GTS River Trip

   As the crowds thinned out after the land-based GTS, the last stragglers headed down to the river to climb aboard an odd as-sortment of water craft - two motor snouts and two row boats donated by the National Park Service, an Arizona River Runners’ motor rig, an AzRA paddle boat, and a dory.

   Sponsored the Grand Canyon outfitters and participating freelance boatmen, the 1993 GTS river trip was a cooperative project of the National Park Service, (special thanks to Mark Law for his support), and Tom Vail of Grand Canyon River Guides. Simone Sellin did an outstanding job of organizing the food and the kitchen crews. Participants in the program represented nearly every outfitter, plus a handful of freelance boatmen.

   Martha Clark commanded the paddle boat, trying some innovative runs at times in an attempt to elicit need for rescue ef-forts, but to no avail. Would-be victims had to fling themselves overboard for NPS Ranger Jim Traub’s river rescue sessions.

   Brad Dimock rowed his dory, managing to hit only one rock (in the treacherous Deer Creek rapid). At night he told bedtime stories around the campfire - tales of John Hance, the Great Kaibab Deer Drive, and racy constellation characters.

   Park Ranger Nancy McCleskey, new to motoring, ran one of the snouts with instruction by Jim Traub. Dick Clark ran the second snout rig, Trish Haw-kins and I rowed the other park boats, and Tom Vail drove the big rig.

   Some speakers came and went, by foot or by helicopter; others remained on the trip for the duration. Guest appearances by helicopter pilot Jerry Bonner, Archaeologist Jan Balsam, and GCES’ Dave Wegner gave credence to the unsettling question we sometimes find ourselves asking: “Have you been on the trip all along?” Kim Crumbo joined us in the darndest places to discuss his trail work projects.

   Ivo Lucchitta and Chuck Barnes covered everything from Geology 101 to the brink of our ability to digest. Brad Ilg joined the trip at Tanner to describe just what all that shist means anyway. With the proper dose of Al Diaz’ special breakfast coffee, it all became clear.

   Cecil Schwalbe, herpetologist, snared countless lizards in order to show us their markings, and if the mood was right, to display their most intimate parts - both of them. He instructed Lynn Roeder on the fine art of holding several lizards in oral suspension while leaving the hands free to catch more. But we only got to see her put one in her mouth, and it didn’t stay there long.

   Patti Hodgetts and Lisa Kearsley were on hand to distinguish “just what kind of bird is that and what’s the bush it’s hiding in?” Working and playing with Ron Moulton of WAPA’s EIS team, we all got a better understanding of the people behind our respective organizations.

   Canyon District Ranger Dan Davis accompanied us for most of the trip. He led an open forum on ways to enhance the coopera-tive atmosphere which is so vital to protection of Grand Canyon and the river experience.

   At Phantom Ranch most of the participants exited the trip, leaving a skeleton crew to finish the distance. They stopped here and there to do trail maintenance, and collected a mountain of flotsam from the Little Colorado’s winter floods of 17,000+ cfs.

   We thank all those who made the trip possible. Generous contributions of funds, gear and time, and the volunteerism of accomplished speakers and enthusiastic participants, all merged to make the project a huge success.

Jeri Ledbetter