Carolina Climbers Coalition

Here is an update on the Linville Gorge Peregrine Closure from Chirs Kelly: 

 

Hello everyone. I wanted to give you a heads up that a change may be forthcoming with the closure order in the north end of Linville Gorge. The current closure of Table Rock still stands until the change has been made by the USFS. Basically, the peregrine falcons have moved off of Table Rock and down the Gorge to NC Wall. The Table Rock eyrie was vulnerable to terrestrial predators, so they have moved to a location that is safer from predators. The USFS was notified immediately but they are tied up with wildfires at the moment. Unfortunately, this means that Table Rock is still technically closed and NC Wall is open until the closure has been officially changed by the USFS. The falcons are quite vulnerable to disturbance at this time in the nest cycle so I am asking people to please consider voluntarily staying off the main section of NC Wall. Other areas of the Gorge are open for climbing: the Amphitheater, Chimneys, Gold Coast, Hawksbill, and sections of Shortoff. There is a separate pair of falcons nesting at Shortoff (as usual), so that closure still stands and will remain unchanged. I will send an update as soon as the change has been made official by the USFS. Thank you for your cooperation!

 

Chris Kelly
NC Wildlife Resource Commission