[Awclist] [Fwd: RRFW Riverwire - GRAND CANYON TO RELEASE MORE LAUNCHES]

[Thomas Robey]

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: 	RRFW Riverwire - GRAND CANYON TO RELEASE MORE LAUNCHES
Date: 	Sat, 3 Feb 2007 20:35:10 -0700
From: 	Riverwire <riverwire at rrfw.org>
Organization: 	River Runners for Wilderness
To: 	<Riverwire at rrfw.org>



RRFW Riverwire – GRAND CANYON TO RELEASE MORE LAUNCHES

February 3, 2007

Officials at Grand Canyon National Park will conduct a phone call-in for 
nine noncommercial river permits. The call-in period will be the week of 
February 5 to February 9, 2007.

The permit dates are for 2/26/07, 3/6/07, 3/9/07, 3/16/07, 3/24/07, 
4/11/07, 4/15/07, 5/5/07, and 6/11/07.

According to the National Park Service, the call-in is only open to 
individuals who have registered a profile at 
https://npspermits.us/grandcanyon/river/createUser.cfm before calling 
in. There is no fee to create a profile.

In the profile process, the National Park Service assigns everyone who 
registers a certain quantity of points for the number of years since 
their last Grand Canyon river trip. More points are assigned for a 
longer time since the last trip. The call-in system is based on those 
points, giving priority to individuals with the greatest number of 
points. According to the park’s web site, this is “to give persons who 
have not been on the Colorado River for awhile a better chance of 
success than those who have been more recently.” This is in stark 
contrast to how individuals gain access to the river through the park’s 
river concessionaires. There is no profiling based on points, elapsed 
time or anything else for concessions river trip customers.

For noncommercial river runners, Grand Canyon National Park officials 
have arranged the call-in system as follows:

Individuals with 12 or more points can call in on Monday, Feb 5.

Individuals with 9 or more points can call in on Tuesday, Feb 6.

Individuals with 6 or more points can call in on Wednesday, Feb 7.

Individuals with 3 or more points can call in on Thursday, Feb 8.

Individuals with any number of points can call in on Friday, Feb 9.

The Park will keep potential callers apprised of claimed permits by 
updating their answering machine (800-959-9164) at the end of business 
each day. Potential callers are encouraged to call in early, beginning 
at 8:00 a.m. Mountain Standard Time, to claim a date.

Winners awarded a permit will have to pay an immediate non-refundable 
deposit of $400, and will be charged an additional $25 if they did not 
participate in the fall 2007 lotteries. According to park officials, all 
river travelers are restricted to participating in only one river trip 
per year. Any unclaimed launches after February 9th will remain 
available on a first-call, first served basis.

According to the park, the first noncommercial lottery for 2008 will be 
held in March of this year. This will occur after the 2008 river 
concessionaires launch scheduling is completed.

Additional information is available at the Grand Canyon National Park 
website at http://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/cancelled-dates.htm

or by contacting the River Permits Office at:

Phone: 800-959-9164 or 928-638-7843, Fax: 928-638-7844, Email: 
grca_riv at nps.gov <mailto:grca_riv at nps.gov>, or on the web at: 
www.nps.gov/grca 
<../../../Local%20Settings/Temporary%20Internet%20Files/OLKEC/www.nps.gov/grca> 
- click on River Permits

U.S. Postal Service Mailing Address:

River Permits Office

P.O. Box 129

Grand Canyon, AZ 86023-0129

Address for Other Mailing Services:

River Permits Office

#1 Village Loop Road

Grand Canyon, AZ 86023

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