European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - June 11, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse Visitor Boom in the West by Ralph Blumenthal new York times Bonnie Lovejoy of Sacramento. Calif.,rushed Inlo the visitor s Center at National Park Headquarters in grand Canyon Village an. I want to report a Forest lire she said to a Ranger Aboul 10 Miles away Afong the East rim drive she said. The Roadside was allame. The Ranger assured her thai in was a prescribed Burn to dispose of unwanted Brush. Of. Lovejoy said. My husband is trying to put it out Wilh water from his canteen in the Parks and vacation lands of the Western United stale another tourist season is beginning. And All signs indicate that it will be a record year attendance at the grand Canyon Park already is up 73 percent Over last year with 658.483 paid admissions through april attendance could surpass the 3.02 million visitors recorded in 1976, the Bicentennial year memorial Day alone brought cu1 More 1han 20,000 visitors. Visitors spend an average of three hours in grand Canyon National Park half an hour to View the Canyon and 2vi hours in the gift shop. The visitor Boom is being Felt in other Parks in the West. It is being fuelled by the recent drop in gasoline prices and a ear of terrorism abroad thai in keeping some vacationers in the United Stales. Park rangers Are braced of millions of extra sightseers and campers at a time when Federal budget culs Are straining services. The Park service s Rocky Mountain Region recently projected a 20 percent increase in visits in 15 Parks from Colorado to Montana. At he grand Canyon Tor example the 130 pack mules for descents into the Canyon Are already booked practically through the summer and the campgrounds Are filled by noon each Day. Rangers accustomed to guiding 30 or 40 visitors on nature walks Are finding themselves leading groups of 70 or More. And 58 visitors have already gotten loss along the trails in the Pink Canyon that splits the i f.,Ert Lor nearly 300 Miles in Northwestern Arizona. They All were eventually found but every year one or two visitors disappear without a Trace and another few Are killed in Falls. Given the number who leave their brains at Home Hal Sno too said Charles Farabee. Management assistant to the superintendent Touri Ito of a viewing tile overlooking the South Kim of the grand Canyon in Arizona. Richard Marks. Farabee said he was familiar Wilh predictions that the ear of terrorism abroad would keep americans Home this year. But he said he had no evidence that travellers who cancelled european fips were coming to the grand Canyon. It is easier he said to attribute the influx to cheaper gasoline and Fine Spring weather. . Reul an Antiques dealer in nearby Jerome ariz., a Lormer mining town reborn As a tourism site put it another Way. Look Al it like this he said to you were supposed 1o go to Rome or Venice and you cancelled would you go to Jerome insload1?" perhaps not but Kim and Jill Serour. Sisters from Dillon colo., May exemplify the shilling patterns. Last summer they went to Greece. While leaving the Athens Airport Kim Serour said they saw a poster condemning the United states Lor its stand on Cyprus and depicting a knife plunged Inlo Uncle a ii. It kind of stands out in your Sho said. Europeans particularly West germans Are much in evidence a the grand Canyon this year a tribute in part to the weakening Dollar and the persistent romantic lure of the West. In the past. A third of the visitors to the grand Canyon have been foreigners. But William m. Bohannan general manager of the private Concession that operates the grand Canyon lodges voiced concern that the talk of a Louril Boom could backfire ii people were scared away from the West this year. Actually he said bookings were up Only 10 percent and some of the Park s 900 rooms Are available Tor selected periods. As for the rangers they exchanged stories on the foibles of the visitors. Ranger rattle Paul said visitors often asked to be directed to the elevators to take them Down to the floor of the Canyon or the Bridge across the dozen or so Miles to the North rim. One visitor struck by the rustic Beauty of he Lodge like Al Tovar hotel on the Canyon rim. Wondered Why they had to put the Canyon so close to the hotel the hotel built in 1905. Is still striking and largely unchanged. Bui rates have gone up from the original $610 s8 a night per person Lor a room with a Bath to $b5 or mor. The hotel like ail accommodations and most concessions in the Park is run by 1he Fred Harvey am fac resort co. Harvey began by supplying the san Francisco Railroad which in 1901 replaced the Stagecoach in bringing visitors to the Canyon in 1968. The Railroad link was ended a victim of the automobile. But plans Are periodically discussed to restore Ilas with any place Hal More than doubles its resident population from 600 in the Winter to 1,500 in the summer and hosts thousands of daily visitors the Canyon area requires policing. There a re periodic automobile break ins and an occasional Light. Dave Swickard. The Law enforcement specialist on the Ranger staff said there already had been some 400 Petty crimes and violations reported and 400 emergency service Calls including is searches Lor missing visitors. We Don t allow them to get lost and not gel Lound he said. Getting a family to Sil Down and eat together has never been easy. When the children Are Small you have to pry the away from the to Sel or pull them Oul of the bathroom. When they get a Little older you have to plan your meals around Loo Ball or band practice Library hours dental appointments and soul meetings. Later it s Ihler jobs and social life that interfere. Compared to getting kids together after they leave Home it s a Day Al the Beach. I started a month ahead of Lime to gel together seven members of our family for our son s birthday. Our daughter could t come on his birthday because she had Art exam in a night class. The night before that my husband would be out of town and my parents had another commitment. Mother suggested a week before the event. I called our Oul or town son and asked his answering machine what he i bought of the week Belore. He called two Days later and to a my answering machine he had missed his deadline for special airline rates and could t afford the ticket without it. He suggested the weekend after his birthday. I called everyone again bul our daughter had concert tickets that ii she did t gel to use she would personally have antagonism for the entire family Tor the rest of her life. My husband suggested a weekday night like thursday when no one was Busy. I checked my Calendar to discover i was out of town and would t be Home in Lime to clean the toilets and you Don t give a birthday party without clean toilets someone suggested the beginning of the next month but that was out of the question As the rugs were being cleaned and you can t have a festive atmosphere with Bare floors. The option came up of having it on the Spur of the wednesday june 11. 1986 moment before anyone made plans but that was scratched As no one had a present. My Mother said we should put the birthday off until summer As you can plan Nice meals outside and it s a much nicer time of year. She and my dad were free except for doctors appointments and they did t like to make social engagements for dinner As the doctor often ran Lale and she did t want to be stressed out Al a party. About 65 phone Calls later Miracle of miracles. I finally Gol sin people who were available on the same night. I called my son and said we Are celebrating your birthday a week from he said you should have checked with me. I m Busy that i Lold my Mother no wonder Lincoln and Washington have blk Days on mondays la s the Only Day everyone could show up " she said to be Safe maybe you could throw in a
