The Grand Canyon Escalade

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