Great Thumb Access – Superintendent’s Meeting

Members of the Coalition of American Canyoneers’ board met with Grand Canyon National Park Superintendent David Uberuaga and members of his staff on February 11th to discuss the 1982 Havasupai Land Use Plan as applied to Great Thumb Mesa. We indicated that Great Thumb Mesa access was defined in the 1982 Plan through the Wilderness camp provision for backpackers. We offered a number of ideas to enable the Department of Interior and the Havasupai Tribe to carry out the 1982 Plan. A few important points came out during the discussion:

1) Access to Grand Canyon National Park via Great Thumb Mesa will be included in the Backcountry Management Plan.

2) The public will be able to comment on the Great Thumb Mesa access mechanics during the public process.

3) Public comments will be duly considered before the final Backcountry Management Plan is published.

4) Day hiking in the area around Pasture Wash will not be eliminated.

It was clear that the Great Thumb issue is a NPS priority. We appreciate the fact that Superintendent Uberuaga and his staff are actively seeking the access Congress required in the 1975 Grand Canyon Enlargement Act.