JosephH

================================================= Beacon Rock Update - 6/19/06 - BEACON IS OPEN!!!! ================================================= Beacon Rock Early Opening Beacon Rock is open as of today...!!! After a a couple of months of fantastic cooperative effort by Washington Dept. of Fish and Wildlife [WDFW] (David Anderson / Raptor Management Plans), Washington State Parks [WSP] (Lisa Lantz / SW Resource Steward), and the Beacon Rock State Park staff [bRSP] (Erik Plunkett, John Ernster, Breanne Jordan, Gabe Bailey) we are open almost a month early. This past Thursday through Sunday was a particularly strong push by everyone involved to make this early opening possible. The short story is a whole lot of folks, especially all of those above, went way out of their way and above the call of duty to contribute their time and effort to make this all possible. So what can you do to contribute now that Beacon is open? Well, the South face is now cleared of all significant threats of rockfall but the trail at the base looks like a war zone from the combination of the New Year's rock fall and our day-long trundling session. All in all several tons of rock came down. What would be a great help is if everyone who goes out could just pick and clear a short stretch of the base trail when you go out. If everyone would do this we'd have it back to normal in a week or two. For a long version events and the gory details read on... Timeline of 2006 events: * Feb 1st / Climbing closure per the Peregrine Management Plan - Closure in Febuary, March, and Early April insures there are no external influences on the Peregrine's choice of the location of their scrape (nest). This is an imperative part of the plan as Peregrines are under much stress from mating and scrape competition such that they are highly sensitive to any of a myriad of influences relative to settling down onto a scrape to attempt to hatch and fledge young. Our not climbing during this period eliminates one controllable source in an otherwise highly stressful part of the Peregrine's mating / nesting cycle. * April 1st / Active monitoring of the Peregrines begins - Last year, for the first time, the Peregrines did not use their usual Big Ledge scrape. The two Raven's nests above the parking lot on the high East face were likewise unoccupied. But the Peregrines did likely fledge somewhere on Beacon last year as they were consistently present and active there on a daily basis and the South face base, ledges, and column tops were strewn with much evidence of predation in the form of discarded wing sets and large feather circles on column tops and ledges - both from birds they had killed and eaten. We do not know either why they did not use Big Ledge last year or where on the rock their scrape might have been. We do know that the survey of the Big Ledge scrape last year in early July found the scrape completely engulfed by Cheat Grass and it is possible that had some influence on the birds decision to not use it; but we don't know for sure. My own monitoring had me convinced they were successful on the high East face in 2005, but I could never prove it with consistent observations. But, regardless, they did fledge a chick successfully in 2005 and after observing a parent take the fledge out to teach it to hunt we opened last year's season about a week early. This year was a somewhat different story. Upwards of four Peregrines were active with courtship / pairing flight behavior in early April with a pair forming that attempted to nest on the Big Ledge scrape. Some time in early May David Anderson and other monitors observed that pair were no longer spending time on Big Ledge and in fact we now know the evidence from last Thursday's survey of the scrape was consistent with the pair abandoning the scrape about that time. Peregrines are known to sometimes require two attempts to fledge, at the same or a different location, so monitoring continued through May and early June in the hopes pinning down a second attempt. By early June, however, a pattern began to emerge of many sightings East of Beacon, often towards Hamilton Mountain. That, combined with less frequent perching and sightings around Beacon along with a complete lack of signs of predation along Beacon's South face base began to make it clear if the Peregrines managed a second attempt it wasn't taking place at Beacon. Coincidental to this, and for some unknown reason, the Ravens this year decided to return to their old nests high on the East face yielding a complete explosion of about a dozen young, manic, and incredibly noisy Ravens who completely dominate the East side of Beacon. Pretty much anything flying in their vicinity is fair game, lively entertainment, and mercilessly harassed. While not knowing if the Raven's presence this year made any difference to the Peregrines in general, there is some suspicion it may have kept them from considering a high East face scrape. * June 7th / Understanding this emerging pattern of observations could signal a possible early open the BRCA filed a plan with the BRSP for a second annual Pre-Opening Work Session for 2006 to clear both a decade's worth of accumulated rock on the Grassy Ledges and the strewn results of the New Year's rock fall from the SE corner ridge. Last year we had three fairly close calls of significant rock fall in the SE Corner base and Tunnel #1 vicinity while climbers were present. The situation changed from one of concern to one of alarm after the New Year's rock fall which further showered the Grassy Ledges and indeed the entire SE flank with a heavy load of shattered rock hanging above the start of the SE Corner route. * Thursday, June 15th / Armed with everyone's monitoring observations, David Anderson made the call that we should survey the Big Ledge scrape and based on what we brought back in the way of pictures, plant, and predation evidence he and Lisa Lantz gave WDFW's and WSP's approval for BRSP to authorize our 2006 Pre-Opening Work Session for the next day, Friday, June 16th. They further gave their permission to immediately rap down to the base of the SE corner ridge to survey the site of the New Year's rockfall to see if we were dealing with anything large enough to effect rail traffic. That was very important, because the railroad holds real power; it can and has fined the BRSP for interrupting rail traffic in the past. Had we found anything substantial, the railroad would have to be notified, the tracks closed, and railroad workers present during the work. All of which would be a big deal on a busy rail line and likely would have caused a long scheduling delay in our opening. Fortunately, no large threatening rocks were found in the survey, but a large quantity of earth mixed with rocks was found still hanging over the SE flank and the areas we wanted to clear debris from. * Friday, June 16th / The BRCA's Pre-Opening Work Sessions have several pre-requisites: a) Adequate BRSP staff has to be available to close the trail and monitor the overall effort b) A WSP or WDFW biologist has to be on hand for a pre-work survey and to observe in case some event (plant or animal) occurs that would curtail the remaining work c) BRCA must have someone to monitor both the climbers trail and the railroad tracks at all times Unfortunately neither David nor Lisa were available on Friday to observe, and it turned out the weather was lousy as well, so a full work session wouldn't have been possible regardless. Instead, the ever-intrepid Jim Opdycke and myself tackled the main SE ridge rock fall site rapping down the slick ridge slabs on a wet fixed line left from the survey the day before. We established working anchors for Saturday's main effort and after rigging up a fairly elaborate aerial bucket line we spent six hours clearing the earth and rocks from the main rockfall working downwards from the top in two inch slices filling approximately twenty five 5-gallon buckets of material along with relocating numerous large rocks. This material was not dropped down the South face but rather lined down back away from the edge and deposited in a secure location and manner on the slope above the East face. This work would allow Saturday's main work session to proceed without the need to first clear this large hanging threat. * Saturday, June 17th / Finally getting after it! We assembled an able work team consisting of Ranger John Ernster, Jim Opdycke, Ivan, Bill Coe, Jason Frick, myself, and brothers Kyle and Jeff (?). Erik Plunkett, the Head Ranger, graciously agreed to cover John's normal busy Park duties to allow him to work with us. But unfortunately our non-climbing trail / track observer didn't materialize causing us great concern about one of our crew having to observe instead. But on starting up the tourist trail we spotted Beacon old-timer Gordon Melz and a friend on the NW face and Gordon agreed to grab a radio and head down to the tracks with John to do the observing. Gordon's serendipitous contribution just can't be overstated and his help went a long, long way towards making the day as successful as it was. We split into two teams on the rock with Jim Opdycke's team of Ivan, Kyle, and Jeff tackling clearing the "Land of the Little People" ledge and starting work on the decade of accumulated rock on the Grassy Ledges. Our team of myself, Bill, and Jason made our way back up and down to the site of the New Year's rock fall at the base of the SE corner ridge and rapped down to set up shop at the top of Young Warrior's p4. From there the three of us rapped and cleared the entire SE flank of both new and accumulataed rock hazards. After a couple of hours both teams met up on the Grassy Ledges and joined forces. Kyle and Jason took on the gnarly job of clearing both the SE Corner chimney above and the "blackberry rock jam" off below the Grassy Ledges while the rest of us focused on clearing and grooming the Grassy Ledges proper. Unfortunately, a piece of the very first significant rock we tossed took out one of the railroad warning wires which resulted in all trains slowing to a crawl as they passed Beacon and delaying our work which stopped as they passed under us. This was a bit of a bummer but we needed the breaks to pace ourselves and eventually a guy showed up coming down the tracks in one of those convertible pickup trucks to scope out the situation. Both John and Erik jumped into explain the trains were never in danger, that we had track observers, and that we were trying to make Beacon safer. The railroad seemed to take their explanation in stride but didn't have the tools or ladders to fix the wire. So John had BRSP tools brought down, Gordon got his harness to climb the poles and between Gordon, John, and the railroad man they got the job done so we and the trains could all get back to work. All in all the work went faster than we expected and we got all the rock we hope to deal with cleared by the end of the day. We encounter few problems but did run across a remarkable number of scorpions, some of the mature ones had gray/black bodies about 1/2" in diameter and 2.5-3 inches long. Everyone was pleased with the work, but also completely exhausted by the end of the day. Gabe was especially kind in volunteering to hump our very heavy haul bag out which was much appreciated. What got accomplished? Essentially the South face is now cleared of most all obvious and immediate rockfall threats of any significance. Does that mean Beacon Rock is now "safe"? Not by a long shot - it is much safer - but you have to be aware that objective dangers do exist out at Beacon and rockfall is still preeminent among them. Particularly walking roped across the Grassy Ledges you still need to be cognizant of every foot fall and your rope path. Jim Opdycke wants to remind everyone doing that traverse roped to not simply drag your rope on the ground but to try and drape it on the bushes and branches where possible to keep it off the loose rocks on the trail - even a small one could hurt someone and they are all aimed at the base of the SE Corner route and the often populous Snag Ledge. What else? Well, it's now safe to top out to the Grassy Ledges from Blownout and other climbs that top out on the Lower Grassy Ledges. The area around the top of Blownout has been well cleaned. This is a big improvement as a disasterous amount of loose rock barred all the ramps between the Upper and Lower Grassy Ledges. All-in-all it was an incredibly successful day, we all lived through it intact, and many thanks are due everyone who volunteered their time and energy to pull it all off, especially David Anderson and the entire BRSP staff. * Sunday, June 18th / In our exhaustion we left three fixed ropes and a number of temporary anchors from Saturday's work in place and we needed to do a final check of everything and retrieve our work gear. Fortunately Rick Harrell, Doug Ward, and Reed Fee came out to lend a hand and with a one pair heading up to Grassy Ledges and another up Young Warriors we were able to both retrieve the ropes (which were tied both at the top Grassy Ledges rap and the top of Young Warrior's p4) and do a last survey of everything. Note, there are now three pitons on the SE corner ridge that were placed for the work session - one at the top of the ridge below the trees that Jim Opdyke and us concur should stay as there are essentially no good anchors at this spot - and two at the top of Young Warriors p5 in the notch that will be removed as soon as we get enough energy back to do so. Also, John kindly stayed late and swapped out most of the signs and closure barrier for this morning's open. To top a great weekend off the Peregrines put in an appearance in what to me looked to be a parent teaching a fledge to enter and exit the strong ridge lift that developed above Beacon at day's end and they did about six loops between the top of Beacon and the strong thermal that develops above the Nature Preserve just to the East. It was the first [unconfirmed] sign the Peregrines were successful at fledging somewhere this year and that is great news. * Today, Monday, June 19th / All WDFW, WSP, and BRSP paperwork and approvals are final. Breanne finished the signage and phone machine message changeover and we're officially open! Again, Get out and get on it!!! And while you're out - please stop in at the BRSP ranger station, introduce yourself and thank them all for making this possible. Ditto if you run across a shady-looking WDFW wildlife biologist in a dark green extended cab pickup who is soon to become a climber as is Gabe from the BRSP staff. David Anderson and WDFW have been instrumental in making this evidence-based, early opening possible - our hats are off to him and many thanks are due him for all the extra time and effort he put in to making this possible. Lisa Lantz is also due a warm thank you for her continuing efforts at both protecting Beacon Rock's habitat and her generous and out-going efforts to help us with both this and last year's openings. Joseph Healy, Jim Opdycke, Bill Coe Beacon Rock Climbers' Association Beacon.Rock@AvaSys.com ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ NOTE (Edit): The cleanup is complete - please do not do any further trundling or tossing of rocks of any size at any time or place - someone was tossing way too close to Jim Opdycke on opening day! If you see any loose rocks of note please secure/stack them somewhere off to the side but again, please don't toss anything at this point - thanks. If you find anything amiss, missed, or needing attention please notify any of the BRSP staff and contact the BRCA at Beacon.Rock@AvaSys.com - enjoy. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Well, I can't speak for the specific company you keep but at this point it's pretty obvious 70-80 percent of today's climbers climb because most of them are climbing at risk-free, outdoor clip-up emulations of their neighborhood gym. If bolts evaporated tomorrow fully 70-80 percent of today's climbers wouldn't be tomorrow. So, in principle I agree, most of them are in it strictly for the entertainment value in an activity that doesn't really require all that much of them...

Ignorant would be an experienced climber needing to climb it to understand just what it's all about. It isn't rocket science - it's a long, bolt-enabled sport route in an alpine setting. Period - doesn't require an advanced degree or a blessing from the church of the AMGA. Well, you're obviously another whining bitch who, when it comes to Beacon, thinks it's a private, maintenance-free playpen that expects nothing from you -for me to say more than that you'd have to come out from behind that coward's 1-post moniker and talk and act like a man. Until then, please do climb somewhere I'm not... [P.S. I originally got into climbing to get away from lazy, frightened, and priviledged suburbanite assholes so riddled with entitlement issues everything, including safe, risk-free passage up a rock in the middle of the mountains is somehow due them as a birthright - until I hear otherwise I'll assume you're just another one of them...] As far as ignorant bliss, the community decision - and I'm giving a lot of credit to the very, very few folks that took the hits to get involved at all - was a consensus that amounted to paralysis reflecting factional tensions within our community and with the Feds. The route was and is a mistake, that made and makes us look like we're incapable of policing ourselves, will tolerate anything, and think that once bolts go in they are somehow sacrosanct. They aren't.

"No human involvement" means no active human assistance of any kind in non-urban settlement and reproduction. Kevin, all I can respond is the WDFW cut the best deal they could given the WSP felt constrained by the original purchase terms to not close the trail. Again, I want it open as bad as you or anyone else, but at this point I really have to say there is no "they" and really no much of an "us". There are just real flesh and blood humans with names trying to do the right thing on all sides. And in the end I still have to ask what is served by all the angst - Erik, John, and David are just trying do their jobs as best they can while juggling a lot of competing interests. There was and is no "2 faced" politics - only folks that were negotiating on behalf of the falcons trying to get the best deal they could and that's what they got. If you look behind both sides of that negotiation between WDFW and WSP you'd see both their hands were essentially tied and they compromised as best they could given the cards that they were dealt - we have to move on do the same. It really is pointless to keep slamming your head against all this that way but again it's your deal and the only mind I'm really prepared to change is my own...

This is simply where we part company and disagree. I believe ignorant bliss is the poster child for the appropriate use of the term "abortion". I don't think the community showed restraint at all in this case. I think it dithered, wrung its hands, and then once the affair was in full blown public fiasco mode, it ducked / punted on the issue. It did so both because of the on-going tensions between sport and trad and because of all the recent Wilderness fixed protection hoopla. In short we didn't show restraint, we displayed community paralysis and I think it was a real lost opportunity to show govt agencies we are capable of responsibly policing ourselves. So personally, I consider the whole affair a real low point in NW climbing. And it's just a real pity the guys who put it up don't simply go pull their hardware and put it to legitimate use elsewhere...

MtnBoy, At this point the monitoring is handled and we have submitted a work plan for the 2006 pre-open clean up and we'll proceed as soon as we get a finding from WDFW. Will keep you posted... As far as optimising some other nesting location, WDFW once had a "hacking" box up on the NE corner for chicks incubated and hatched elswhere and then released at a new site as part of the initial re-introduction program years ago. But from what I know at this point there is probably little to be gained either way in attempting to "comfortizing" places we think they should be. The little suckers pretty much have minds of their own relative to such matters. Also, the most long term objective of the restoration program (like out to 2015) is for there to be no human involvement at all in their survival as a sustaining population so that sort of activity would likely not be encouraged in non-urban settings. Thanks for your comments, however...

The point of my talk and deliberate restraint from action is that as far as I'm concerned the "community" that these days is so pre-occupied with "service" should have done some the minute this abortion hit the collective radar. I.e. the "community" should have immediately erased it as group as opposed to anyone taking a lone wolf approach. That they allowed it to exist at all long enough to hit govt. agency radars was the first mistake. Not collectively eradicating in since is the second. It is a total and continuing embarassment simply engendering more of the same...

Choada_Boy - you have no clue what I'm about. Again, you don't want me on that route...

Nope, don't need to - it is by definition an alpine sport route and you don't want me near it. If I get on it won't be there afterwards. Ditto for any such route.

Glad to oblige...

Yep, count me one of the people that thinks ignorant bliss should be completely eradicated as a community service and effort. Any site making a topo or beta available on the abortion is just embarrassing itself.

Kevin, I completely agree and no doubt all the biologists do as well but bitch is about all we can collectively do on that one as it isn't going to close and any fight to do so or hold it up for our cause just doesn't buy us a thing. It would definitely make life easier on the BRSP staff that's for sure. And yes, the Peregrines were removed from the FESL in '01 but again, that is in no way a statement that they are a recovered species in any way or anything close to it. It simply means they no longer face the immediate threat of extinction. About half the fledges die every year and the Peregrine recovery will still require another 15-20 years of human intervention / support before anyone will have real confidence that they are "back" and a truly self-sustaining population across their historic range. It is a magnificent accomplishment and one of the few where we have actually been able to turn an extinction event around. It's hard I know, but here is one of the few creatures native to the vertical world we love and its a completely bad ass one at that; I personally am proud to share what really is its world more than ours and to help make sure it remains part of this planet. Again, tough business, but then again no one can say we don't have skin in the game and aren't willing to do our part when it's the right thing. We really are doing our very best to represent your and our interests in the whole affair and insure we maximize both the Peregrine's chances and our time on the rock we all love...

So would I Mark - so would I...

The difference is someone has invested the time and energy to develop a trusted relationship with the land and wildlife managers in those areas. Reopenning early is strictly the outcome of working relationships. It is what we have been trying to do - but again - there has been a decade of rancor, rogue behavior, and mistrust to get over to just begin to have such conversations or do things like co-operatively monitor Beacon. It hasn't been easy and it's taken the investment of lot of time and effort to get where we are today which is a [good] tenative start at a trusting relationship between the new BRCA, BRSP, and WDFW.

"I'm still wondering, if you know, when the last time, beacon rock state park rangers, knew exactly where the nest was. how consistent year to year are they with actually identifying it?" I believe this year and last are the first times that the nest site has not been known. Prior to this the Big Ledge has been consistently productive. We still do not know what has gone down. Also be aware that monitoring Beacon, as a free standing monolith, is very difficult compared to a 2D escarpment cliff. As for monitoring at Smith and Southern Oregon my comment would be climbers should be able to get it together to monitor in one of the world's most popular climbing areas and that Borton is obviously putting in the time and energy down South and good for him - folks down there are lucky he is. Folks should also note some of the closure date ranges off his web site: *** closures traditionally take affect January 15 (varies from 1/01 to 1/15) and ends July 31 (varies from 7/15 to 7/31) *** Worth keeping those in mind when folks start feeling agro about the ones in effect at Beacon. In general, most of the closures around the country are going strictly by the calendar because the Feds aren't putting out any cash for the resources necessary to do otherwise. As for the decision on a partial closure - the decision was taken by the old BRCA at a public meeting in Stevenson. They were particularly insistent on not accepting it. Reversing that decision - I personally don't think so after our documented track record of SE corner breaches over the past ten years.

So Kevin, you were what? Late teens or early twenties when the WA state law mandating climbing management plans came down coincidental with the WSP decision to participate in implementing the state wildlife laws? I understand the the resulting closure was emotionally difficult if not devastating for you, Mark, and the other folks that learned to climb there. I understand the pain, the grief, the anger, and the feelings of being "set upon". I do. I too love everything about climbing at Beacon every bit as much as you or anyone else and miss climbing it every day it is closed. But it's now a decade later, and at some point you, I and everyone else as individuals and a collective whole have to get over it, let go of the past and pain, and start being smarter about how we manage our business and interests out there. It's entirely an individual choice. I don't have the time or energy and frankly it's not my business or place to sort out how you deal or not with it all at the end of the day. But I will comment on this statement: "The birds are just a patsy's to keep us in check" I’ll assume this is just a loose, random rant because it is just flat out so delusionally self-centered and childish relative to reality that I've already had to toss two drafts of this response. First off - there is no "us". And most specifically there isn’t even a "them" out there who gives a rat's ass about "us", our whole little trip, or even thinks about us outside of us occasionally rising to the level of benign amusement or nuisance in the course of their professional duties or as mandated by WA state laws. At most on the upside, we add a little "color" to their job and that helps keep things interesting for "them". On the downside, so far we can be counted on to every now an then rise to the level of clueless nuisance so self-absorbed in our own trip that we simply lose all perspective and do things like bolt lines directly above drinking fountains with signs that say "don't climb here" or decide to use snow shovels and rakes to clean twenty yard wide swaths of cliff without even a thought that someone else might consider it habitat. Let me be incredibly clear – we are the smallest, weakest user group out at Beacon Rock and in the scheme of things we are more like an oddly amusing flea circus than a force that needs to be "kept in check". And that's actually part of the problem; our friends in the cabin just shake their head when we do something completely stupid and make ourselves stand out because they know in the "bigger picture" of the real world - where the Gorge Commission, Forest Service, Heritage, and Ecologically-related agencies along with the Railroad hold all the real power - it would be way better if we didn't make asses of ourselves in public or otherwise negatively call attention to our deal. An informed low profile is really what's called for given the incredibly complex and nested regulatory rubric that rules Beacon Rock. And as I keep saying, the rangers out there couldn't be more on our side - they like climbing at Beacon - it gives the park, and by extension them, a bit of adventurous cache most WA Parks don't have. And, I say again, they - Erik and John - have repeatedly defended climbers and climbing out at Beacon at every turn within their own agency and to all the other agencies with purvey over Beacon and there are many with no love for climbers. What "they" want is not to "keep us in check" but for us to get half a clue as to how the world works out there because they really don't have the time, inclination, resources, or energy to baby sit us – they’re too damn busy, under-the-gun, and undermanned as is – especially this time of year. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ok, that's my own rant out of the way and now I’ll try to answer your questions / comments / concerns: ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- First, let's back way up a minute on the whole falcon deal and get our heads screwed on with at least a slight historical grip on what it's all about. The first thing you have to understand is that the discovery raptors populations were almost universally decimated in the 50's-70's was coincident with the birth of the environmental movement in general. That the "recovery" of the Peregrines (such as it is given it is still a fraction of their original population) is still [politically] highly emblematic of the overall environmental movement's successes. Thirty years ago the West coast Peregrine / raptor population was essentially wiped out - two known nesting pairs of Peregrines in all of CA - and in 1964 no Peregrines at all were known to exist east of the Mississippi. It became the lifelong endeavor and mission of thousands of people across the nation particularly in the West to restore raptors to their natural range in an attempt to repair a half a century of human disregard for damage to the environment from DDT. They view their efforts to restore the Peregrine and each nesting pair no differently than we view individual routes and what has been accomplished climbing at Beacon over the same period. They have spent most of their adult lives dedicated to seeing these creatures safely back from the edge of oblivion and this is one of the rare species where that has actually been an option and possibility. I personally find it sad that these two amazing accomplishments by folks with a lot in common are having such a hard time finding a way to co-exist. But make no mistake - while Peregrines have recovered to the tune of something like 250-300 breeding pairs in CA and some lesser number here in the NW that is nowhere near a "normal" or "strong" sustainable population statistic compared to say the recovery of the Osprey in the Gorge - and the thousands of folks who have spent their entire adult lives getting this far aren't about to see this on-going restoration effort jeopardized or threatened without answer. Also, this crew is particularly defensive and testy in the face of the Bush administration’s all out assault on the environment. Just know they aren’t going backwards without a pitched battle and I can tell you its not one climbers want to provoke at Beacon or anywhere else. As to your specific closure questions: "Joe, if no one know exactly were the nest is, they really have NO basis for closing just the climbing area, I mean maybe the nest is 20 feet from the top were all the tourist are or maybe not a beacon at all. If you don’t know where the nest is, its all a sham. Don’t you see, the birds are just patsy's to keep us in check. They have no foundation for keeping the rock climbing portion of beacon closed. They can’t make the argument that me climbing there will in any way endanger the birds, because they don’t know where the birds are. Get my drift." First, it has nothing to do with being a “climbing area” other than the unfortunately coincidental requirement both climbing and Peregrine nesting need vertical rock faces. But there is every historical and biological basis for the South face closure. The South face of Beacon was a Peregrine nesting site historically and biologically is one of the best sites for their nesting in the immediate vicinity of Beacon – it fits all the known criteria and I personally have scoped out many of the alternatives and none of them match up to Big Ledge by comparison. So first off – don’t say there’s no a basis for their emphasis or closure on the South face as there is. Biologically speaking it is a known performer in having produced a good number of chicks over the past decade. As to not knowing where the nest is, that’s true, we don’t know where it is but we do know the Peregrines until the past few days have spent a lot of time on the West and South faces. We’ve pretty well ruled out the East Face as this year two clutches of Ravens have set up high on that face and are incredibly hostile and belligerent to the Redtails and anything else that comes close in to that face. But biology and many thousands of man years of experience and observation back the decision to give the benefit of the doubt to the Peregrines in the face of not knowing where they might or might not be. That same science, experience, and observation clearly shows we do have impact simply by our presence. In spite of all our cute, anecdotal stories about them “not minding us”, Raptors are small, computational supercomputers that signal process visual information – they are an entirely visual creature and all of their predatory and defensive mechanisms are based on visual processing - so visual and physical proximity both count. Their heart rates – i.e. stress – can soar at the mere sight of a natural threat or human let alone one in close proximity in their vertical domain. Such stress can and has caused them to abandon nesting sites only to perish because they were ill-equipped to compete with established pairs elsewhere. And also remember that when this closure was first proposed Beacon climbers were offered a partial closure that would have kept the SE corner open for several pitches. Much to the AF’s Andy Fitz’s utter amazement and dismay Beacon climbers said no – its all or nothing. As for closing all of Beacon, I’m going to assume you now want to talk about the real world where policy and politics meet and how human beings in groups get things done. My kneejerk response is to simply say “get real”. Back to the time it was sold to the state it was understood that trail is to be open so long as it safe to be on it. Is there no little apparent hypocrisy in that relative to the Peregrines? You bet, and it was and is acknowledged by all parties relative to the closure as a difficult and likely losing fight not worth pushing politically. It was a bummer of a compromise from the biologists perspective but they have to live in the real world and pick their battles just like everyone else. But it’s also a whining, dead end, non-sequitor as a useful argument against the closure. Mark, with regard to your comment characterizing the management of other WA/OR closures actively on the birds’ presence versus statically by calendar dates, I’ll double check, but I don’t believe that’s true at all and that almost all the closures around the NW and country are managed rigidly by the calendar – not the least because there simply there simply isn’t resources to do otherwise (that’s why I’m helping out). Also, at Beacon and most other places a decade of pirate behavior has done nothing except reinforce the notion among land and wildlife managers that these dates need to be rigidly enforced in the face of an adversarial climbing community that has, year after year, refused to honor them. To change that at Beacon to the possibility of an early open like last year and maybe this year has taken a lot of work to repair badly soured relationships and trusts. It has meant learning the laws, the science, and the history of how and why we and the Peregrines and their protectors have come to this crossroads. But it’s a step at a time and after a decade of basically clueless behavior the onus has been on us to step up to the plate first and prove ourselves. We just now are broaching a level of mutual trust, respect, and skin in the game to make actively managing the closure at Beacon a reality. As for the dates of the closure – that varies from area to area some start April 1st on one hand, but just as many don’t end until August 1st or 15th either so careful what you push for on that front. The bottom line is they need time alone to choose a nest site, to attempt to pair/nest/fledge, and to potentially try a second time if they fail the first time - which sometimes can happen for myriad reasons. At this point all I can say is trust me – I want it open every bit as much as you do and I’m the one foregoing climbing elsewhere at every turn to go out and monitor - if my word isn’t good enough then grab your binoculars and come out put in the time and effort yourself. I’m working to have it open as soon as humanly possible but be aware that “humanly” is the operative word. Opening isn’t simply a decree - David and Erik both have to post it up through their respective agencies for approvals and then they have survey and work requirements they have to fulfill relative to the opening – the most mundane of which are safety checks, signage, phone messages, adding being aware of it all (the possibility of safety/rescue issues with climbers and tourists alike) to their scheduling and work, etc. I can tell you the BRSP is solidly with us relative to opening at the earliest possible date that David can make a finding under the requirements of WDFW regulations. The three of us working together – BRCA, BRSP, and WDFW - will get it open as soon as we humanly can and I don’t know what to tell you if that isn’t good enough…

Kevin, that's going to take a few minutes to respond to while I write, edit, rewrite, and re-edit a response. Do me a favor in the meantime, though, and re-read your post. No - I mean really reread and reconsider your post - especially that middle statement and I'll be back to you with a response in about an hour.

I agree, I think the commercialization of climbing along with competitions has created pretty much just what Harding predicted in Downward Bound - putting the climbers on a pedastal instead of the climbs. I think any hero worship at all simply tells new climbers there are "unattainable ideals" which is pretty much total bullshit. Climbing is about what you can achieve if you come up with the goods. My only hero's are the people stupid enough to tie into the other end of my rope again a second time...

Beacon Rock Notice - 6/8/06

=================== Beacon Rock Update - 6/8/06... =================== Peregrine Monitoring Status I wish. Sorry - just been really stacked with work at a new client. But I have been monitoring regularly, rather than climbing, so I'm way, way behind the eight ball as far as getting back in shape goes. At this point, no, we don't know where the nest is. There was a solid spate of nesting-like activity up on Big Ledge in April but none since. We are working with David Andersen of the WDFW and Erik Plunkett of the BRSP on the issue and have submitted plans for a second annual pre-opening work session. The entire focus of this year's session is cleaning the Grassy Ledges and SE Corner of accumulated loose rock from both long standing accumulations and early 2006 rockfalls. For those that don't know, Beacon had a heavy ice load this year and significant rock fall on the both the SE and NW flanks. The NW face got solidly bombarded with a remarkable amount of rock in two events - the second felt like an earthquake over in the BRSP office. On New Year's day the SE flank experienced a rockfall from high on the SE ridge that, among other things, took off the largest branch from the SE corner tree. I only just located the origin of that rockfall yesterday. What came down turns out to be actually quite a surprise. I had been looking for a missing chunk off the side of the high SE corner ridge (the last high angle exit slab ramp on Young Warriors) but have not been able to see anything. Turns out it was that first big slab on the bottom of the high angle YW exit ramp that forms the top of the SE corner ridge - right at the start of the ramp and forming the uphill side of the little notch where the leader belays the last vertical pitch. It unfortunately left a broad, sloping dish that looks to be filled with at least an oil drum or two's worth of predominantly baseball/softball-sized rock (I'm viewing at some distance) along with gravel all poised directly above the SE corner P3 ramps and the P2 belay below as well as the base of SE Corner route. This event basically rained a substantial amount of rock across the entire SE flank, took the largest branch off the SE corner tree, and blasted the main "blackberry rock dam" on the Grassy Ledges as well scattering that added rock load all over the ledges / column tops in the area between the base of the SE corner and tunnel #1. Just the accumulated loose rock load on Grassy Ledges was getting out of hand and now the addition of the YW slab cutting has pretty much has made for a disaster in waiting. As for the opening - we don't have an official finding or opening date yet from WDFW for that (and hence for the work session) but I am increasingly optimistic we will see an opening before 7/15 - please remain patient and I will keep you posted as events unfold. Joseph Healy Beacon Rock Climbers' Association

I and others have posted descent beta in the SuperTopo routes database for Epi. You could likewise do a search on "Epinephrine" on both ST and RC.com. But the best way of dealing with almost all aspects of climbing Epi is to simply be sure and be at the base of it at or just before first light...

A Republican dominated Congress and Judiciary have for six years shirked their constitutional responsibilities in the face of an ever more imperial Executive. What's going on here is an out-of-control Executive finally got so full of itself it stepped on Congress without even thinking (i.e. Rove after a rogue Democrat to hold up for mid-terms). It's been just fine with Congressional Republicans when this imperial Executive abridges any and every one else's rights but then is shocked, shocked when it happens to them - oh, the outrage! Well, suck it up boys - you've been bitten by a dog created of your own willful negligence...

TrogdortheBurninator - Don't have an answer for the details and that's more than I will probably impose, all I can say is these folks test climbing gear all the time and are completely set up appropriately to do it against various standards. They were kind enough to test them due to our mutual curiosity. I'll try to set up another round of testing with a larger sample and I suspect they'd still be curious enough to do it but that's about as far as I'd be willing to press my relationship...

MattStan - All twenty of them appear uniformily worn with no specific points of wear that I can discern. They are also uniformly quite "hairy" or abraided compared to when they are new. I don't know the specifics of the testing but these folks do know all about every aspect of testing climbing gear. My friend commented on first seeing these on coming to the market that they looked great but that he'd probably retire them on an annual basis - pretty smart guy for just glancing at them as that is probably what the deal is - they are essentially a consumable commodity. As get used they abraid and the fibers break; it's a cummulative deal and so these numbers shouldn't be all the big a surprise I suppose. They become a bit pricy as an annual consumable but I really do love the damn things though I am going to take a look at the 12mm version... Kdawg - I only use my grigri for roped soloing as far as trad climbing goes - otherwise stick to an ATC (Reverso). mtnfreak - will give you a shout when I set it up, thanks...

Olyclimber - I shipped the results off to MammutUSA and I'll let you know if I hear anything back...