|
stevet
Starting Member
USA
2 Posts |
 Posted - 02/19/2009 : 10:17:17
|
I came out of "retirement" last weekend to co-lead a scout crew backpack of the Boucher-Hermit Loop in the Grand Canyon. We had two crews hiking the canyon, the younger boys on a corridor South Kaibab-Bright Angel trek, and the older boys on the Boucher.
About 5 miles in we encounter ankle deep snow, but more importantly ice. Where the trails starts its descent through the Supai layer the ice made it too dangerous to continue so we backtracked and spent a cold night near Yuma Point.
In the morning (Sunday) we hiked out and attempted to work a "deal" with the backcountry ranger to take the boys down the Bright Angel Trail to join the other crew at Indian Gardens. The park service has a rule that no one group can occupy more than one campsite at a time (point is to not allow a one group monopoly and prevent others from having a Grand Canyon experience), and though Indian Garden would have empty sites they would let us go. (we even tried having them write the permits for the individual leaders and not the scout troop so we could adhere to the letter of the law and not get the ranger in trouble...no go).
So everyone went home to Phoenix, except me, my wheels were needed to get the other scout crew home.
I asked the ranger to issue me a permit. No. I asked what if I go and fax in an application so you don't know it is someone associated with the other group and then come in a pick it up. No. I told the ranger he is making it difficult to do the right thing. Rather than risk the need for a rescue we abandoned the planned hike, but they wouldn't help us out. Now I have to either pay for a hotel room or break the law and just go down to Indian Gardens and use one of the vacant sites; I ask the fine. Since the fine was >2x the cost of a room I got the room and dayhiked Monday to meet the scouts as they hiked up from Indian Gardens.
Despite less than satisfactory usefulness of the ranger, as with all Grand Canyon hikes it was a good time. The boys had a good adventure, learned that there are decisions to be made, melted snow for water, and had some 100 mile views. And though we didn't achieve our planned hike, we got everyone into the backcountry and then home safely. Hence the "succesful failure."
|
|
A successful failure...
