John Stoner
commercial guide, operations manager: Arizona River Runners

   During the next two years the National Park Service will be addressing the revision process of the Colorado River Management Plan. They are requesting interested parties, both individuals and organizations, to give them input.

   During this process it is particularly important to remember numerous positive contributions and developments implemented over time by the river community and the National Park Service. The river offers everyone the opportunity to meet and interact with others from all walks of life. It is a place where life is simple, you get back to basics, barriers are dropped and people are at their very best. It is a community with a heartfelt sense of doing the right thing and positively affecting the people served.

   Whether it be a private, commercial, educational, research, accessible trip or hiking trip the vast majority of visitors who take the time to descend beneath the rim and spend some time have a valuable experience. For some, this experience is a spiritual and life changing one. People gain a different perspective on life, their surroundings and an appreciation for and new understanding of the environment they live in.

   Cooperative trail maintenance, cleanup and re-vegetation resource trips between the NPS, guides and the outfitters have had not only a positive impact on the canyon but have led to a unique and positive partnership between the cooperating entities. These trips help mitigate impact from all users and are the result of a lot of hard work by a group of dedicated volunteers.

   Commercial companies have improved river equipment, logistical support, training for guides and warehouse operations to state of the art so that guides’ energy is directed toward providing guests with a superior service that is multi-faceted. They no longer worry about whether the boat will hold air, equipment will function properly, or will they even make it through the canyon.

   Motorized outfitters have made a commitment to switch to quiet technology that will significantly reduce noise and pollutants (up to 90%) without being regulated to do so.

   Guides make a major commitment of their time to receive training that benefits their professional knowledge and river skills. The Wilderness First Responder course, CPR, Food Handlers course, interpretative training, and Guides Training Seminar and numerous trips as an apprentice (swamper), etc. all contribute to and benefit the river community and visitors to the canyon.

   Camps, beaches, side trails, waterfalls and pools within the river corridor are without a doubt the cleanest of any National Park. This is largely through the efforts of guides and guests. The canyon remains a clean and pristine environment to visit.

   Commercial rafting parties willingly give assistance to those in need, whether it be medical assistance, radio evacuation contact, food, ice, rescuing boats-people-gear after a flip, tying up boats that floated away during the night or carrying injured hikers to Phantom for assistance. The good deeds done are endless and reflect the spirit of the river and canyon.

   Company sponsored health care benefits, pension and profit sharing plans, hepatitis shots, loss control programs, company sponsored training (ie: WFR, CPR, food handler license; interpretive training trips) all reflect the positive directions outfitters are moving to support their employees.

   Commercial passengers receive a trip that is informative, educational (experiential: learn by participating), safe and environmentally aware. Numerous responses (thousands) to companies over the years reflect the extremely positive experience individuals, families, charters, and accessible participants have had on a variety of trips and trip lengths through Grand Canyon.

   In short let’s not lose sight of the fact that on the whole the resource, people, National Park Service, guides and the outfitters have been and are moving in a positive direction. Any sweeping changes may be more of a detriment to everyone involved than originally anticipated. It may only take some fine tuning and minor adjustments on the part of the NPS to benefit the resource and interested parties as a whole.

   In the end we will all need to ask ourselves what have we learned from this process? As in years past, will we revisit the motor/oar controversy, allocation issue, or will we have moved on to a higher plateau, setting in place a positive direction for the Colorado River Management Plan that is truly long term?