ST. GEORGE — Rock climbers are welcome back onto the sheer cliffs in Zion National Park after some areas were closed near the peregrine falcons’ nests.

The endangered bird’s eggs are very sensitive to any disturbance, whether from predators or humans, which they view as predators.

“Peregrine falcons are a migratory bird,” Zion National Park Wildlife Biologist Janice Stroud-Settles said. “So, every spring they come back to the same site, the same territory in Zion every year, and they start to look for a nest site. They are monogamous, so they mate for life.”

Peregrine falcons prefer to nest in the crevices on cliff faces between 25 -1,300 feet high, Stroud-Settle said. The steep crags, like Angels Landing, are nesting locations for peregrines to rear their chicks. Mating behavior is from early March to early May, and chicks leave the nest from late June through late July. The area closed March 1 before recently reopening.

“Rock climbers who are using that same terrain could be a threat to them,” Stroud-Settles said. “And if they are presented as enough of a threat, the birds could abandon that nest and leave the eggs and not nest again until the following year.”

These raptors are known for being one of the fastest animals because of their diving ability. When the bird makes its sharp dive after prey, it can reach speeds between 100 and 200 miles per hour within eight seconds.

Stroud-Settles said Zion National Park is home to 291 bird species. She encourages visitors who bring binoculars and long photographic lenses to view birds throughout the year. 

The peregrine falcons were listed as an endangered species in 1970 under the Endangered Species Act,  Stroud-Settles said. The cliffs of Zion National Park are home to breeding peregrine falcons each spring and summer.

After the U.S. ban on the pesticide DDT and captive breeding efforts, peregrine falcon numbers increased. The birds of prey were removed from the endangered species list in 1999. Currently, the peregrine falcons are still protected under the Migratory Bird Act. 

Cedar City canyoneer Ryan Rasmusson said it’s necessary to protect the birds and limit certain areas of the park from rock climbing, even if it’s not convenient for everyone.

 “I think that they should continue to do it, but I think it limits some people,” Rasmusson said. “Being local, we have a lot more flexibility. But it’s a bigger problem for people coming in from out of state, and it’s a big deal for them flying in and getting the permit.”

Rasmusson has seen visitation grow in Zion National Park over the years and urges people to plan in advance. A wilderness permit is required for technical rock climbing trips. 

He said canyoneering is more complicated than regular rock climbing. Canyoneering skills include route finding, rappelling, problem-solving, swimming and hiking. Rasmusson said visitors must register online for the advance lottery held for April through October trips into Left Fork (Subway) and Mystery Canyon.

According to the park’s website, online applications must be submitted two months before a planned trip. Also, applications are limited to one request per individual, per canyon, per month. Plus, a wilderness permit is required for all technical canyoneering trips. 

Rasmusson suggested that the park also put up temporary signs during the season that indicate some of the cliffs are closed to rock climbing. And visitors should be given updated fliers when they apply at the park for a permit in person. 

There are many canyons to explore in the park for beginners to experienced climbers. According to the Park’s website:

• Canyoneering permits are required for all canyons in Zion, requiring descending gear or ropes, single-day through-hikes of The Virgin River Narrows and all trips into the Left Fork of North Creek (The Subway).
• Wilderness areas are subject to natural forces such as wildfires, rockfalls, flash floods, and other related factors that may cause closures or changes to trip plans. An online reservation does not guarantee that a canyon or resource will be open at the time of the trip.
• The purpose of the wilderness permit is to protect resources, manage visitor encounter rates, and educate users on safety concerns and resource protection.
• Wilderness permits do not provide a safety net for park visitors. Visitors are responsible for their personal safety, making informed decisions, and managing individual and group behavior in the wilderness environment.

Stroud-Settles said that the local climbing community and other volunteers help the park monitor the raptors’ nesting activities. This year, volunteers spent 172 hours supporting the effort to keep tabs on the pairs of adult raptors at occupied nesting sites throughout the Park. Monitoring the nests helps this bird’s success, which is in recovery from endangered species status.

A new raptor closure guide has been added to the park’s website that is very detailed, Stroud-Settles said. The park is also working closely with the Zion Climbing Coalition. 

“The raptor guide is very detailed of exactly what is open and what is closed. It should hopefully answer any questions climbers would have,” Stroud-Settles said. “That was recently developed two years ago. Since we’ve done that, it’s been a massive improvement, and we’ve got a lot fewer questions from the climate community.”

The following cliffs have reopened to recreational climbing:

· Angels Landing, Cable Mountain, The Great White Throne

· Isaac (in Court of the Patriarchs)

· The Sentinel

· Mountain of the Sun

· North Twin Brother

· Tunnel Wall

· The East Temple

· Mount Spry

· The Streaked Wall

· Mount Kinesava

· Middle Fork of Taylor Creek

Zion National Park Superintendent Jeff Bradybaugh said that the park depends upon visitors to help protect the landscapes, plants, animals, and history that make Zion Park special. 

 “We want to recognize and thank the climbing community for their willingness to work with park rangers and researchers to protect these sensitive nesting areas,” Bradybaugh said in a press release.

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