Grand Canyon Weekly Wrap-up: April 11-15, 2022

The CDC Community Level, which tracks a county’s ability to provide health care to COVID patients, for Coconino County continues to register at the low community level, the same place we’ve been for the past month.

Total cases in Arizona for the week of March 31 to April 6, is 6,840, which is an average of 977 cases per day for the seven-day rolling average. The number of cases for this week compared to last week went down by one third. There were 2 new cases reported this week in the 86023 zip code and one new case reported in the park from a river concessionaire. We are now at 422 cases since the beginning of the pandemic.

Coconino county reports that as of April 8, the Grand Canyon has only 35.5% of its population up to date with their vaccinations and boosters. We would like to urge the community to get a booster as it is one of the best ways to continue to be protected from COVID.

Grand Canyon and Tusayan April vaccine events

The Coconino County Health and Human Services Mobile Vaccination team will hold its next mobile vaccination event for Grand Canyon and Tusayan on Monday, April 25. The Grand Canyon event will be held at the Rec Center from 9-11 a.m. (see full flyer here) and the Tusayan event will be held at the Tusayan Fire Station from 1-3 p.m (see full flyer here).

As a reminder, the FDA and CDC have approved a second booster dose for individuals who are age 50 or older. They recommend the booster be given 4 months after your first booster.

NPS employees are authorized to take administrative leave up to 4 hours (and 8 hours if traveling) for COVID vaccines, including vaccine booster doses. You may also use this leave to support family members receiving COVID vaccines or booster doses.

National Park Week, April 16-24

Every April, during the presidentially proclaimed National Park Week, the NPS joins with the National Park Foundation, the official charity of America’s national parks, to celebrate America’s treasures. National Park Week is a time to explore amazing places, discover stories of history and culture, help out, and find your park. To kick off National Park Week, Saturday, April 16, entrance fees will be waived at all national park units, including Grand Canyon.

GCC Trailblazer Event

In support of National Park Week, GCC will be hosting its 3rd annual Trailblazer Event from April 16-24. Individuals can sign up on GCC’s website to become a member of Grand Canyon Conservancy or upgrade their support to receive a commemorative Trailblazer t-shirt.

GCC is encouraging those who sign up to get outside during the event and share how they’re celebrating National Park Week by using the hashtag #GCCTrailblazer and they will share your content to their social media pages.

Domestic Violence Awareness Class begins May 4

The NPS Victim/Witness Program invite you to join a class series over the period of eight weeks focused on domestic violence awareness and how to recognize susceptibility in ourselves and others, how to protect ourselves and others without giving up who we are and what we value, and where and when to get help.

Domestic Violence is more than just physical abuse, it also includes mental and emotional abuse. Abusive relationships do not start out that way; people become victims of domestic violence through manipulative grooming techniques used by their perpetrator. Over time, the perpetrator begins to take control of the victim’s internal life (e.g., self-esteem, self-worth, worldview) and external life (e.g., controlling what they eat, when they sleep, who they talk to) and then often resorts to physical violence to maintain control over that person. While anyone who will initially respond to a perpetrator’s charm and tactics can be ‘groomed’, there are certain mindsets that make some people more susceptible targets.

For more information, including the full schedule of the class, a full flyer is attached here.

Safety Tip—Situational Awareness

Several of the documented injuries that we had in the park last year can be attributed to loss of situational awareness. The longer we do a task (hiking down a long trail during an rescue), or the more often we do a task (driving our car home at the end of the day), the more likely we are to allow it to become routine and to not pay as close attention as we probably should.

As mentioned in this newsletter a couple of weeks ago, take frequent breaks – and use some of that time to assess where you are physically, mentally, etc. in relation to your final goal. This will help you to ensure that you are more aware of your surroundings and could save you from a lot of pain from a simple misstep.

Please contact christina_ryan-miller@nps.gov for more information.

April is Arizona Water Awareness Month

Arizona Water Awareness Month is an annual outreach campaign to spread the word about the value of conserving the Southwest’s most precious natural resource, water.  As part of the effort to keep the public aware of the many ways they can help conserve water, the Arizona Department of Water Resources and many Water Awareness Month partners have organized a month of eventspromoting wise water use.

One recent event on April 12 featured Grand Canyon’s own Fire Archaeologist, Jason Nez. A full presentation of Jason’s presentation titled, “We Water People,” is now available on Arizona Department of Water Resources YouTube channel here.

Welcome to the 2022 Canyon District Seasonal Interpretive staff! They are looking forward to providing interpretive programs for visitors at Phantom Ranch, Cottonwood and Indian Garden (AKA Havasupai Gardens). From left to right: Matt Booth, Kiersten Kolstad, Rebecca Potter, Ceili Brennan, Elyssa Shalla, Brandi Stewart.

Kaibab Learning Center to host Pancake Breakfast and Easter Egg Hunt this Saturday

KLC will once again be hosting a fundraising pancake breakfast and Easter Egg Hunt this Saturday, April 16 from 7:30-11 a.m. The breakfast will be held in the Grand Canyon School Cafeteria and the Easter Egg Hunt near the Grand Canyon Rec Center.

More details on the event can be found in the attached flyer. Questions on the event can be directed to Denise Vazquez at: klccanyonkids@gmail.com.

Community Library remains closed; continues to operate on limited basis

Due to ongoing building renovations, the Community Library remains closed with limited library operations offered at the back of the building in the Canyon Closet Office. Hours are Monday -Thursday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

On Fridays, library staff are providing library services at the Tusayan Town Hall (10 a.m.-4 p.m.). This includes story time, arts and crafts, and activities for children at 11 a.m. More information can be found on the Community Library’s website here.

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.- 6 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
• As of this week, the Arizona Steakhouse at Bright Angel Lodge will only be open from 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.

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.

Other

• Bright Angel Bikes
• Rental: 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
• Cafe-7 a.m.-6 p.m.
• Grand Canyon Visitor Center Information Desk: Thursday-Monday, 10 a.m.-2p.m.
• Grand Canyon Conservancy stores (Verkamps Visitor Center, Visitor Center Plaza, and Yavapai Geology Museum), 8 a.m.-6 p.m. daily.
• Kolb Studio is closed due to a lack of staff.

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
• Desert View Campground (reopening April 15, 2022)

The following closures are in place:

• Yavapai Lodge Restaurant (tentative reopening Spring 2022)
• Maswik South Lodging (tentative opening Spring/Summer 2022)
• Maswik Pizza Pub (tentative reopening June 3, 2022)
• Kolb Studio
• North Rim services (tentative reopen-May 15, 2022)
• Grand Canyon Community Library (see more information above) and Canyon Closet

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

• Sunset from the South Rim on April 9 (NPS Photo/M. Quinn)
• ‘Spark Connection,’ the theme of National Park Week 2022 (NPS File)
• Commemorative GCC Trailblazer Tee for Trailblazer event (Photo courtesy of GCC)
• Canyon ranger, Shane Barton, looks out near Plateau Point using binoculars. (NPS Photo)
• Canyon Interpretation staff pose next to the Bright Angel Trailhead sign (NPS Photo/M. Quinn)
• Grand Canyon Community Library (Photo courtesy of Community Library)