Thanks to all who have joined or renewed your membership. Your support is vital as the Board keeps plugging away – here are the items we’re currently working on:
Navajo Docks
This saga continues. We have submitted additional FOIA requests for the latest correspondence between the Corps of Engineers, National Park Service and Navajo Nation. The Corps extended the Navajo’s permit after it expired last October, which was surprising and disappointing to say the least. Just to refresh your memory; the Navajo applied for a permit to build docks just downstream of Lee’s Ferry for commercial purposes. The Corps used an expedited process called a “Letter of Permission” to grant the permit. An LOP assumes there is no material public interest and thereby dismissing public notification and comment.
GCPBA’s argument is not with the legal dispute of land ownership between the Navajo Nation and Federal Government. Our argument is with the Corps in that issuance of an LOP is inappropriate as there is public interest. Our next course of action will be guided by the information received as a result of our FOIA request.
DIY Listing of Camp Sites
The Board has explored several avenues for developing a list of campsites accompanied with pics and descriptions. Maintaining a list is a challenge as camp conditions continually change. As a solution, a DIY mapping app called “Steps” was used and populated with available pics and descriptions. The pics and descriptions are not current and are intended as a start. The app is free, it allows you to upload pics and descriptions of camps. Basically, it’s a communal effort to document conditions and provide a resource while on the river. We’ll see if folks use it and find it useful. GCPBA is the app’s administrator – see the link is below:
Group Photo on Website
You’re welcome to submit a photo of your group – typically taken at Tequila Beach, for posting on our webpage https://newgcpba.org/trip-connections-info/ Pl. no moon shots. You can send it to us at GCPBAmail@gmail.com
Increasing Interest in Self-Guided Trips
GCPBA’s Facebook membership is now at 13.3k. For the period of May 28 to June 24, 286 requests to join were approved and 46 declined. These numbers are the monthly norm. We wonder if this steady increase correlates to an increase in permit applications. The # of applications first surpassed the # of private boaters making a trip in 2019. Given the low fee of $25, are people entering the lottery on a whim? The number of cancellations varies from year to year and has been as high as 50%. Half of the cancellations for a given launch year occur in the first few months after the lottery closes. This suggests that folks didn’t have the requisite deposit and/or participants to commit to a trip prior to entering the lottery.
The foregoing was recently discussed with the Park. It’s a problem. The Park thinks that modification of the PATL will lessen the number of cancellations. The Board has worked with Park in previous years and given feedback on various proposals. Any modification of the PATL rule is currently on the Park’s back burner. Raising the $25 lottery fee to discourage frivolous
applications is not an option as the fee cannot exceed the cost of administering the program.
Survey of User Experience
As you recall, we conducted a survey of your knowledge of the CRMP, number of trips taken and overall trip experience. The results, which were shared with you, will be discussed with the Park in our upcoming Sept. Board mtg. We’ve also advocated that the Park do a similar survey by asking each permit holder to comment on their experience of the availability of camps and crowding at popular sites. GCPBA provided the Park with a number of sample questions for their consideration. They agreed that a survey would be beneficial, and allocated funding for FY 2024 – 2025. Hopefully, they’ll follow thru.
The purpose of the survey(s) is to get feedback re access vs. wilderness experience. Do we advocate for more trips or is the status quo satisfactory? Member response, which equated to 18% of the membership, was mixed. The responses equate to 1% of the annual total number of private boaters that take a trip. A greater sampling will most likely be needed for the Park to consider changes to the CRMP. All will be discussed between Board members and the Park at the upcoming Board meeting.
New Members
Membership is the singular requirement to join us as a Board member. Willingness to travel to Flagstaff for the annual Board mtg is a must – combine it with a trip to the Park to make it a mini vacation. Current Board members travel from Florida, Minnesota, California and a couple of places in between to attend Board mtgs. Face to face meetings with Park personnel and outfitters are the best way to connect. Email us at gcpbamail@gmail.com with inquiries if interested.
Launching from Pearce Ferry
The following question was recently posed by one of our members: Why is launching from Pearce Ferry prohibited? GCPBA contacted Lake Mead National Recreation Area for the answer. The following was the response:
Hello Mr. Vrymoed,
Please find the Lake Mead NRA Superintendent’s Compendium messaging regarding the Pearce Ferry launching restrictions here under Part I – General Provisions; “Closures #4”. Full text is also copy/pasted below.
4. Pearce Ferry Take-Out/Harbor – Launching of vessels and watercraft from Pearce Ferry Take-Out/Harbor Area by the public is prohibited. This area is designated only for permitted rafting trips. The river running take-out and re-rigging area is closed to swimming, fishing, camping and shoreline fires to prevent conflict with the river runner operations. The exception will be administrative government vessels and those commercial vessels authorized by the Superintendent’s Office.
Determination: The Pearce Ferry launch ramp is closed due to low water. The Pearce Ferry Take-Out is located in an area of swift water that makes the ramp conditions change daily and often is not safe. River operators are trained to deal with the swift water and ramp conditions.
Our primary concern is always the wellbeing and safety of our recreators and, due to the area’s low water and the swift, unreliable water flow conditions, this location has been determined as unsafe for personal launching. Again, Lake Mead appreciates all visitor feedback. Your initial voicemail and our phone call today has been shared with park management.
Thank you,
Lake Mead Public Affairs Office
So, it’s safe for a private boater to launch from Lee’s and Diamond but not from Pearce because the private boater lacks the necessary skill set. Floating past Pearce and taking out at South Cove is permitted having started at either Lee’s or Diamond. Hence, LMNRA’s regulation doesn’t make much sense. A private boater should be allowed to launch from Pearce if so desired. Lake Mead is now so low that current extends to South Cove’s proximity. Anyway, given the inference that the private boater lacks the skill to navigate flat water is impetus enough for the Board to petition for the prohibition’s removal.
Web Page
Info from the old webpage has been brought over to the new site and a portion of the historic info archived. In the coming months, the archived material will be provided on another website, and will be monitored over a period of time using Google analytics. This will indicate which historic data is of interest so that a link can be provided on the new website, e.g. how many will read the congratulatory letter GCPBA sent to Joe Alston on his appointment as GC superintendent 22 years ago?
Re GCPBA’s store: The problems with PayPal and some of the products not having been identified as eligible for discounts have now been resolved. Thank you for your patience.
Email us at GCPBAmail@gmail.com with your questions and/or comments. Stay safe.
John Vrymoed, President
Grand Canyon Private Boaters’ Association