Tieton is a great place to climb when the weather is less than favorable on the west side of the Cascade Range. I ran across the following information from the Washington Climbers Coalition (WCC) webpage which affects climbing in the area for the spring climbing season. Make sure to read it thoroughly before heading out there and remember to respect the closures of the areas mentioned. I basically copied this message from a post that WCC member Andy Fitz made after receiving a voice message from John McGowan, the land manager for the Oak Creek Wildlife Area.

From Andy Fitz:

I got a voice mail and email today from John McGowan, who manages the Oak Creek Wildlife Area. Over the past few years, the golden eagles nesting in the lower Tieton have moved their nest a little farther west each year. This year, they've chosen a spot very close to the Bend. As a result, the Bend will be closed until July 31, when this year's crop of new birds will have fledged.

The Royal Columns and the Tieton Nature Trail (which runs from the Royal Columns to Moon Rocks) reopened April 1 as usual.

This is the first time since seasonal closures began in the early 1990s that a closure will affect a crag beyond early April. It's an inconvenience for sure, but there's plenty of other climbing in the Tieton. Go (re)Clean some of the cracks at Moon Rocks; there are some very nice 5.11s that go begging and make for great topropes if you're not up to leading them. Or, explore the climbing up the river, which a lot of people ignore.

On the bright side, the fact that the eagles have moved their nest so close to a long-established crag is a good sign that climbers and raptors aren't mutually exclusive. On that note, PLEASE respect this closure. Our access to all the lower Tieton crags--which are all on Fish & Wildlife land--depends on it. We can also set a good tone for Beacon Rock, where Fish & Wildlife provides advice to State Parks on the yearly closure. And, if all that's not enough, it's just the right thing to do.

Keep an eye out for a future trail project day at the Bend. I was planning to announce a date in late April. Guess that'll have to wait!