Sorry for the possibly obvious question. But I am a bit confused as to whether MB is closed in the summer or not (late May/ early June). Specifically, I am wondering about the standard Moonlight Buttress C1 / 5.12+ regular route. The NPS website does not list MB in the closures list. But other sources say it is closed in the summer. Which is it?

Whatever the NPS site says is what you go by. Generally Moonlight is open, as it's to the right of Angels Landing, which is usually closed for raptor nesting.

They'll also lift some closures by May, if I recall, after all the falcons have nested and any normal cliffs that are closed don't have nests.

Early to mid May and mid-September are probably the cutoffs. Depends on whether you're free climbing or aid climbing. And, it would depend on the weather that season.

www.weather.com/weather/wxclimatology/monthly/graph/UTNPZION>>>

I'll never forget a story a friend told me about trying to climb Spaceshot in June. He decided to wait until evening to start so it would be cooler but it was still 96 degrees at 9 P.M. and he was getting scorched.

no doubt- Spaceshot faces west, it bakes in the afternoon sun. We were warm when we did it in March.

Moonlight faces due east- morning sun, afternoon shade. Sun gets real high in the desert, and shade in the summer doesnt provide much relief. You could fix and fire it, climbing only in the afternoon and evening, but it'd be gnarly regardless. You'd have to really consider how to deal with dehydration/water supplies if you didnt want to haul.

It's best in the fall for river conditions- spring can be gnarly because you have to cross the river. If you cant cross due to high water, you have to walk around Angel's Landing from the bridge- not terribly far, but a pretty good hike.