Advocating for Southwest Idaho climbing access since 1999
All closures lifted!! Thank you for your support this nesting season!
✅ Face Canyon -OPEN
✅ Highway Face – OPEN
✅ Nixon Head – OPEN
✅ Scary Canyon – OPEN
✅ Wailing Wall – OPEN
✅ Ironman Traverse – OPEN
✅ Car Body Canyon (Back of the canyon from Excalibur to Hershey Squirt) – OPEN
It looks like the Red Tails have successfully fledged. You may still see them flying around the area, but they have left their nest! We are lifting the closure at Face Canyon and Highway Face. Thanks for obeying the closure, and watch for future announcements for other areas.
Current access status is:
✅ Face Canyon -OPEN
✅ Highway Face – OPEN
❌ Nixon Head – CLOSED
❌ Scary Canyon – CLOSED
❌ Wailing Wall – CLOSED
❌ Ironman Traverse – CLOSED
❌ Car Body Canyon (Back of the canyon from Excalibur to Hershey Squirt) – CLOSED
Thanks to everyone for continuing to obey the closures – the little raptors are growing and doing well. We will post openings in each of the areas as the birds are able to be on their own.
The total list of closures is:
❌ Scary Canyon – CLOSED
❌ Wailing Wall – CLOSED
❌ Ironman Traverse – CLOSED
❌ Face Canyon – CLOSED
❌ Highway Face – CLOSED
❌ Car Body Canyon (from Velcro Fly to Macabre Roof) – CLOSED
❌ Nixon Head – CLOSED
Meeting notes here.
The Boise climbing community lost a true legend with the passing of Doug Colwell. Doug was a founding member of the Boise Climbers Alliance and played a pivotal role in preserving access to the Black Cliffs at a time when a full climbing closure was a real possibility. He helped develop a strategy that trusted climbers to take responsibility for the places they love—voluntarily closing sections of the cliffs during raptor nesting season. That approach proved successful and remains a cornerstone of how the area is managed today and continues to allow climbing access. Doug’s commitment didn’t stop there. He continued serving on the BCA board until shortly before his passing, always advocating for climbers and the landscape.
During a bolting moratorium at Castle Rocks State Park he became a founding member of the Climbing Resource Advisory Group (CRAG), working directly with park officials to help negotiate a path forward and ultimately bring the moratorium to an end. His influence extended nationally as well through his service on the board of the American Alpine Club.
Beyond his advocacy, Doug was an accomplished climber with numerous international expeditions and first ascents to his name. But what set him apart was his desire to give back. After time spent in Nepal, he recognized an opportunity to support local climbers and mountaineers. Through the Khumbu Climbing Center, he shared his knowledge by teaching ice climbing, rock climbing, and mountaineering skills—helping inspire and empower a new generation.
Doug’s legacy lives on in the cliffs he helped protect, the community he strengthened, and the people he mentored along the way. He will be deeply missed.
Nixon Head is now closed due to falcon nesting.
The total list of closures is:
❌ Scary Canyon – CLOSED
❌ Wailing Wall – CLOSED
❌ Ironman Traverse – CLOSED
❌ Face Canyon – CLOSED
❌ Highway Face – CLOSED
❌ Car Body Canyon (from Velcro Fly to Macabre Roof) – CLOSED
❌ Nixon Head – CLOSED
A reminder about closures:
Another closure to announce: Car Body Canyon (from Velcro Fly to Macabre Roof).
This brings the list of total closures to:
❌ Scary Canyon – CLOSED
❌ Wailing Wall – CLOSED
❌ Ironman Traverse – CLOSED
❌ Face Canyon – CLOSED
❌ Highway Face – CLOSED
❌ Car Body Canyon (from Velcro Fly to Macabre Roof) – CLOSED
A reminder about closures: