New York officials have closed eight popular rock climbing areas in the Adirondacks to protect nesting peregrine falcons.
The New York Department of Environmental Conservation announced the closures were effective as of April 1.
Such closures happen annually throughout the Northeast. In March, Vermont closed 13 cliffs to climbing and hiking due to peregrine falcons. Acadia National Park also closed several areas of the park beginning March 1 to protect falcons.
The closures are done to provide peregrine falcons with adequate space for nesting and protect them from inadvertent human disturbance or harassment during the nesting period.
Each spring, DEC closes whole or large portions of cliffs where peregrine falcons have regularly nested. This allows them to choose a nesting site without being troubled by climbing activity.
Falcons often choose a site quickly and begin nesting earlier than when the cliffs were subject to climbing activities. Climbers benefit because an earlier nesting start results in an earlier fledging, which leads to closed routes being re-opened sooner.
The following is information on closed climbing areas in the Adirondacks as of April 10.
Chapel Pond
All routes on the Upper Washbowl Cliffs are closed.
All routes on the Lower Washbowl Cliffs are closed.
All routes on the Spider’s Web remain open.
Wilmington Notch
All routes on the following areas are closed:
- Moss Cliff
- Ausable Arete
- Au Sable Buttress
All other sections (i.e. Sportsmans Crag/Notch Mountain) remain open.
Poke-O-Moonshine
All routes on the Main Face are closed, with the exception of the following routes, which remain OPEN:
- Opposition
- Goat’s Foot on Rock
- High and Dry
- Bushmaster
- Big Buddha
- Bushido
- Pearly Gates
- Kaibob
- Battle Creel
- Static Cling
- Certified Raw
- Air Male
- Son of a Mother
- Phase III
- Bastard
- Ladder
- Puppies on Edge
- Hang’em High
- Group Therapy
- Adonis
- Pandemonium
- Discord
- A Womb with a View
All other areas on Poke-O-Moonshine Mountain remain open.
Crane Mountain
All routes on the Amphitheater section of the Black Arches Wall are closed.
Additionally, the following routes on the Main Wall are closed:
- Torcher
- Eating Tripe and Lichen It
All other routes on Crane Mountain remain open.
Shelving Rock Mountain
All routes are closed on the Neanderthal Wall and the following routes on the Main Wall are closed:
- Shake and Bake
- Stake and Cake
- Wake and Bake
- Princess Bride
All other routes on Shelving Rock Mountain remain open.
Sleeping Beauty Mountain
All routes are closed.
Rogers Rock
All routes on the Campground Wall and Cove Wall are closed.
All routes on Rogers Slide and Jolly Roger Slab remain open.
Potash Mountain
All routes are closed.
Once peregrine falcon eyries are determined, narrower closures will come into effect.
To report any aggressive behavior or have questions, contact the Bureau of Wildlife at (518)-623-1240.
