Climbing Advisories and Closures 2024 (Protection of Nesting Birds of Prey)

[clink]

have all the room they need to breed successfully, without going further than is really needed.

 Reminds me of some religions teachings being against contraception while at the same time considering oral and other kinds of sex as perverted. There is some weird "Birds and bees" shit out there, to put a slight bend in the context.

[Gavin]

I'm just seeing the recent posts after some time away on vacation.

As John and Brad indicated, Full Circle is in the closure areas. There is a peregrine falcon pair that is nesting in fairly close proximity to that route.

I will check on the FoP site and try to update their closure lists... Sometimes the sections of formations they have designated for closures are a bit difficult to interpret.

[Gavin]

Okay, I think I just fixed the closure list on the FoP site - all Balconies sections there should be listed as closed.

As JC and Brad said, the details of routes in closures areas are more specific here on this forum, and on the official Pinnacles website.

Feel free to contact me if you have any additional closure questions.

[Gavin]

Hey Everyone -

I updated closures based on recent confirmation of prairie and peregrine falcon nests. I haven't updated the official Pinnacles NPS website yet or the FOP site but wanted to give you the details here first.

Here are some changes of note:
 - closures are lifted from all routes at Citadel
 - closures are lifted from all routes on Teapot Dome and Ball Pinnacle
 - closures are lifted from all routes at Piedras Bonitas and Gargoyle, but routes in Neglected Valley at or near Knuckle Ridge, the Outcast, and Triple Decker now have closures in effect
 - closures are in effect for all routes at the Hand and the Thumb, due to a peregrine falcon pair nesting there

Let me know if you have questions; I'll try to update the NPS and FOP sites soon!

[Gavin]

Heads up for everyone -

The condor nest effort failed at Machete Ridge, so all closures are lifted at Machete and all routes there are open for the rest of the year.

[NOAL]

Bummer.  Is there still hope for other nests this year?

[Gavin]

We had 3 condor pairs attempt to nest this year. One pair already failed earlier this year, an the Machete pair is the second failed nest. The third pair is still actively nesting, and just hatched a nestling on last Friday. So there's some good news in the mix too!

[Zay]

Gavin,

Just curious, and not that I would ever even think to test or risk anything, but do you have data or experience regarding buman disturbance and failed nesting for condors / peregrines?

I'm sure each species tollerates diffetent parameters.

Just curious if you have any data like "Climbers got [X] feet away, or were [Y] pitches below a nest and parents abandoned it."

I'm sure plastic ingestion has reared its ugly head once or twice...

Like I say, if you say stay away, I say yay okay.

[NOAL]

Closures are good for humans too.  Especially if you like your scalp attached to your head.

[Zay]

Closures are good for humans too.  Especially if you like your scalp attached to your head.

I don't understand, are u saying a bird is going to scalp me? Or somebody else is going to scalp me for violating a closure? Is this a threat for asking my question? I feel threatened.

[NOAL]

.  Leading while having an angry bird attack you is no fun. 

[Brad Young]

I don't understand, are u saying a bird is going to scalp me? Or somebody else is going to scalp me for violating a closure? Is this a threat for asking my question? I feel threatened.

 

[JC w KC redux]

I can understand Zay's concern - especially since Noal is advertising field surgery services. 

[JC w KC redux]

Gavin,
Just curious, and not that I would ever even think to test or risk anything, but do you have data or experience regarding buman disturbance and failed nesting for condors / peregrines?
I'm sure each species tollerates diffetent parameters.

I heard some condors have been spotted drinking beer and smoking cigarettes while watching climbers.

[Gavin]

Zay -

The closures were instituted originally in the mid 1980s after climbers at Balconies passed by an active golden eagle nest. The golden eagles abandoned the site and the nest failed. Golden eagles haven't nested at Balconies - and generally at any cliffs with climbing routes in the park - since then.

There are a few issues with climbers getting near nesting sites for falcons or condors. The disturbance often flushes the adults from incubating eggs / nestlings, or prevents the adults from foraging for food to feed developing nestlings (while they're focusing on alarm calling and diving at intruding climbers). Basically more time away from the nest sites increases the likelihood of nest failure. Repeated climber disturbances of nesting falcons or condors can also alert potential predators to the locations of the nest sites, leading to higher probabilities of ravens eating eggs or young nestlings, for example.

Different falcon and condor pairs have different tolerances for human presence, but I try to set closure boundaries for raptors based on what I actually observe each season, and modify them after conducting surveys to determine where falcons are defending areas they perceive as their territories. The closures I put in effect are overall much more selective than most other areas with nesting raptors - I'm sure you've noticed blanket closures in many other climbing areas where peregrine falcons and other species are nesting. Pinnacles is rather unique in that closure areas are much more specific.

The closure model is based on many peer-reviewed published research articles over the past several decades. There is some variety in regards to recommendations but generally closure protocols call for buffer zones of 1000 feet to a half mile depending on the location and agency managers involved. Again, Pinnacles closures are much more limited in this regard than a lot of those in effect in other areas.

[Zay]

Gavin,

Thank you for taking the time to respond, and so thoroughly. Like I said, in no way does my inquiry intend to question or test the closures. One of the many reasons I appreciate Pinnacles climbing culture is the fact that I can so readily engage its key players, biologists included.

Thank you for everything you do.

I read somewhere that the California Condor Population (roughly 350) has actually dropped by 20 since last year (most likely due to persistant lead toxicity). Any comment on that? Thats devastating news.

[JC w KC redux]

^^^
A dozen were killed by fire.

[JC w KC redux]

^^^
I prefer my condor poached or slow baked but evidently some like the taste of flame broiled.

Too soon?

I say we lobby for an end to climbing at Pinnacles and let the birds have it.

Climbing is a silly, selfish pursuit and so many of the routes are "for the birds" anyway.

Just take a hike, enjoy the scenery and go eat some good Mexican food in Soledad.

[Gavin]

Zay -

Lead toxicosis form ingestion of spent lead ammunition continues to be the primary threat to condors, but as JC stated the fires that burned through Big Sur also took a major toll and definitely contributed to deaths. There are other risk factors as well, but those are the main ones that have impacted population levels most recently.

[mungeclimber]

Gavin,

Does the Pinnacles closure data ever get incorporated into other management agencies findings/planning/EIS, etc?
And does it ever have a salutary value to opening other climbing areas either with reduced time per closure or reduced area of closures?

1000 feet is massive. Hopefully that's at least the diameter and not the radius length generally.

thx,
Rob