Mark your calendars!

February 14: Intermittent road closures on Center and South Entrance Roads

On Wednesday, February 14, there will be intermittent closures of South Entrance and Center Roads. These closures are necessary to facilitate the transport of two large transformers and a crane being delivered for the APS Substation Project west of Clinic Road.

Wednesday, February 14 Details:

• 7 a.m.- 12 p.m.: A single lane closure will be in effect ¼ mile south of the South Entrance station along Hwy. 64. Traffic flaggers will be present and traffic delays are expected in this area.

• 9 a.m.-12 p.m.: Three separate closures will be in effect for 30 minutes each. The closure area will be both lanes from the South Entrance Station to the Clinic/Center Road junction. No vehicles will be able to enter/exit the park via the South Entrance during the closure periods (this includes the employee bypass lane).

• 4:30-6:30 p.m.: Three separate closures will be in effect for 30 minutes each. The closure area will be both lanes from the South Entrance Station to the Clinic/Center Road junction. No vehicles will be able to enter/exit the park via the South Entrance during the closure periods (this includes the employee bypass lane).

New! Behind the Scenery Podcast: Wild River with Wayne Ranney

In the latest episode of our Behind the Scenery podcast, join Wayne Ranney, noted geologist, author and guide for an in-depth interview about all-things river related.

A veteran of over 100 river trips through Grand Canyon, Wayne answers the most asked questions – like how to apply for a permit – while taking us on a journey through this dramatic canyon, filled with whitewater rapids. He also highlights some of the most interesting things to see and do along the way. Listen to the full episode now on Apple Podcasts or through our park website.

Cultural Demonstration Program next week at the Grand Canyon Visitor Center

Due to road safety concerns, the Cultural Demonstration Program for this week was cancelled. Florence Riggs will return later this year as a demonstrator to highlight her traditional Navajo rug weaving.

Next week, the Cultural Demonstration Program is scheduled to present Phyllis Coonsis, Zuni Silversmith, and Cameron Nastacio, Zuni Fetish Carver, Tuesday through Thursday, February 13 through February 15, 2024, from 10 am to 4 pm. at Grand Canyon Visitor Center on the South Rim.

Phyllis is a clusterwork jeweler and is well known for her unique designs consisting of many shapes and brightly colored stones arranged in beautiful patterns, some resembling flowers or snowflakes. Not only is the shape of a stone in jewelry making important, but also for the carving of Zuni fetishes. These small carvings depict animals and icons integral to Zuni culture, and often serve in ceremonial purposes.

To create his fetishes, Cameron looks at the rough stone to, “see what is inside.” The shape of the stone dictates what animal will be revealed through his working of the material by hand.

New Astronomer in Residence! Meet Dr. Adeene Denton

Grand Canyon Conservancy welcomes Dr. Adeene Denton as Astronomer in Residencefrom February 8 – 26, 2024. Dr. Denton is a geologist and planetary scientist interested in giant impacts and their influence on the formation and evolution of icy satellites and ocean worlds in our solar system. Adeene is trained as a scientist, historian, and dancer, which informs her scientific and artistic work.

During her time at the canyon, Dr. Denton will be working on a short site-specific dance that explores the geologic history of the Grand Canyon, the formation of planets, and how we as humans physically embody those same forces to build deeper connections with the world around us.

During her residency, Dr. Denton will be offering a multitude of public programs. The first begins on Saturday, February 10 at the Visitor Center Theater at 7 p.m. and features insights into NASA’s next flagship mission.

A flyer for Dr. Denton’s programs can be found in the attached flyer here.

Conclusion of South Rim Visitor Use Study

Derrick Taff (Pennsylvania State University) and Will Rice (University of Montana) were at the South Rim Feb and hosted . 5-6 and hosted a community presentation and two workshops with park staff and management.

Approximately 50 people attended the community presentation, which focused on the results of their study. The audience was engaged and had some great questions. Approximately 40 employees attended the staff workshop, where Derrick and Will delved into potential management implications. The workshop also provided an opportunity for frontline, operational staff to further discuss these and other implications within small breakout groups.

A third workshop was then hosted the following morning with the park leadership team, where management implications were discussed further. More to come on some of these implications in the months ahead. A video link of the community presentation is available here and a full report of the study will be available in the near future.

Thank you to all who participated in the community presentation and workshops!

Employee Spotlight!

Laura Douris

Acting Mather Campground Supervisor

I came to Grand Canyon in 1996 with a California teaching credential. My first jobs were as a front desk clerk at the El Tovar and as a substitute teacher at the school. My first Park Service job was as a fee collector at Desert View. Since then I worked for South Entrance, Interpretation, and the Backcountry Office. I met my husband here and followed him to Yellowstone, continued to North Rim, Natural Bridges, Capital Reef, and Olympic, where my husband retired. I also worked at Death Valley, Lake Mead, the North Rim again, and finally to Mather Campground. I feel very fortunate to enjoy so many great work environments. I have lots of time in both interpretation and fee management and feel that at the campground I get to use both skills.

I often bounce between the campground and the Fee Management office. Visitors book their reservations up to 6 months in advance and have a wide range of expectations. Mather is a 326-site campground and in May 2018 we saw 22,000 campers. Our campers include RVers, backpackers, families, large groups, horse campers, astronomers, and artists. A talented well-trained staff of Lori Honrath, Mark Adams, Jeffery Beck, Courtney Davis, Diego Ferron, Dave Thomson, and Volunteers works hard to make sure everyone is in the right place, elk, bears, and coyotes included. I try to get them what they need to do the job. So many others from the park, Custodians, Patrol, Resources, Utilities, and Facilities and Maintenance all do their part to keep things going, I can’t thank them all enough. I am working on an effort with my supervisors Andrew Regopoulos and Raukisha Talley to increase campground revenue in the future to reflect the cost of all this labor. What we do now matters to the preservation of the park in the future.

Personally, I have enjoyed travel to Hawaii, Baja California, Cancun, Canada, New Zealand, Spain, Portugal, Morocco, Costa Rica, Panama, and Belize hope for more. I’ve also had a small business selling my silk paintings.

FREE Hamlet performance at Shrine of the Ages February 13

On Tuesday, February 13 at 7 p.m. at the Shrine of the Ages Auditorium, the Utah Shakespeare Festival will present their version of the classic tragedy, Hamlet, the story of a Danish prince who is seeking revenge for his father’s murder. This performance is FREE and open to all members of the public.

The goal of the festival is to bring professional theatre performances to schools and communities across the intermountain west.

Their production retains Shakespeare’s text; however, it is a shortened version that, “highlights the themes of authenticity and reality under the ever-scrutinizing eye of the media and societal expectations. Hamlet’s ongoing search for truth and his enduring question – To be, or not to be? – offers extraordinary relevance for today’s young people: How do we know what is true, or whom to trust? Upon what sources can we rely.”

More information can be found in the attached flyer here.

South Rim

Xanterra

• Maswik Lodge Cafeteria, 7 a.m.-8 p.m., Maswik Pizza Pub, 4-9 p.m.
• Canyon Coffee House at the Bright Angel Fountain, 7-11 a.m.
• Bright Angel Fountain grab and go, 7 a.m.- 4 p.m.
• Fred Harvey Burger, Breakfast 7-10 a.m., Lunch 11 a.m.- 3 p.m., Dinner 4-8:30 p.m.
• Fred Harvey Tavern, 11 a.m.-10 p.m.
• Arizona Steakhouse-closed through March 3, 2024
• El Tovar Dining Room and Lounge – Breakfast, 7-10 a.m., Lunch, 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m., Dinner, 4:30-9 p.m., Lounge, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. (Food until 9 p.m.), Patio closed until spring 2024.
• The Grand Canyon Kennel, 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m. daily
• Grand Canyon Rec Center, 6:30 a.m.-10 p.m. daily.

Delaware North

• Yavapai Lodge Tavern and Patio, 12-9 p.m., Yavapai Lodge Coffee Shop, 7 a.m. -2 p.m., The Yavapai Dining Hall, breakfast, 7-10 a.m., dinner, 5-8 p.m.
• Canyon Village Market, 7 a.m.-8 p.m., Deli 7 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
• Camper Services laundry and shower: 7 a.m.-6 p.m.

Other

• Grand Canyon Clinic: Monday-Friday from 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
• Bright Angel Bikes, Rental: 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Café 8 a.m.-5 p.m., On Wednesday, February 21, BA Bikes and Café will be closing at 12 p.m. February 14 will be a normal operational day.
• Grand Canyon Visitor Center (GCVC): 7 days a week from 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
• Grand Canyon Conservancy stores: Visitor Center Plaza 8 a.m.-6 p.m. daily, Kolb Studio, Verkamps and Yavapai Geology Museum 8 a.m.-6 p.m. daily
• The Grand Canyon Community Library: Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturdays from 10:30 a.m.-5 p.m. and Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10:30 a.m.-7 p.m.
• Grand Canyon Food Pantry: Monday 11 a.m.-1 p.m., Wednesday 5:30-7:30 p.m., Saturday 2-4 p.m.
• Canyon Community Yoga at Grand Canyon Rec Center: Mondays-6:30-7:30 p.m., Wednesdays-6:30-7:30 p.m. (full schedule available here, locals use discount code: GCLOCALS when registering)

Desert View

• Desert View Trading Post Coffee and Ice Cream and Market, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
• Desert View Watchtower, 9 a.m.- 5 p.m. daily, stair and tower access 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
• The Desert View Deli, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

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

• Hwy. 64 (Desert View Drive) remains closed due to weather conditions (NPS Photo)
• Phyllis Coonsis, Zuni Silversmith, and Cameron Nastacio, Zuni Fetish Carver (NPS Photos)
• Dr. Adeene Denton (Photo courtesy of Grand Canyon Conservancy)
• Dr. Will Rice presenting at the Shrine of the Ages on February 5 (NPS)
• Laura Douris at Mather Campground (Photo courtesy of L. Douris)