By David Johnson
Zion National Park closed 10 climbing cliffs during prime climbing weather this week, yet most avid climbers say they are supportive.
Each year, from March 1 until May, Zion closes ten climbing cliffs to protect peregrine falcons as they breed.
Although this can infringe on plans during prime weather conditions, climbers say it is a fair trade to be able to climb during other times of the year and at other locations.
Bobby Goodman, a junior studying economics at BYU, said he understood the importance of closing the cliffs, but he was still disappointed. He said part of the disappointment is that students are in Utah primarily during the winter season.
“Its hard for students around here,” he said. “We like to go climb when the weather is good in the spring,”
Goodman said although he is disappointed that some of the climbing cliffs at Zion are closed during the spring, Utah is full of other great places to climb. He also said it made sense to him that Zion would try to protect the environment.
Like Goodman, other climbers say they understand the importance of protecting the environment.
Stacy Taniguchi, a professor of Recreation Management at BYU, said he felt that closing the cliffs each year has helped peregrine falcons to be removed from the endangered species list. He said cooperating with state parks such as Zion teaches climbers to be environmentally conscious.
“It allows climbers to express environmental responsibility because their playground is that environment,” he said. “All the way around, I think that it is a good thing for climbers to be responsible.”
Taniguchi said although the cliffs are closed for environmental reasons, they are not actually closed to climbers entirely.
The “Great White Throne,” which he said was the best climbing cliff at Zion, has areas on its face that are still open to climbers.
Ray O”Neil, a district ranger at Zion National Park, said most climbers are supportive of the annual closing.
“There is outstanding cooperation in the climbing community,” he said.
O”Neil, who has worked for the park for 10 years, said the park welcomes climbers, but requested they maintain a responsible attitude.
Climbers tend to climb in areas where the peregrine falcons reside, so climbers should remain alert to their surroundings, he said. Climbers can be adequately informed of their environmental surroundings by simply coming into the visitor”s center at the park, O”Neil said.
“If they check before they climb, that”s a plus for us,” he said.
The following cliffs closed to climbing beginning March 1 2006:
-Mount Kinesava
-Streaked Wall
-Sentinel
-Mountain of the Sun
-Great White Throne (beyond single and double-pitched climbs)
-Cable Mountain
-Isaac (in Court of the Patriarchs)
-North Twin Brother
-Middle -Fork of Taylor Creek
– The northeast buttress of Angel”s Landing
All other cliffs are open to climbing
(For comments, e-mail David Shane Johnson at )
