Grand Canyon National Park
Key Messages – Week of March 29, 2021
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This week’s numbers at a glance:
- The average number of new cases per day in Arizona is 536, up from 479 on average per day last week.
- As of Thursday, the total number of cases in the 86023 zip code since the pandemic began is 195. This number represents cases both inside and outside the park.
- There are no new reported cases in the park this week.
- Since the pandemic began, we’ve had 44 total positive COVID-19 cases in the park. To date, and as reported, none of the positive cases resulted from interaction with park visitors.
- More detailed statistics are available on the Coconino County COVID-19 Dashboard.
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Navajo Nation Implements “Soft Reopening”
- The Navajo Nation continues to open operations, with updated executive orders being issued most weeks. The latest executive order, released March 26th, eased additional restrictions including reducing curfew hours and extending business hours.
- We continue to reach out to the Nation and have targeted reopening of the east entrance of the park for April 8th, unless we hear of concerns from the Navajo Nation. The East gate remains closed and we are hopeful that we will reach a decision on a firm opening date in the next week. We will notify you promptly of any changes or developments to this situation.
- Specific guidance for the Navajo Nation can be found on the Navajo Nation website.
- Grand Canyon National Park has no restrictions for park residents to come or go between the park and the Navajo Nation or any other locations.
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NEW COVID-19 Effectiveness Study
We have some good news regarding vaccine effectiveness that has been shared by the CDC this week. A new CDC study provides strong evidence that mRNA COVID-19 vaccines are highly effective in preventing COVID-19 infection. The study evaluated the effectiveness of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines in preventing COVID-19 among 3,950 study participants in six states over a 13-week period from December 2020 to March 2021.
- Results showed that following the second dose of vaccine, risk of infection was reduced by 90 percent, two or more weeks after vaccination.
- Following a single dose of either vaccine, the participants’ risk of infection with COVID-19 was reduced by 80 percent, two or more weeks after vaccination.
CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky has made recent statements advising the U.S. public to remain vigilant about continuing with COVID-19 mitigations such as wearing masks and maintaining physical distance. Dr. Walensky on Monday expressed fears that the U.S. could have another surge in cases similar to last summer’s, mirroring spikes in Europe. She attributed the rise in part to the spread of more contagious variants, increased travel and reduced restrictions.
- It is important to note that the first case of a new COVID variant has been found in Arizona. Please, let’s all do our part to stop the spread and continue with mitigation measures until a large portion of the population has been vaccinated.
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Governor Doug Ducey Issues Executive Order Easing Some COVID-19 Restrictions
- On Thursday, March 25, Governor Doug Ducey issued an executive order easing some COVID restrictions across the state.
- This Arizona executive order contains details about COVID-19 mitigations that were previously required for Arizona businesses to follow, but are now recommended rather than required.
- the Arizona executive order generally does not apply to the Park, since we operate on Federal lands and are subject to the current Federal Executive Order that requires mask-wearing, as well as Department of the Interior and National Park Service policy that implements the Federal Executive Order.
- Federal mask requirements are still in place in federal facilities and on public lands. Please visit the Grand Canyon Superintendent’s Compendium Summary for a list of locations where masking is required.
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Public Health Consultant Changes
If you test positive or become ill, please report your situation to your supervisor and our NPS Public Health Consultant immediately. This is to ensure proper public health protocols are followed and that any exposure to the virus is minimized.
- Ronan King, Lieutenant Commander, U.S. Public Health Service
- Mobile: (202) 891-8599
- Email: ronan_king@nps.gov
- For all email correspondence, please also cc: Chris Glime, Captain, U.S. Public Health Service
- Mobile: (202)641-3518
- Email: christen_glime@nps.gov
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This Week’s COVID-19 Vaccine Update
Coconino County and the State of Arizona are opening vaccinations to all persons 16 years of age and up. Moderna and Johnson and Johnson vaccines are only available for adults 18 and up. Pfizer vaccines are available to individuals 16 and up. There are vaccine appointments available at various locations throughout the county. The State and County continue to make significant progress in vaccine administration.
As of Tuesday, March 30th:
- More than 146 million vaccine doses have been administered in the US.
- Approximately 29% of adult Americans have received 1 vaccine dose, and nearly 16% are fully vaccinated.
- Approximately 29% of Arizonans have received 1 vaccine dose, and 16% have been fully vaccinated.
- In Coconino County approximately 37% of the population have received the 1st dose, with 25% fully vaccinated.
- Approximately 52% of the population living on the Navajo reservation have been fully vaccinated.
As of Tuesday, there have been 1,561 vaccine doses administered at the Grand Canyon Clinic. You can register for a vaccine appointment at Grand Canyon Clinic on-line through the county website. Once you have registered, the clinic will call you to schedule your vaccination. Should you receive a call from 928-522-9400, this is the clinic calling to schedule your appointment.
- Please get the vaccine when it is available to you in order to protect yourself, your family and loved ones, and our community.
- New employees who have received or are scheduled to receive their first vaccine dose elsewhere, but want to get their second dose of the vaccine at Grand Canyon after they come on board. For those seeking the Moderna vaccine, these new employees will need to schedule an appointment through the Grand Canyon Clinic website. For those seeking the Pfizer vaccine, the Clinic does not stock the Pfizer vaccine due to storage requirements. New employees seeking a 2nd Pfizer dose will need to make other arrangements to schedule their vaccine, such as with Safeway in Prescott or Flagstaff.
- Remember that even if you have been vaccinated, you still must follow CDC masking, physical distancing, and hand-hygiene guidance. Though your risk of contracting COVID-19 is significantly lowered after vaccination, vaccinated individuals may still contract or asymptomatically transmit the disease. Be vigilant to keep yourselves and others safe while we continue to work through the nation-wide vaccination process.
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COVID-19 Testing Details
- The Grand Canyon Clinic has hours for COVID testing on Wednesdays from 11 a.m.-12 p.m. If you need a test outside of this hour, you need an order from your health care provider indicating a test is warranted.
- In Flagstaff, COVID testing is available at Coconino Community College at 2800 South Lone Tree Road, and the NAU Fieldhouse at 1050 Knoles Drive.
- Testing is also available at other locations in Flagstaff, including:
- Walgreens on 4th Street
- NextCare Urgent Care
- The Veterans Affairs Clinic
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Messages and Grand Canyon News
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The Busy Season Is Upon Us!
As most of you are aware, the park has been particularly busy over the past couple of weeks and will continue to be busy through this Spring Break period. Lines at the entrance station are routinely reaching into Tusayan and wait times are often over an hour.
As a reminder, give yourselves plenty of time to enter the park and try to avoid travelling into the park during the busiest
times of day, which seem to be between 8am and 5pm.
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We conclude Women’s History Month by recognizing Mary Colter, designer for the Fred Harvey Company (now Xanterra), whose birthday we celebrate on April 4.
She designed many of the principal Harvey establishments in the Southwest, including The Alvarado and Indian Building in Albuquerque, NM; La Posada Hotel in Winslow, AZ; and Union Station in Los Angeles. CA.
Here at Grand Canyon, between 1914 and 1935, she designed and sometimes supervised the construction of 5 unique buildings: Hermits Rest, Lookout Studio, Phantom Ranch, Desert View Watchtower, and Bright Angel Lodge.
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The structures at Grand Canyon stand as memorials to her great ability and devotion to the work. Some of her earlier buildings are generally credited with contributing to the now prevalent Southwestern style of architecture.
Ms. Colter had a great passion for authenticity as related to Spanish and Ancestral Puebloan architecture. Perhaps the work into which she put the most care and study was the Watchtower, which stands majestically on the South Rim of Grand Canyon. At the start of the project, she spent months traveling across the Southwest, visiting
prehistoric tower sites in New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado and Utah. She insisted that, “The Watchtower be considered not a replica, but an authenticated re-creation of these Indian structures.”
Her ideas about design, using local and reusable materials, mimicking geologic surroundings and embracing American Indian designs, helped to define what National Park architecture would become.
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Work To Begin On Silver Bridge April 13th
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Work on the Silver Bridge near Phantom Ranch is planned for the weeks of April 12th through May 7th, with daily bridge closure beginning April 13th.
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The bridge will be closed Monday through Friday, 8am to 5pm, during the planned work. During the hours when the bridge is closed, hikers will need to cross the Colorado River exclusively via the Black Bridge.
If hiking the Bright Angel Trail, hikers should anticipate to be redirected to the River Trail and the Black Bridge which will add approximately 3/4 mile to their trip. The NPS always emphasizes the importance of staying on designated trails, and hikers should never attempt to go over or around closures. All trail users should pay attention to directions from park rangers, volunteers, and signs placed along the trail.
There will be up to 4 coordinated day-long power outages at Phantom Ranch during this time. More specific information about the bridge closure and power outages will be shared by email.
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Annual River Guides Training Seminar
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The annual River Guides Training Seminar was held virtually this past weekend. Our Superintendent, Ed Keable, gave an opening talk, providing perspectives on the river, diversity, equity and inclusion, our relationship to the guiding community, and how important their stewardship is for managing the park.
Ryan McDonald-O’Lear, Bob Schelly, and Lonnie Pilkington also gave presentations, discussing river patrols, restoring native fish, and mitigating invasive species threats and vegetation treatments.
The river portion of the Guides Training Seminar begins this week. Laurie Dyer, Jan Balsom, and Doug Lentz will be participating in the trip on behalf of the park. Laurie and Jan launch with the guides on April 1st, hiking out on the 7th. Doug will be our sole representative on the lower half, joining on April 7th and exiting at Pearce Ferry on April 17th.
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Steam Train Visits This Saturday
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Steam Locomotive No. 4960 was built in 1923 by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and saw service on the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad hauling iron ore and other freight throughout the American Mid-West.
Retired from CB&Q RR in 1960, it pulled excursion trains, museum trains, and circus trains throughout Wisconsin and other mid-western States until the early 1970’s when it was put on static display.
Purchased by Grand Canyon Railway in 1989, in 1996 No. 4960 underwent one of the most extensive locomotive rebuilding and restoration projects in modern history, converting it from a coal-burner to burn diesel as fuel. Further modifications were made to it in 2009, as GCR converted it to run on recycled Waste Vegetable Oil.
Due to its popularity, No. 4960 has taken its place as an icon among operational steam locomotives in the United States. Have a look at this amazing piece of Grand Canyon history this Saturday, April 3rd!
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Current Operational Updates
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Desert View Accessibility
- The East entrance gate remains closed to through traffic on Highway 64.
- Desert View is currently accessible to visitors. Areas include the parking lot, paved trails, and the overlook.
- All facilities remain closed, including all facilities operated by NPS, Grand Canyon Conservancy, and Delaware North.
- Park residents are allowed to continue to come and go through the secured gates outside of the entrance station. If there is an issue with the combination lock at the gate, please contact dispatch immediately.
Weekly Concessions updates:
The following Concessions services will open next week:
- Maswik Food Court will open April 3rd.
- Desert View Trading Post Coffee and Ice Cream will open April 3rd.
- Desert View Gas Station will open April 3rd, offering Pay-at-the-Pump services only.
- Commercial River Operations return to pre-pandemic launch schedules on April 1st.
The following park closures remain in place:
- East Entrance gate
- Desert View services
- All residential areas
- South Rim Visitor Center and Headquarters
- South Rim Backcountry Information Center
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Have questions for our weekly employee or community calls?
Please fill out the form below and help us get your questions answered.
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