According to a recent article in the Arizona Republic (Sept. 27, 2009), mule trips into Grand Canyon National Park could be endangered.
The reason for this is the damage the mules cause to the trail and the cost involved in maintaining these trails. A ride on a mule to Phantom Ranch (the bottom of the canyon) costs around $450 and this price includes one night stay at Phantom Ranch and food. A day trip to Plateau Point costs $150. Xanterra South Rim, the private company that runs the South Rim concession, earned $2.8 million in revenue in 2007; however, by contract, they are only required to give 3.8 person of their gross to the National Park Service. This amounted to $100,000. This is far cry from the $2 million the park spent on trail maintenance that year alone. An amount that is likely to increase annually.
While the mules are not entirely responsible for the damage to the trails, it does not take a keen eye to see what the mules do to the trails. The South Kaibab trail is currently closed to all mule traffic (except National Park Service mules) for trail rehabilitation, leaving the Bright Angel trail the only trail available for mule traffic. After the South Kaibab trail is complete, the Bright Angel trail will go under the same reconstruction. Take a hike on South Kaibab trail (or any other trail in the canyon that does not allow mules, which is almost all of them) and then go on Bright Angel trail and it is very obvious where the damage comes from. Hikers pack the dirt on the trails, assisting against erosion. Mules dig up the trails with every step, making them dusty and susceptible for washing out during heavy rains.
The park is not suggesting the mules should be banned, as they are necessary. However, the number of trips going in will most likely be limited. Many opponents to this suggestion argue that the mules are part of canyon history and tradition. This is true, but as history has shown world-wide, it does not always correspond with conservation or what is best for the environment. It it did, we would still be burning coal and cutting down our forests. History is meant to be learned from, not continued when that continuance is detrimental to people or place. I remember getting to walk inside ancient Indian ruins such as Montezuma’s Castle in Central Arizona. Then someone realized that continuing this activity would eliminate the ruin’s existence for the future to enjoy.
The mules are cute and mild mannered, but that does not mean there hasn’t been some mishaps, remember that all animals are unpredictable. I was involved in one with a run away train that almost walked off the edge and in the process were inches away from being smashed into the walls of the inner gorge. We all escaped unharmed but I can say we were a bit rattled and I have now seen a jack’s ass up close and personal. Another incident is depicted in the above picture. One of my guests was waiting for the mule train to pass when the last mule decided that was the spot of a pee break. Not life threatening, just a little overspray. Actually, it was funny. I would miss these moments of comic relief quite honestly.
While I don’t think Grand Canyon should ban the mules all together, there should be limits imposed, or at least make Xanterra pay a much bigger portion of the cost for maintenance. Yes, that is a big portion of what they make off mule rides, but call it the cost of doing business.
Tags: Bright Angel Trail, Grand Canyon, Grand Canyon Mules, Grand canyon trail maintenance, mule rides, South Kaibab Trail
As the former manager of these mule operations, I would like to point out some perspective that has been left out. First, it should be pointed out that the trails were built for the mules in the first place, decades before the first recreational hiker stepped foot in the canyon. Second, the figures you have presented are incorrect. The 2.8 million is Xanterra’s total earnings. The mule concession itself, takes in between 300,000 and 500,000, and it is from this revenue alone that the NPS is paid for trail maintenance. The bars hotels and restaraunts that Xanterra own to not contribute to trail maintenance.
Further, the fact is that there was no issue with trail damage until 15 years ago, when the current NPS trail maintenance supervisor was hired. Since then, NPS trail crew changed focus, rarely working on inner canyon trails anymore, they build bike paths to nowhere in the pinyon and juniper on the rim, and spend weeks on river trips (on the clock). They have recieved millions for trail maintenance and have wasted it.
A linear absence of vegetation in the desert is a wash, and as washes, inner canyon trails need no help from man nor beast to get rough. The condition of the trails is due to negligence by the NPS trail crews to deal with the effects of seasonal rainstorms.
It is clear to anyone of us who have been involved with this situation that this neglect was intentional. Let the trails fall apart, then blame the mules, then NPS has the perfect excuse to bend to the wishes of their friends, the Sierra Club, and get rid of this historical icon.
I requested many times while I was in charge of the mule operations to take full responsibility for trail maintenance. I could have used that money to keep a fully equipped crew on those trails, and today those trails would be in top condition, unfortunately that opportunuity was denied. NPS was given the money and they squandered it.
I have never understood why so many hikers resent sharing the trails with mules. Over three hundred miles of inner canyon trails, and mules have been restricted to less than thirty miles of trails to use. And all of these trails, without exception, were built for stock use originally. The mule folks have always been happy to share the trails they built and maintain with hikers, I think it is too bad this decency has been so one sided…