goatboy Posted April 3, 2003 Share Posted April 3, 2003 I just found out that tieton is closed until May for raptor nesting. Good to know, as I was hoping to head there this weekend. Thought y'all might like to be aware of this closure, in case you weren't already. Guess I'll que up at Smith instead . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter_Puget Posted April 3, 2003 Share Posted April 3, 2003 Isn't the Tieton closure limited to only some of the cliffs? PP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cman Posted April 3, 2003 Share Posted April 3, 2003 from accessfund.org Tieton River - Oakcreek Wildlife Recreation Area. Royal Columns & Tim Pond Wall. Restriction runs from Feb. 1 through July 31. Contact: John Mcgowan - Area Manager Tel: 509.653.2390. so only royal columns are closed. as far as i know everything else in the canyon is open. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sobo Posted April 3, 2003 Share Posted April 3, 2003 The sign at the site of the old bridge at Royal Columns say "...closed Feb. 1 until further notice..." RC closes for a period of time every spring, like clockwork. Usually opens by May, tho. Also, from personal conversations with John McGowan, it has been my understanding that the Tim Pond wall area HAS ALWAYS BEEN OFF LIMITS TO CLIMBING. Big fine if caught over there. The Bend, Moon Rocks, Wildcat Creek, The Cave, and Goose Egg are all open. ...sobo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_w Posted April 3, 2003 Share Posted April 3, 2003 I'd suggest making a call. I think the closures changed this year. It used to be only certain areas that were closed. I remeber either reading or talking with one of the people in charge that they were just going to have a blanket closure for the whole area until XXX day. May 15 sticks in my mind. I can't find the information on their site anymore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sobo Posted April 3, 2003 Share Posted April 3, 2003 OK, here's what the message says on John's answering machine... "(paraphrased)...Tieton cliffs are closed until April 15 for Golden Eagle nesting. If nesting occurs, signs will be posted indicating continued closure from April 15 to July 15. All closure signs will be removed after July 15..." ...sobo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sobo Posted April 3, 2003 Share Posted April 3, 2003 NEW BETA ON CLOSURE!! THERE ISN'T ONE! I just got off the phone with John, who is just back from a training seminar. He explained that the answering machine message is out of date, and he hasn't had a chance to change it yet. There is one occupied nest of Golden Eagles between the Bend and Royal Columns. It is the only nest in the Tieton. It is marked so that climbers/hikers can see the signs from the riverside trail. THE TRAIL IS OPEN TO RC. JUST STAY ON THE TRAIL. He said that he will change the message and update the website info soon, when he gets the time. Otherwise, all climbing areas in the Tieton are open, so you all can start lining up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattp Posted April 3, 2003 Share Posted April 3, 2003 Just the weekend before last, the game warden or somebody told my friend that he could not climb at either The Bend or Royal Collums. My friend said the guy was unpleasant about it, as well, and I can't imagine my buddy being the slightest bit rude or threatening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sobo Posted April 3, 2003 Share Posted April 3, 2003 hmmm... Don't know who it was your friend talked to. And it very well could have been closed two weeks ago. I did see a party at RC and a party at Moon last weekend on my way up to Goose Egg. No one was at Bend when I went by. And the "Closed" sign *was* up at RC last weekend. I've known John a while now, albeit not really other than to get closure beta. When I first started calling him about 10 years ago, he did come off kinda pompous back then, like someone who had control over something you wanted, and knew it. You all know the type. He's mellowed out quite a bit now. He was quite pleasant on the phone with me this morning. Sorry your friend's encounter wasn't more agreeable. It's always aggravating when people in power start to lord it over the rest of us proletarians. My $0.02 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave_Schuldt Posted April 7, 2003 Share Posted April 7, 2003 This is very good news, thanks for posting it. Now if my shoulder would get beter....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dustin_B Posted April 7, 2003 Share Posted April 7, 2003 First hand knowledge: Royal Columns is open. We were there yesterday and today. Didn't see a soul either day. Its great having an entire cragging area to yourself. Ok, so it was cool(er), breezy and overcast but it still rocked. That place is tens times better than that Vantage pile of choss. We saw no raptor nests in the vicinity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sobo Posted April 8, 2003 Share Posted April 8, 2003 You can't see the nest from the trail or the rocks (see my earlier post, 4/03/03, 11:40 am). Everybody just STAY ON THE TRAILS to and from the climbing areas and our access will remain intact. Did you at least see the signs along the trail? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dustin_B Posted April 8, 2003 Share Posted April 8, 2003 sobo said: Did you at least see the signs along the trail? I looked for signs along the trail but didn't see any. The only signs we saw were the ones that say "climber's trail" and the others that identify the different vegetation, etc. We also saw no other footprints on the dirt trail and it looked like no one had been out there recently. Trail was dry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sobo Posted April 9, 2003 Share Posted April 9, 2003 hmmmmmmm... Maybe John still hasn't "gotten around to it" yet. It rained earlier in the week last week, which may have obliterated any tracks in the trail from The Bend to RC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JayB Posted April 10, 2003 Share Posted April 10, 2003 Anybody out there have the contact number for the folks who regulate the closures of a URL with up to date info? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sobo Posted April 10, 2003 Share Posted April 10, 2003 cman said: Tieton River - Oakcreek Wildlife Recreation Area... Contact: John Mcgowan - Area Manager Tel: 509.653.2390... Yeah, cman gave it to you way back up top. The areas are all open. Just stick to the trail while in transit to the climbs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JayB Posted April 10, 2003 Share Posted April 10, 2003 Oops. My bad. Thanks for pointing that out - musta been skimming too fast. Best Regards, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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