Mt. Erie Falcon Closure

[mattp]

The Department of Fish and Wildlife has asked the City of Anacortes to protect a falcon nest on Skyline Rib or Skyline Arete. There may be signs indicating a closure; meanwile please climb elsewhere and move on if the falcons demonstrate defensive or territorial behavior.

 

The City contacted the Washington Climbers Coalition on 5/15/08. We'll add more information when we can.

[woodchips]

Here's a copy of the email forwarded to me via the Skagit Alpine Club:

 

Hello,

 

 

 

The City has received a request from the Department of Fish and Wildlife to help protect a peregrine falcon nest on Mt. Erie. The birds appear have built a nest and are incubating eggs at a site on Skyline Rib or Skyline Arete (an area north of the main wall and south of the cirque). We are asking climbers and scramblers to avoid this area while we review the situation.

 

 

 

With nice weather expected this weekend we would like to help get the word out to as many people as possible. Staff will post information at Mt. Erie and hopefully a map or photo showing the general area where the falcons are nesting.

 

 

 

We could use your help. Please forward this information to climbers or scramblers you know. I have attached a letter from Fish and Wildlife with this email.

 

 

 

If you are climbing on Mt. Erie and the falcons demonstrate defensive or territorial behavior, please refrain from climbing in those areas. It would also be very helpful if you could report where you were if this happens so Fish and Wildlife can better understand the falcon's territory.

 

 

 

I acknowledge that this is a difficult situation especially with the beginning of climbing season and given comments we heard during our public meetings regarding the Forest Lands planning process that people are concerned the City is trying to restrict access on Mt. Erie.

 

 

 

Our goal is to try and balance the needs of recreation and the environment. Simply put, we want to keep the falcons from abandoning their nest while keeping as many climbing areas open on the mountain.

 

 

 

I will stay in touch and would appreciate your feedback. Thanks, Jonn

 

 

 

 

 

Jonn Lunsford

 

Anacortes Parks & Recreation

 

360-299-1953

[StreetBoss]

Thanks for the info guys, I was going to take the family climbing there this weekend. We'll choose somewhere else.

 

 

[mattp]

They're not saying to stay away from Mt. Erie. As far as I can tell, they have not quite figured out what may be closed but you should be OK at the main wall or the upper wall.

[mattp]

[Jens]

Man, the falcon numbers have exploded, what happened to that downgrading of the status that was talked about on the news last year?

 

I've observed falcons at three more very popular crags this year that have never seen falcons before to my knowledge.

 

I'm an environmentalist, but the biologists say that the numbers have exploded! I'll stay away and play by the rules, but what is the science behind all the protections that were put in place during the days of DDT?

 

Our best trad climbing in Washington (Midnight Rock in Leavenworth) effectively has a couple of month season (subtracting the hot months)

flame away and call me an animal hater. I'm not.

[denalidave]

I know many of us here on the west end are counting the days till Beacon opens up... closed for the same reason. Oh well, I guess we deal with it and clip bolts in the off season.

[ivan]

every minute birdie squats on big ledge he gets stronger, and every minute i clip bolts at ozone i get weaker...birdie don't get much r'n'r - he's nesting too deep or flying too fast - his idea of r'n'r is a bowl of pigeon or maybe a little cold swallow meat - he has only two ways home: death or victory!

[Joe_Poulton]

I just got copies of a rec draft plan for Mount Erie if any one wants a copy pm me.

 

Anacortes Parks and Recreation

Comprehensive Plan & Anacortes

 

Community Forest Lands Management

 

Plan Schedules

 

Action Step Proposed Date

 

City Council Study Session March 23, 2009

Public Meeting w/Planning Commission April 22, 2009

Public Meeting w/Planning Commission May 13, 2009

City Council - First Meeting June 1, 2009

City Council - Final Meeting and adoption June 15, 2009

 

This part kinda sucks for guides and rec parties of more than 25:

 

"Recreational groups of more than 25 people on Mt. Erie shall apply for a permit from the Parks and Recreation Department. Instructional climbing groups of any size shall

contact the Parks and Recreation Department to discuss plans and size of their group.

They must sign the City’s hold harmless agreement, and provide proof of liability

insurance, participant waivers, date(s) of use, a dispersal plan for where they plan to

climb on the mountain, and a sanitation plan. Proposed climbing dates should be

submitted 3 months in advance to the Parks and Recreation Department.

Instructional groups shall have all paperwork submitted one week prior to use on the

mountain."

 

That's all I found so far...

[Guest Anonymous]

Oh darn, no more rec groups of 25 people, what a bummer. Has anyone other than someone in the mounties ben on a climbing trip with 25 people? At least they didn't put a limit on deviants with 24 sheep or more, then some of us may have been in real trouble.

Shapp

[AlpineK]

The WAC used to have some big group events on the upper crags.

[Choada_Boy]

Oh darn, no more rec groups of 25 people, what a bummer. Has anyone other than someone in the mounties ben on a climbing trip with 25 people? At least they didn't put a limit on deviants with 24 sheep or more, then some of us may have been in real trouble.

Shapp

 

There is some Jesus-themed horde that mobs the place on occasion, and I've seen the Mounties crawling all over the place, seemingly looking for any chance to practice yelling "ROCK!!" by kicking shit off the top of all the outcrops they infect.

[gearho]

Lots of groups use it. Mounties haven't been up there for 2 years now. Can't blame them for this either. It was a real suprise when they dropped the draft plan on all groups. Been trying to work with several groups who are limited by the restrictions that seem to be leading to an outright ban on climbing on Mt. Erie. Effectively it bans all groups at this point.

[Joe_Poulton]

Pasted from an email...for any who are near-by and can comment...

 

The Anacortes Parks and Recreation and Community Forest Lands draft plans are now online.

 

 

 

People will have an opportunity to comment on them at the Planning Commission and City Council meetings. Please see the proposed schedule at the link below for dates. Please note that the City Council Study Session set for March 23 will not be a time for comment as it is a study session intended only to brief the Council on the timelines for the plans.

 

 

 

Here is the link:

 

http://www.cityofanacortes.org/Parks/TopStories.asp?ID=66

[shapp]

I wonder if the proliferation of 25 foot tall bolted routes had anything to do with the bolting restrictions?

Shapp

[mattp]

I have not seen anywhere other than here on cc.com or in some private e-mails that the City intends to shut down climbing on Mt. Erie.

 

What I know is that they recently revised their closure area photo to allow climbing on the classic route "Zig Zag" after I sent them an E-Mail asking whether they had intended to close that route. The photo posted above has been revised slightly, but I don't have a jpg copy of the revision. I also have received e-mails from John Lundsford indicating that a broad closure of climbing on the south slope of Mt. Erie is not at all in the works.

 

Has anyone here got a serious handle on what may be intended?

 

(I'm not dismissing those who have posted previously but am asking for more information).