Key Messages-Week of October 17, 2022

COVID Updates

Successful vaccine event in Grand Canyon; Flu and COVID vaccines available October 25 in Tusayan

The Coconino County Health and Human Services Mobile Vaccine Team came to the park on Tuesday for a flu and COVID vaccine event. Thank you to the Grand Canyon Rec Center for hosting this event and the Mobile Vaccine Team who successfully vaccinated more than 100 individuals. The team will next be at the Tusayan Fire Department on October 25, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Due to popular demand of these events, please arrive early to ensure you receive assistance.

COVID-19 and Flu Vaccines will be available at this event (to include the new COVID-19 Bivalent Vaccine) for those ages 6 months and older. See the attached flyer for the Tusayan event here.

Arizona and Local Statistics

As of October 13, the CDC Community Level for Coconino County continues to be Low. All counties in Arizona are in Low Community Level.

There were 4 new COVID-19 cases reported in the park this week. This week’s new cases bring the park total up to an estimated 397 cases, with currently no change in the 86023 zip code, which leaves us at 449 cases, since the beginning of the pandemic.

As a reminder, be sure to promptly report any illness, to include possible COVID-19 symptoms, COVID exposure, or a positive COVID test to your supervisor and our Public Health Consultant, Ronan King. Ronan can be reached at: 202-891-8599 or Ronan_King@nps.gov.

Messages and Grand Canyon News

PSAR team ends successful 2022 season

The Preventive Search and Rescue (PSAR) team has been providing education and aid to visitors along Grand Canyon’s trails since 1997. In addition to a team of 70+ volunteers, this enthusiastic team of 9 seasonal rangers support South Rim, Canyon and North Rim districts and hike the trails daily with three main goals: 1) provide education and intervention to reduce search and rescue (SAR) incidents 2) respond as needed to trail incidents and assist with other SAR and EMS workloads all while 3) providing high quality customer service. Though the basics of how to stay safe in the heat while hiking in Grand Canyon has not changed much over the past two decades, the approach and delivery of the messaging has. This team is trained to learn people’s “why”, find ways to help visitors achieve their goals, and maximize their experience while staying safe.

The seasonal PSAR rangers often come to Grand Canyon to enhance their skills in prevention, SAR, and EMS. We are proud to say that many who have started their NPS careers began here in Grand Canyon’s PSAR program and have progressed to successful careers across the agency. Thank you to the PSAR team for a great 2022 season!

The 2022 PSAR team : top row, left to right: Travis Fudge, Lauren Ohlson, Geena Ramirez, Thomas DeMasters, Brandon Trapp, bottom row, left to right: Anton Yelk, Lili Pongracz, Kim Moreno, Nick Kramer (NPS Photo)

Grand Canyon Fire responds to vehicle and wildland fire

On Friday, October 14, the Grand Canyon Fire Department was requested by Tusayan Fire Department to assist with an RV and wildland fire along Forest Service Road #301 on the Kaibab National Forest, south of the Grandview fire tower. Tusayan Fire units were able to quickly stop the spread of the wildfire while Grand Canyon engine units suppressed the trailer and vehicle portions of the fire. The cause of the fire is still under investigation by the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office and the Kaibab National Forest.

Thank you to all responding units who helped suppress both the wildland fire and vehicle fires. Mutual aid and the strong partnerships with our neighboring agencies are crucial during critical incidents such as these and we hope to continue to serve our partners for mutual aid responses outside of park boundaries.

Exciting changes to Cultural Demonstrators Program for fall and winter!

Starting the week of October 23, cultural demonstrators at Desert View will be present for three days a week instead of two. Also beginning on October 23, demonstrations will be taking place Tuesday-Thursday through the week of Thanksgiving. Having these artists here for three days helps make the trip more worthwhile for those traveling greater distances and will allow for greater interactions with the public.

We are also happy to announce that starting December 2 through the end of February 2023, we will have demonstrations in the lobby of the South Rim Visitor Center. Demonstrations during this time frame will be from Friday through Sunday.

Thanks to the Desert View Interpretation staff and Daniel Pawlak, Cultural Demonstration Program Manager for helping to expand this program and provide more offerings at Desert View and the village in the near future.

Cultural Demonstrators this week at Desert View

Join us this Thursday and Friday, October 20 and 21, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Desert View Watchtower, for a chance to meet Darance Chimerica – Hopi Katsina Carver, and Ed Kabotie – Hopi Musician/Artist/Educator

Darance has been making Katsinas for more than 17 years and has developed his own carving style and technique. His tools are all hand, woodworking tools, and the paints are all-natural mineral pigment paints that he personally collects on Hopi. Darance says, “the Katsina dolls that I carve are replicas of how I would see them in physical form when they come to visit Hopi. For me, it is something I love to do.”

Ed is a third-generation artist and musician from the Hopi and Tewa tribes. His music has deep ties to his culture and the lands of his people, as well as environmental justice and other issues faced by many Native Americans.

GCC Artist in Residence will present two special programs this weekend

Leah Aegerter, the newest GCC Artist in Residence, works in object-based sculpture and installation. Her work investigates her relationship to landscape and intimacy with material. Through 3D scanning, she captures 3D models of geological surfaces then carves them out of wood. The sculptures made from these carved textures are a record of her memories, experiences, and emotions experienced while on the landscape. Leah will be offering two programs described below (there is no fee or registration required for either program).

Saturday, October 22: Guided Rim Walk, 2:30 p.m. Meet at Verkamp’s Visitor Center. Stroll along the rim trail with Leah to learn about the canyon’s rich geologic story and explore the artistic lines and shapes hidden beneath our feet. Allow 60 minutes.

Sunday, October 23: An Artist’s Workshop. Demonstrations at 4:00 p.m. and 4:45 p.m. Meet at Shrine of the Ages Auditorium. Create your own paper cast design that represents a special part of Grand Canyon geology.

South Rim District Reports Available

In the interest of improving information-sharing and transparency within our community, South Rim Patrol has made available a bimonthly South Rim District Report. These summaries provide access to information on significant incidents occurring within the Grand Canyon Village’s South Rim response area.

Significant incidents may include: traffic offenses, arrests, assault and disorderly conduct offenses, DUIs, motor vehicle crashes, and natural resource offenses. For privacy purposes, no personally identifying information will be included within these summaries.

Questions related to these reports can be directed to: grca_public_affairs@nps.gov

Volunteer Spotlight!

Grand Canyon Hikers and Backpackers Association Manzanita Deferred Maintenance Project

The week of October 10-17, Grand Canyon Hikers and Backpackers Association (GCHBA) volunteers partnered with Canyon District Visitor and Resource Protection and Interpretation Rangers to address deferred maintenance at the Manzanita Ranger Station and Bunkhouse. The crew of seven GCHBA volunteers painted the interior and exterior of the structure, cleared hazardous vegetation from the yard and day use area, and performed countless upkeep tasks. The 313 volunteer hours that GCHBA contributed during this project benefit all GRCA divisions and workgroups that utilize the Manzanita Bunkhouse and Ranger Station.

Thank you to the following NPS staff for making this collaboration a success: Jeff Schwartz, Ed Hazlett, Bruce Furman, Kate Dedrick, Matt Walls, Ty Pierce, Debbie Brenchley, Rachel Bennett, Treacy Stone, Louis Rowe, Brandi Stewart, Ceili Brennan, Carmen Kraus, Elyssa Shalla and Jack Pennington.

Fun fact: Since 2015, GCHBA volunteers have helped Canyon District Rangers and GRCA Housing Maintenance repaint every ranger station and bunkhouse in the cross-canyon corridor!

Grand Canyon Community Corner

Tusayan Blood Drive this Saturday

The Tusayan Fire Department be hosting a community blood drive through Vitalant on Saturday, October 22 from 8 a.m.-12 p.m. Appointments are suggested, and to schedule, individuals can visit www.donors.vitalant.org.

More information on this event can be found in the attached flyer.

Fundraising efforts begin Oct. 24 for 8th grade class

The fundraising for the 8th grade trip to Washington D.C. is almost underway!

The vision of the Washington, D.C. field trip is to engage students as citizens in American Democracy. The mission is to provide 8th grade students at Grand Canyon School an opportunity to capstone their 8th grade civics curriculum by engaging with locations that exhibit how people of the past and present change the world through the processes in American Democracy.

For more information, please see the attached flyer here.

North Country Healthcare Health and Wellness Fall Festival, Oct. 27

On October 27 from 4-7 p.m., North Country Healthcare is hosting a Health and Wellness Fall Festival at the Grand Canyon Rec Center. Fun activity stations, balloon artists, face painting, affordable health insurance assistance, behavioral health, free dental screenings and much more!

For more information, check out this flyer here.

Grand Canyon School Halloween Carnival, Oct. 28

Join the Halloween fun on October 28 from 5-7 p.m. at the Grand Canyon school field and multi-purpose room. Costumes are encouraged and the event will include a haunted house, games, prizes, and candy.

For more information, see the attached flyer here.

Kaibab Learning Center Halloween Fundraiser Event, Oct. 29

On October 29 beginning at 4:30 p.m., the Kaibab Learning Center will be hosting a community fundraiser at the Big E Steakhouse in Tusayan. A costume contest, raffles, prizes, and live music will all be part of the event.

For more information, see the attached flyer.

Tusayan Trunk or Treat, Oct. 30

The Town of Tusayan has recently changed the date for their annual Trunk or Treat event. The event will now be held on Sunday, October 30 beginning at 4:30 p.m. As in previous years, the event will be held in the parking lot between Foodie Club and the IMAX.

To reserve a parking space, please see the attached flyer for more information. For more fall events in the Town of Tusayan, please see the updated flyer here.

Park Circle Trick-or-Treating Monday, October 31

For trick-or-treating this year, as in previous years, NPS Rangers will be present in and around Park Circle on Halloween (Monday, October 31). Park Circle will be closed to all non-residential traffic and suggested hours are from 4:30-7 p.m. for all trick-or-treating activities.

These hours are suggested in order to ensure resident’s and children’s safety in periods of low light or darkness. A full flyer for the event can be found here.

Current Operational Hours

*Please note: new changes to operations are indicated in bold/italic

South Rim

Xanterra

Maswik Lodge Cafeteria, 6:30 a.m.-8 p.m.
Canyon Coffee House at the Bright Angel Fountain, 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.
Arizona Steakhouse within Bright Angel Lodge is now offering dinner service from 4:30 to 9:30 p.m. daily. Lunch service is from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily.
Fred Harvey Tavern, 11 a.m.-10 p.m.
The Grand Canyon Rec Center, 6:30 a.m.-10 p.m. daily.
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 has relocated to the Train Depot area Sunday through Thursday from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. (weather permitting)
Maswik Pizza Pub, located inside Maswik Lodge, is open Friday through Tuesday from 11 a.m.-8 p.m. The pizza pub is closed weekly on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Xanterra is now offering pizza delivery service from 4 to 8 p.m. Delivery is provided to Guest Rooms at Grand Canyon National Park Lodges Only.

Delaware North

Yavapai Lodge Tavern and Patio, 12-10 p.m., Yavapai Lodge Coffee Shop, 6:30 a.m.-2 p.m., The Yavapai Dining Hall, breakfast, 7 a.m.-10:45 a.m., dinner, 5- 9 p.m.
Canyon Village Market, 7 a.m.-8 p.m., Deli-7 a.m.-5 p.m.
Camper Services laundry and shower, 7 a.m.-4 p.m. daily

Other

Grand Canyon Clinic: Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (clinic is closed on weekends and holidays)
Bright Angel Bikes, Rental: 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Cafe-8 a.m.-6 p.m.
Grand Canyon Visitor Center (GCVC): 10 a.m.-4 p.m. daily. Operations are now indoors for the winter season.
Grand Canyon Conservancy stores: Visitor Center Plaza, 8 a.m.-6 p.m. daily, Yavapai Geology Museum, Verkamps, and Kolb Studio 8 a.m.-6 p.m. daily.,
Grand Canyon Community Library: Monday-Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Canyon Closet (located behind Community Library): Mondays 4:15-6 p.m., Wednesdays 12:15-2 p.m., Saturdays 3-5 p.m.
Grand Canyon Food Pantry: Mondays 11 a.m.-1 p.m., Tuesdays 6-8 p.m., Wednesdays 6-8 p.m., Saturdays 2-4 p.m.

Desert View

Desert View Trading Post Coffee and Ice Cream and Market, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. daily
Desert View Watchtower, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily
The Desert View Deli, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The Desert View Service Station Retail Store: CLOSED until further notice
Desert View Information Table (staffed by NPS), 9 a.m.-4 p.m., beginning Sunday, October 23 the information table will be closed for the season and interpretation staff will transition to the Watchtower

North Rim

Backcountry Information Center, 8 a.m.-12 p.m., 1-5 p.m. daily through October 31
North Rim gas station open, pay at pump only

*Please note: all other concessions operations on the North Rim have closed as of October 15, 2022.

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

Photo Credits (in order of appearance)

View from Lipan Point on a cloudy and rainy Sunday, October 16 (NPS Photo/M. Quinn)
Superintendent Keable receiving his COVID-19 booster vaccine at the October 18 event at the Rec Center (NPS Photo)
2022 PSAR staff (NPS Photo/M. Smith)
Vehicle and RV fire remains following fire suppression, October 14, 2022 (NPS Photo/C. Hunter)
Cultural demonstration photos inside the visitor center and photos featuring cultural demonstrators Ed Kabotie and Darance Chimerica (NPS Photos)
Leah Aegerter, the newest GCC’s Artist in Residence (photo courtesy of GCC)
GCHBA volunteers outside of Manzanita Ranger Station (NPS Photo)
The shuttle bus stop at Yaki Point along the orange route (NPS Photo/M. Quinn)

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.

Grand Canyon National Park

National Park Service

U.S. Department of the Interior