Falcons Bump Climbs

Rock climbing

A formal plan to allow climbers and peregrine falcons to coexist at Beacon Rock State Park has been proposed by the Washington Parks and Recreation Commission.

The south face of the 848-foot-high basalt tower has been closed seasonally since 1994 to avoid disturbing a nest used over and over by peregrine falcons, which are on the state’s list of threatened and endangered species.

This year, a pair of adults raised at least four chicks on the rock.

A new plan that could go into effect this winter calls for closing the south face of Beacon Rock beginning Feb. 1. The face would remain closed to climbing until three weeks after peregrine chicks have left the nest, or until it is determined that no nesting will take place. This usually would be in August, state parks officials said.

Before 1994, about 3,000 rock climbers scaled the various routes on Beacon Rock each year.

, DataTimes