Raptor-nesting season takes place each year in the Flatirons from late winter through midsummer, resulting in the closure of many formations from February 1 through July 31 (some areas might open earlier depending on the year; consult OSMP’s website for more information).  Many formations that remain open year-round such as Seal Rock, the Slab, Overhang Rock, etc. are situated near closed formations.

As such, the FHRC and OSMP ask that you be cognizant of drill noise on these open formations and that you muffle your drill if doing any bolting work here during nesting season.  When submitting an application to OSMP, OSMP will communicate any special concerns about a given formation as needed.  We’ve put together the following video showing how to muffle your drill.

Please see the video, How to Muffle your Drill During Nesting Season, here.

To reiterate what appears in the video, the steps are:

1.  Nest your drill in a puffy parka, with the bit protruding through the head/hood area and the back of the drill at the  bottom/waist of the jacket.
2.  Seal the jacket tight with the waist toggle, and then tie the arms across each other to seal it further.
3.  Tape the jacket tight around the drill body with a couple strips of duct tape.
4.  Place the drill in a small backpack or haulbag with a hole cut in the bottom, big enough to accommodate your hand  and forearm. The drill tip should protrude through the top of the pack, while the drill body/trigger should be  accessible at the bottom so you can stick your hand through the pre-cut hole and activate the trigger.
5.  Nest one or two other puffy jackets around the drill, to further muffle the noise.
6.  Zip up the backpack.
7.  Drill your bolt. It helps to have a keeper sling on the drill that protrudes from the pack/drill so you can clip the drill  off to your harness when not in use, or you can simply wear the backpack on your back.