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Shhhhhh!

Last week, after backpacking and dayhiking in the Grand Canyon, Kathy and I each submitted visitor-comment forms at the National Park Headquarters. Here’s what we said:

URGENT: STOP ALL FLYOVERS

We backpacked last week down the Hermit Trail, camped at Monument and Boucher creeks, then hiked up and out via the Boucher trail. It was distressing, annoying and maddening that all kinds of flights are allowed over the Grand Canyon. And it’s wrong that these flights are concentrated on the stupendous section of the canyon that we hiked. All flights should be banned. The noise from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ruins the wilderness aural quality. The noise does not enable hikers to shed civilization and go deeper inside themselves to calmness or elevated thinking. People who cannot hike, or those who chose not to hike, can see plenty of the Grand Canyon from all the wonderful roadside viewpoints the Park has created and maintains. And walking the Rim Trail is a superb way for anyone—without exerting much energy, and without making any noise—to appreciate the depth, vastness and beauty of the Grand Canyon. My husband and I, who have hiked in many of the world’s outstanding wilderness areas, believe one cannot truly experience the Grand Canyon from the air. Please restore the sanctity of the Grand Canyon by stopping all scenic flyovers.

– Kathy Copeland

 

THE SCENIC FLIGHTS MUST STOP

Though I currently live in Canada, I’m a U.S. citizen. I’ve backpacked in the Grand Canyon more than a dozen times. My concern is that you have already ruined the canyon soundscape by allowing scenic flights (fixed wing and helicopter). The noise over the Hermit and Boucher trails is nearly constant and infuriatingly loud. You would not allow anyone to dump garbage over the rim into the canyon. But you are currently allowing aircraft to dump audible garbage into the canyon. The aural atmosphere in the canyon is no less important than the visual atmosphere and should be protected with equal vigilance. Stop the flights. BAN THEM. Until you do so, the National Park Service will have failed to fulfill its mandate to preserve the Grand Canyon.

– Craig Copeland

YOU TOO CAN INFLUENCE UPCOMING DECISIONS REGARDING SOUNDSCAPES AND OVERFLIGHTS AT GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK. Discussions are in progress. Decisions are imminent. Gopaul Noojibail is currently working on the Park’s overflight plan. You can reach him by phone at 928-638-7096 or by email at <gopaul_noojibail@nps.gov>.  We urge you to submit your comments now.

Posted on April 8th, 2011. 2 comments... »
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2 comments.

  1. hello,

    i remember taking one of those flights on a holiday from the uk as a kid. while it spectacular, my overiding memory is of the noise of the helicopter, which made it not particularly enjoyable. far better was a relatively peaceful walk along the rim.

    I have now moved from the uk to your neck of the woods – the canadian rockies and live in calgary. I’m out in the mountains scrambling, backpacking, skiing or snowshoeing every weekend. What has disturbed me is the increased presence of helicopters in kananaskis country, operated out of canmore and the reserve casino. These flights, which go right over ribbon creek, spray lakes reserviour, mount sparrowhawk and bogart really are a terrible noise pollutant. I did some searching on the internet and found a Kananaskis country official consulation report on all issues regarding the parks and particular mention was made of overwhelming public oppoisition to helicopter scenic flights.

    It’d be great if you could use your high profiles to write to k-country about thhis issue, as I have numerous times.

    Good luck restoring peace to these beautiful areas,

    Sam Lawn
    31
    Calgary

    Posted by sam lawn on May 11th, 2011.

  2. Hi Sam, thanks for following our blog. And thanks for taking time to contribute. Of course, we’re in total agreement with you. And of course, our voices will join yours in protest against scenic flights over K-Country. Please stay in touch. If you learn more, let us know, and we’ll pass it along.

    Posted by hikingcamping on May 11th, 2011.

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