Grand Canyon Weekly Wrap-up — July 25-29, 2022

Community level HIGH–masking requirement indoors remains in place

As of Thursday, July 28, Coconino County remains in High Community Level and masking requirements will remain in place at least until Thursday, August 4.

The CDC Community Level tracks a county’s ability to provide health care to COVID patients. In Arizona, 10 counties are in High. Across the United States, 42% of counties are in High, 38% of counties are in Medium, and 20% are in Low. Due to the High Community level, masks are required indoors within all government facilities, vehicles and shuttle busses, as well as commercial facilities operating within the park.

There were at least 12 new cases (3 residents and 9 visitors) reported in the park this past week. This week’s new cases bring the park total up to an estimated 332 cases, and 440 cases for the 86023 zip code, since the beginning of the pandemic.

Total COVID cases in Arizona for the week of July 14 to 20 was 18,135, which is an increase of almost 3,000 from last week. For the seven-day rolling average, the state is averaging 2,591 cases per day.

The CDC provides timely, inclusive information that encompasses all affected persons, whether or not they are residents. Grand Canyon National Park is required to follow CDC community levels and guidance rather than local government data.

We understand that the CDC and Coconino County Health and Human Services are governed by different reporting requirements and standards. Coconino County Health and Human Services reported this past Friday, July 22, that the county is in Medium Community Level for the week of July 10 – 16. However, the data used to determine the County’s Community Level does not include non-resident cases. Coconino County Community Transmission looks at the number of COVID cases and positive tests daily. Not including cases reported by non-residents can lower the community level rating.

Vaccine Clinics in Grand Canyon and Tusayan next Tuesday

Tuesday, August 2, Coconino County Health and Human Services Mobile Vaccine Team will be returning to the Park and Tusayan for a vaccine clinic. The Grand Canyon event will be held at the Rec Center, from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. and the Tusayan event will be held at the Tusayan Fire Department, from 2-4 p.m. A flyer for each event is linked below.

What to know before you go:

• The event will offer vaccines for all adults and children 6 months of age and older.
• The mobile team will offer all types of vaccines and boosters (Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson) unless otherwise indicated.
• Please bring your COVID-19 vaccination card with you if seeking a 2nd or booster dose. To find out if you are eligible for a booster please visit the county’s website here.
• Masks are recommended at both the Grand Canyon and Tusayan events (masks required indoors at the Rec Center if Community Level is High) .
• Children 6 months -17 years of age must be accompanied by a guardian.

Flyer for Grand Canyon Vaccine Clinic HERE

Flyer for Tusayan Vaccine Clinic HERE

Inner canyon water status and water conservation

Our water utilities crew have been hard at work the past few weeks fixing a series of repairs in multiple areas of the pipeline in the inner canyon. Here is a brief update on the work that has been completed thus far as well as the status of water throughout the inner canyon.

NORTH KAIBAB PIPELINE:

• As of today, July 28, crews have turned water on along the North Kaibab pipeline to Phantom Ranch and water sources along this stretch of pipeline.
• Manzanita Rest Area: ON
• Cottonwood Campground: ON
• Phantom Ranch Canteen, Campground, Delta, and Boat Beach: ON, water at campground currently in process of being restored
• Supai Tunnel water remains OFF due to a leak on a steep slope that requires water utilities to build a level heli-spot pad to accept necessary repair equipment. This water source will remain OFF until this repair can be completed.

BRIGHT ANGEL PIPELINE:

• On Tuesday, July 26, crews successfully installed and repaired a broken valve at Pipe Creek.
• From July 27-28, water utilities has been slowly re-pressurizing the pipeline to Indian Garden/Havasupai Gardens. Water is currently ON at Plateau Point.
• As of this afternoon, July 28, water utilities have started pumping water to the South Rim holding tanks. Until water is successfully filled at an adequate level at the South Rim Tank Farm, water will remain OFF at Three-Mile Resthouse and Mile-and-a-Half Resthouse. On Tuesday, July 26, water was turned OFF at both of these locations due to a significant break above Mile-and-a-Half Resthouse.
• Once the pipeline has successfully been re-pressurized, water utilities will begin the necessary repairs at Mile-and-a-Half Resthouse.

Until further notice, the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park will remain in Level 2 water conservation measures. We are optimistic that we might be able to lift these restrictions in the near future as the South Rim tanks begin to fill.

At Level 2, mandatory measures require that all concessions operations switch to disposable dishes and utensils; alter menus to use less water for food prep and dish washing; adopt low water use for hotel room cleaning; and serve drinking water at restaurants by request only.

Mandatory water conservation includes not watering lawns/plants or washing cars; filling the sink with water while washing dishes; reporting drips, leaks or other water loss to appropriate offices; turning off the water while you shave or brush your teeth; running dishwashers or washing machines with only full loads- in eco mode if available; taking shorter showers. All visitors and residents must implement water conservation measures immediately in homes, hotel rooms, and at the campgrounds.

Again, we would like to acknowledge the tireless efforts of the Water Utilities crew as they work to repair these breaks in extreme temperatures and challenging terrain.

Dragon Fire holds at 1,375 acres; crews remain on scene for monitoring

For the last 3-4 days, the Dragon Fire has been holding at approximately 1,375 acres in size. There are 135 personnel assigned to the fire, and it now has zero to minimal spread due to increased monsoonal precipitation.

On Monday, the Northern Arizona Type 3 Incident Management Team took over command from our local Type 4 team here at Grand Canyon. All-Hazard Incident Management Teams (AHIMT) play an essential role in the management of, and response to, local/regional/national emergencies, natural disasters and public events. An AHIMT is a comprehensive resource (a team) to either enhance ongoing operations through provision of infrastructure support, or when requested, transition to an incident management function to include all components/functions of a Command and General Staff.

This Saturday, July 30, the Type 3 team will begin demobilization and transfer command back to our local team. Crews will begin to be released from the fire as objectives are met and made available to assist with other wildfires in the country. Remaining resources will patrol and hold the fire perimeter to ensure the fire remains within the planning area.

We would like to thank the Type 4 team who was assembled and assigned to this fire up until the transfer of command on Monday. This team included virtually every division of the park from VRP providing firefighters, aviation support, EMS, and physical security; SRM who provided cultural resource advising and monitoring; Interpretation who provided fire information to visitors and residents, FMD who assisted with road closures and logistical support; and commercial services who helped inform our North Rim businesses of the fire. Without this collaborative effort, the Dragon Fire would not have been as successfully managed and coordinated as it has been up to this point.

Thank you to everyone who helped make this possible!

The weekend of July 16-17, Arizona Trail Association (ATA) volunteers and staff partnered with NPS Trails and Backcountry Information Center staff to remove fallen trees and clear the Arizona Trail corridor between the Widforss Trailhead and the North Rim Entrance Station.

Each of the four saw teams were captained by an experienced and certified sawyer, and volunteers and participants practiced the basics of evaluating and executing a variety of cuts. At the end of the first day, only a few trees remained on the AZT. Volunteers requested more work for the second day and while one sawyer team finished on the AZT, the remainder of the team cleared another 28 downed trees and restored tread on approximately .75 miles of the Francois Matthes Trail. In total, 100 trees were cleared from North Rim trails!

Thank you to the following NPS staff for making this collaboration a success: Michael Barhmasel, Forest Agee, Joseph Zelman, Steve Bridgehouse, Cindy Donaldson, Dan Schweitzer, and Adam Gibson.

Beginning August 2, the NPS Road Crew will be closing the 328-A spur road at the Grand Canyon National Park southwest boundary to install a new cattle guard. Rowe Well Road (or the 328-A) is the road that leads from behind the Maswik to the Kennels, Wastewater Treatment Plant, Supai Camp and eventually exits the park onto USFS lands.

Rowe Well Road will remain open, but a hard closure at the NPS boundary will prevent traffic from entering/departing the park. Access to Supai Camp and the Waldron Trailhead from the north will not be affected.

Concrete barriers and cones will be erected on either side of the worksite and any traffic attempting to access the park from the 328 road will be redirected back to Tusayan and the primary South Entrance (Hwy 64) road. Work is expected to be completed on or about August 12.

The new cattle guard will expand the existing cattle guard width by approximately four feet, allowing easier access for trailers and large vehicles. Additionally, the cattleguard replacement will help deter trespass livestock from entering the park and help ensure better long-term maintenance of the cattle guard.

Traffic data project August 2-4 on North and South Rims

From Tuesday, August 2 through Thursday, August 4, short duration traffic data will be collected by the United Civil Group who is contracted with the Federal Highway Administration and the Northern Arizona Council of Governments (NACOG). They are part of a project that will measure traffic volume and collect vehicle classification (motorcycle, car, semi, etc.) in selected locations on both North and South rims of the park.

Three locations are on the North Rim and include two sites along the Cape Royal Road and one along State Route 67. Three locations are on the South Rim along Center Road, South Entrance Road, and South Village Loop. These counts are part of a project to better capture traffic counts in rural areas that have not been captured in a number of years.

UCG technicians will attach pneumatic road tubes to the asphalt and then chain the count equipment to signposts. Counters are set for a 48-hour period and require approximately 15 minutes to set up and take down. No road closures are necessary for the installation.

Local Firewise Cleanup: August 6-7

The next Firewise Residential Cleanup Weekend will be held August 6 & 7. We need your help in preventing wildfires!

Here’s how you can make a difference

• Clear debris from around your residence, up to 30 ft.
• Rake up pine needles
• Remove all dead, woody materials
• Move firewood away from contact with structures (more than 10 ft is recommended)

Trash bags are available. If needed, contact Paul Carter at 928.699.4102

If you need loaner tools, call Fire and Aviation—Nate Martone at 928.379.0817 or Kacie Dodds at 707.359.8744, or Housing/Maintenance—Ed Hazlett at 928.864.8827.

Park staff will be moving and hauling debris to the dry dump area at the landfill on the W-2 Road. Please pile all pine needles and woody debris in a vehicle accessible area for the crew to pick up for disposal.

More information, including a complete flyer is available here.

• Ensure tools, equipment, and materials are kept in a neat and orderly manner and that they do not present a tripping or egress hazard.
• Clean up rodent and avian droppings on a regular basis. Exclude pests by using techniques described in the NPS Rodent Exclusion Manual and install netting/spikes/other devices to discourage bird nesting indoors.
• Universal waste (ie, glass lamps, etc) need to be properly stored (including the start date of collection) and disposed of within 365 days.
• Properly dispose of dirty rags daily (in the trash or in hazardous waste accumulation point).
• Inspect emergency eye washes and showers weekly (and document on tag), and test according to manufacturer’s instructions.
• Check emergency lighting to ensure it is functioning, and do not block fire exit routes.
• Check fire extinguishers monthly and document inspection on tag, and ensure they are properly mounted. Ensure extinguishers and manual pull stations are not blocked.

For more information, please contact christina_ryan-miller@nps.gov.

Grand Canyon South Rim District Report Available

See what South Rim Patrol has been up to lately by reading the latest South Rim District Report.

• South Rim District Report for period ending 7-16-2022

GC School back in session Monday, August 1:

Go Phantoms!

The Grand Canyon Unified School District will begin the 2022-2023 school year next Monday, August 1. The school day begins at 7:50 a.m. and ends at 4:02 p.m. There are children who may begin early or stay late for studying or extracurricular activities.

As our community transitions to the new school year, keep in mind:

• Please obey speed limits. There are two areas on Center Rd with School Crosswalk Zones. These are marked with signs that have flashing yellow lights and indicate a speed of 15 mph. These two zones have a high amount of foot and bike traffic in the mornings and afternoons.
• The other crosswalk, with a high amount of foot and bike traffic, is on Albright St. just North of Mohave St., the speed limit in this area is 15 mph.
• Other crosswalk areas are:
• Albright at the intersection of Mohave – watch for people on foot or bikes. The crosswalks have rumble strips and have been painted, indicating a crosswalk.
• Boulder St, where the school’s main entrance is located, is always 15 mph

T-Mobile upgrades

T-Mobile is very excited to announce that as of July 20, T-Mobile customers in the park should now be experiencing upgraded service to include 5G.

For a complete map of T-Mobile cell coverage, please visit this website.

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.
• El Tovar Dining Room and Lounge
• Breakfast, 6:30-10:00 a.m.
• Lunch, 11:00 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
• Dinner, 4:30-9:30 p.m.
• Lounge, 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m.
• Patio (limited menu), 11 a.m.-8 p.m.
• Fred Harvey Food Truck, located in front of the El Tovar/Hopi House Sunday through Thursday from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. (weather permitting)

Delaware North

• Yavapai Lodge Tavern and Patio, 12-10 p.m.
• Yavapai Lodge Coffee Shop, 6:30 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, 7 a.m.-10:45 a.m., dinner, 5 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Other

• Grand Canyon Clinic: 7 days a week, 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): Daily from 8 a.m.-4 p.m., operations held outside of the GCVC building
• Grand Canyon Conservancy stores: Visitor Center Plaza, 8 a.m.-7 p.m. daily, Yavapai Geology Museum, Verkamps, and Kolb Studio 8 a.m.-6 p.m. daily.,
• Kennel Operations: Overnight boarding is only available from Friday through Sunday nights. Pick-ups and day boarding are available on Mondays. Contact Xanterra Switchboard or Xanterra Fire and Security for afterhours pick-ups.
• Grand Canyon Community Library: Monday-Friday from 10:30 a.m.-5 p.m.

Desert View

• Desert View Trading Post Coffee and Ice Cream and Market, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily
• Desert View Watchtower, 8 a.m.-6 p.m. daily.
• The Desert View Deli, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Desert View Information Table (staffed by NPS), 9 a.m.-4 p.m. (as staffing levels allow).

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.
• In addition to regular breakfast service in the dining room, the Grand Canyon Lodge at North Rim is now offering a breakfast buffet daily from 6:30-8:00 a.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

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

• Early morning from Upper Panorama on the South Kaibab Trail (NPS Photo/A. Sherman)
• A hazy canyon morning from Mather Point (NPS Photo/J. Baird)
• Fire Archaeologist, Jason Nez, looks out onto the canyon during the Dragon Fire (Photo courtesy of Jason Nez)
• The Arizona Trail Association poses with NPS staff member during the tree clearing volunteer day (NPS Photo)
•  A visitor pulls up to the North Entrance Station (NPS Photo)