Volume 4 No. 6
| Friends, |
|
The summer sun is melting the snowpack quickly and rivers throughout the
Southwest have been bulging for weeks. The Colorado River is running high,
peaking on May 28th at 77,000 cfs, and many tributaries are recording big
flows as well. I hope that you all are taking advantage of this great
season of wild rivers. It is an historic time for Glen Canyon, for while
rising resservoir levels this year have reflooded Cathedral in the Desert
and Fort Moqui, the spring floods are cleansing massive deposits of
sediment from the mainstem and side canyons of the Glen. With rising water
levels projected to taper off in the coming weeks, the rest of 2005 will
again see falling water levels and the re-emergence of spectacular canyons
flushed clean of sediment as the natural restoration process continues. It is a special and exciting time to visit Glen Canyon and witness this restoration of one of America's most beautiful and wild places. Below Hite Marina, the river has cut down over a bedrock shoulder, creating a huge waterfall. The rapid surprised several unsuspecting river rats and claimed a few boats before it recently disappeared beneath the rising reservoir. Other special discoveries in Glen Canyon this spring included an inscription by John Wesley Powell from 1872, reports of at least a dozen reemerged slot canyons below the high water mark, and exposed ancient ruin sites throughout the canyon system. Go see the Glen; the rebirth of America's Lost National Park is happening now. Adventures and discoveries throughout the Glen's 1.25 million acres will continue through the summer and beyond as water levels will remain below 50% of full capacity well into the future. Tell your friends. |
|
See you in Glen Canyon, Christopher Peterson p.s. check out this month's Backpacker Magazine to read more about the proposal for Glen Canyon National Park. |
|
GCIFT Update: This spring was busy for us at Glen Canyon Institute Field Trips! We had more people than ever participating in our educational explorations of the Glen. Together, our guides and field trip participants have documented the restoring canyons while learning more individually about the recently exposed areas along the Lower Escalante River. Our schedule takes a break for July and early August, but you can still sign up for one of our exciting late summer and fall trips today! We're venturing to Upper Glen Canyon with trips through wild White Canyon, Trachyte Canyon, and culturally-rich Moqui Canyon. All of these trips promise a memorable and exciting experience in Glen Canyon. |
|
|
|
Donate to GCI:
Your generous donations help us to continue to ensure that Glen Canyon is not forgotten again! Give to GCI today using our secure server.
|
|
Upcoming Events: IT'S OUR 10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY!!! And we're having an Open House at the Glen Canyon Institute office and gardens to celebrate. This event is open to all GCI members, guests, and interested supporters. There will be speakers and presentations celebrating GCI's first decade of work and the exciting growth of the movement for Glen Canyon. Saturday, July 9 6-9pm 1520 Sunnydale Dr Salt Lake City, UT 84108 |
|
Check out our events calendar for full details on this and all our 10th anniversary events. |
Recent Photos: Standing at the Hite Overlook this spring |
|
See more photos of the restoration of Glen Canyon! |
The brief but wonderful return of Cathedral in the Desert
Jim Stiles
Salt Lake Tribune
5/14/05
"It looked almost exactly like Phil Hyde's photograph taken in 1964, a year after Glen Canyon Dam began backing up
the Colorado River..."
Water Wars
Move UndergroundLA Times
Cities seek to refill aquifers emptied by extensive pumping. But another
agency claims control over reserves.
Land swap proposed
Jerry Spangler & Joe Bauman
Deseret News
5/27/05
... Bob Bennett and Orrin Hatch are wading into the shark-infested
Colorado River -- or at least they are wading into
the land politics of southeastern Utah. ...
In the
Northwest: Conservation icon plans a final campaign
Joel
Connelly
Seattle Post Intelligencer
6/3/05
Conservationists Martin and Esther Litton are engaging in a battle to keep
the Forest Service from logging in California's
Sequoia National Monument.
Join Glen Canyon Institute!
If you aren't already a member of Glen Canyon Institute, please sign up today. Your generous contribution will help support our continued work to restore and protect Glen Canyon, America's Lost National Park.