Climbers Pissed About Rock Closure to Protect 18 Rare Frogs
The mountain yellow-legged frog is an endangered species, so closing 1,000 acres of a 655,000 acre park to protect what could be the last 18 of the frogs in the area shouldn’t be a big deal, right?
Well, those 1,000 acres include what was once a popular rock climbing area, Williamson Rock, and it’s been closed since 2005. The Forest service now says it’ll be closed at least another year. Climbers say they’ve been patient, but want the rock back.
“[The frog is] really on the brink,” said Lisa Northrop, planning officer for the Angeles National Forest. “Almost any activity, swimming, rock climbing, use of the trail, has the potential to impact the frog.”
