Bruce Winter
Commercial guide, outfitter Arizona River Runners

   The notion that if you want to go on a private trip you must wait X amount of years is a very simplified look at what really happens. Besides the cancellation route, the fact is only the trip leader is on the list for the whole time. Anyone close to the river community hears, "I've got a permit this year, do you want to go?" And not everyone on the private trips has waited years. This points to major differences between the way commercial and private trips are put together.

   The vast majority of commercial business is a mixture of singles, couples and families from all over, joined together on a single trip. On privates, one person gets the permit and rounds up friends. Imagine the implication, if that's how commercial trips were sold. Now I might have 20 different groups on a trip, I'd then have 20 different trips. I believe that would overnight cause an equivalent waiting list to appear for commercial trips. I'm not suggesting that privates take anyone but their friends, but I am pointing out the difference. This also allows people to get on commercial trips through cancellations late in the game. Joining people together makes the system efficient.

   River trips are no different than any other commodity, be it tickets, land, gold or food. If there is a perceived shortage or real shortage people start to hoard and speculate. It's my belief the current private system creates hoarding and speculation. I don't doubt the demand for private trips has greatly increased over the years, but by the same token so has the commercial demand. It is a finite resource, but I think there are improvements that can be made to the reservation systems that can help the problems.

   Over 25 years of the river corridor management, hundreds of decisions, under intense scrutiny, have been made. I suggest we look at the current review as a step in a long and continuing process instead of a chance to come up with the so-called perfect river trip or management plan.