Access Status

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Closure Update: 1/12/2023

❌ East Car Body Canyon
❌ Nixon Head

Hello climbers! Nesting season is upon us! There is a lot of info packed into this, so please take a few moments. Respecting closures and being aware of land issues is the most important component of maintaining access to our local crag.

Regarding East Car Body

Face is currently open, and with the access trail being so close to the closures in East Car Body, please be cognizant of signs and not disturbing the area (ex: dogs and music). When accessing, veer right at the trail junction and do not disturb East Car Body.

About above the Black Cliffs

This is a critical winter wildlife area. Do not set up top ropes or access from above. This area is monitored by Fish and Game and could result in fines for you, as well as denied access to Car Body for all.

What you can do to help us

  • Please alert us if see any raptor activity and we will send volunteer raptor monitors to assess it.
  • Give nests, and these areas, space.
  • Educate your friends and share the information.
  • Climb in all the other areas, the Black Cliffs has quite a lot to offer!


With the weather and winter thaw, there has also been reports of loose rock, so be aware when climbing.

Giving nests the space they need is one of the single most important things that keeps local climbing accessible. Thank you for your cooperation in this and please help spread the word. Climb on!

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A History of Climbing in the Sawtooths, Salmon River & Lightning Dome

Purchase tickets HERE.

When: Thursday Dec. 8, 2022 @ 7PM
Where: The Commons Climbing Gym (W West Emerald Street Boise, ID 83706)

This event’s tickets are donation based (suggested donation of $10 per ticket).

Flyer for the event.

The BCA thanks our sponsors Idaho First Bank and The Commons Climbing Gym for bringing Ray Brooks to Boise.

Ray grew up in the Wood River Valley, and after receiving an afternoon of instruction on roped climbing in 1969, eagerly embraced the sport. From 1970 to 1981 he was involved in achieving a bunch of new climbing routes in the Sawtooths (including an AAJ published description of his route Pachydermial Pleasantries on Elephant’s Perch in 1977) and even some first ascents of remote pinnacles.

Tom Lopez, author of Idaho: A Climbing Guide, calls Ray a “climbing force in the Sawtooths in the 1970s” who has “contributed outstanding articles on his climbing experience in the Sawtooths.”

Lopez continues, “Ray ran an outdoor shop in Moscow (ID) from 1973-1983 and, during those years, he climbed a number of new routes on Lightning Dome on the South Fork Clearwater River and at a rarely-visited area near Manning bridge, 13 miles upstream from Riggins.” [Ray] notes: ‘There were various other Idaho climbing adventures during those years, including 3 new, boltless routes on Slickrock near McCall.’”

Ray enjoyed a long climbing career, finally retiring after 50 years of roped climbing in 2020. Although the pace of his climbing had slowed after 1990, he kept visiting the Sawtooths and was part of a 2007 first ascent party on a remote pinnacle above Baron Lakes. In 2010 Ray started climbing more and more difficult routes at The City of Rocks. His old friend, climbing legend Jim Donini, would visit & climb with Ray and his wife Dorita every summer for a week.

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Table Rock Bouldering Area News


For those that frequent our local bouldering area around Table Rock, you may know the quarry is under new ownership and in the process of expanding. BCA got word that the Table Rock Traverse and the Fortress could be impacted. BCA reached out and worked with Ridge to Rivers and The Masonry Center (new owners of the quarry). These efforts mean that access is currently permitted, but sensitive, and climbers must respect the wishes of the landowners. Building relationships with land managers is a big part of what we do, and a large part of keeping access open. Help us educate your climbing partners to respect closures and boundaries.

REMINDER!
The Mine is Private Property! Respect posted signage be aware of the areas that The Masonry Center have asked us to stay out of (maps below). The Fortress and the Traverse do sit on private land owned by The Masonry Center, so it’s imperative to respect the maps and these areas.


Climbers should be using Ridge to Rivers Trail 17/Table Rock Quarry Trail to access the private property. Please note: the mine is actively expanding and please stay away for obvious reasons other than private property. If you have questions please reach out.

And of course — climb on!

(PS: news to come on fall adopt a crag dates when we get things solidified)

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Closure Update: 6/17/2022

ALL CLOSURES LIFTED!!!

These little ones have fledged and flown (along with all other nests) which means we can lift all closures! A big thank you to everyone for respecting the closures this year! Signs will be coming down soon.

✅ Nixon Head
✅ Wailing Wall
✅ Scary Canyon
✅ Wast Car Body

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Closure Update: 4/27/2022


Current Closures:

❌ Nixon Head – CLOSED
❌ Wailing Wall – CLOSED — not listed on Mountain Project but means everything up river/ east of Scary
❌ Scary Canyon – Closed
✅ East Car Body – Cautiously open

Our Car Body raptors continue to reside in their same area, however their nest was unsuccessful. Therefore we can cautiously open East Car Body, but it’s important to respect their space.

This means:

  • Our raptor friends will still be hanging out on the rock walls.
  • Be mindful they are present by not playing music, keeping dogs on leash, and keeping noise (human, animal, etc.), to a minimum as best as you can.
  • If you see a raptor, please respect its space and leave the climb and climb something else.
  • If you see young raptors please contact the BCA.

We had a great event with the The Peregrine Fund at the The Commons Climbing last week! The relationship between climbers and raptors is crucial to keeping the Black Cliffs accessible. As we learned Friday night, if the BCA and volunteers did not do this work, our closures could be the ENTIRE Cliffs during nesting season.

Thank you all for educating your friends, obeying closures, and being a part of this community. And extra thanks to our volunteer raptor biologist and interns for monitoring every week. Climb on!

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Closure Update: 3/8/2022

Spring is starting to creep in! So are nests, so we need to give them space and reduce noise.

❌ Nixon Head
❌ Scary Canyon, and anything upriver/east of Scary (sometimes known as Wailing Wall) all the way to Discovery/Lucky Peak.
❌ East Car Body Canyon remains closed.

This is a crucial time for nests, so any noise disruptions can cause disturbances. We cannot control the noise from the highway, but we can control our actions as climbers.

Face is currently open, and with the access trail being so close to the closures in East Car Body, please be cognizant of not disturbing the area (ex: dogs, loud disturbances, music, etc.)

Thank you for your cooperation and please help educate your climbing friends! Climb on!