Grand Canyon Weekly Wrap-up — May 16-20, 2022

The CDC Community Level tracks a county’s ability to provide health care to COVID patients. We continue to register Low at the community level, and we have been at this level since early March.

The Coconino County Community Transmission looks at the number of COVID cases and positive tests. Coconino County is now High, which has increased from Substantial as of Thursday, May 5. Arizona has 8 counties in High, 5 in Substantial, and 2 in Moderate, 0 in Low.

Total cases in Arizona for the week of May 4 – 11, was 5,490, which is an average of 784 cases per day for the seven-day rolling average. There were approximately 6 new cases reported in the park this past week. That brings the park total up to an estimated 228 cases, and 424 cases for the 86023 zip code, since the beginning of the pandemic.

COVID Testing Updates

The CDC renewed emphasis on COVID testingand what to watch out for if you test at home and have a negative test result. Some self-tests are designed to be used in a series (also known as serial testing) so consider repeating the test 24 to 48 hours later. Multiple negative tests increase the confidence that you are not infected with the virus that causes COVID-19.

Beginning this week, the federal government is offering its third round of at home COVID-19 tests for families. Each household is eligible to receive 8 free tests by mail.

For more information and to sign up for free tests please visit, www.covidtests.gov.

Desert View Groundbreaking Ceremony and Inter-tribal Working Group meeting

On Tuesday, May 17, we held a ceremony at Desert View to celebrate the near completion of the initial phases of work being done at Desert View to turn it into the park Inter-tribal cultural heritage site.

Members of the Inter-tribal Working Group, Grand Canyon Conservancy, park staff and other partners attended a short celebration of the accomplishments to date. James Uqualla from the Havasupai Tribe, offered a blessing for the work and the efforts for all who have been involved.

In addition to Superintendent Keable, Theresa McMullan from GCC offered words of support, along with individual Working Group members. The Working Group will continue its efforts to develop the exhibit plan for the Desert View Welcome Center and has begun work on the next strategic plan.

ALERT: Recent gastrointestinal illness in backcountry areas of Grand Canyon

The National Park Service Office of Public Health has received increasing reports of gastrointestinal (GI) illness among river users and backcountry campers over the past month. Symptoms include nausea, stomach cramping/pain, vomiting, and diarrhea. These symptoms are consistent with norovirus, and we have confirmed norovirus from at least one rafting trip. To date, there have been approximately 12 river and backcountry groups who have reported gastrointestinal illness with up to 90 individuals experiencing symptoms.

Norovirus and other GI illnesses are contagious; you can get these from an infected person, contaminated food and water, or by touching contaminated surfaces. These illnesses cause sudden-onset vomiting and diarrhea, lasts 1–3 days, and can spread quickly amongst a group. The best way to prevent these types of illnesses is to practice proper hand washing and general cleanliness and ensure the safety of your drinking water.

Our commercial services and public affairs staff are working with the NPS Office of Public Health and Coconino County Health and Human Services to alert backcountry and river users. The County and NPS Office of Public Health continue to closely track cases to determine if they are linked to certain backcountry areas of Grand Canyon. We will share more information as it becomes available. For more information, please see this flyer or reference: https://www.cdc.gov/norovirus/index.html.

If you have any questions, please contact our NPS Office of Public Health consultant, Lieutenant Commander Ronan King at Ronan_King@nps.gov or (202) 891-8599.

Parkwide Canyon Cleanup Event, Thursday, March 26

Get out from behind your desk for a few hours with your colleagues and help us pick up around the South and North Rim!

On Thursday, May 26, all employees are encouraged to join a park-wide litter pick-up event. With all the wind we’ve recently endured, things have blown everywhere, and you can help make the park look better by joining your friends and colleagues in this event.

Tools, vests, garbage bags and rubber gloves will be available for pickup up at 8:30 a.m. on Thursday at the FMD conference room located in the main FMD building. A map designating target areas will be available, along with sign-up sheets for the different zones. Coordinate with your work units and division chiefs to arrange for location and timing. A flyer to post in your work areas can be found here.

The North Rim will also participate in the cleanup from 10 a.m.-noon on Thursday, May 26. Please work with your supervisors to assist with this project. The plan is to meet at the North Rim Community Building ready to go at 10 a.m. The North Rim Facilities staff will help to provide all the supplies you will need.

Tusayan Shuttle begins Saturday, May 28

Starting Saturday, May 28, the shuttle between Tusayan and the Grand Canyon Visitor Center will be in operation for the first time since 2019. The Tusayan Shuttle, also known as the Purple Route will run at 20-minute intervals between 8 AM and 9:30 PM.

The first bus into the park leaves Tusayan at 8 a.m. from the IMAX Theater. The first bus from the park to Tusayan departs the Grand Canyon Visitor Center at 8:25 a.m. The last buses leave IMAX at 9:45 p.m. and Grand Canyon Visitor Center at 9:30 p.m. each night.

The shuttle will run on this schedule through September 9, 2022.

Inner Canyon water status updates

Our Water Utilities Crew has been working hard over the past several weeks to fix waterline repairs and turn on water for the season in the inner canyon corridor.

Inner canyon water status is as follows:

• North Kaibab Trailhead: water ON
• Supai Tunnel: water OFF (on date TBD based on waterline breaks)
• Roaring Springs Day Use Area has no water
• Manzanita Day Use Area: water ON
• Cottonwood Campground: water ON
• Phantom Ranch: water ON
• Bright Angel Campground: water ON
• Plateau Point: water  ON
• Indian Garden: water ON
• Bright Angel Trail, Three-Mile Resthouse: water ON
• Bright Angel Trail, Mile-and-a-Half Resthouse: water ON
• Bright Angel Trailhead: water ON
• South Kaibab Trailhead: water ON

Information on water status is also available on our park website at the following page: Critical Backcountry Updates: Including Trail Closures and Restrictions – Grand Canyon National Park (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)

South Rim District Report available

See what South Rim patrol has been up to the last few weeks by reading the latest issue here:

For period ending 5/7/2022

Community Bike Ride May 24

Celebrate the end of the school year by joining community members in a low-key bike ride around residential neighborhoods beginning at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, May 24.

Meet in front of the school; all are welcome and helmets are encouraged. For more information, see the attached flyer here.

Next week, the NPS trail and road crews will begin asphalt paving operation on trails that access between the Pinyon Park community, the Grand Canyon School, and the Rec Center. Paving will begin on Wednesday, May 25 and will most likely conclude by Saturday, May 28 (weather dependent).

This paving will be a great improvement for the Grand Canyon community and provide increased pedestrian access to Pinyon Park, the Muav Court apartments, and the Mohave apartments. If you see the road and trail crews working on this project in the coming weeks, be sure to stop and tell them ‘thank you’ for their hard work!

Congrats, Class of 2022!

Show your support of the 2022 Grand Canyon Senior Class!

Next Thursday, May 26, there will be a celebratory parade that will drive through residential neighborhoods prior to the Senior Graduation ceremony. The parade will begin around 5 p.m. with the graduation ceremony to follow at 6 p.m. on the school soccer field.

A flyer for the parade route can be found at this link here.

North Country Healthcare presents ‘Eating Healthy on a Budget’

On Wednesday, May 25 from 9:30 a.m.-12 p.m., North Country Healtchare at the Grand Canyon Clinic will be hosting a ‘Eating Healthy on a Budget’ informational session. Talk with a registered dietician about eating healthy on a budget and a SNAP assistor will also be available to help determine if you qualify for assistance.

More information can be found in the following flyer.

South Rim

Xanterra

• Maswik Lodge Cafeteria, 6:30 a.m.-8 p.m.
• Bright Angel Coffee Shop, 7 a.m.-11 a.m.
• Bright Angel Fountain grab and go, 11 a.m.- 3 p.m.
• Fred Harvey Burger, breakfast 8:00-10:30 a.m., lunch 11 a.m.- 3 p.m., dinner 4-9 p.m.
• The Arizona Steakhouse, Tuesday-Saturday from 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m.
• Fred Harvey Tavern, 11 a.m.-10 p.m.
• Grand Canyon Kennel-daily from 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
• Grand Canyon Rec Center, daily from 8 a.m.-9 p.m.

Delaware North

• Yavapai Lodge Tavern and Patio, 12-10 p.m.
• Yavapai Lodge Coffee Shop, 7 a.m.-2 p.m.
• Canyon Village Market, 7 a.m.-8 p.m., Deli-7 a.m.-5 p.m.
• Camper Services: Laundry and shower hours, 7 a.m. – 9 p.m.
• The Yavapai Dining Hall, breakfast only, 7 a.m.-10:45 a.m.

Other

• Grand Canyon Clinic: Beginning Saturday, May 28, the Grand Canyon Clinic will be shifting to its summer hours. After this date the clinic will be open 7 days a week with hours of 9 a.m.-6 p.m.
• Bright Angel Bikes
• Rental: 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
• Cafe-8 a.m.-6 p.m.
• Grand Canyon Visitor Center (GCVC): This week, indoor operations at GCVC will resume. Hours will be daily from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. (see more information above)
• Grand Canyon Conservancy stores (Visitor Center Plaza, Yavapai Geology Museum, and Verkamps) 8 a.m.-6 p.m. daily.
• Grand Canyon Community Library: The library has resumed construction work and they are planning to reopen to the public in the near future.
• Until the library officially reopens, staff are conducting limited library operations, Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on the south side of the building. On Fridays library staff are in Tusayan, providing library services at the Tusayan Town hall from 10 a.m.-4 p.m., including story time, arts and crafts and activities for children at 11 a.m.

Desert View

• Desert View Trading Post Coffee and Ice Cream and Market, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily
• Desert View Watchtower, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily

North Rim

• North Rim Lodge Dining Room, Breakfast: 6:30-10 a.m., Lunch: 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m., Dinner: 4:30-9:45 p.m.
• Deli in the Pines, 10 a.m.-9 p.m.
• Roughrider Saloon, 11 a.m.-11 p.m.
• Coffee Saloon, 5:30-10:30 a.m.
• North Rim General Store: 7 a.m.-8 p.m.
• North Rim Service Station, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
• GCC Bookstore/Visitor Center, 8 a.m.-6 p.m.
• Roaring Springs Kiosk information, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

The following closures are in place:

• Maswik South Lodging
• Maswik Pizza Pub
• Kolb Studio
• Xanterra Food Truck

Please visit the Grand Canyon National Park website for a complete list of closures and available amenities.

• Photo collage from Desert View groundbreaking ceremony (NPS Photos/M. Quinn, D. Pawlak)
• Image of COVID testing (Photo courtesy of CDC)
• Members of the InterTribal Working Group (ItWG) stand at the edge of the canyon following a groundbreaking dedication ceremony at Desert View on May 17 (NPS Photo/M. Quinn)
• Havasupai Tribal member, James Uqualla, performs a traditional blessing during the Desert View groundbreaking ceremony (NPS Photo/M. Quinn)