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- Federal land managers urge climbers to avoid Long Canyon from April to mid-June.
- Climbers are encouraged to explore alternative routes to minimize disturbances to bighorn sheep.
MOAB — Federal land managers are asking rock climbers to avoid climbing in a popular canyon for most of the spring because its a vital period for one of the canyon's resident species.
Bureau of Land Management officials are asking climbers to avoid Long Canyon, southwest of Moab, between April 1 and June 15, which the agency says is a "critical time" for the region's desert bighorn sheep.
Agency officials say spring and early summer are "particularly sensitive periods" for pregnant ewes and newborn lambs. Bighorn sheep are often "sensitive to human-caused disturbances," leading them to areas like Long Canyon that are off the beaten path.
"This critical time encompasses the end of a ewe's pregnancy and the first few weeks of the lamb's life," the agency wrote in a statement. "Human activity can cause stress to these animals, forcing them to abandon preferred habitat, which can impact the survival of their young."
Long Canyon draws plenty of climbing interest. Mountain Project describes it as a "little slice of sandstone heaven," home to many routes.
Bureau officials are asking climbers to avoid "all developed and undeveloped" crags in the canyon until mid-June, including areas like Maverick Buttress and Reptilian Wall. They're encouraging climbers to look at alternative routes during that time.
Utah is home to about 3,000 desert bighorn sheep and 1,500 Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources officials reported in 2024.
Meanwhile, it's not uncommon for some of Utah's climbing areas to be blocked off during the springtime because of wildlife. Climbers are often asked to avoid certain routes near popular nesting areas for sensitive raptor bird species, such as eagles, falcons and condors.
