Canyon Views Fall Winter 2020, Vol. 27 No.1

CANYON

VIEWS

V O L . 2 7, N O . 2 FA L L | W I N T E R 2 0 2 0

A P U B L I C AT I O N O F G R A N D C A N YO N C O N S E R VA N C Y

Canyon Views is published by Grand Canyon Conservancy, the official nonprofit partner of Grand Canyon National Park. Grand Canyon Conservancy works hand in hand with the National Park Service to support projects including trails and historic building preservation, educational programs for the public, and the protection of wildlife and their natural habitat.

You can make a difference at Grand Canyon!

For more information about Grand Canyon Conservancy, please visit grandcanyon.org.

Board of Directors: Teresa Gavigan, Board Chair; Mitchell Walker, Board Vice Chair; Lizabeth Ardisana; Ann Becker; Randall Brown; Kathryn Campana; Awenate Cobbina; Jason Coochwytewa; Nigel Finney; Eric Fraint; Deborah Gage; Teresa Kline; Alejandra Lillo; Shantini Munthree; Mark Schiavoni; Stan Sutherland; Merl Waschler; Tyson Winarski Chief Executive Officer: Theresa McMullan Chief Philanthropy Officer: Danielle Segura Director of Marketing & Communications: Mindy Riesenberg Graphic Designer & Creative Project Coordinator: Meghan Bergeron Copyright © 2020 Grand Canyon Conservancy

D E A R G R A N D C A N YO N C O N S E R VA N C Y S U P P O R T E R S ,

Right now, we all could use a little optimism.

One conversation with the new superintendent of Grand Canyon National Park, Ed Keable, will convince you that this park is preparing for a bright future. I’m pleased that this issue of Canyon Views begins with an opportunity for you to meet Ed. You’ll also get a first-hand look at the latest park projects and learn the critical role that each plays in the second century of Grand Canyon National Park. Learn about the work done in 2019 to inventory the park’s rich fossil record, discover ways to help increase the monarch butterfly population, and get an update on the North Rim’s bison herd reduction. You’ll also have an opportunity to read about surprising new genetic information for Grand Canyon’s bison and get a glimpse into the past with a tour of the park’s historic boats.

To reduce expenses and protect the environment, this issue of Canyon Views is presented in a digital format. Links throughout the issue can take you to more information. Please let us know what you think. We love to get your comments.

Thanks for your ongoing commitment to Grand Canyon and to GCC. Sincerely,

Cover photo: Desert View Sunset Courtesy of Gail Myer glm8@aol.com

Theresa McMullan Chief Executive Officer

Grand Canyon Conservancy P.O. Box 399 Grand Canyon, AZ 86023-0399 (800) 858-2808 grandcanyon.org

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Table of Contents 2

A Conversation with Grand Canyon National Park Superintendent Ed Keable

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Reflecting Back in Time to Uncover the Rich Fossil Record of Grand Canyon National Park

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Bringing Monarch Butterflies Back from the Brink

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Grand Canyon Bison Herd Reduction Update

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Rafting Through History: Grand Canyon’s Historic Boats

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Connecting to the Canyon with the Field Institute

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Celebration of Art Goes Virtual

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Supporter Profile, Barbara Bigelow

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Ways to Give

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Make Your Holiday Shopping Grand!

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A Conversation with Grand Canyon National Park Superintendent Ed Keable B y Min d y R i e s e n b e rg GC C D irecto r o f M a rket i ng & C o mmu n i c at i o n s When Ed Keable was appointed Superintendent of Grand Canyon National Park in April, he knew he was walking into his role at a fortuitous time. COVID-19 had recently shut the park down, and he was tasked with overseeing how the park would handle the pandemic.

“My number one priority is managing the park in a manner that preserves the health and safety of our visitors, employees, and residents,” said Keable. “We’re managing with Center for Disease Control guidelines, the White House, and guidelines out of the Arizona Governor’s Office to make real-time decisions about whether to increase or restrict access to the park.”

COVID-19 is just one of the many challenges facing the park. But, Keable says, where there are challenges, there are opportunities, and he is working with park staff and Grand Canyon Conservancy (GCC) employees to help him find solutions to these challenges.

“The relationship between GCC and the park means a great deal,” he said. “First, from an emotional support context, it’s great to know that there are people who love Grand Canyon enough to work for it and track what we’re doing and donate to the park to help us manage this amazing resource. Second, it gives me a reliable outside voice into management decisions so I’m not making decisions based on just an insular park service voice.”

Keable points out that in order to be a good superintendent, he needs to be the superintendent of the whole park—and he has been very deliberate about developing his approach to this.

“I’m scheduling work weeks at different areas of the park so I can get a real sense of what challenges our employees face in their work environment,” he said.

For example, he has already spent a work week at the North Rim and plans to continue scheduling work weeks there once a month during the season. He’s already planning a second trip out to the remote area of Tuweep to spend time in the backcountry, and he’s planning more trips to the inner canyon. His commitment to park employees is strong and he plans to demonstrate this by showing up where his teams work.

One of the biggest challenges in the inner canyon for the park is the Phantom Ranch Wastewater Treatment Plant, which requires critical rehabilitation due to deferred maintenance and increased visitation levels. In order to reduce water and wastewater demands to the treatment plant, the park has limited overnight use and visitor facilities at Phantom Ranch and Bright Angel Campground to 50 percent.

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Photo courtesy Grand Canyon National Park

“Our inability to fix this problem has created real-time limitations on visitor usage,” said Keable.

“We’re in the planning phase of working on this, and it’s a high priority for us. We want to get back to 100 percent capacity at that location.”

The recent passing of the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) may help move the wastewater treatment plant forward, since it’s focused exclusively on deferred maintenance issues at the park.

However, Keable notes, what the GAOA doesn’t include is everything that GCC supports—from interpretive services like the Dark Skies program to the regular, cyclic maintenance of the park’s corridor trails.

“These are priorities that are necessary for us to manage, and the GAOA will not help with that—GCC donors fund these projects,” he said. “We will always need the support of our GCC friends and donors.”

Although Keable has been presented with many challenges in his first four months at Grand Canyon National Park, he is optimistic about the future and excited to be part of Grand Canyon’s legacy.

“I spent much of my childhood barefoot outside, literally and figuratively connected to the earth,” said Keable. “I spent 23 years working in law with the Department of the Interior to protect the great outdoors. Being superintendent of Grand Canyon National Park is an opportunity for me to extend my childhood and professional career all at once by preserving this great landscape for current and future generations.” ­

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Reflecting Back in Time to Uncover the Rich Fossil Record of Grand Canyon National Park B y V i n c ent L . S a n t u c c i S eni or Pal eo n to l o g i s t , N at i o n a l Pa rk S er v i c e

Although the fossil record for the Grand Canyon extends back into the Precambrian, approximately 1.25 billion years, the human dimension of the story begins in April 1858 with the first reported discovery of a fossil in the canyon. This history is tied to the Ives Expedition, which traveled up the Colorado River in the canyon during 1858. Members of this party collected fossils near Diamond Creek, near the present-day Hualapai Tribal Reservation. These specimens were eventually published in 1861 by John Strong Newberry, nearly 60 years before the Grand Canyon National Park was established as a unit of the National Park Service on February 26, 1919.

All photos in this story courtesy National Park Service.

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Rampart Cave Interior

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The history of paleontological field work and research at Grand Canyon National Park and the surrounding area includes a list of notable and respected paleontologists. Beginning with the foundational work of Charles Walcott during the 1880s, a sustained scientific interest in the fossils of Grand Canyon was carried forth from one generation of paleontologists to the next, uncovering an expansive fossil record. The paleontological treasures of the park and canyon were captured in scientific publications and preserved within museum fossil collections.

During 2019, and in conjunction with the Centennial Celebration for Grand Canyon National Park, a team of paleontologists and park scientists collaborated to piece together the remarkable story about the park’s rich fossil record. The fossil inventory documented a wide variety of fossil plants, invertebrates, vertebrates, and trace fossils, primarily from Paleozoic sedimentary rocks exposed in the canyon. Additionally, the fossil inventory team identified and evaluated the various resource management issues associated with the park’s paleontological resources to help inform park leadership and staff. The culmination of this work resulted in the first comprehensive publication on the paleontology of Grand Canyon National Park, completed in March 2020.

Seed Fern Fossil

Seed Fern Fossils in Permian Hermit Shale on Kaibab Trail

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Seed Fern Fossils

Fossil Plants An important record of fossil plants is beautifully preserved within the sedimentary layers of Grand Canyon National Park. The study of fossil plants, known as paleobotany, has a long history at the park. Fossil plants were first found at Grand Canyon in 1915, within the Hermit Shale. These plants date to approximately 285 million years ago and represent the spread and diversification of plants onto land surfaces during the Paleozoic Era. This first collection of terrestrial fossil plants from Grand Canyon National Park was forwarded to a famous paleobotanist named David White, who worked for the U.S. Geological Survey, beginning many years of work to study and identify these early plants.

During the past 100 years, the field collection of fossil plants in Grand Canyon National Park has resulted in the discovery of more than 40 different species of fossils plants. The fossil flora has been found primarily within two geologic formations in the park, the Hermit Shale and the Surprise Canyon Formation. These plant fossils yield valuable information about the early diversity of these prehistoric plants and the ancient environments in which the plants lived.

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Fossil Invertebrates The most abundant and diverse portion of the Grand Canyon paleontological record is represented by the Paleozoic invertebrate fossils. Hundreds of species of fossil invertebrates have been identified from both marine and terrestrial sedimentary rocks within the canyon. The fossil invertebrates span the Paleozoic from the Cambrian through the Permian, including 16 different geologic formations. Fossilized remains of sponges, rugose and tabulate corals, bryozoans (moss animals), brachiopods (lamp shells), bivalves, snails, cephalopods, insects, trilobites, sea urchins, crinoids (sea lilies), and other invertebrates are indicators of the many environmental systems that punctuated the geologic history of Grand Canyon. The concentrations of Cambrian trilobites observed and documented by U.S. Geological Survey geologist Eddie McKee, preserved in the Bright Angel Shale, represent rocks laid down in a shallow marine environment.

By contrast, the fossil remains of a dragonfly wing in the Permian Hermit Shale denotes a sedimentary sequence deposited in a terrestrial environment on the ancient continent.

Crinoid columnal found in Upper Kaibab Limestone

Fossil Bryozoan in Redwall Limestone Worm Trails in Bright Angel Shale

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Tr i l o b i t e F o s s i l

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Fossil Vertebrates The Grand Canyon fossil record of vertebrates—animals with an internal skeleton and a backbone (vertebral column)—consists of two very different groups of ancient organisms. The first group includes sharks and other fishes that lived in ancient oceans and marine environments during the Paleozoic Era. The second group includes the remains of ice age (Pleistocene) vertebrates that have been preserved and discovered in the many caves within Grand Canyon National Park. These fossil vertebrates document the extraordinarily diverse geologic history and fossil record preserved for the park.

The first report of fossil vertebrates from Grand Canyon dates to 1880, nearly 40 years prior to the creation of the national park. Dr. Charles Doolittle Walcott, from the U.S. Geological Survey, reported on some remains of Devonian fish from the Temple Butte Formation in Grand Canyon.

Over the next 140 years, fossil remains of Paleozoic sharks and other fishes have been discovered in Grand Canyon strata spanning the Devonian, Mississippian, Pennsylvanian, and Permian time periods. Recent research by fossil shark paleontologist John-Paul Hodnett has led to the identification and naming of several new fossil shark species from Grand Canyon.

Rampart Cave Shasta Ground Sloth Skull

Sloth Dung

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Rampart Cave Interior

Bones of various animals collected from Rampart Cave. Includes mountain goat horns and possibly camel bones.

American Cheetah found in Rampart Cave

The area within and around Grand Canyon National Park is considered one of the largest concentrations of caves in the United States. Within some of these caves are the remains of extinct ice age animals, among them ground sloths, vampire bats, the American cheetah, and the Pleistocene condor. Paleontologist Jim Mead has spent much of his career exploring and documenting fossils from the caves within Grand Canyon, and he believes there are likely many more ice age fossils to be discovered. One of the most important fossil caves in the park is known as Rampart Cave, in the western portion of the canyon. More than 50 species of Pleistocene vertebrates have been identified from Rampart Cave. During the 1930s the Civilian Conservation Corps assisted Smithsonian paleontologist Remington Kellogg with an excavation of a portion of Rampart Cave. Thick stratified sequences of sloth dung (feces) were found within the cave, which also contained bones and other remains of ancient animals and plants. In 1976, a fire in Rampart Cave destroyed a portion of the fossil-rich sloth dung deposits, requiring a team of firefighters to extinguish the fire. Rampart Cave was featured as the 2019 National Fossil Day annual logo.

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Fossil Footprints, Tracks, Trails, and other Trace Fossils Some of the more intriguing fossils from Grand Canyon are the wide variety of footprints, tracks, trails, and other evidence of biological activity locked in time in the sedimentary rocks. Collectively, these fossils are commonly known as trace fossils, whereas scientists often refer to them as ichnofossils. Although trace fossils are not the ordinary physical remains of a prehistoric organism (such as fossilized bones, shells, or wood) which are often associated with the word “fossil,” they are quite valuable in that they preserve direct evidence of behaviors and activities frozen in time from onceliving organisms. A wonderful diversity of both invertebrate and vertebrate trace fossils is documented throughout the park strata, reflecting activities by prehistoric animals within both marine and terrestrial environments.

The first fossil vertebrate footprints reported from Grand Canyon were collected by paleontologist Charles Schuchert (Yale University) in 1915 from along the Hermit Trail.

These fossils gained the attention of the paleontological community and drew Smithsonian paleontologist Charles Gilmore to the canyon during the 1920s to study and collect fossil footprints left by Late Paleozoic amphibians and reptiles. Today the remarkably wellpreserved trace fossils from the Coconino Sandstone, Hermit Shale, and Wescogame Formation attract paleontologists from around the world, who come to learn about and document these prehistoric journeys across a Paleozoic landscape.

Tracks at Jackass Creek

Charles Gilmore

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F o s s i l Tr a c k s i n C o c o n i n o S a n d s t o n e

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Planning a Future for Preserving the Past The development and publication of the Grand Canyon National Park Centennial Paleontological Resource Inventory in March 2020 was the first attempt to comprehensively pull together over 160 years of paleontological research, field work, and fossil collecting.

This ambitious project represents the single largest parkspecific paleontological inventory undertaken by the National Park Service. The investment in this inventory, involving a team of several dozen paleontologists and park staff, will provide a solid baseline of paleontological resource information to inform current and future park managers and scientists. The documentation of the scope, significance, distribution, and management issues related to paleontological resources is essential, mandated by federal law, and supports resource stewardship goals for the National Park Service.

The paleontologist’s view into the expanses of Grand Canyon is naturally met with contemplation and wonder. Given the widespread and continuous weathering and erosion of highly fossiliferous strata in the canyon, the paleontologist’s thoughts are directed to the questions,

“What unknown fossil remains are still out there in the canyon?” and, “What prehistoric creatures are yet to be discovered?” The future of paleontology at Grand Canyon National Park will undoubtedly uncover new specimens and reveal new stories, reshaping our understanding of this remarkable history of life.

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Celebrating Grand Canyon National Park’s Paleontological Heritage In recognition of Grand Canyon National Park’s centennial in 2019, a number of fossil-focused activities were undertaken. A team of paleontologists and park rangers participated in research, field inventories, and a public outreach event to celebrate the rich fossil record preserved at the park. The team published the first comprehensive paleontological resource inventory for Grand Canyon National Park.

Paleontologists and park rangers celebrate National Fossil Day at Grand Canyon National Park during the park’s centennial.

The park hosted a field-based event called the “Grand Canyon National Park PaleoBlitz” during which teams of paleontologists participated in fossil surveys at various remote locations within the park. The fossil surveys resulted in some new and important fossil discoveries. Two localities yielded rare and interesting fossil teeth from primitive sharks that lived in ancient seas during the end of the Paleozoic Era. New fossil footprint impressions were documented from a previously unrecorded location in the park. These trackways preserve the journey of a four-legged animal (tetrapod) across sand dunes of an arid desert environment approximately 275 million years ago.

To celebrate the fossils of Grand Canyon, the park hosted a National Fossil Day event in 2019. The educational outreach event showcased the wide variety of prehistoric life found in the layers of Grand Canyon strata.

Paleontologists met with park visitors to discuss some of the new fossil discoveries uncovered during the “PaleoBlitz.” Visitors of all ages participated in the Junior Ranger Program and took the pledge to become an official National Park Service Junior Paleontologist. A public ceremony with park and guest speakers was held at Mather Point to proclaim National Fossil Day at Grand Canyon National Park on October 16, 2019.

Fossil plant identified in the Hermit Shale a

d as Supaia discovered at Grand Canyon.

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The fossil record of plants at Grand Canyon National Park gained the attention of the scientific community through the work of paleobotanist David White. In 1889 White joined the U.S. Geological Survey, where he later became the chief geologist.

He was also appointed as the associate curator for paleobotany at the Smithsonian Institution beginning in 1903. White coordinated field trips to Grand Canyon National Park during the summers in the late 1920s, collecting fossil plant specimens from the Permian Hermit “Shale” Formation. He took great pride in the fact that he cooperated with the National Park Service and was permitted to wear a ranger uniform while in the field at the park. He published an important monograph describing the fossil plants from the Hermit Shale in 1929.

One of the more important localities that David White worked and collected plant fossils in the park was along the Yaki Trail (now called the South Kaibab Trail). The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) assisted with quarrying White’s fossil plant locality and constructing a “fossil fern exhibit” at the site in 1937. Future restoration of this exhibit is planned by the National Park Service in the near future. The legacy of paleobotanist David White is preserved by the “fossil fern exhibit” and his headstone located in the cemetery at Grand Canyon National Park.

P a l e o n t o l o g i s t s D r. D a v i d W h i t e a n d D r. J o h n C . M e r r i a m s i t t i n g a t C e d a r R i d g e f o s s i l q u a r r y c i r c a 1 9 2 7.

Photos by NPS.

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Megactenopetalus kaibabanus

Ancient Shark Encounters Ancient marine rocks within and around Grand Canyon National Park preserve an important fossil record of Paleozoic sharks. The cartilaginous composition of shark skeletons generally limits their fossil remains to teeth and dorsal fin spines. The Late Mississippian-aged Surprise Canyon Formation and the Early Permian-aged Kaibab Limestone have been the source of some diverse and interesting fossil remains of primitive sharks.

Some refer to the Late Paleozoic as the “Golden Age of Sharks” due to the extraordinary diversity of primitive sharks thriving in both freshwater and marine environments. Prehistoric sharks from Grand Canyon range in size from one of the largest spanning between five and seven feet long for the genus Megactenopetalus down to about six inches long for the genera Amaradontus or Hokomata. Paleontologists J.P. Hodnett and David Elliott have been studying and describing the Late Paleozoic sharks of northern Arizona to share an important story about these extinct aquatic predators.

Top Image: Tooth of the giant shark Megactenopetalus from the Permian Kaibab Limestone at Grand Canyon.

Bottom Image: Tooth of the Early Pennsylvanian shark Hokomata parva from the Watahomigi Formation.

Photos by J.P. Hodnett

Hokomata parva

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Following in the Footsteps of Ancient Animals Concealed within the layers of ancient strata at Grand Canyon National Park are the footprint impressions of long-extinct four-footed animals known as tetrapods. These fossilized tracks and trackways are frozen in time within terrestrial sediments in the park and represent one of the most important Paleozoic vertebrate footprint localities in the world. These traces of prehistoric journeys have been documented and studied for more than a century, with new fossil tracks continuously being discovered in the canyon. In 2019 an international team of paleontologists published on a recently discovered track block with footprints identified as Ichniotherium (marking creature) which is the youngest and last record of this type of track in the world.

The study of fossil footprints, tracks, trails, and burrows is referred to as ichnology. Trace fossils preserve evidence of ancient biological activity within the sedimentary environments in which the animal lived. At Grand Canyon National Park, some of the fossil footprints exhibit features which indicate the tetrapod trackmaker was walking either up or down a sand dune in an ancient arid desert environment.

One of the tools used to both document and monitor fossil footprints is known as photogrammetry, where photographs are obtained to create three-dimensional models. The photogrammetric models are used to evaluate and measure changes in the stability and condition of fossils subject to natural processes or human impacts. The large block containing the Ichnotherium trackways would be nearly impossible and impractical to collect from the field and transport to a museum facility.

The photogrammetric models can also be used to support research and public education.

Interactive 3-D models can be posted on virtual fossil websites to share fossils otherwise not easily accessible to the public.

Bottom Right Image: Fossil footprints identified as Ichniotherium from a block of Coconino Sandstone.

Photos by NPS.

Photogrammetric model of the Ichnotherium track block at Grand Canyon National Park.

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Bringing Monarch Butterflies Back from the Brink B y Mind y Riesenberg GC C Director of Market ing & C ommunic at ions

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Each fall, North American monarch butterflies travel thousands of miles from their summer breeding grounds in the northeastern U.S. and Canada to southwestern Mexico where they will spend the winter. Grand Canyon National Park is just one of the places the monarchs migrate through, primarily in August and September. But these metamorphic creatures face many risks that are resulting in declining populations, including a loss of habitat, climate change, and pesticides.

A new program at Grand Canyon hopes to help increase the monarch butterfly population by installing pollinator gardens at the South Rim and possibly the North Rim to monitor the butterflies throughout the park.

“There’s no better place than in a national park to create a refuge for monarch butterflies,” said Miranda Terwilliger, Wildlife Biologist at Grand Canyon National Park. “If we’re going to save them for our children and grandchildren to see, it’s critical to make this effort.”

Planting milkweed is critical to monarch recovery, as the toxic steroids found in the plant are used as defense against predators. When a bird or other predator tries to eat a monarch, the bad taste from these toxins dissuades them from preying on monarchs in the future.

“Grand Canyon National Park’s vegetation program staff have been busy locating, mapping, and collecting seed from the five milkweed species found within the park,” said Lonnie Pilkington, Vegetation Program Manager at Grand Canyon National Park. “The crew recently grew over 500 western whorled milkweed plants that will be out-planted this fall.”

These plants will be the main feature of the pollinator gardens, and park officials hope that they will attract more monarch butterflies to Grand Canyon so they can track them and learn more about how to help save them.

“We are taking on the tagging of the monarchs in partnership with the Southwest Monarch Society and using tiny little stickers with numbers that don’t hurt them at all,” said Terwilliger. “We don’t know in what capacity monarchs use Grand Canyon National Park, and we want to find out. We’re curious if there’s a resident population or a population that breeds here.”

The park is implementing the national Integrated Monarch Monitoring Plan (IMMP) that monitors milkweed plots and the monarch larvae and butterflies that feed on them. The IMMP is designed to be a citizen science project.

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“We want to bring in more volunteers to help us do this monitoring,” said Terwilliger. “As we give feedback to the IMMP model, we will make the research model more robust, with detailed information about monarchs.”

According to Terwilliger, there are 66 IMMP plots where the model shows suitable milkweed habitat across Grand Canyon, some more accessible than others.

The new pollinator gardens will make it easy for visitors to find a few of these plots and learn more about monarch butterflies. The Colorado River is an important migratory pathway for monarchs, so the park plans to work with river guides to see if they can help monitor some plots located along the river.

Anyone can participate in this research by going to the IMMP website or the Western Monarch Milkweed Mapper website and finding milkweed sites near their home. It’s as simple as finding milkweed populations, taking a picture, and making an entry in the database. The information collected by citizen scientists is critical in collecting data to better inform monarch butterfly and milkweed conservation efforts in the United States.

But beware the monarch butterfly that isn’t a monarch butterfly, says Terwilliger.

“It’s important to know that we have a couple of butterfly species at the park that look like monarchs but aren’t!” she says. “The soldier, queen, and viceroy butterflies can all be lookalikes.”

To learn how to tell the difference, visit the Southwest Monarch Society’s website.

“I’m excited that the park supports monarch butterfly conservation efforts and can share pollinator conservation information with the public through interpretive media,” said Pilkington. “A large number of people are going to be able to view the pollinator gardens and learn about pollinator conservation and why it’s important.”

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Give to the Monarch Butterfly Conservation Program To help support this important initiative, click here, or contact Kayla Lawrence at gcconservancy@grandcanyon.org.

Help Map the Monarchs!

To become a citizen scientist and contribute your findings about monarchs and milkweed populations, visit the Monarch Joint Venture website where you’ll find programs across the United States.

If you plan to visit Grand Canyon National Park and want to volunteer for this program, please contact: Miranda Terwilliger Miranda_Terwilliger@nps.gov (monarchs) Lonnie Pilkington Lonnie_Pilkington@nps.gov (milkweed)

Ilustrations by Meghan Bergeron

Bighorn family in the canyon.

Photo by Mike Buchheit.

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Grand Canyon Bison Herd Reduction Update B y Mi rand a Te r w i l l i g e r W ild l ife Biolo g i s t , G ra n d Ca nyo n N at i o n a l Pa rk

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Bison have existed in northern Arizona since 1905 when Charles Jesse “Buffalo” Jones brought them to the state to save the species by cross-breeding them with cattle. The cross-breeding attempt quickly failed as a business venture and was abandoned. The bison were left at House Rock Valley, where the state of Arizona recognizes them as wildlife. In the late 1900s, the bison began dispersing up to the Kaibab Plateau, remaining there full time as of 2010.

This herd has increased in population over time, causing concern by all parties involved that it could exceed the normal size for a herd at the edge of its range, causing damage to other cultural and natural resources. To prevent this from happening, Grand Canyon National Park signed an Environmental Assessment (EA) in December 2017 for a short-term herd reduction, which would lead to reducing the herd to less than 200 animals over five years. The park engaged various other bison experts in a Technical Workgroup to help inform the capture operations shortly after the EA was approved. The workgroup assisted park staff in designing a capture facility to safely and humanely corral the bison. Essential features of the design included a capture pen, capture alley, working alleys, a squeeze chute with a scale, holding pens, a series of solid panels around the entire structure to limit the bison’s range of vision (to reduce bison stress levels), and catwalks over key alleys to improve employee safety. The capture facility was then built on-site by mid-October 2018. Together, the park and the InterTribal Buffalo Council (ITBC) formalized an agreement to assist with the transfer of the bison.

All photos in this story courtesy NPS.

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The park planned to implement a pilot live capture in 2018, but due to the timing of the completion of the capture facility and an early wet, heavy snow, bison had moved on to their winter grounds on the Powell Plateau some 15 miles away. Once on their wintering grounds, bison have not been known to return to the corral area until the spring. The park thus postponed the pilot live capture event to fall 2019.

In July 2019, the park finalized the “Grand Canyon Limited Pilot Bison Reduction Corralling Operations Plan 2019” (Terwilliger and Holm 2019) and moved forward toward live capture and corralling in September 2019.

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Capture Operations Capture operations were planned for early September 2019. Grand Canyon staff were joined by staff from the Kaibab National Forest, ITBC, and the U.S. Geological Survey.

Additionally, a few invited experts from other bison parks (Yellowstone and Badlands National Parks) and a National Park Service veterinarian joined to help train and advise the IMT. Bison were captured in the late afternoon of September 13th by a small team, which radioed the news to the IMT. A crew then headed to the capture facility to make safety adjustments, secure water and feed in the holding pens, estimate the number captured, and monitor the settling of the bison. The bison were left to acclimate overnight, and processing began the next morning.

Instinctive bison herding behavior and flagging encouraged bison through the working alleys and to a squeeze chute for processing. Once an animal was safely secured in the squeeze chute, biologists collected samples for genetic and disease testing, took body measurements, and marked bison for re-capture tracking. The animals were identified either for removal (shipment) or identified for tracking collars and release. Bison identified for removal were prepared by administering vaccinations according to recipient tribal and state requests and sorted into holding pens.

During this capture event 51 bison were handled. Many of the young animals were larger than expected. The average weight was 621 pounds with females averaging 663 pounds and males averaging 560 pounds. The largest animal captured was a young adult male at 1,340 pounds followed by a 1,000-pound older adult female. A total of 31 animals were shipped to the Quapaw Nation in Oklahoma.

The IMT held an after-action review to learn from this initial pilot experience (GRCA 2019c); that review is being incorporated into a future four-year live capture and removal operating plan. The after-action review covers the lessons learned from the pilot capture along with suggestions and recommendations for future operations (GRCA 2019c). The park is committed to continuing to work with partners, including the Arizona Game & Fish Department, ITBC, and adjacent land management agencies and tribes to achieve bison reduction targets on the North Rim as called for in the 2017 Initial Bison Herd Reduction Plan (NPS 2017).

The park anticipates continuing to use live capture and corralling as a method to achieve the reduction goals of the EA. In the long run, this innovative herd management planning will help mitigate the potential damage to cultural and natural resources that may have occurred due to overpopulation of bison on the North Rim, while safely relocating excess bison to other areas and contributing to the restoration of wild bison on tribal and other lands.

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On September 4th, 2020, in cooperation with the InterTribal Buffalo Council, Kaibab National Forest, and Arizona Game and Fish Department, National Park Service staff successfully relocated 57 bison from the North Rim. They were transported to the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation (Kansas), Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe (South Dakota), Santee Sioux Tribe (Nebraska), and Modoc Nation (Oklahoma).

Eleven additional bison were outfitted with tracking collars and released during the corralling process. The collaring was conducted in partnership with the U.S. Geological Service in order for park wildlife biologists to study bison migratory patterns and population size.

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Buffalo or “Beefalo?”

Surprising Bison Genetic Results B y M i n d y Ri es en berg G C C D i re c to r o f Ma rket i ng & C o mmu n i c at i o n s

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Many people are under the impression that the bison at Grand Canyon aren’t genetically bison at all—that they’re “beefalo” or “cattalo,” made up of more cow genes than bison genes. But recent genetic studies show just the opposite.

This herd is truly a herd of wild bison.

“There’s no way they’re beefalo or cattalo!” says Miranda Terwilliger, Wildlife Biologist & Bison Program Manager at Grand Canyon National Park. “While these animals have mixed ancestry, they’re wild bison with unique genetics that may be critical to the survival of the species.”

In the 1900s, it was common to breed bison herds with cattle to convert them to livestock. However, genetic analysis indicates that little cattle DNA remains in the Grand Canyon herd. This herd is unique, carrying eight bison genes that don’t occur in other bison herds—something that may be very important to the survival of the species.

This difference may be because at the end of the 19th century when bison had been hunted almost to extinction, these bison were rescued from Southwest areas like Mexico, New Mexico, and Texas, and not the Great Plains or the Dakotas, capturing a different part of the herd.

“The more genetic diversity a species has, the more likely it will survive,” explains Terwilliger. “So, if for example, we have DNA that makes this species more able to deal with drought, then maybe their survival as a species is more likely as drought becomes more common through climate change.”

The conservation of these genes doesn’t have to happen solely at Grand Canyon.

The Department of the Interior is now considering whether the Grand Canyon bison can be used to augment their own herds by broadening their genetics, a point that excites Terwilliger.

“Now more groups will want our bison!” she says. “We can now say that they’re truly wild bison that can augment other herds by humanely capturing and transferring them to another location.”

To read the full report on the Management of the Kaibab Plateau Bison Herd in Grand Canyon National Park, click here.

Photo by U.S. Forest Service, Southwestern Region, Kaibab National Service

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Rafting Through History: Grand Canyon’s Historic Boats Special thanks to Brad Dimock for allowing us to print content from his publication “ These Boats Will Speak. ”

NPS photo by J.M. Eden circa 1950.

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Photo from Grand Canyon National Park Museum Collection circa 1872.

In 1869 a courageous, one-armed Civil War veteran and naturalist led a pioneering expedition down the Colorado River. Three men lost their lives on the treacherous journey and two of the party’s four wooden boats were destroyed, but John Wesley Powell succeeded in informing Americans about a jaw-dropping chasm few had ever heard about: Grand Canyon.

Thanks to Powell’s publicity efforts, Grand Canyon— or as he called it, “the library of the gods,” suddenly became one of America’s most celebrated scenic wonders. But Powell’s boat-guiding heroics only tell a part of the canyon’s rich river past. Nothing captures the history and story of boating more than the evolution of boats and techniques that challenged the unparalleled fastwater of the Colorado River.

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The Evolution of Grand Canyon Boats

2nd Powell Expedition party in boards departing from Green River, Wyoming.

Photo from Grand Canyon National Park Museum Collection circa May 22, 1871.

Whitehalls Powell’s boats and most of those that followed over the next few decades were of a design that evolved in New York Harbor. Called Whitehall boats, these sleek, keeled cutwater boats were ideal for fast travel in relatively smooth water. They were powered by one or two men pulling down-river while facing upstream and steered by a man in the stern with a rudder.

Unfortunately, the Whitehalls were poorly adapted to shallow, rocky rapids, so Powell and those who followed ended up portaging (carrying their boats) around most major rapids or lining their boats along the shore with ropes.

Galloways

Stone expedition, Nathaniel Galloway running rapid below split mountain. NPS photo circa 1909.

Considered the father of modern whitewater rowing technique, Nathaniel Galloway was a trapper from northern Utah who devised his own boat and rowing style to cope with the challenges of the Colorado River. He created a flat-bottomed upturned boat for shallow draft and ease of pivoting. And instead of pulling downstream, he chose to face the rapid, pull upstream to slow his momentum, and ferry gently back and forth to miss obstacles.

Photographers Emery and Ellsworth Kolb rowed similar boats, the Edith and Defiance down the river, making photographs and movies as they went. Galloway boats dominated river travel for four decades before more modern materials brought new designs to the river.

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Norman Nevills, Leader of the Colorado River Expedition. NPS photo by J.M. Eden circa 1947.

Cataract Boats In the 1930s, river tour operator Norman Nevills devised a new boat modeled after boats his father saw on the Yukon, called cataract boats. Much wider than the traditional Galloway boats then in use, they were built using modern marine plywood and were much easier to fabricate. After a successful 1938 expedition using this new boat style (during which botanist Dr. Elzada Clover and her assistant Lois Jotter became the first women to traverse the Grand Canyon) the cataract boat became the go-to boat for commercial boating trips for the next 20 years.

NPS photo by Steve Leding circa 1952.

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The Folding Kayak Devised in the 1800s, folding kayaks boomed in the U.S. in 1935 when they were publicized and mass-produced to a large sporting audience. In 1941, Alexander “Zee” Grant was at the forefront of the new sport of kayaking, and he joined pioneer river runner Norman Nevills on a Grand Canyon expedition.

Grant’s custom kayak was 16-and-a-half feet long, folding, covered in rubber, with bulbous ends carved from balsa wood. In addition, it had huge sponsons (projections) along the sides made from the inner tubes of Fifth Avenue bus tires. For added buoyancy, he added eight inner tubes and five beach balls.

He named it the Escalante. According to Nevills, Zee was “the sensation of the hour—and justifiably so as he turned in a swell job of bringing his boat thru.”

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The Escalante. NPS photo.

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Motorboats Ed Hudson’s Esmeralda II was the first motorboat to run down the river. The plywood craft was modeled after a World War II landing craft, with a strong V-shaped prow to bust waves and withstand debris impact, and a reversed-V stern to protect the propeller and rudder. It heralded an era of hard-hulled motorboating that lasted into the 1960s with Chris Craft and outboard skiffs common sights on the river.

The Esmeralda II. NPS photo.

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Inflatable 10 person neoprene raft. NPS photo.

Inflatables The first inflatable down the Colorado was Amos Burg’s 1938 Charlie, but it wasn’t until the end of World War II that inflatables really showed up on the river. The most famous woman boatman of all time, Georgie White, was a pioneer of inflatables. She created huge bridge pontoons, powering them with outboard motors, and opened Grand Canyon to large-scale river tourism. These big rigs dominated the river business through the late 1960s.

Fiberglass By the late 1950s, paddlers had begun experimenting with fiberglass, considered a new miracle material. Walter Kirschbaum created hybrid boats with a fiberglass hull for strength and a canvas deck to keep the boat light. In 1960, Kirschbaum became the first person to kayak every rapid without portage as well as the first to paddle a rigid kayak through Grand Canyon.

Jetboats Although the Esmeralda II made it downriver, it never was able to successfully run upriver. It wasn’t until 1960 that the dream was realized by Bill Hamilton’s jetboat. He perfected the jet thrust propulsion system and invented the sport of motoring up whitewater rivers. With the closing of Glen Canyon Dam in 1963, sufficient water for this craft was rarely seen again. And fearing the Colorado might become a motor testing ground, the National Park Service soon established stringent horsepower restrictions and banned upruns.

Boat Preservation and Exhibition The story of Grand Canyon boating continues to this day, as new materials are incorporated, cleaner and quieter engines are developed, and new rapidrunning tactics continue to push river running into an ever-safer and more enjoyable future.

Grand Canyon National Park’s Historic Colorado River boat collection houses 19 significant boats representing this storied legacy. While some are on display throughout the park, the river community and park leadership hope to one day present a permanent venue for the display and interpretation of the rich and exciting history of boating on the Colorado River.

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Through the generosity of Grand Canyon Conservancy Supporters like you, we can support park efforts to keep this thrilling river heritage alive—and to share stories of adventure and courage that explorers like John Wesley Powell have long inspired.

NPS Photo by Michael Quinn.

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Photo of Philip M. Smith courtesy the Estate of Philip M. Smith.

Grand Canyon explorer, river runner, and advocate for environmental causes, Philip M. Smith devoted his five-decade-long career to science, technology, and public policy. Being an avid whitewater enthusiast, he participated in the now-famous powerboat run against the current up the Colorado River in 1960. Smith, who passed in 2014, had a true passion for the historic boats that journeyed down the Colorado River and wanted to share their history with park visitors.

With a generous gift from the estate of Philip M. Smith, Grand Canyon Conservancy has created a special fund for Grand Canyon’s historic boats. Funds raised will help the National Park Service preserve its historical collection and create opportunities for visitors to connect with the canyon’s riveting river history.

To learn more and to donate, click here.

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Photos by Mike Buchheit

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Connecting to the Canyon with the Field Institute Since 1993, the Grand Canyon Conservancy Field Institute has shared the wonders of Grand Canyon with thousands of visitors who want to experience it like never before. As a proud partner of the National Park Service, the Field Institute helps meet the interpretive and educational needs of the park’s millions of visitors through our expert-led rim walks, backpacks, and whitewater rafting trips.

“The guides were awesome—so educational and patient!

Such an amazing first visit to the canyon. It was life-changing to have experienced the canyon up-close and personal.

Thank you so much!”

— Amy Waits

The Field Institute is the long-standing education program for Grand Canyon Conservancy, created in response to a request by the National Park Service in the early ‘90s to help meet the educational and interpretive needs of the rapidlygrowing park visitation. To distinguish our programs from the high-quality, ranger-led programs for the general public, we focus on putting small groups in the capable care of handpicked teams of professional geologists, cultural interpreters, historians, research biologists, ecologists, artists, and other experts from local universities, colleges, art schools, and the educational guiding community. Each of these instructors have devoted much of their lives to the study, understanding, and sharing of the many wonders of Grand Canyon. In any given year we contribute over 40,000 educational contact hours in support of the park’s larger interpretive and education efforts.

The Field Institute is conducting most remaining 2020 classes as advertised. Our COVID-19 Health and Safety protocols are informed by CDC guidelines, and are in place to protect students, instructors, and staff while they are enjoying the canyon and the company of each other.

Please watch for our 2021 schedule of classes that will be released later this year.

For more information on the Field Institute, click here.

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Michelle Condrat

Kadin Goldberg

Cody DeLong

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Marcia Molnar

This year marks the 12th annual Celebration of Art at Grand Canyon, a tradition that brings together some of the country’s best plein-air artists (outside on location) to raise funds for arts programming and an art venue at the South Rim. From September 11–19, artists painted in the park, and now you can view and purchase their work online! Bring the splendor of the canyon to the walls of your home by clicking here. This sale continues through January 18, 2021, giving you plenty of time to decide on your favorite work of art.

On these pages, we present just a few of the studio artworks that were part of a sale in September and are featured in the Celebration of Art catalogue.

VIEW THE CATALOGUE

PURCHASE ART

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2020 Participat

Special Thanks to Our Celebration of Art Sponsors: Presenting Sponsors

Lisa Spragens Kaibab Sponsors Jeanne & Nigel Finney

Coconino Sponsors Terri Kline Picerne Fine Art Collection, Courtesy of Doreen, David, & Danielle Picerne Amy & Mark Schiavoni Steve Watson Tyson Winarski Sheri Young

Vishnu Sponsors Anonymous in honor of Arline Tinus Mark & Donna Levison Loven Contracting Janet & Ed Sands

Media Sponsors American Art Collector Sedona Monthly Cowboys & Indians Magazine Southwest Art Magazine Fine Art Connoisseur Western Art Collector PleinAir Magazine

Joshua Been Elizabeth Black Amery Bohling John Cogan Michelle Condrat Bill Cramer Cody DeLong Kadin Goldberg Robert Goldman Bruce Gomez

Linda Glover Gooch Susie Hyer Peggy Immel Bonnie McGee Mick McGinty James McGrew Betsy Menand Marcia Molnar Jose Nunez Kari Ganoung Ruiz

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ting Artists Matt Sterbenz Dawn Sutherland Paula Swain Special guest artist: Serena Supplee

Cody DeLong’s work. Photo by Terri Attridge 2017.

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Supporter Profile: Barbara Bigelow, Bright Angel Circle B y Mind y Riesenberg GC C Director of Market ing & C ommunic at ions Ketchikan, Alaska resident Barbara Bigelow has been enchanted by Grand Canyon National Park since she first laid eyes on it at 16. As a young woman, she came back to the canyon and worked for the Fred Harvey Company as a cocktail waitress at the Bright Angel Canyoneers Bar, feeding her love for the canyon and giving her an experience like no other.

Many years later, Bigelow learned about the Grand Canyon Conservancy Field Institute. Finding it difficult to plan her hikes around the chance of getting hiking permits, she realized the Field Institute would be the perfect way for her to indulge her passion for hiking in Grand Canyon without having to worry about planning. And so, a lifelong Grand Canyon Conservancy Supporter was created.

“To say the Grand Canyon lives in my heart is an understatement,” she says.

Because of this, when Bigelow and her husband, Richard Smith (who she married at Shoshone Point) re-formulated their wills several years ago, she decided to make a special bequest to Grand Canyon Conservancy, becoming a Bright Angel Circle Supporter.

“Grand Canyon Conservancy has a wonderful relationship with the park service and is dedicated to making the visitor experience culturally enriching,” she says. “Protecting the Grand Canyon and making it meaningful for time immemorial is important to me.”

She also points out that hiking into the canyon gives one a sense of appreciation they otherwise wouldn’t get.

“You can’t experience the Grand Canyon unless you get in it,” says Bigelow.

“I love the trails and like to get out of the tourist zone. I like the North Kaibab Trail a lot because of its unique features and waterfalls.”

Bigelow encourages others who love Grand Canyon to consider becoming Bright Angel Circle Supporters.

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“What I know for sure is that giving is personal,” she says. “It doesn’t matter if it’s $5 or $5,000. You give with your heart. Grand Canyon Conservancy’s mission, and all of its projects like Desert View Watchtower and working with the tribes, are so important. If you love Grand Canyon and you want to protect it, then the Conservancy is a great way to put your money to work.”

A bequest is one of the easiest gifts to make. With the help of an advisor, you can include language in your will or trust specifying a gift be made to Grand Canyon Conservancy as part of your estate plan.

You’ll leave a lasting legacy that will benefit Grand Canyon into the future.

To learn more about leaving a bequest and becoming a Bright Angel Circle Supporter, click here or call Lynn Donahue, Senior Philanthropy Officer, at (602) 697-8147.

Photos courtesy of Barbara Bigelow.

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WAYS TO GIVE CANYON CARETAKER Give Every Month and Forever

Your monthly gift provides reliable and consistent funding for park programs and protects this natural wonder for future generations.

Here are just some of the benefits of becoming a Canyon Caretaker with monthly giving:

IT’S MORE SUSTAINABLE. By participating in monthly giving, you reduce the amount of paper mailings we send you.

Start giving monthly today at donate.grandcanyon.org or call (800) 858-2808.

YOUR SUPPORT NEVER LAPSES! No more writing and mailing checks.

Monthly gifts are made automatically and securely.

For more information on ways to give, visit grandcanyon.org/ways-to-give or contact us at (928) 638-7036 or via e-mail at gcconservancy@grandcanyon.org.

YOUR DONATIONS WILL PROTECT AND ENHANCE GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK EVERY MONTH ... ALL YEAR LONG!

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Your End-of-Year Giving Checklist IT’S THE END OF 2020 . . . have you finished your giving to-do list?

Your donation is tax-deductible and will ensure that GCC continues to preserve and protect Grand Canyon National Park for years to come.

Renew my GCC membership

Give to the GCC 2020 Year-End Challenge to fund essential projects and programs in 2021

Donate to GCC online on “Giving Tuesday” December 1st and join countless other nonprofits in promoting the spirit and act of giving through social media

Donate stock to GCC and receive a charitable income tax deduction (and maybe avoid paying capital gains tax on the sale of appreciated stock)

Give the gift of GCC membership as a holiday gift to friends and family

Photo by Gary McNaughton

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MakeYour Holiday Shopping Grand!

Shopping GCC’s stores supports Grand Canyon National Park, and GCC Supporters receive 15% off every purchase!

Visit shop.grandcanyon.org and use promo code 15GCC20SP at checkout. *Exclusions may apply.

Photo by Gary McNaughton

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Life is a Grand Adventure Unisex ¾ Raglan T-Shirt When you visit Grand Canyon National Park, everything is truly GRAND! Take your steps down the trail in this incredibly soft tee. Made by Wild Tribute, which donates 4% of proceeds to our national parks and public lands. Tri-blend jersey. $34

PURCHASE

Grand Canyon Conservancy ¼ Zip Fleece Pullover

Show your pride in supporting Grand Canyon Conservancy and look stylish at the same time! This ¼ zip fleece pullover features the Grand Canyon Conservancy logo and has side hand-warming pockets for those chilly canyon mornings. Pre-washed soft cotton/ polyester blend. $45

PURCHASE

The Canyon is Calling Lady Hiker T-Shirt

The canyon is calling—don’t let it go to voicemail! This women’s short sleeve tee is perfect for spring and summer hikes at Grand Canyon, or anywhere else. Are you ready to answer the call? Made by Wild Tribute, which donates 4% of proceeds to our national parks and public lands. Cotton/poly blend. $28

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All About the Layers Short Sleeve T-Shirt The Grand Canyon’s excellent display of layered rock is invaluable in unraveling the region’s geologic history. Nearly 40 identified rock layers form the Grand Canyon’s walls. Show off these layers by wearing this t-shirt! 100% cotton, short sleeve, unisex. $20 PURCHASE

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Hike Smart Long Sleeve Sun Protection Shirt Every year, scores of unprepared hikers experience severe illness and injury from hiking at Grand Canyon.

Don’t be one of them! Be prepared for the sun and heat by wearing this moisture-wicking, UPF 50+ protection shirt. Comfortable and stylish, it features the Hike Smart logo and “Down is optional, up is mandatory” on the right sleeve. $29 PURCHASE

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Grand Canyon Socks

The perfect socks from your favorite park! With extra cushioning, these socks have heel and toe reinforcements, making them comfortable for hiking.

Themes include Dark Skies, Grand Canyon Map, and Rock Layers. Unisex. One Size fits most. $16

PURCHASE

Dark Sky Grand Canyon Mug

You can help protect our dark skies and show your support with this stylish iridescent mug! More than 60 percent of Americans can no longer see the Milky Way. Light pollution will block the view of our galaxy for four out of five children born today if this trend continues. Thankfully, we have an opportunity to preserve our night skies at Grand Canyon and to protect the unimpaired view of the cosmos that our ancestors experienced. 8 ounces.

Not dishwasher or microwave safe. $10

PURCHASE

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Hike Smart Trucker Hat

Show other hikers you know how to Hike Smart!

This trucker-style hat features the Hike Smart logo and offers Hike Smart tips for Grand Canyon on its tag. Adjustable sizing with mesh backing for ventilation. $20

PURCHASE

Grand Canyon Beanie

Top off your layers with this soft and comfy beanie, featuring a view of the vast Grand Canyon.

100% acrylic. One size fits all. $15

PURCHASE

Dark Skies Cap Grand Canyon

This structured cap has a surprise . . . underneath the bill is a satin fabric that showcases the Milky Way. So just look up when you’re wearing it and you’ll see stars! It features the words Grand Canyon in two-tone, 3D embroidery across the front, and “Dark Skies” on the back.

Adjustable sizing. $25

PURCHASE

Trails Forever Bucket Cap

Protect yourself from the sun at the canyon with this comfortable, adjustable hat featuring the Trails Forever logo.

Trails Forever is Grand Canyon Conservancy’s campaign to maintain and conserve the canyon’s corridor trails on a regular basis so visitors can continue to enjoy them yearround and into the future. Adjustable drawstring, mesh lining, side vents, UPF 50+. $38

PURCHASE

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Children’s Soft Sculpted Grand Canyon Mug

This bright and colorful 11 oz. mug is made from durable plastic, and features animals found at Grand Canyon National Park. Your child will love sipping from it! Sculpted in soft PVC. BPA and Phthalate free. Top-rack dishwasher safe. $10

Dark Skies Grand Canyon Plush Blanket

Bring a view of the canyon’s dark skies to your sofa or bed with this soft, plush blanket. Featuring a gorgeous scene of the stars and galaxies over the canyon walls, this blanket celebrates Grand Canyon National Park’s naming as an International Dark Sky Park. Approximately 50”x 60”.

100% Recycled microfiber polyester. Machine washable. $45

PURCHASE

Park Ranger Truck

Your child can pretend to be a park ranger with his or her own park ranger truck! With working doors and pull-back power, this fun toy will take kids on a National Park journey while they learn about protecting park resources for future generations. Not intended for children under the age of 3 years. Size: 4 5/8” x 1 5/8” x 1 5/8” $15

PURCHASE

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Grand Canyon Cloisonné Ornament, 24k gold plated

Cloisonné is an ancient, time consuming art that was introduced to China by western travelers in the 14th century. To begin the process, highly trained artisans bend wire strips by hand to create the patterns within the design.

These wires are then soldered onto a copper form that has been carefully molded to create the desired shape of the ornament. Each cell is inlaid with enamels, then fired at very high temperatures repeatedly, then eventually cooled, polished, and 24k gold plated to create this work of art for you and your family to enjoy for years to come. Handcrafted in China by highly trained artisans.

PURCHASE $45

Photos by Mindy Riesenberg

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Whose Tail on the Trail at Grand Canyon?

by Midji Stephenson

Whose Tail on the Trail at Grand Canyon? is an award-winning book with catchy rhyming verses and appealing colorful illustrations by Kenneth Spengler. It encourages the young reader to hear/read the verse, check out the tail in the picture, and then see if he/she can identify the animal from these clues. A great “learning to read” book. Ages 3–7. Hardcover. $15.95 PURCHASE

Photo by Lear Miller

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Reading Corner

The Official Guide to Grand Canyon’s North Rim

by Stewart Aitchison Just ten miles across the abyss from the busy South Rim, the North Rim of the Grand Canyon is a world unto itself.

From trails and viewpoints to where to stay and what to look for—in this book, you’ll find everything you need to know to get the most from your visit. Naturalist and long-time canyon hiker Stewart Aitchison shares stories of the plant and animal communities, geologic forces, and human history that set this place apart. Softcover. $14.95

PURCHASE

How Not to Die at Grand Canyon

by Thomas M. Myers, M.D.

This waterproof, foldable pocket guide educates Grand Canyon visitors about the 12 most common hazards that visitors experience, how to avoid them, and how to perform first aid on the spot.

From heat illness to falling, from drowning to cold exposure, there are many ways to die or get injured at Grand Canyon. Author Dr. Tom Myers worked closely with the National Park Service’s Preventive Search and Rescue team and numerous experts in the emergency medicine field to create this potentially life-saving guide.

Dr. Myers is co-author of the bestselling Over the Edge: Death in Grand Canyon. $6.95

PURCHASE

WE INSPIRE PEOPLE TO PROTECT AND ENHANCE G R A N D C A N YO N N AT I O N A L PA R K F O R P R E S E N T A N D F U T U R E G E N E R AT I O N S .

grandcanyon.org

I N S P I R E . E D U C AT E . P R O T E C T .