I don't think that is (nor should it be) the goal of the reservation system,
but that is the effect!
I suspect this list is dominated by people in the first category, so I expect
a lively debate."
I disagree with "actually favors....exclusion....effect." I, also suspect
that this list has on it people "people who have already been many times
back" and, I am fairly certain that, I might be one of those who fall into
the" Private user element" of your statement. So I will attempt to address
your statement.
I presume that "people who have already been many times back" is in your
opinion bad...at least not good. This was a recurrent theme advanced by
the commercial outfitters during all three of the CRMP meetings recently
concluded, so it was examined fairly thoroughly. There probably are
"privates" who do use the river repeatedly, but are those who do so, doing
so to the "exclusion of the multitudes..."? I don't think so.
In the first place, a huge number who dream of going, manifest those dreams
via the commercial sector. Secondly,a huge number attempt to manifest
their dreams by doing it themselves. Of the second group, almost none get
to do so on a timely basis. Timely being determined by several standards,
commercially within the year, or specific date requested, privately within
a two to three year wait, which was agreed by those in attendance at the
crmp meets to be, "timely."
If you were to sign up for the wait list in 1998, you would have to wait at
least 20 years to fulfill your dream.
Why not, "timely use" for private use? because of the few repeaters in the
private sector?, no, because almost all of the user day (more than 2
thirds) allocation is taken up by commercial operators. This leaves very
little room for the private user...sorry. Many commercial patrons "repeat"
use the river over and over. In fact one could travel all summer long on
commercial trips if one were outfitted with enough loot to do so.
I suspect that the reason this argument was advanced so frequently in all
the CRMP mmeets by the outfitters, as, the source of the list crowding
problem, was as an attempt to divert attention from the fact that the real
repeat users of the river, "the elte minority who have learned how to
manipulate the system" is actually themselves, their patrons and their
employees, who together account for more than 80% of all the people
launching at Lee's Ferry! Busy making their own river dreams come true.
Thereby excluding the many who wait on the park's long, long list to go
privately. Many of these people are so into their repeat use, that they
have to be paid to go. Isn't that odd?
I agree, I don't think the park had this in mind when it established this
system.
"Pay-n-go"
Something else that is a bit odd is, that those people who are considered
to be the offensive "repeat users." aka "river hogs" are the ones working
the hardest to change this system, and open it up to potential private
users, such as yourself, and those whom you might choose to bring with
you,who might actually crowd those "hogs" right off the water! What do you
suppose is their motivation? More use for themselves? The "repeaters" are
already, in some minds, experts at manipulating the "system," and might be
better off if no changes were to be made. What's it all about?
For what its worth, I offer this for your consideration.
Sincerely
Richard Martin / gcpba editor
PS Don't notice the spelling/typing errors. Thanks
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