Smith Rock Falcons Have Flown
July 18, 2017
The last of the raptor closures, this time for both Prairie and Peregrine falcons, has been lifted as of July 15, 2017 at Smith Rock State Park.
Yes, climbers—First Kiss is back open, along with all routes above 100 feet in the Smith Rock Group area. This means both towers of the northeast face of the Smith Rock Group that were closed May 11 are now open as well.
This was due in no small part to climbers staying off closed routes and hikers observing the "quiet" signage and keeping noise to a minimum. Golden and bald eagle closures were lifted earlier in the month, ending another successful nesting season this year for the park.
The count:
3 Peregrine Falcons
2 Prairie Falcons
2 Golden Eagles
1 Bald EaglE
Prairie Falcon diving for a meal
Bald Eagle fledgling
Thanks, all. Be sure to check in for seasonal closures prior to planning your climbs next year. They usually start up in May. We also issue alerts and updates on Facebook.