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Grand Canyon Weekly Wrap-up: Jan. 23-27, 2023

by Community Contributor • January 26, 2023 • Comments Off

Key Messages-Week of Jan. 23, 2023

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COVID Updates

As of January 26, Coconino County has remained at LOW CDC Community Level. Masks remain optional in all public buildings.

Total new COVID cases in Arizona for the week of Jan 19-26, AZ was 3,554, an an increase from the week before at 2,751 cases. There are no new cases in the park this week.

As a reminder, be sure to promptly report any illness, to include possible COVID-19 symptoms, COVID exposure, or a positive COVID test to your supervisor and our Public Health Consultant, Ronan King. Ronan can be reached at: 202-891-8599 or Ronan_King@nps.gov.

Messages and Grand Canyon News

Winter safety tips!

South Entrance Station

We have received multiple reports of park employees and/or residents driving through the south entrance station without stopping. As a reminder, when the bypass lane is closed or inaccessible due to snow, all vehicles are required to come to a full and complete stop when driving through any of the lanes of the entrance station. A failure to stop is not only hazardous but could result in a serious accident to employees who routinely move between booths.

Parking – Safety Concern

Please do not park vehicles on roadways.
Vehicles parked inappropriately compound already hazardous conditions and they impede the plowing of roadways.
Please use designated parking areas.

Damaged power lines? Reporting Reminder

Snow accumulations on the South Rim have caused many downed trees within the community and damaged powerlines. Electrical service is operated and maintained by APS, not the National Park Service, within the boundaries of the South Rim for all housing, concessions, partner and government buildings.

All APS customers should use the information provided on the APS Report Service Outage website to report an outage or damage to a powerline via their 1-800 phone number. Using any other method to report an outage, downed line, etc. will delay repair and resumption of service.

Call 9-1-1 immediately, for active fires, vehicle entrapments, or other immediate life-safety issues.

GCC Artist in Residence (AiR) evening programs Jan. 28 and Feb. 11

We have some exciting AiR programs coming up within the next couple of weeks!

Our Artist in Residence, Mark Chen, will be providing several unique programs on Saturday, January 28, and Saturday, February 11. The programs will start with a talk on his project “Pilgrimage of Light” at the Grand Canyon Visitor Center theater at 6:30 p.m., followed by an outdoor demonstration of his image projections behind the Visitor Center at Mather Point (a 5-minute, flat and paved walk).

Please remind visitors (and yourselves) to dress warmly for the events, as each evening will last until 8 pm. For more information on these events, please see the attached flyer here.

Cultural Demonstrator this weekend at Grand Canyon Visitor Center

Jonah Hill, Hopi metalsmith, known for his neo-traditional sterling silver jewelry, made using traditional techniques —including tufa casting and silver overlay will be in the Park, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, January 27, 28 and 29, 2023, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Jonah will demonstrate how he creates jewelry from copper, brass and silver, by pouring molten metal into design molds hand-carved from tufa stone (a volcanic rock).

As he is carving the designs into the mold, he often includes themes and imagery from Hopi culture. Nature has given Jonah inspiration for his various types of expression. He uses the artistic process to express his love and concern for water and related environmental issues.

In addition to being a metalsmith, Jonah has been a river guide, and is an environmental educator. He has worked with various types of media, including wood carving, metal work, and printmaking, and has exhibited his work in numerous shows and galleries. This series is made possible with grants from Grand Canyon Conservancy.

For a full flyer of the Cultural Demonstration Program from January 27-February, see the attached flyer here.

Leadership Spotlight!

Devon Bradley

Deputy of Facility Management & Engineering Division

My name is Devon Bradley and GRCA is the first NPS park I have ever work at. I am a father of three daughters and have been happily married for 26 years. I started my government career in 1996 serving in the Marine Corps for over ten years. During this time, I completed three consecutive tours to Iraq from 2003 -2005. I was medically retired from the Marine Corps in 2006 from an injury I incurred on my last tour to Iraq. From there I was employed by a private contracting company servicing Department of State contracts for three years conducting varies operations overseas. In 2009 I became a Department of Army Civilian as a GS employee managing the Army’s holistic marksmanship program. In 2022 I departed the Department of Army as the Deputy of Training and Operations to start a new adventure with the NPS here in the Grand Canyon.

How long have you worked at GRCA: I have worked for GRCA for 3 months and I am currently based out of the south rim working for the Facility Management & Engineering Division.

What have you enjoyed the most about working and/or living at GRCA so far: The most enjoyment I have found working and living her at the canyon is the location itself. Hiking the inner canyon is always a joy, but this location is a great jumping off point to visit the other great parks as well.

Where is your favorite vacation spot: Our favorite vacation spot has to be the pacific coast of Costa Rica. The relatively untouched landscape allows for spectacular hiking adventures to waterfalls and various wildlife. The food and the people are fantastic, not to mention the ability to travel on a budget makes this one of our top destinations.

Grand Canyon Community Corner

Native Taco sale January 27 at Grand Canyon School

Support the Grand Canyon School 8th Grade Washington D.C. Field Trip by grabbing a native taco on Friday, January 27. Sales will begin at 11 a.m. at the school cafeteria until sold out with pre-order/delivery available.

For more information, see the attached flyer here.

Live entertainment with Nick Moody January 27-28

Xanterra announces country artist, Nick Moody, will be performing two nights on the South Rim next weekend.

On Friday, January 27, Nick Moody will perform at the Maswik Pizza Pub from 4-8 p.m. and on Saturday, January will perform at the Fred Harvey Tavern from 6-9 p.m.

Anyone under 21 can attend, however, no one under 21 can sit at the bar. Children under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. For more information, see the full flyers for each event here.

Current Operational Hours

*Please note: new changes to operations are indicated in bold/italic

South Rim

Xanterra

Maswik Lodge Cafeteria, 6:30 a.m.-8 p.m.
Canyon Coffee House at the Bright Angel Fountain, 7 a.m.-11 a.m.
Bright Angel Fountain grab and go, 11 a.m.- 3 p.m.
Fred Harvey Burger, breakfast 8-10:30 a.m., lunch 11 a.m.- 3 p.m., dinner 4-9 p.m.
Arizona Steakhouse within Bright Angel Lodge is now offering dinner service from 4:30 to 9:30 p.m. daily. Lunch service is from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily.
Fred Harvey Tavern, 11 a.m.-10 p.m.
The Grand Canyon Rec Center, 6:30 a.m.-10 p.m. daily.
El Tovar Dining Room and Lounge-Breakfast, 6:30-10 a.m., Lunch, 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m., Dinner, 4:30-9:30 p.m., Lounge, 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m., Patio (limited menu), 11 a.m.-8 p.m.
Maswik Pizza Pub is open daily from 4-8 p.m.
The Grand Canyon Kennel is open seven days a week with hours from 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m. daily

Delaware North

Yavapai Lodge Tavern and Patio, 12-9 p.m., Yavapai Lodge Coffee Shop, 7 a.m.-12 p.m., The Yavapai Dining Hall, breakfast, 7 a.m.-10:45 a.m., dinner, 5-8 p.m.
Canyon Village Market, 7 a.m.-8 p.m., Deli 7 a.m.-5 p.m.
Camper Services laundry and shower, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. daily

Other

Grand Canyon Clinic: Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (clinic is closed on holidays)
Bright Angel Bikes, Rental: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. (weather permitting), Café 7 a.m.-5 p.m.
Grand Canyon Visitor Center (GCVC): 10 a.m.-4 p.m. daily. Operations indoors for the winter season.
Grand Canyon Conservancy stores regular hours: Visitor Center Plaza, 8 a.m.-6 p.m. daily, Yavapai Geology Museum, Verkamps, and Kolb Studio 8 a.m.-6 p.m. daily.
Grand Canyon Community Library: Monday-Saturday from 10:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
Canyon Closet (located behind Community Library): Mondays 4:15-6 p.m., Wednesdays 12:15-2 p.m., Saturdays 3-5 p.m.
Grand Canyon Food Pantry: Mondays 11 a.m.-1 p.m., Wednesdays 6-8 p.m., Saturdays 2-4 p.m.
- Effective Feb 7, the Grand Canyon Food Pantry will suspend Tuesday night, 6-8 pm distributions. The pantry plans to restart when volunteer availability increases.

Desert View

Desert View Trading Post Coffee and Ice Cream and Market, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. daily
Desert View Watchtower, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily
The Desert View Deli, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Please visit the Grand Canyon National Park website for a complete list of closures and available amenities.

Photo Credits (in order of appearance)

Phantom Ranch received a light dusting of snow on January 24 (Photo courtesy of Z. Launiere)
The North Rim has received more than six feet of cumulative so far this winter season (NPS Photo/M. Jenkins)
South Rim plow at a shuttle stop (NPS Photo)
Jonah Hill and several of his silver jewelry pieces (NPS Photos)
Devon Bradley, Deputy Chief of FMD (Photo courtesy of D. Bradley)
Nick Moody (Photo courtesy of Xanterra)

Grand Canyon National Park, in northern Arizona, encompasses 278 miles (447 km) of the Colorado River and adjacent uplands. Located on the ancestral homeland of 11 Associated Tribes, Grand Canyon is one of the most spectacular examples of erosion anywhere in the world—unmatched in the incomparable vistas it offers visitors on the rim. Grand Canyon National Park is a World Heritage Site. The National Park Service cares for the special places saved by the American people so that all may experience our heritage.

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