Grand Canyon Weekly Wrap-up: Feb. 28-March 4, 2022

COVID News

Outdoor mask zones now lifted throughout the park; masks still required in government buildings and transportation

More updates will be provided soon following DOI and NPS all employee emails this afternoon (Thursday, March 3)

This week, Superintendent Keable has made the decision to remove the outdoor mask zones in the park. This week, the outdoor sandwich board signs have been removed from Grand Canyon Visitor Center Plaza to Mather Point and Hopi Point. The remaining signs in historic district, Desert View Watchtower area, all shuttle bus stops, and entrance stations will be pulled beginning today, March 3. We will be modifying the Superintendent’s Compendium in the coming days to reflect these changes.

As a reminder, masks are still required within all federally-owned (government) buildings, within government vehicles, and on all forms of public transportation(including Paul Revere operated shuttle buses). The Safer Federal Workforce Taskforce has just issued new guidance to all government agencies to consider their COVID posture and restrictions with the new CDC Community Level guidance (see below).

New CDC Guidance on COVID restrictions

As of February 25, CDC has updated the way it monitors COVID-19’s impact on communities. Widespread availability of vaccines and testing, advances in treatments, and increasing levels of immunity in the population through vaccination or previous infection have moved the COVID-19 pandemic to a new phase. While we can’t prevent all cases of COVID-19, we can continue to limit the spread and protect those who are most at risk of severe illness.

CDC is launching a new tool to monitor COVID-19 Community Levels. Each county’s COVID-19 Community Level is ranked as low, medium, or high (you can go on-line to find your county’s level). The COVID-19 Community Level map will be updated regularly with new data. As of this morning, Coconino County is reported as medium. Your community’s level is determined by a combination of:

Testing at the Grand Canyon Clinic

COVID-19 testing at the Clinic is now offered through curbside appointments Mondays and Fridays from 2-3 pm and Wednesdays from 11 am to 12 pm.

Patients will need to be seen by a provider for these appointments. Patients are encouraged to call ahead and get on the curbside appointment list, whenever possible. Patients can also walk in and see a provider at any other time to be evaluated for COVID.

Arizona and Grand Canyon Community Statistics

Case numbers in Arizona decreased this week to an average of 1,378 new cases per day compared to last week’s average of 2,849 new cases per day. Arizona Department of Health Services is now transitioning COVID-19 data reporting from daily to weekly reporting beginning March 2. New data will now be updated every Wednesday.

Coconino County reports the Grand Canyon community is 72.8% fully vaccinated as of February 25.

Public Health Contacts

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

Spring Break 2022—are you ready?

Visitors and park residents should be prepared and patient; the spring break season is upon us, and we should expect long lines and full parking lots.

If past years are an indication, we should expect traffic to regularly back up at all entrance stations, with the longest wait times between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Parking lots, especially near the Grand Canyon Visitor Center, start reaching capacity by 12 p.m. and shuttle bus lines will be long. To get a sense of the traffic entering the park, the South Entrance webcam (updated every five minutes) is a good indicator for how busy the park will be on any given day.

We want to remind employees and residents that beginning this week, Delaware North and Xanterra lodging is expected to be at capacity for the spring break season. To help improve awareness of possible congestion, our public affairs and social media teams will be encouraging visitors to purchase entrance passes ahead of time and use lane 1 at the South Entrance Station, consider other transportation methods to enter the park, and encourage visitors to arrive early before parking lots fill or visit late in the day. We encourage all visitors to visit this webpage before their arrival for tips on visiting the South Rim during the busy season (also great reminders for residents!).

If you are a front-line employee and have ideas or suggestions on improving visitor experience during busy periods, please email us at: grca_public_affairs@nps.gov with your suggestions.

Spring Shuttle Bus Schedule

As of Tuesday, March 1st, all three shuttle routes resumed for the season. All routes will start at 4:30 a.m. The Kaibab Rim and Hermits Rest routes will run until one hour after sunset. The Village Route will run until 10 p.m.

Also beginning Tuesday, the Hikers’ Express Bus, which transports backpackers to the South Kaibab Trailhead, will leave Bright Angel Lodge beginning at 7 a.m., 8 a.m., and 9 a.m. The Tusayan Route, providing service from Tusayan to the Grand Canyon Visitor Center, will not operate in the spring. It will resume service for Memorial Day weekend. Currently, it is scheduled to run May 28 through Sept 9, 2022. Updated Spring 2022 information on the shuttle bus system is now available on the park’s website.

Mather Campground fully open for spring season

Beginning March 1, all 328 sites at Mather Campground will be available for reservations to the public. Group sites will be limited to 10 people per site and family campsites are allowed six people per site.

Site reservations should be made ahead of time exclusively on the www.recreation.gov website. Camper Services showers and laundry, operated by Delaware North, will continue to be open from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. daily.

A repaving project is scheduled to begin at Mather Campground in June 2022 and we will have more information to share in the near future on closures of certain loops and how this will impact reservations for summer 2022.

What to know about the new backcountry fee increase

Effective July 1, the park will be increasing the cost of overnight backcountry permits. Grand Canyon began charging for overnight backcountry permits in 1997 and last modified backcountry fees in 2015. The charge of $10 per backcountry permit remains the same; the nightly per person fee will be increased from $8 per person to $12 per person or stock animal camping below the rim in designated backcountry camping areas.

All backcountry permit revenue pays actual costs (also known as cost recovery) for operating Grand Canyon’s permit offices and Backcountry Information Centers. This adjustment for the backcountry permit operation is designed to eliminate a funding deficit and ensure the operation will recover the actual costs incurred.

We have received some inquiries about the process for fee increases and when a public comment period is required. The National Park Service uses different authorities to collect fees and these authorities help us determine when public comment is required. For example, a new fee or an increase to a park’s entrance fees, collected under the authority of the Federal Lands Enhancement and Recreation Act or FLREA, would require public comment (example: the 2018 entrance fee increase from $30 to $35 per vehicle).

For Grand Canyon backcountry permits, an increase in fees does not require public comment because the permits are considered special park uses and fees are charged to recover and retain costs (54 U.S. Code § 103014). The amount needed to recover costs changes over time and can result in the need to increase fees. Therefore, cost recovery types of fee increases do not require a public comment period.

Additional questions on this increase, can be directed to the GRCA Backcountry Information Center at grca_bic@nps.gov.

VRP finishes successful river patrol mission this week

The Division of Visitor and Resource Protection (VRP) recently concluded a 14-day Colorado River oar-powered patrol mission. Canyon law enforcement rangers including Lisa Hendy, Ryan McDonald-O’Lear, Dan Hovanec, and Hunter Hamm were joined by South Rim Patrol Ranger, Mike Pakes. The river mission was focused on providing an NPS presence and support to the river community, provide Search and Rescue/first aid resources, conduct archaeological resource monitoring, and address and respond to resource issues along the river.

This spring, along with other divisions, VRP Rangers will be participating in a Basic Swiftwater Rescue course from March 14-16 at Lees Ferry. In April, VRP Rangers along with the staff from the South Rim Helibase will be conducting an advanced Motorboat Operator training course including shorthaul rescue operations. This summer from May through September 2022 there is a VRP motor trip patrol mission planned every month to further provide a patrol presence and support along the Colorado River. Stay tuned for more exciting updates from the VRP River Program!

McKee Amphitheater renovation project update

Next time you have a chance, take a walk from the Headquarters parking lot along the trail leading to the rim.

This past summer and fall, our very own Buildings’ Maintenance crew completed a renovation project at McKee Amphitheater to ensure its preservation for the future. Originally called Mather Amphitheater, this structure is one of many designed and built during the historic Mission 66 phase of NPS development. The amphitheater was designed by the NPS Western Office of Design and Construction, and construction was completed by the Rasmussen Construction Company of Provo, UT, in 1961.

Project leader, Michael Wadsworth, ensured that all rehabilitation was consistent with the original construction and design. Mike led his team in the replacement of cracked, split, and weathered siding and roofing, along with various upgrades to internal and external electrical features. The following crew members dedicated themselves to this work to provide a safe area for visitors to once again enjoy open air interpretive programs: Matthew Young, Csaba Conner, Ian Kohlepp, Tristan Blue, Colwyn Burns, Barbara Kippen, Dan Ragen, and Matthew Dalton.

The completed rehabilitation work looks phenomenal—we are so grateful to our hardworking Buildings Maintenance Crew for preserving and renovating this special site!

NPS Safety Office reminder—reporting near misses

Have you ever been conducting your work and suddenly something goes awry, and you step back and realize that the outcome could have been MUCH worse? Report it!! Reporting near misses is important.

Did you know that you can report “Near Misses” in the DOI Safety Management Information System (SMIS)? SMIS allows you to report these incidents to help the DOI track and mitigate hazards – BEFORE they cause an injury.

You can also use this link to submit feedback anonymously.

Please contact acting NPS Safety Manager, christina_ryan-miller@nps.gov for more information.

South Rim District Report Available

The latest South Rim District Report is now available!

We would like to remind residents to dispose of woodstove contents in red dumpsters only to prevent incidents such as the NPS garbage truck fire highlighted in this report (see photo of the week).

South Rim District Report: For period ending on February 26, 2022.

Grand Canyon Community Library building renovation begins

Beginning this week, the Grand Canyon Community Library building will be undergoing an interior renovation and expansion project. The construction began Monday, February 28 and will continue through April 13, 2022.

During this time, the library will be closed to the public at least through April 14, 2022 to accommodate for new flooring and electrical/networking work. The library is funded by Coconino County Public Library system with the building being part of the historic Grand Canyon Village. The building was constructed in the late 1920s and served as a one-room schoolhouse throughout the 1920s and 30s. For more information and the latest updates on library reopening, please visit the community library’s webpage here.

The Canyon Closet, (located on the south side of the building) will also be closed during this period of construction. For the latest updates on renovation and reopening, please follow Canyon Closet on Facebook.

Pinyon Park trails improvement project resumes this Monday

NPS Trail Crew is planning on restarting the Pinyon Park trails improvement project beginning this Monday, March 7. Construction hours will be 7:30 am to 5:30 pm and work will take place most days of the week (including weekends).

There will be temporary closures to certain areas of the trails to facilitate rehabilitation work. Closure areas will be clearly marked and visible to all residents. Paving is planned to begin in late May and conclude by early June.

This project began in July 2021 and will improve community access to trails in the Pinyon Park vicinity to the school. The final trails will be paved with asphalt to a width of 7 feet that can support snow plowing operations in the winter. All of the improvements will take place on trails with an existing footprint.

Questions on this project can be directed to Adam Gibson at 928-606-8182.

Kaibab Learning Center kicks off

t-shirt fundraiser

The Kaibab Learning Center (KLC). is launching a new t-shirt fundraiser to raise funds for the daycare center.

KLC is a non-profit organization with a goal of providing educational based daycare programs for children (infants through school-age) that are developmentally appropriate in a safe and nurturing environment.

Child and adult merchandise is available in multiple colors and styles by following this site. Questions on this fundraiser can be directed to KLC Director, Denise Vazquez at klccanyonkids@gmail.com.

NPS job opportunity for local residents!

Are you a local within a 90-mile commuting distance of Grand Canyon? Our NPS Commercial Services Division at Grand Canyon National Park is currently seeking applicants for a Concessions Management Assistant from now through March 16 or when 50 applications are received.

Under the local hire program, only persons who have either lived or worked in or near Grand Canyon for the past two years may apply for consideration (excluding Flagstaff). These individuals, by virtue of having lived or worked in the area, have special knowledge and expertise concerning the natural and/or cultural resources of the public land and its management. Local hire eligibility will be determined by the hiring official via the job interview and the resume submitted by the applicant.

For more information, check out the job announcement here.

Town of Tusayan Library Services begin March 11

The Town of Tusayan is excited to announce beginning on March 11, the Town will begin hosting library services at the Townhall Building. Regular scheduled hours will be on Fridays from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Every Friday there will be Storytime at 11am.

More information on these services can be found in this flyer.

Blood Drive at Grand Canyon Rec Center-March 18

The Grand Canyon Rec Center will once again be hosting a community Blood Drive, sponsored by Vitalant. The event will occur on Friday, March 18 from 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

Contact 1-877-25-VITAL (258-4825) (Blood Drive Code: grandcyn) or follow this link to register: Grand Canyon Community Blood Drive. Spots are limited, so sign up soon!

A full flyer for this event can be found here.

North Country Healthcare’s ‘Lunch and Learn’ slated for March 23 at Rec Center

On Wednesday, March 23, North Country Healthcare will be hosting a ‘Lunch and Learn’ at the Grand Canyon Rec Center from 12-1 p.m.

This event will feature speakers on the topics of stress, drugs, and alcohol. All community members are welcome to attended and are invited to learn about these topics as well as interact with speakers and attend programs. North Country Healthcare will also have a provider attending this event and patients are able to meet and greet as well. More information on this event is available in this flyer.

Please note, new operational changes are highlighted in red.

South Rim

Lodging occupancy in the park is expected to be at or near capacity. Our concessioners are expecting a busy season ahead!

Xanterra

Delaware North

Other

Desert View

The following park closures remain in place:

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

Photo Credits (in order of appearance)

Grand Canyon National Park, in northern Arizona, encompasses 278 miles (447 km) of the Colorado River and adjacent uplands. Located on the ancestral homeland of 11 Associated Tribes, Grand Canyon is one of the most spectacular examples of erosion anywhere in the world—unmatched in the incomparable vistas it offers visitors on the rim. Grand Canyon National Park is a World Heritage Site. The National Park Service cares for the special places saved by the American people so that all may experience our heritage.