Attention Climbers: Squawstruck

Attention Climbers: Squawstruck

Local climbers have reported a pair of peregrine falcons nesting high on the Squawstruck route on Squaw Peak in Rock Canyon. The climbing party reported the birds on pitch 13 behaving aggressively towards them, and decided to bail in order to avoid causing any further disturbance. Please consider avoiding the route for the time being, or climbing only the lower 8 pitches to give these birds the space they need for their nesting attempt. Stay tuned for updates on the status of this nest.

If you observe a raptor diving on you while you are climbing, or perching nearby and repeatedly calling, you might consider leaving the area for the birds-- these are signs that there may be a nearby nest. Letting the SLCA or HawkWatch International (echabot@hawkwatch.org) know about nest locations will help get the word out to the rest of the climbing community so that we can continue to reduce our impacts on the residents of the cliffs on which we recreate.