Climbers in Utah have been urged to take care on the mountains to avoid raptors as they return to crags and cliffsides to nest.
In the coming months, several raptor species will return to Indian Creek, in southwest Utah to build nests and nurture their young on ledges, cliffs, and rock walls.
The Bureau of Land Management, which oversees the area, has warned climbers to steer clear.
“Falcons, eagles and hawks return annually to nest on cliffs and rock walls, and human disturbance can jeopardize their success,” said a statement from the BLM.
“Notices have been posted, and climbers should refer to BLM’s raptor protection map to identify avoidance areas.”
Indian Creek is very popular throughout the year, and loved by climbers of all abilities for its high concentration of sandstone cracks and challenging climbing routes.
The BLM has named the following climbing routes as areas of high potential nesting activity, to be avoided at all times:
- The Wall
- Far Side
- The Meat Walls
- Cliffs of Insanity
- Public Service Wall
- Disappointment Cliffs
- Fin Wall
- Broken Tooth
- Cat Wall
- Slug Wall
- Reservoir Wall
- Critic’s Choice
Reckless climbing can have dire consequences for nesting birds.
At Yosemite National Park, human interference from climbers and the use of harmful pesticides all but wiped out the native peregrine falcon population, which is only now beginning to recover.
In that case, several popular climbing routes up Yosemite's El Capitan mountain had to be closed while population numbers recovered. There are now at least 17 peregrine breeding pairs on El Capitan compared to just eight in 2009.
- The best climbing shoes: get a grip both indoors and out
- The best hiking hats: cozy beanies for mountains and sun hats for warmer days
