Climbing Closures
Closures for Peregrine Falcon Protection
March 1, 2014
The peregrine falcon is a fully protected species in California and a special status species in Yosemite due to its sensitivity to disturbance during the nesting season. To protect this species, the superintendent of Yosemite National Park is designating peregrine nesting cliffs as areas closed to visitor use, including climbing and slack-lining activities, until peregrine chicks have fledged and dispersed from those areas in 2014. By order of the superintendent of Yosemite National Park and under authority of Title 36, Code of Federal Regulations, Section 1.5(a) and Section (a)(1): The following areas are identified as cliffs closed to visitor use, including climbing activities, beginning March 1, 2014 and remaining in effect until July 15, 2014, or until further notice:
- Arch Rock Area – Lower Merced River Gorge. Closure includes all routes with the following exceptions: routes west of and including “Later” and northeast of and including “Juliette’s Flake” remain open.
- B.O.L.T. Wall – Immediately southwest of Leaning Tower. Closure includes all routes on the B.O.L.T. Wall.
- El Capitan, Southeast Face – Closure includes all big wall routes between and including “New Dawn,” “Reticent Wall,” “Wall of Early Morning Light,” and “Mescalito.” The first 10 pitches of the closed routes, from the base of El Capitan, remain open.
- El Capitan, Southwest Face – Closure includes all routes between and including "Aquarian Wall" east to "Cosmos." The closure also includes the portion of the "Thanksgiving Ledge" between "Aquarian Wall" to "Cosmos." All other portions of the "Thanksgiving Ledge" remain open. The Salathe Wall remains open.
- Hetch Hetchy – Closed area includes Wapama Cliff (immediately west of Wapama Falls).
- Medlicott Dome (Tuolumne Meadows) – Closure includes all routes between and including “Shambles” to “Bogey Meets Mr. Porcupine.”
- Middle Cathedral Rock – Closure includes “North Buttress,” “Direct North Buttress,” “Ho Chi Minh Trail,” and the Kat Walk. At the base, the first 5 pitches remain open.
- Rhombus Wall (above Ahwahnee Meadow) – Closure includes all routes west of “Super Slide” to the Ahwahnee Ramps, including all routes on the Rhombus Wall.
- The Rostrum (Lower Merced Canyon) – Closure includes “Super Nova” and extends west to all climbing routes on all sides of the Rostrum. The “Jungle Gym” area remains open. Slack-lining is prohibited at the summit and the top of the adjacent cliff.
- Yosemite Point – Closure includes all routes between and including “Yosemite Point Buttress” and Yosemite Point Southwest Face, “Min-Ne-Ah.” At the base, the first 5 pitches remain open.
The designation will remain in place until rescinded.
