Rock climbers will have fewer options in the American West this spring.
More than a dozen cliff climbing routes in Utah's Zion National Park were temporarily closed this week in an effort to protect peregrine falcons.
The routes made inaccessible are on cliffs where the endangered birds of prey have nested in the past. If no nests are found on the closed sites by late April or early May, they'll be reopened then, according to park officials. Sites where nests are found will be monitored until chicks leave them, which usually happens toward the end of July.
Closed trails include those on Angels Landing (pictured above), Mountain of the Sun, North Twin Brother, and others. See Zion's website for a full list of closures.
