Boise Climbers Alliance:
The Boise Climbers Alliance now has its own website. Please visit www.boiseclimbers.org for current BCA info.
You can receive immediate news about BCA projects and events by submitting your e-mail address to the BCA's e-mail list. Just send your e-mail address to postmaster@boiseclimbers.org and ask to be placed on the list.
From : Michael Lanza
Subject : Black Cliffs closures lifted
Date : Tue, 6 May 2003
Hello, I just received confirmation from Fish and Game that there are no golden eagle or prairie falcon nests established at the Black Cliffs this spring, which means the voluntary closures are lifted on all routes there. We will be removing buffer zone signs as soon as possible. But don't worry about seeing any signs there now; everything is open. We realize climbers have been waiting for word on the voluntary closures and we're sorry it has taken this long to get an answer. We have to rely on Fish and Game to give us the green light, and they only recently got some bird experts out there and got a response to me. Thanks for your patience.
Mike Lanza
Boise Climbers Alliance
From: Michael Lanza
Subject: Boise Climbers open house, Mike Libecki slide show
Date: Mon, 17 Mar 2003
Mike Libecki slide show and open house for local climbers, April 24
The Boise Climbers Alliance and the Northern Rockies Section of the American Alpine Club will host an open house for anyone interested in being part of a local organization of climbers and backcountry skiers, on Thursday evening, April 24, from 7-9 p.m. at Idaho Mountain Touring at the corner of Main and 13th streets in downtown Boise.
The evening will feature a talk and slide show by the accomplished big-wall climber Mike Libecki. Admission is free; you're welcome to BYOB. Libecki will be selling tickets to raffle off hundreds of dollars in gear and clothing to raise money for the Access Fund.
Libecki's show is titled, "Year of the Horse Expeditions, 2002." A description follows:
Part One: Venezuela - Climbers in the Mist
In the spring of 2002, Mike Libecki teamed up with a couple friends on a most intense adventure. Their reality quickly turned into battling daily torrential rain, enduring humidity from hell, forging trails through some of the thickest jungle on the planet, and avoiding deadly scorpions, spiders, and snakes, just to climb some of the biggest sheer cliffs on Earth. The adventure served up many different and interesting experiences, including hanging out with the local Pemui Indians of Venezuela, some of the most unique flora and fauna in the world, the relentless work and suffering in such a hot and humid environment, difficulties between partners, and immaculate climbing. You will quickly see why Mike left all of his gear there so he could go back.
Part Two: East Greenland - A First Ascent Solo Fantasy
In the summer of 2002, Mike Libecki, alone, headed for Eastern Greenland once again just after returning from the jungles of Venezuela. His mission was to reconnoiter and hopefully find and climb unseen, completely virgin, huge world-class granite walls. After a 300+ mile boat ride through iceberg-laden seas, Mike spent weeks shuttling loads through serpentine glaciers, winding rivers, and fields of radiant flowers. All while warding off hungry polar bears, arctic fox, and swarming mosquitoes, so he could climb this spectacular granite tower. His slides will take you through the difficulties and rewards of the month-long solo climb, inside views of the local Greenlandic Inuit people, Inuit ghost towns, arctic storms, and amazing experiences in the harsh, iceberg-laden ocean. The quite unique and exhilarating wildlife and way of living in East Greenland will be shared through images that only the 24-hour arctic summer sunlight can provide.
Mike Libecki has earned a reputation as one of the most daring big-wall climbers and adventurers in the world, with numerous solos and first ascents in Greenland, Baffin Island, Madagascar, and China-some of them, as he puts it, "mostly cold, suffering aid lines." He has also made a solo trek across the Taklimakan desert in northwest China that took a month and a half.
Michael Lanza
Boise Climbers Alliance
433-8652
From: Michael Lanza
Subject: Black Cliffs Postings
Date: Fri, 14 Mar 2003
Hello Boise Climbers Alliance members,
The Boise Climbers Alliance, with the support of the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, has once again posted buffer-zone signs at the Black Cliffs in historical nesting areas for raptors, including prairie falcons and golden eagles. The BCA asks that climbers voluntarily avoid routes in the vicinity of the buffer-zone signs while those signs remain up. There are also signs at Black Cliffs trailheads explaining the raptor-protection plan.
The affected areas are: the very back of Car Body Canyon, Nixon Head, Highway Face, Face Canyon, Scary Canyon, and Wailing Wall.
Areas not affected (and open to climbing) are: much of Car Body Canyon (West and East), the Short, Mid, and Tall Cliffs, The Fringe, and Populace Wall.
The voluntary closure of routes in the vicinity of buffer-zone signs is intended to protect nesting sites for golden eagles and prairie falcons, both of which are protected under the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act. The signs go up in February, at the beginning of the nesting season. By early April, Fish and Game will identify where raptors have established nests this season. In areas where no nesting has occurred by early April, buffer-zone signs will be removed, and the voluntary closure will be lifted from those areas. Buffer-zone signs in areas where raptors are nesting will remain up, and those areas will remain under voluntary closure until the end of the nesting season in late June.
We will announce in early April those areas that are reopened and those that will remain under voluntary closure through June.
The BCA formed in 1999 in response to concerns raised in the local media about climbers at the Black Cliffs inadvertently chasing away nesting raptors due to our activities there. Dozens of local climbers attended a series of meetings to discuss what to do about the situation; those meetings led to the formation of the BCA and to this ongoing plan, which was worked out with Fish and Game after researching raptor-nesting patterns.
While no one likes to face restrictions on our climbing, we hope everyone will respect the closures, not only in hopes of seeing raptors at the Black Cliffs, but because if Fish and Game determines that climbing is having too great an impact on the raptors, it could exercise the authority to impose restrictions of its choosing on climbing at the Black Cliffs. We think it's in our interest to work with the management agency.
While posting the signs this winter, we noticed some of our signposts had
been knocked down. If the people responsible for that are climbers unhappy about
the signs, we'd like to remind them that this program came about because many
local climbers supported it. If you think there's a better solution, let us
know. Knocking down signs solves nothing.
From: Michael Lanza
Sent: Tuesday, May 14, 2002
Subject: notice
A seasonal, voluntary closure of some rock climbing routes at the Black Cliffs
area along the Boise River east of Boise has been lifted, according to Boise
Climbers Alliance President Mike Lanza.
For the third straight year, the BCA and the Idaho Department of Fish and Game
posted "buffer zone" signs last February at the Black Cliffs, asking
rock climbers to avoid routes that are in historical nesting areas for prairie
falcons and golden eagles. The Department of Fish and Game confirmed that there
were no established prairie falcon or golden eagle nests nearing climbing areas
this spring, according to Lanza, so BCA volunteers have removed those
"buffer zone" signs. Signs explaining the raptor-protection program
remain posted at Black Cliffs trailheads.
The voluntary closure of routes between "buffer zone" signs is
intended to protect nesting sites for golden eagles and prairie falcons, both of
which are protected under the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act. The signs go up
every year in early February, at the beginning of the nesting season. By April,
the Fish and Game department identifies if and where raptors have established
nests. Signs in areas where raptors have nested remain up until late June. Signs
in areas where no nesting has occurred are removed and the voluntary closure is
lifted in those areas.
The BCA encourages all climbers to respect the voluntary closures at the Black
Cliffs. For information, contact Mike Lanza at 433-8652, mlanza@velocitus.net.
If you know of any other climbers who may not have seen this message, please
forward it to them and encourage them to contact Mike to be put on the email
list. Thanks.
From: Michael Lanza
Subject: Signs are up
Date: February 26, 2002
The Boise Climbers Alliance, with the support of the Idaho
Department of Fish and Game, has again posted signs at the Black Cliffs asking
rock climbers to avoid routes that are in historical nesting areas for raptors,
including prairie falcons and golden eagles.
The voluntary closure of routes in the vicinity of
"buffer zone" signs is intended to protect nesting sites for golden
eagles and prairie falcons, both of which are protected under the federal
Migratory Bird Treaty Act. The signs go up every year in early February, at the
beginning of the nesting season. By early April, in conjunction with the Fish
and Game department, we will identify where raptors have established nests this
season. Signs in areas where raptors have nested will remain up, and those areas
will remain under voluntary closure until the close of the nesting season in
late June. Signs in areas where no nesting has occurred will be removed and the
voluntary closure will be lifted from those areas.
The BCA encourages all climbers to respect the voluntary
closure for the sake of the raptors and to head off attempts by management
agencies to impose tighter restrictions on climbing at the Black Cliffs.
For information, call or email Mike Lanza, president, Boise
Climbers Alliance, 433-8652, mlanza@velocitus.net.
From: Michael Lanza
Subject: new Black Cliffs update Date: Wednesday, May 09, 2001 8:18 AM
Hi,
I just received an updated report from our bird-watching expert, who
says he spent a few hours at the cliffs yesterday watching the nest at
Highway Face, and decided it has been vacated. So, there will be no
voluntary restrictions on climbing at Highway Face, or Face Canyon, or
anywhere else at the Black Cliffs for the rest of this year.
Thanks for your patience and cooperation. Climb on.
Mike Lanza Boise Climbers Alliance
From: Michael Lanza Subject: Black Cliffs update Date: Tuesday, May 08, 2001 4:13 PM
Hello,
We've reached the time of year when the Boise Climbers Alliance and
Idaho Department of Fish and Game identify existing raptor nests at the
Black Cliffs and lift voluntary closures of routes in areas where there
are no nests. This spring, there's just one confirmed occupied golden eagle
nest, on the Highway Face section of the cliff. Two nests are visible, near
each other, but only one appears to be occupied by nesting goldens. The are
so close together that even if both were occupied, the effect on climbing
would be the same, as follows: The Boise Climbers Alliance is asking all
climbers to respect a voluntary closure of all routes in the vicinity of
this nest, that is, all routes east of (but not including) Car Body Canyon
and west of (but not including) Scary Canyon. This voluntary closure will
remain in place until the end of June, which is the end of the nesting
season, at which time all routes at the Black Cliffs will be open. BCA
volunteers will go out to the Black Cliffs soon to remove climbing-route
closure signs in all areas where there are no nests. If you encounter any
of those signs in coming days, in any locations but the closed areas listed
above (between Car Body and Scary), you can disregard them. Those signs are
posted at the start of the nesting season, in early February, only in places
where golden eagles and prairie falcons have been known to nest in past
years. Once we identify where raptors have actually established nests, we
remove the signs from areas that have no nests. Signs that offer some
information about this program remain up at trailheads year-round. As you
probably know, this is all part of the plan worked out by the Boise Climbers
Alliance and Idaho Department of Fish and Game to protect climbing access
and nesting raptors at the Black Cliffs. We hope you'll respect the minor
restrictions on climbing, and we believe this plan will ultimately help
preserve climbing at the Black Cliffs. Anyone interested in more information
about this plan, or an electronic copy of it, can call or email me.
Michael Lanza Boise Climbers Alliance
Subject: Signs of the times
Date: Sun, 11 Feb 2001 09:13:34 -0700
From: "Michael Lanza" <mlanza@micron.net>
Hi everyone,
With several people lending a hand on Saturday morning, we installed the
buffer zone signs delineating the areas of voluntary climbing closures at
the Black Cliffs. Thanks to everyone who showed up in snow and cold wind to
help out. In case you're wondering, no one went climbing after we finished
putting in the signs.
From Feb. 15 through April 1, the Boise Climbers Alliance and Idaho
Dept. of Fish and Game request that climbers voluntarily avoid climbing
routes in the following areas where raptors are known to have established
nests in past years, and may be occupying nests currently: Nixon Head, the
Wailing Wall, Scary Canyon, Highway Face, and the very back of Car Body
Canyon. The nesting season begins in February and continues through the
spring, so this is the time to avoid going near potential nesting sites.
Buffer zone signs are posted in all of those areas.
After April 1, the location of actual nests established between now and
then will be determined, and buffer zone signs will be removed (or covered
over) in those areas where there are no nests. Signs will remain posted near
established nests until June 30, after which everything is open.
Thanks to everyone who respects the voluntary closures. We hope this
plan will prevent any attempts by land managers to further restrict climbing
at the Black Cliffs.
Mike Lanza Boise Climbers Alliance 433-8652
Michael Lanza <mlanza@micron.net>
Subject: posting signs at the Black Cliffs Date: Wed, 31 Jan 2001 08:38:24 -0700 From: "Michael Lanza" <mlanza@micron.net>
Hi there,
The Boise Climbers Alliance is looking for volunteers to help install
signs at the Black Cliffs for the raptor nesting season. In accordance with
the BCA's plan for voluntary closure of climbing routes in sensitive areas
of the Black Cliffs to protect raptors, we're planning to install signs on
Sat., Feb. 10, beginning at 10 a.m. We'll meet in the parking area across
Route 21 from the Diversion Dam.
If you can help us out, please send me a response to this email, and
plan to meet us next Saturday at 10 a.m.
Last winter was the first season of our voluntary closure plan.
Essentially, it consists of asking climbers to voluntarily avoid posted
areas from Feb. 1 through April 1, during which time raptors are known to
establish nests on the cliffs. As of April 1, we will establish the sites of
existing nests, and keep those areas posted unless June 30, while removing
signs in areas where no nests are established. After June 30, all voluntary
closures will be lifted.
If you'd like an electronic copy of the BCA's raptor-protection plan,
email me and I'll send one.
Thanks for your cooperation.
Mike Lanza Boise Climbers Alliance
Subject: public meeting on climbing resource Date: Thu, 7 Dec 2000 13:56:57 -0700 From: "Michael Lanza" <mlanza@micron.net>
For anyone interested,
A public comment meeting on a management plan for 8,000 acres of land
on the north rim of the Snake River near Twin Falls, which includes some
climbing routes, will be held by the BLM this Monday, Dec. 11, from 3-8 pm
in the Taylor Building, room 277, at the College of Idaho in Twin Falls.
You can show up anytime during the meeting to comment on four alternative
management plans being devised for that area. An identical meeting is also
scheduled for Tuesday, same time, at the Jerome Fairgrounds.
For info, call Debbie Kovar, 208-886-7201.
Mike Lanza Boise Climbers Alliance
Subject: Black Cliffs clean-up and gear-demo day Date: Wed, 13 Sep 2000 11:07:11 -0600 From: "Michael Lanza" <mlanza@micron.net>
Hello climbers, The Boise Climbers Alliance has put together plans for a Black Cliffs Clean-up and Gear Demo Day, Saturday, Oct. 14, beginning at 9 a.m. Some of you have already expressed interest in participating; we hope others can come out and lend a hand picking up trash and check out some demo climbing gear. We'll gather in the flat area below the Tall Cliffs, above the dirt parking lot for the Tall Cliffs on Route 21 westbound, and hang out most of the day. Several climbing-gear manufacturers will provide demo gear to check out free at the cliffs that day. In conjunction with the clean-up and demo day, the BCA and The Benchmark will host a Denali Expedition Slide Show, Saturday, Oct. 14, 7 p.m., at The Benchmark, 625 S. Vista. The slide show will be given by Boise local Ryan Waite, who with his partner, Joe Florko, climbed Denali via the West Buttress this past May-June. The show is free and open to the public. We'll be posting flyers about the clean-up day around town. For more info or to help out, call or email me. Hope to see you there.
Mike Lanza Boise Climbers Alliance 208-433-8652
Subject: Boise Climbers Alliance clean-up day Date: Fri, 18 Aug 2000 12:33:29 -0600 From: "Michael Lanza"
Hello,
Based on the response to my last email, we've decided to hold our Black
Cliffs clean-up and gear-demo day on Saturday, Oct. 14, starting at 9 a.m.
With the help of Jim Cole at The Benchmark, we've lined up several climbing
gear manufacturers who have promised demo gear and giveaways, and the Boise
REI has promised raffle prizes. More information will be forthcoming soon
about the event. Anyone interested in helping out can contact me.
Thanks to everyone who expressed support for the event. Spread the word
to other climbers you know about it, we hope to get a strong turnout and
have a fun day.
Mike Lanza Boise Climbers Alliance mlanza@micron.net
Subject: Boise Climbers Alliance event Date: Tue, 15 Aug 2000 12:49:40 -0600 From: "Michael Lanza"
Greetings,
The Boise Climbers Alliance is in the early stages of planning a
possible clean-up and gear demo day at the Black Cliffs for a Saturday in
September or October. We may also try to line up a climbing slide show for
an evening that same weekend.
Before we schedule anything, though, we'd like to get a sense of whether
enough people are interested to justify it, in particular because we'd be
asking climbing-gear manufacturers to donate demo gear and possibly some
giveaways. We got a very low turnout at the Climbers Rendezvous we held at
the City of Rocks Aug. 4-6, an event that had been well-publicized. If we
don't receive adequate interest in this Black Cliffs clean-up and demo day,
we naturally won't bother organizing it.
We've already received commitments from some manufacturers to provide
demo gear for such an event. We'd try to have some raffles and prizes
associated with the clean-up, and we'd ask you to spend some time picking
up trash in the area of the cliffs and along the road.
A couple of dates are under consideration: Sept. 9 and Oct. 14.
We'd like to know, first of all, who's interested in participating at
all; and secondly, if you're interested, which date you would prefer.
If you're interested, please send a response to this email, or call me
(below). Be sure to give me a name and phone number, too.
Thanks.
Mike Lanza Boise Climbers Alliance mlanza@micron.net
Subject: Boise Climbers Alliance newsletter Date: Wed, 12 Jul 2000 12:44:07 -0600 From: "Michael Lanza" <mlanza@micron.net>
Boise Climbers Alliance, July 12, 2000
Greetings,
This latest update of what's going on with the Boise Climbers Alliance begins with an announcement of a couple of fun weekends coming up.
The BCA is hosting a Climbers Rendezvous on the first weekend of August at the City of Rocks. We have reserved the group campsite at the Upper Breadloaves for Friday and Saturday night, Aug. 4 and 5. All climbers and their families are invited. We will collect $2 per person per night for the camping fee, and will give out campsites first-come. If we reach capacity, we'll unfortunately have to send late-comers to find their own campsite. The event will be a chance to climb,meet and mingle with other local climbers, and tell BCA board members what you think of the Black Cliffs raptor plan or any other climbing issue. The BCA isn't bringing food or beverage, so it's a BYO whatever you need. No RSVP is necessary,but if you could respond to this note if and when you know you're going to attend, it'll help us figure out how many people to expect. We hope to see you there.
We're also planning a clean-up and gear-demo day at the Black Cliffs for Saturday, Sept. 9, in connection with the Access Fund's national Adopt- a-Crag Day. Through some local retailers, we've already gotten commitments from some national climbing gear manufacturers to supply demo gear for us that day, and some schwag for raffle giveaways. More details will come later, but mark that date on your calendar.
In other news, we are still negotiating a Memorandum of Understanding with the Idaho Fish and Game Department and the Bureau of Reclamation, property owners and managers at the Black Cliffs, for our raptor and climbing protection plan. Anyone interested in details about that can contact me. Meanwhile, the February to June raptor nesting season has passed and all voluntary route closures are lifted-in case anyone feels like frying out there right now. If anyone has thoughts or suggestions about the signage at the Black Cliffs or the plan itself, please contact us.
Information about the Black Cliffs raptor plan and climbing routes is available at Sandy Epeldi's Web site, www.boiseclimbs.com.
The BCA's official address is 3076 Bonview Drive, Boise, ID 83712. Anyone interested in information about the BCA, or helping out in any way, is also welcome to contact me.
Have fun and be safe.
Mike Lanza President, Boise Climbers Alliance 433-8652, mlanza@micron.net
From: Michael Lanza Subject: Boise Climbers Alliance Date: Thu, 4 May 2000 16:03:21 -0600
Greetings,
You are receiving this letter because you have either signed up as a member of the Boise Climbers Alliance, or have requested information about our group. We began meeting just about a year ago in response to media coverage about the impact of rock climbers on nesting raptors, particularly golden eagles and prairie falcons, at the Black Cliffs. Since that time, as many of you know, we have put together a plan for protecting the raptors and maintaining climbing access at the cliffs. The centerpiece of the plan is a voluntary closure of known nesting areas during the spring nesting season. Anyone interested in a copy of that full plan can contact me for it. We are also distributing flyers with specific closure information to gear shops and other spots around town.
In early April, Bob Moseley of the BCA and the Idaho Fish and Game Department's Bruce Haak identified two nests, in the Nixon Head and Wailing Wall areas. Under our plan, climbing routes in those areas will remain under the voluntary closure through June 30. All other climbing areas are open. We hope everyone will respect the voluntary closure and urge other climbers to do so as well. The BCA's Derek Stone and Sandy Epeldi have removed buffer zone signs from all other areas that had been closed prior to April 1.
You can also find some information about Black Cliffs closures and routes at Sandy Epeldi's Web site, www.boiseclimbs.com.
We have other news to report.
The Access Fund approved a grant of $1,800 for the BCA this winter, much of which was spent on the signs, posts, etc., for the Black Cliffs. The BCA has a remaining balance of $698.43. The board is working on how to best spend that remaining money. One proposal is to camouflage paint bolts at the cliffs.
We are looking into grants through REI.
We are near to finalizing a Memorandum of Understanding with Idaho Fish and Game Department and the Bureau of Reclamation, property owners and managers at the Black Cliffs, for our raptor and climbing protection plan. Rob Sterling is working on that.
Rob Sterling resigned as president of the BCA board, though he intends to remain active with the BCA. The board elected me as president and Amy Kleiner as secretary.
Some BCA members, myself included (as regional rep for the Access Fund), have been following closely developments with the Castle Rock Ranch land deal next to the City of Rocks. At this point, S. 1705, the Castle Rock Acquisition Act of 1999, has passed the U.S. Senate, and is now awaiting passage in the House. If you'd like to comment on the bill, write to U.S. Rep. Mike Simpson, 1440 Longworth House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515-1202.
On the fun side, BCA board members Doug Colwell and Jason Kreizenbeck are organizing a cleanup day/demo day for May 20 at Table Rock. We're hoping to have demo climbing gear on hand. Everyone, including climbers who are non-BCA members, and non-climbers, is invited to lend a hand and check out some new toys. We'll be distributing more detailed information about that event soon.
I have been in touch with the Access Fund about its plans for a national crags cleanup day on Sept. 9. We hope to participate with a cleanup at the Black Cliffs on that date. More info will be coming later about that.
The BCA's official address is 3076 Bonview Drive, Boise, ID 83712. But anyone interested in information about the BCA, or helping out in any way, is also encouraged to contact any board member, or just respond to this email. We'd like to generate more interest in BCA activities, both social activities and the grunt work that's part of maintaining access to our cliffs. To put it bluntly, we need more bodies. Get in touch with us and offer whatever time and effort you can afford.
Have fun and be safe.
Mike Lanza
President, Boise Climbers Alliance
433-8652, mlanza@micron.net
Subject: Black Cliffs signs
Date: Wed, 19 Apr 2000 15:09:36 -0600
From: mlanza
To: "Derek Stone"
"Sandy Epeldi" <smepeldi@netzero.net>
Derek and Sandy,
...It's past time to remove those signs in areas that no longer need to
be closed. Our understanding from Bob and Bruce's visit earlier this month
is that only the Wailing Wall and Nixon Head need to remain closed through
June 30. Thus, the buffer signs in all other areas can be taken down...
Thanks.
Mike
Subject: Raptor Awareness Date: Thu, 30 Mar 2000 19:07:20 -0700
BCA members,
Please be advised that nesting raptors have been observed in the Wailing Wall and Nixon Head area. Buffer zone restrictions will remain in effect through June 30 for climbs in these areas. Please respect the Buffer Zone signs and encourage your fellow climbers to do the same. A lot of you have put in some hard work over the last few months on this program. This is where the rubber meets the road. If we are to continue enjoying the Black Cliffs as a climbing resource we have to respect and protect the nesting raptors.
Below you can find Bob Mosely's report on the survey he conducted with Bruce Haak, Idaho Fish & Game.
It has been a while since I have sent out any communications (for a lot of reasons). We are working on getting a combined meeting and event scheduled within the next month or so. Expect to hear some more on that in a few weeks.
Thanks to all of those who have put in so many hours on this project. Climb safe!
Rob
-----Original Message----- From: Bob Moseley Sent: Thursday, March 30, 2000 9:20 AM
Subject: raptor scene
Rob,
Bruce and I spent a couple of hours at the cliffs yesterday morning and here's what we saw:
Wailing Wall area - the golden eagles are incubating eggs on the nest above Mental Block. Bruce told me that a local birder, who keeps track of the raptors nesting in the canyon, told him they probably started incubating around March 7.
Nixon Head - The prairie falcons are pretty active here. They nest somewhat later than the eagles, but it appeared that there was a bird on the nest. It's hard to tell because the nest is back in a cave and hard to see well with a spotting scope from the across the river in the Car Body parking lot.
However, there is a bird (probably the male) patrolling around Nixon Head in front of the nest site and we heard vocalizations that indicate that they
are making whoopy. So, we should assume that nesting activity is taking place.
We didn't check out any of the owl or kestrel sites, but did look at the redtail nests near Face Canyon - Highway Face. No activity seen.
We did see a redtail on a nest on the south side of the canyon, on the lower
cliff band between the diversion dam and Hwy 21. I think there are some climbs on the upstream end of this band but probably not near the nest(I forget what the place is called, I don't have the supplement with me). Bottomline - this is no big deal, just something to keep track of in the future.
So, the buffer-zone restrictions at Wailing Wall and Nixon Head should remain in effect until June 30.
By the way, Bruce saw the trailhead signs for the first time and was very impressed. We didn't get up to see the buffer zone signs.
Cheers,
Bob ______________________________________________________
