n response to comments in the Summer 1998 Boatman¹s Quarterly Review, I felt obliged to offer another guide¹s point of view on the crmp.

First, the ³umbrella concept,² viewing the Grand Canyon as one big wilderness: it¹s a nice idea, but not a practical management tool. Dare I say it? I actually agree with the Park Service, and feel the Colorado River should be managed independently from the rest of the backcountry. In my mind, there¹s a huge difference between the river corridor and the Grand Canyon backcountry. Take visitor use, a key factor in management: we¹re talking 22,000 folks per year on the River versus perhaps twenty backpackers per year in remote stretches of the western Grand Canyon. In addition, there is already a large community of commercial outfitters utilizing the Colorado River; this is not the case in the Grand Canyon backcountry. Does this call for two separate approaches? I¹d say yes. Remember, too, the river corridor is not ³pure² wilderness. The ecology of the Colorado River and its riparian habitat has been severely altered by Glen Canyon Dam. In contrast, the zone between River and Rim (with the exception of the Inner Corridor trails) hasn¹t changed since Anasazi times.

Second, regarding the phrase ³providing the best possible river experience,² my question is this: What exactly is a quality river experience, in the eyes of a visitor? Too often I think we approach this question using a river guide¹s criteria, rather than a river passenger¹s viewpoint.

Through the years I¹ve run all varieties of Grand Canyon trips: rowing, motor, exchanges at Phantom and no exchanges, and take-outs at Whitmore, Diamond, and Pearce. My conclusion is this: longer trips are preferred by the guides, not necessarily by the clients. Yes, spending more time in the Canyon does allow folks to leave behind their thoughts of civilization, and personally I prefer a nine-day or longer trip with no exchanges. However, I¹ve seen people leave at Phantom Ranch on Day four who were genuinely touched by the Grand Canyon. I bet if you asked them, they¹d say they had a quality experience.

Some argue it¹s important for river visitors to see the entire Grand Canyon, not just a segment. If this is true, then all trips should continue to Pearce Ferry, for those taking out at Diamond Creek see only three-quarters of the Canyon, and miss the lower Granite Gorge (in my opinion one of the most beautiful stretches of the river). Furthermore, several river passengers have told me their reason for hiking in or out at Phantom Ranch was financial: they simply couldn¹t afford the full Canyon adventure. If we want to keep Colorado River trips open to lower income folks, we need to continue offering partial trips.

And what about crowding at side canyons and campsites? Most agree a quality river experience does not include crowds. Clearly we need better launch scheduling to reduce the problem. In addition, let me suggest that ³invasive² technology such as helicopter take-outs at Whitmore and motorized rafts, can increase the quality of a river experience by providing the scheduling flexibility to reduce crowding. Furthermore, motor guides often use the advantage of speedier river travel to space themselves between other trips to minimize crowds at attraction sites, or to leave the nearby camps open for rowing trips traveling at a slower pace. If all river trips are forced to conform to the same mode of travel and the same take-out, we may experience more crowding at key points in the Canyon.

Eliminating Whitmore take-outs seems to be a popular idea with some folks. Again, if the goal is providing the best experience for the clients, the Whitmore take-out is hard to beat. It provides maximum time for hiking the side canyons in the upper Canyon and provides escape from the extreme heat of the lower Canyon in the mid-summer months. Most river passengers tell me an important part of their Grand Canyon trip is the time spent off river, exploring the side canyons. While the lower Canyon is a lovely place to explore in the spring and the fall, during the hot months of June, July, and August it can be a furnace. In hot weather, few groups bother hiking the side canyons below Whitmore‹most of the time is spent on the rafts hurrying towards Diamond Creek or Lake Mead. Above Whitmore there are several side canyons with shade and water in which to break up the hot days. Furthermore, running Lava Falls is a climax of many trips, and folks leaving the river after Lava leave the Canyon on a real high note; contrast this to the mood of people leaving at Pearce Ferry after sitting on a hot boat for two days, and then encountering a parade of jet skis and power boats on upper Lake Mead.

The bottom line is this: let¹s realize ³providing the best possible river experience² for all visitors means providing a choice between motor and oar rafts, and a choice in trip length and take-outs. There¹s more than one way to obtain a quality Grand Canyon experience!

Mary Allen