April 2004. Author Tom Martin will update East Coast boaters on the controversial Colorado River Management Plan (CRMP) now in progress for Grand Canyon National Park, and how this plan will affect the boating public. Tom will illustrate his talk with a slide show on the Grand Canyon based on his books, Day Hikes From The River: A Guide to 100 Hikes from Camps on the Colorado River in Grand Canyon National Park, and Guide To The Colorado River In The Grand Canyon.
The highly controversial CRMP, which was stopped by the Park in 2000, was restarted as part of a settlement agreement in a lawsuit filed by river running groups and individuals. To date, Grand Canyon planners have gathered over 50,000 comments for the CRMP. "The wait for do-it-yourself river runners is so long, those at the bottom of the list will wait an incredible 20 years to get permission to run the river" said Martin, who notes that "you can book a commercial trip tomorrow for this summer, if you can afford it. This process is of vital interest to any canyon lover hoping to visit the Colorado River in Grand Canyon."
The free slide shows will be open to the public and feature beautiful vistas illustrating Grand Canyon hikes you can do from the river and exciting river running shots. Tom will be signing his books, and copies of the new Grand Canyon book "Hijacking A River, A Political History of the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon", by Jeff Ingram, will also be available. Book sales will benefit River Runners for Wilderness, a non-profit group which is sponsoring the events. RRFW represents the interests of the boating public.
East Coast Slide Show schedule
Sunday May 30, 5:30PM
Three Rivers Rafting
Route 201 near West Forks, Maine.
Directions: Take Interstate 95 to Exit 36 (Skowhegan/Jackman). Go north on Rt. 201 57.5 miles. You will travel through Skowhegan, Solon and Bingham. Continue north on 201 past Caratunk. Three Forks is between Caratunk and The Forks. Approximately 20 miles after leaving the town of Bingham, watch for the flashing Caution Moose crossing highway sign. Continue 4.8 miles past the flashing Moose sign to Three Rivers. For details, see www.threeriverswhitewater.com/ Contact Phillip Gormley 617.529.7110, or Joe Christopher at 800-786-6878.
Wednesday June 2 7:30PM
REI Bailey's Crossroads
3509 Carlin Springs Rd
Bailey's Crossroads, VA 22041. Bailey's Crossroads, VA. is located just west of the border between Arlington and Alexandria. Contact Mark Nelson at (703) 379-9400
Thursday June 3 7:00PM
Patagonia, Washington, D.C.
Georgetown store
1048 Wisconsin Ave., N. W.
Washington, D.C. 20007
Contact Gavin Howe (202) 333-1776
If you'd like to host an East Coast Slide show during the last week of May or first week in June, please contact tommartin@rrfw.org for scheduling information.