fall season, after the birds have left.
Since April 8, 2010, the southwest face of El Capitan from South Seas/Pacific Ocean Wall to Native Son have been and will remain closed. The Rostrum area, the Rhombus Wall, and Fifi Buttress will remain closed until further noted.
Effective June 18, 2010, the Hetch Hetchy area will have closures including the North Face and West Face of Kolana Rock. The Wapama Rock closure will be lifted.
All closures on Glacier Point will be lifted as well as all closures on the South Face of Half Dome.
Labels: Jesse McGahey, Peregrine nesting, Yosemite National Park
¶ Tuesday, June 22, 2010 0 Comments
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
El Capitan Closure: Pregrine Falcon Nesting
After a number of years away from a nesting site on the the Southeast Face of El Capitan, a pair of peregrines have returned to their nest. In an attempt to protect the endangered species, the National Park Service has issued a closure of the area.
The park service stated:
Peregrine falcons are recovering from population decline. Their status is currently being evaluated nationwide as part of a 15 year monitoring program following their delisting in 1999 under the endangered species act. To protect this recovering species, the Superindent of Yosemite National Park is designating peregrine nesting cliffs as areas closed to visitor use including climbing and slack-lining activities until peregrine chicks have fledged and dispersed from those areas in 2010.
Closure includes all routes between and including South Seas/Pacific Ocean Wall,North Amreican Wall, and east to Native Son. Routes 4 pitches or less at the base of the Southeast face of El Capitan will remain open.
Climbing Ranger and liaison, Jesse McGahey discussed the issue on a number of internet forums to address the problems and questions that many climbers may have with the closure. Stating:
After three separate multiple hour peregrine falcon surveys of the eyrie (nest) on the North America Wall NPS wildlife biologist have confirmed active nesting of a peregrine pair. The eyrie is very close to the North America Wall route around the border of Texas and Mexico if the NA was an actual map. To protect the active nest site the NPS has revised the previous “Area Protection –Peregrine Nesting Closure” that I posted here in the beginning of March. The closure is consistent with all of other area closures, and will be actively monitored to insure that successful breeding is still taking place.
The Southeast Face of El Capitan closure will cover all routes between and including “South Seas/Pacific Ocean Wall” East to “Native Son.” The language of the closure may be confusing so I’ll try to clarify. The first four pitches of all routes will be open. For example, you can climb the El Cap tree route even though the wall above is closed.
After three decades of DDT use peregrine falcon population plummeted throughout the world. Thankfully, in 1973 the use of DDT was banned, and in 1973 the peregrine was one of the first species listed as a federal Endangered Species. In Yosemite National Park from 1942 to 1977 no peregrine nesting occurred in Yosemite. The NA Wall eyrie is actually a historic nesting site. In 1978 the first successful nest site recorded after 36 years was confirmed by rock climbers on El Cap!
This is a pretty amazing story, and it is my hope that all of you recognize the significance of the full circle of success that the peregrines have enjoyed in Yosemite. Through the climbing community's respect for this incredible bird we have helped the peregrine falcon soar again as it continues to recover from the brink of extinction.
I'll follow up this post with a scan of the official closure. I expect some grumbling, and I will be active on this forum as well as others to try to answer questions and concerns.
Thank You in advance for your understanding and respect of this closure,
Jesse McGahey
Yosemite Climbing Ranger
jesse_mcgahey@nps.gov
(209) 372-0360
For more information about the closure see Jesse's posts on Supertopo.
The park service stated:
Peregrine falcons are recovering from population decline. Their status is currently being evaluated nationwide as part of a 15 year monitoring program following their delisting in 1999 under the endangered species act. To protect this recovering species, the Superindent of Yosemite National Park is designating peregrine nesting cliffs as areas closed to visitor use including climbing and slack-lining activities until peregrine chicks have fledged and dispersed from those areas in 2010.
Closure includes all routes between and including South Seas/Pacific Ocean Wall,North Amreican Wall, and east to Native Son. Routes 4 pitches or less at the base of the Southeast face of El Capitan will remain open.
Climbing Ranger and liaison, Jesse McGahey discussed the issue on a number of internet forums to address the problems and questions that many climbers may have with the closure. Stating:
After three separate multiple hour peregrine falcon surveys of the eyrie (nest) on the North America Wall NPS wildlife biologist have confirmed active nesting of a peregrine pair. The eyrie is very close to the North America Wall route around the border of Texas and Mexico if the NA was an actual map. To protect the active nest site the NPS has revised the previous “Area Protection –Peregrine Nesting Closure” that I posted here in the beginning of March. The closure is consistent with all of other area closures, and will be actively monitored to insure that successful breeding is still taking place.
The Southeast Face of El Capitan closure will cover all routes between and including “South Seas/Pacific Ocean Wall” East to “Native Son.” The language of the closure may be confusing so I’ll try to clarify. The first four pitches of all routes will be open. For example, you can climb the El Cap tree route even though the wall above is closed.
After three decades of DDT use peregrine falcon population plummeted throughout the world. Thankfully, in 1973 the use of DDT was banned, and in 1973 the peregrine was one of the first species listed as a federal Endangered Species. In Yosemite National Park from 1942 to 1977 no peregrine nesting occurred in Yosemite. The NA Wall eyrie is actually a historic nesting site. In 1978 the first successful nest site recorded after 36 years was confirmed by rock climbers on El Cap!
This is a pretty amazing story, and it is my hope that all of you recognize the significance of the full circle of success that the peregrines have enjoyed in Yosemite. Through the climbing community's respect for this incredible bird we have helped the peregrine falcon soar again as it continues to recover from the brink of extinction.
I'll follow up this post with a scan of the official closure. I expect some grumbling, and I will be active on this forum as well as others to try to answer questions and concerns.
Thank You in advance for your understanding and respect of this closure,
Jesse McGahey
Yosemite Climbing Ranger
jesse_mcgahey@nps.gov
(209) 372-0360
For more information about the closure see Jesse's posts on Supertopo.
Labels: Jesse McGahey, Peregrine nesting, Southeast Face of El Capitan
¶ Wednesday, April 14, 2010 0 Comments
