There's a never ending battle between progress and preservation
and it can be difficult to know which side of the battle is the right side of
the battle. Like a tight rope walker suspended in air with nothing but a wire
and my own balance to keep me there, I often find myself rocking back and forth
as I try to find the balance. I mean, let's get real here- there are some
aspects of progress and development for which I am incredibly thankful. Can you
say indoor plumbing and electricity? As much as I am an outdoor enthusiast and
love to spend time camping, I am ALWAYS thankful for the opportunity to take a
nice hot shower at the end of a camp out. And anyone who has ever had to take
care of business in the questionable conditions of some outhouses is likely to
sing the praises of a flushing toilet!
But here's the thing...as mentioned in the
previous paragraph, I am an outdoor enthusiast. I love camping and hiking in
the back country. I grew up outside and I enjoy being able to be in the
solitude of nature. I feel such a sense of accomplishment when I spend a
weekend carrying everything I need to survive in a pack on my back. I know,
it's not for everyone, but there is a group that it is for. I belong to that
group.
In addition to spending my leisure time
out in the back country, as many of you know, I spend my summers working in the
Grand Canyon. In my humble opinion, the Grand Canyon really is the last
"Great Unkonwn" of civilized America. Even with all the exploration
that has been done, the maps that have been created and the goal of bringing
the Grand Canyon into the "civilized" world (you can now explore the
entire length of the main river corridor via Google maps) the Grand Canyon has
been able to maintain its air of pristine isolation. Cell phones don't work in
the canyon. Neither do computers. A vacation to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
is still about getting back to basics, living in the moment, enjoying nature
and reconnecting to the more primal side of life.
Grand Canyon National Park itself boasts
just over 1900 square miles. Add in the surrounding undeveloped areas in the
form of National Recreation Areas and tribal land and that number increases.
It's the type of place where a lifetime of exploration can be spent without
ever truly seeing all that it has to offer. It is a place where you can go to
reconnect--with nature, with your family, with yourself. It is a place where all that matters
is the here and now. It is a refuge for the spirited adventurer, yet still
accessible to the masses by way of a commercially guided trip. (And for my
money, that sounds pretty well balanced as it is!)
And now, the point of all my ramblings up
till now: A new development threatens the unique solitude that is Grand
Canyon. Proposed at the confluence of the Little Colorado River (LCR) and the
Colorado River itself is a project called The Grand Canyon Escalade.
The Grand Canyon Escalade is basically a
tram ride (similar to the Palm Springs Ariel Tramway) that would take
passengers from the rim to the bottom of the Grand Canyon at the confluence of
the LCR and the Colorado River. In conjunction with the tram, there is a
proposed amphitheater, shopping experience, and restaurant. Oh, and did I
mention the hotel that will be going in during the future expansion stage?
Just the thought of what something like
this will do the Grand Canyon breaks my heart. Allowing this to happen would be
a disservice to all who come to the Grand Canyon seeking adventure and solitude.
There are countless places where one can take in a show, have dinner and do
some shopping, but the number of places where one can go to truly experience
the peace of seclusion is rapidly declining.
I certainly don’t consider myself a
conservationist, but I do think there are times when it is important to protect
what we have. So I'm asking you this. Will you take a stand? Will you let your
voice be heard on this matter? Educate yourself and make your decision. I know
that I have made mine. If you would like, I encourage you to join with me in
signing this petition to stop the escalade. If
it hadn't been for the opposition of people just like us, we would have lost
the Grand Canyon back in the 1950's and 60's to the Marble Canyon Dam and the
Bridge Canyon Dam. But the voice of America prevailed and preserved one of the
world's great natural wonders.
I could go on and on about the Grand
Canyon, but instead, I will leave it to President Theodore Roosevelt, who in
1903 stated about the Grand Canyon, "Leave it as it is. You cannot
improve upon it, and man can only mar it. What you can do is keep it for your
children, and for all who come after you, as the one great sight which every
American...should see." (and we don’t need a tram to be able to see it!)
It's the age old battle-progress or
preservation. No matter what you decide on this one, shouldn't you at least
have an opinion?
Looking up the LCR from the confluence
Looking into the confluence from the the LCR
