Carl Anderson wrote:
>
> Several things:
>
> It was nice to meet Tom Martin of GCPBA.
>
> It was very reassuring to hear the National Park Service admit that "the
> private permit system in Grand Canyon is broken".
THIS WAS A DOMINANT THEME....THE PRESENT SYSTEM IS INEQUITABLE IN THAT
IT ALLOWS A REALTIVELY SMALL POOL OF PEOPLE TO DO CANYON TRIPS YEAR
AFTER YEAR WHILE OTHERS SIT ON THE LIST FOR TEN. WITH A FORTY PERCENT
CANCELLATION RATE BECAUSE THEIR LIVES HAVE CHANGED SIGNIFICANTLY IN THE
INTERIM, YET A 99% USE OF AVAILABLE DAYS...WHOSE FILLING THE
TRIPS....THOSE WITH SPEED DIAL AND FLEXIBLE SCHEDUALES OR THOSE WITH LOW
WAIT LIST NUMBERS? WHO SHOULD GET FIRST DIBS ON CANCELLATIONS?
>
> I personally talked at length to the owners of 3 different commercial
> companies (David MacKay owner of CRATE-the smallest company; Lynn Keller
> owner of Western RE-the largest company; Richard Quist of Moki Mac-on the
> smaller side) and heard nearly the same thing: privates do need and should
> have more access to the river.
>
> Only group not wanting increased usage is the GCRGA (commercial guides).
I THINK THAT GCRGA, MANY PRIVATE BOATERS, AND COMMERCIALS ARE
COMFORTABLE WITH THE CURRENT NUMBERS AND WOULD BE CONCERNED WITH
INCREASED USAGE BY ANYBODY..PRIVATE OR COMMERCIAL. ALTHOUGH THERE ARE
COMMERCIAL GUIDES WHO DERAGTORIALLY CALL PRIVATES-PRIMATES...AND THINK
THEY WALK ON WATER AND AIR (THE PARK SERVICE THINKS THIS TOO-USER DAY
CREW ISSUE) MOST GUIDES, AND THE ASSOCIATION ARE CONCERNED WITH OVER
TAXING THE RESOURCE, NOT DENYING PRIVATES ACCESS. DEER CREEK COUNTRY
CLUB...HAVASU PARKING METERS????
>
> Best and most workable idea that I heard is to increase private use
> during the secondary season (October 16 through April 15).
>
> As for me, I've been on 9 private trips through the Grand and only 3 of
> them were during "primary" season. I prefer to go in the early spring.
NINE TRIPS IN HOW MANY YEARS??? I APPLAUD YOUR USE OF THE SHOULDER
SEASON, BUT AM HESITANT TO TELL SOMEONE WHO HAS WAITED NINE YEARS FOR
THEIR PERMIT TO "SETTLE FOR" ANYTHING LESS THAN THE TIME THEY WOULD LIKE
TO GO DOWN THE DITCH.
COMMERCIALS LOVE THIS IDEA BECAUSE IT DOES NOT EFFECT THEIR PASSENGERS
CANYON EXPERIENCE, NOR THEIR DOMINACE OF USER DAYS IN THE HIGH SEASON
(THEY RUN VERY FEW TRIPS IN THE SHOULDER SEASON), ADDING MORE PEOPLE ON
THE RIVER AT TIMES WHEN THEY ARE NOT USING IT...THE GUIDES (AND OTHERS
INCLUDING YOURSELF) KNOW THAT THE SHOULDER SEASONS ARE A WHOLE DIFFERENT
"WILDERNESS EXPERIENCE" THAN THE PRIMARY SEASON...DO YOU REALLY WANT
THAT TO CHANGE?
ROB KERTESZ
> Carl Anderson
>
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