Grand Canyon Garden Party at the North Rim, Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona
Sierra Club Outings Trip | Base Camp, Service/Volunteer
Highlights
- Enjoy the North Rim's many activities
- Help preserve and restore a national treasure
- Enjoy a community of like-minded people
Includes
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Great meals
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Camping in a beautiful national park
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Tools and instruction from Park Service staff
Overview
The Trip
A century ago, Theodore Roosevelt said of the Grand Canyon: "Leave it as it is. You cannot improve upon it. The ages have been at work upon it, and man can only mar it." An ever increasing number of visitors shows just how popular this park is but that also means much more needs to be done to maintain the fragile environment. Today, with the continued reductions in funds for our parks and monuments, keeping the Grand Canyon’s fragile environment as it should be can only be done with the additional help of volunteers like you
The Trip
A century ago, Theodore Roosevelt said of the Grand Canyon: "Leave it as it is. You cannot improve upon it. The ages have been at work upon it, and man can only mar it." An ever increasing number of visitors shows just how popular this park is but that also means much more needs to be done to maintain the fragile environment. Today, with the continued reductions in funds for our parks and monuments, keeping the Grand Canyon’s fragile environment as it should be can only be done with the additional help of volunteers like you.
The Project
Our mission is to assist the park’s staff with various vegetation management efforts. We never know where we may be asked to work -- sometimes it is along a stream, a railroad track, or a breathtakingly scenic area at the edge of the Grand Canyon. We may assist with the critical tasks of clearing brush, stacking cut wood for future controlled burns, gathering seeds of native species or removing invasive species, and almost anything else that needs to be done. All of our projects are under the direction of the park's knowledgeable experts. Past trip participants who subsequently returned to the canyon report a tremendous feeling of satisfaction at seeing plants that they planted in years past flourishing in the sun, or at seeing a fence they constructed successfully rerouting park visitors away from a degraded area.
Itinerary
The group will assemble at the North Rim’s backcountry office at 1:00 p.m. on day one. This will allow you some time to settle in and acclimate to the 8,000 feet altitude on the North Rim. Our first group meeting is at 4:00 p.m. followed by supper at about 6:00 p.m. Our workdays generally last from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. -- with water breaks and a lunch break -- so you will have time at the end of the day and on our day off for exploring. Some of the activities available during free time include exploring the historic Grand Canyon Lodge and overlooks, hiking, or just relaxing and absorbing the sublime vistas.
Logistics
Getting There
Grand Canyon National Park is located in northern Arizona. The national park spans the Colorado River from Lees Ferry just beyond Glen Canyon Dam in the east to the west boundary at Pearce Ferry on the east end of Lake Mead. The South Rim’s Grand Canyon Village and the North Rim’s Lodge and many of the Park areas are accessible via paved two-lane highways.
You do not need a car while in the park. The services are all within walking distance of our camping area. If we work in a remote location, in most instances, the park will provide transportation
Getting There
Grand Canyon National Park is located in northern Arizona. The national park spans the Colorado River from Lees Ferry just beyond Glen Canyon Dam in the east to the west boundary at Pearce Ferry on the east end of Lake Mead. The South Rim’s Grand Canyon Village and the North Rim’s Lodge and many of the Park areas are accessible via paved two-lane highways.
You do not need a car while in the park. The services are all within walking distance of our camping area. If we work in a remote location, in most instances, the park will provide transportation.
All volunteers are responsible for getting themselves to and from the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. Phoenix, AZ; Salt Lake City, UT; and Las Vegas, NV are the closest large airports. There are smaller airports with some commercial connections in St. George, UT and Flagstaff, AZ.
We do encourage carpooling and once the trip is filled or about six weeks before the trip, the leader will supply everyone accepted on the trip a trip roster so that volunteers can contact one another to possibly arrange carpooling. Thank you for trying to carpool to this park.
Please do not make non-refundable travel arrangements until notified to do so by the trip leader.
Accommodations and Food
The first meal is dinner on day one and the last meal is breakfast on the last day. Hearty menus are planned to keep up our energy. Vegetarian and other special dietary needs may be accommodated, but check with the leader before signing up for the trip. Meals will be prepared by one of the leaders and assisted by trip members.
Trip Difficulty
Respecting the approximate 8,000-foot elevation, being relatively physically fit, knowing your limits, and being mentally capable of "going with the flow" are the requirements for this moderately strenuous trip. Experience with tools and equipment is not necessary. The leaders can sometimes structure the work to accommodate most minor physical challenges. It will be important that you outline such limitations to the leader when completing the trip paperwork.
You will need to be accustomed to walking up to four miles per day, carrying a daypack with a jacket, food and two liters of water; wearing hiking boots; and working in the sun. Although August is one of the warmest months at the Grand Canyon, temperatures can vary by 30 to 50 degrees in a single day; daytime temperatures may be 60 to 80 degrees while nights and mornings can drop down to freezing temperatures. Afternoon rains can be expected this time of year. These rains are usually short in duration but can be torrential, so a waterproof tent and tent fly are critical!
Equipment and Clothing
This is a base camp trip and we will be set up in a campground. You will need to bring your personal items, a tent, a pad, a warm sleeping bag, a daypack, a plate, bowl and silverware as well as work clothes. A more detailed equipment list and directions will be provided to those who sign up for the trip.
References
- http://www.nps.gov/grca/index.htm
- https://www.grandcanyon.org/
- http://www.grandcanyonhistory.org/
- http://grandcanyonhiker.com/
- http://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/hiking-faq.htm
Conservation
The National Park Service relies very heavily on volunteers to complete its work in caring for all of the park's visited areas -- a huge task. Without participation from groups like ours, visitors would experience a much different park with a much less desirable environment.
On August 25, 2016, the National Park Service turned 100 and in 2014 the U.S. celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Wilderness Act. Both of these events have been critical to securing the Grand Canyon for now and for future generations. When those next anniversaries come about, volunteer service provided by Sierra Club members like you will help insure we have a truly “grand” Grand Canyon National Park.
Since its founding in 1892, The Sierra Club has worked to preserve and restore the natural environment we all share on this planet. Thousands of grassroots-level volunteers spearhead our efforts to conserve and sustain resources, both in our own backyards and on a global scale. Through direct experience in the outdoors, Sierra Club outings enable participants to better understand, advocate, and participate in the environmental conservation goals of the Club.
Service outings, in particular, stand out as one of the Sierra Club’s most important “boots on the ground” conservation efforts. The work done by service trip participants in our nation’s public lands is a way of practicing conservation in the most direct way possible, whether it’s improving access while preserving wilderness values, restoring wildlife habitat, or repairing human-caused damage to a natural area. Service trips are a great way to pitch in and do something tangible to make the world a better place; they’re a way to go beyond just talking about conservation; a way to get out there and experience conservation with your whole being.
Sierra Club National Outings is an equal-opportunity provider and when applicable will operate under permits obtained from U.S. federal land agencies.
Staff
Important Notes
- Carbon Offsets
- Carpooling
- Electronic Billing and Forms
- Electronic Devices
- Equipment
- Essential Eligibility Criteria
- How to Apply for a Trip
- Leader Gratuities
- Medical Issues
- Non-discrimination Statement
- Participant Agreement
- Seller of Travel Disclosure
- Single Supplements
- Terms and Conditions
- Travel Insurance
- Trip Feedback
- Trip Price
- Wilderness Manners