From the Canyon Lakes Ranger District Forest Service:
Fort Collins, Colo. (March 7, 2024) – to protect nesting birds of prey, the U.S. Forest Service is implementing annual area closures in several popular recreation areas throughout the Canyon Lakes Ranger District. The closures include Triple Tier, south of CO Highway 14; Boston Peak, north of CO Highway 14; Grazing Allotment Crag, northwest of Prairie Divide Road; and Mt. Olympus, southeast of US Highway 34. See the closure map for more details. Effective through July 31, 2024, the closures protect established raptor territories to ensure the birds remain undisturbed during sensitive breeding and nesting seasons.
The Canyon Lakes Ranger District partners with Colorado Parks & Wildlife and the Northern Colorado Climbers Coalition to monitor nesting progress and to inform climbers about the importance of giving raptors space to raise their young.
Federal and state laws prohibit disturbing any nesting bird of prey. Visitors can help protect wildlife by respecting all closures. Signs will be posted at key access points into the closed areas. Additional closure information is available online.
The right side of the Lower Tier of the South Slabs, while it seems steep, is well-featured enough to allow for a couple of very enjoyable, moderate face routes, of which Birdland is one.
Begin near a crystalline pothole of sorts in the wall beneath three overly-close bolts - clip the second with a long sling (you'll likely regret clipping the first due to rope drag issues near the top of the pitch), and make some 8/9 moves directly left into a bejeweled groove. Step up the groove, passing a couple bolts along the way, until a crack in a right-facing feature is visible just to the left. Make crux friction moves left to this crack, sink a couple nuts, and then run it through more thin friction moves, stepping left into a water streak before gaining easier ground to the belay bolts.
Location
Birdland is one of two moderate slab lines on the right margin of the Lower Tier of the South Slab. The start is easily identified by a pothole in the wall with two closely-spaced bolts immediately above. The line continues up a crystalline groove six feet left of the initial bolts.
Protection
4 bolts (clip the first one if you really feel like, avoid it to minimize drag) and a set of stoppers will get you through this pitch. You also might want to bring along a good set of nuts.
[Hide Photo] Birdland in Red, Jazzman in Green, and Beer for Breakfast in Blue. The pothole, groove, and right-facing crack that define this line are all evident in this photo.
[Hide Comment] There is only 4 bolts? In the new guide book by Craig Luebben, Cameron Cross, and Bennett Scott it says it has been retrobolted w/ 11 bolts. Is this a different route or have some been removed?
Feb 16, 2010
[Hide Comment] Indeed - only four bolts; the guidebook also states that these routes diverge after the sixth shared bolt, when they in fact separate after their second shared bolt.
Feb 19, 2010
Avg: 2.3 from 3
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Access Issue: 2024 Seasonal Raptor Closures
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Fort Collins, CO