National Park Service adds to Idaho site; watch Olympic rock climbing at Boise gym
The National Park Service has added public land to a national reserve site in Idaho known for its rock climbing opportunities, according to a news release.
The NPS added 22 acres of public land to the City of Rocks National Reserve south of Burley, thanks to an acquisition of private land that was already included in the reserve. The tract of land, known as the Gibson property, features the Dungeon, Crystal Cow and Electric Avenue rock formations.
City of Rocks is one of seven National Park Service units in Idaho. Its unique granite rock formations make it a popular spot for rock climbing, and the formations on the newly acquired property are among the formations that climbers have created routes on.
Wallace Keck, superintendent of the reserve, said in the news release that maps will be updated to include the addition.
“Beginning immediately, the public may enjoy expanded recreational access for hiking, hunting and rock climbing,” Keck said.
About 25% of the roughly 14,000-acre reserve remains private, while the rest of the land is managed by the National Park Service and Idaho State Parks and Recreation.
Watch Olympic rock climbing at Boise climbing gym
The Commons, a Boise rock climbing gym, will host screenings of climbing events from the Tokyo Olympics on Aug. 5 and 6, according to gym co-founder Mary DeWalt.
The Commons has not yet announced event times for the screenings, but the Olympic climbing events are scheduled to begin on Aug. 3 at 5 p.m. in Japan (15 hours ahead of Mountain time). The qualifiers for men and women take place Aug. 3 and 4, with finals slated for Aug. 5 and 6.
There are three climbing categories — speed climbing, bouldering and top rope climbing — and Olympians must compete in all of them. Find a guide to the categories online at climbing.com.
The Commons, located on the Bench at 4795 W. Emerald St., already has a tie to the Tokyo Olympics. Its 45-foot climbing wall was built by French company Entre-Prises, the same company that created the climbing walls for the Olympic Games.
DeWalt said the Commons is also hosting its first concert on July 31. The Owyhee Ensemble, Suzanne De Soleil and Jacob Wright will play from 7 to 9 p.m.
Idaho Fish and Game offers bilingual fishing webinar for Spanish speakers
The Idaho Department of Fish and Game has partnered with the Hispanic Access Foundation, Idaho Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and other organizations to offer a bilingual webinar on fishing as part of Latino Conservation Week.
The webinar, called “Vamos A Pescar,” is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Friday. Viewers can register online at idfg.idaho.gov/ZwY. The event is free.
According to a news release from the Hispanic Access Foundation, Vamos A Pescar will teach participants the basics of getting an Idaho fishing license, how to land trout and bass and where to find good fishing in Idaho. There will also be a live raffle for fishing gear.
The webinar will be translated into Spanish and a bilingual Q&A session will follow.
Speakers include Idaho Fish and Game marketing director Ian Malepeai, Hispanic Access Foundation conservation expert Jessica Godinez and Idaho Wildlife Federation outreach coordinator Becca Aceto.
“Ensuring all Idahoans feel welcome on the water, and encouraging Idaho’s Latino community to get in touch with nature through fishing, has always been one of our goals,” Malepeai said.
