 Grand Canyon Village |
F A Q ! Grand Canyon Frequently Asked Questions!
Do you have
one? Email me and I'll try to find the answer!
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| Can I fish in the Grand Canyon? You bet! Fishing in the National Park requires an Arizona
state fishing license. Licenses are available at the General Store (call 520-638-2234 or
520-638-2262) in Grand Canyon Village on the South Rim. Grand Canyon Village
36 03 20N 112 08 20W It was 1956. I am not sure of the day. Two
airliners,
a TWA Super Constellation with 70 aboard, and a United DC-7 with 58 aboard collided over
the Grand Canyon. They both left LA about the same time. At least one of the planes was
bound for New York. They collided about 21,000'. One report speculated that the TWA plane
flew into the path of the United one trying to avoid a storm, other speculation was that
they were both off course to sightsee the Canyon. Weather was actually relatively good on
that day. All the wreckage of both planes was found within a mile of each other. Army
helicopter crews and even Swiss mountain climbers were brought in to remove the bodies.
The 67 TWA victims are buried in Flagstaff. Others are buried, or at least a memorial is
at the Grand Canyon Cemetery. At the time this was the worst aviation disaster in aviation
history. Both aircraft
represented the last generation of the great piston engine, propeller driven
airliners. The first Europeans to view the Canyon were a
detachment of conquistadors from Coronado's gold-seeking expedition in 1540. Having
learned of a "great river" from the Hopi, the explorers thought that it might be
the fabled Northwest Passage to India. The first sighting of the Grand Canyon by a When and Why Did Grand Canyon Become a National Park? Grand Canyon is unmatched throughout the world in the incomparable vistas it offers to visitors on the rim. It is not the deepest canyon in the world - both the Barranca del Cobre in northern Mexico and Hell's Canyon in Idaho are deeper, just to name two, but the Grand Canyon is known throughout the world for its overwhelming size and its intricate and colorful landscape. Geologically it is significant because of the thick sequence of ancient rocks that are beautifully preserved and exposed in the walls of the canyon. These rock layers record much of the early geological history of the North American continent. Finally, it is one of the most spectacular examples of erosion in the world. Although first afforded Federal protection in 1893 as a Forest Reserve and later as a National Monument, Grand Canyon did not achieve National Park status until 1919, three years after the creation of the National Park Service. Today Grand Canyon National Park receives close to five million visitors each year, almost too many! Grand Canyon became a national park in order to give it the best protection the nation can offer. The mission of the National Park Service, here and elsewhere, is to preserve the park and all of its features, including the processes that created them, and to provide for the enjoyment of the park by visitors in a way that will leave the canyon unspoiled for future generations. Lets hope the republicans don’t cut funding! Are the Oldest Rocks in the World Exposed at Grand Canyon? No. Although the oldest rocks at Grand Canyon are 2000 million years old. The oldest rocks in the world are almost 4000 million years old. The oldest exposed rocks in North America, which are among the oldest rocks in the world, are in northern Canada. How Old Is the Canyon? That's a tricky question. Although rocks exposed in the
walls of the canyon are geologically quite old, the Canyon itself is a fairly young
feature. The oldest rocks at the canyon bottom are close to 2000 million years old. The
Canyon itself - an erosional feature - has formed only in the past five or six million
years. Geologically speaking, Grand Canyon is very young. It’s Big! The park includes over a million acres of land 1,218,375.54 acres or 493,077 hectares, to be exact, or 1,904 square miles or 4931 square kilometers. But most people measure the canyon in river miles, along the course of the Colorado River at the bottom of the canyon. By that standard, Grand Canyon is 277 miles long. It begins at Lees Ferry, mile 0 and ends at the Grand Wash Cliffs, mile 277. The Colorado River is 1450 miles / 2333 km long from the Rocky Mountains of Colorado to the Gulf of California in Mexico. Little of the water reaches the Gulf of California! Grand Canyon is only one of many beautiful canyons which the river has carved. Others include Cataract Canyon and Glen Canyon, which is now below the waters of Lake Powell. Most people agree, however, that Grand Canyon is the most spectacular. There's simply no other place in the world that looks quite like it. Width and depth of the Canyon vary from place to place. At the South Rim, near Grand Canyon Village, it's about 5,000 feet / 1524 m) from rim to river, 7 miles / 11.3 km by trail, if you're walking). At its deepest, it is 6000 vertical feet / 1829 km from rim to river. The width of the canyon at Grand Canyon Village is 10 miles / 16 km rim to rim, though in places it is as much as 18 miles / 29 km wide. A trip to the bottom of the Canyon and back on foot is a
two-day journey for most people. Rim-to-rim hikers generally take three days one way to
get from the North Rim to the South Rim. A trip through Grand Canyon by raft can take two
weeks or longer by an oar powered boat, and experienced backpackers have spent months in
the more remote areas of the Canyon. No. Pets are not allowed below the rim. Pets must be physically restrained at all times. Leashed
pets are allowed on the rim trails throughout the developed areas in the park but not
below the rim. The only exception is certified service dogs. Persons wishing to
take a service dog below the rim must check in first at the Ranger Office at the corner of
Center Road and Village Loop Drive. There is a kennel behind Maswick Lodge. Mule rides from the South Rim are arranged through Grand Canyon National Park Lodges 303-297-2757. It is a 2-day round-trip to the Colorado River at the canyon bottom. A one-day trip is also offered which goes part way to the river. Overnight riders stay and eat at Phantom Ranch. Mule trips may be booked 11 months in advance and fill up early. A waiting list is maintained for cancellations, but chances of obtaining reservations on the waiting list are slim. If you wish to make a trip into the canyon on mule, plan ahead! There are restrictions: mule riders must be over 4 feet 7 inches in height, weigh less than 200 lbs (91K)and cannot be pregnant. Mule riders must be able to understand English. Please note that all pre-paid reservations must be claimed in person at the Bright Angel Lodge Transportation Desk ONE HOUR prior to departure. Unclaimed reservations are subject to resale. Can I stay or have a meal at Phantom Ranch? Sure! But they bookup fast. Call the AMFAC switchboard at
the canyon, 928-638-2631, then ask for the Bright Angel Transportation desk. They have
overnight cabins and bunks. The Ranch also serves breakfast, and a steak or stew dinner.
The Cantina is open after dinner for a social hour.
Can I get married at the Grand Canyon? Many of my best friends were married on the South Rim! On
the South Rim Shoshone Point is open for weddings and other outings and may be reserved in
advance. Shoshone Point is about a mile east of Yaki point on the East Rim Drive. There is
a gate and a short trip down a dirt raod to the rim. There are a few picnic tables and a
fire ring. It is a wonderful place for a wedding. North Rim Winter Use Winter access is by hiking, snowshoeing, or cross-country skiing. Highway 67 is closed at Jacob Lake and it is a nice 40x miles cross-country skiing to the Rim, and then a wonderful hike across to the South Rim. Permittees are allowed to camp at-large between the park's north boundary and the North Kaibab trailhead but not at the trailhead itself. Between the North Kaibab trailhead and the Bright Angel Point area, camping is permitted only at the North Rim Campground group campsite. Conveniences include a portable toilet, a freeze-proof water spigot some distance from the campground, and the pay-phones remain connected. Human waste cannot be buried in the snow over areas that will be in view of summer users. When do the Monsoons start? The monsoons for Flagstaff and Grand Canyon start about July 7 and go to about September 7 on an average year. The can, however, start and end early or late. Do you have any information on the rim to rim run? The rim to rim run across the Grand Canyon has always been regarded as an adventure runners great challenge. Not sanctioned by the Park Service, the annual event is held each October, unofficially. In 1981 the quest for canyon speed-hiking records begins in earnest with Allyn Cureton's three hour, six minute North rim - to - South rim traverse. The 20.6 mile, 10,550 vertical foot record stands to this day. For the toughest of the tough, runners run back to the South Rim, completing a rim to rim to rim! Allyn Cureton of Williams, AZ also holds the record of under 8 hours for the double crossing. Ultrarunning Magazine lists Allyn Cureton, 64 years
old today, of Williams, AZ holds the records: Double Crossing: Phillip Lowry from Springville, Utah has done 15 R to R to R ! Double Double Crossing For the four times across
Double Double Crossing (Kaibab trails)
There have been a number of folks try to break Allyn's records and they were
hammered. Note that Allyn was 44 years old when he set these records.
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The activities described in this web site are potentially dangerous. Canyoneering, rock climbing, and mountaineering involve unavoidable risks including the risk of serious bodily injury and death. All forms of wilderness recreation have a higher level of risk than most ordinary activities. The owner and publisher of this web site do not assume any responsibility or liability for your safety. Those who use this information, and those who venture onto mountainous terrain, do so at their own risk. Disclaimer
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All contents of all pages Copyright © 1997 / 2006 by Mike Mahanay. All Rights Reserved Much of Treks is a
compilation of various contributors! If so, drop me a
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