Greetings GCI Supporters and Friends,

I’d like to officially introduce myself to all of you. I’m Ericka Wells and I joined Glen Canyon Institute’s staff as the Outreach and Development Director this past summer. Chris has just turned the Lowdown over to me and I look forward to keeping you all up on all the great stuff happening around here and in our beloved canyons.

We are so excited this about the constantly increasing and impressive press attention Glen Canyon has been getting. Last month, our Executive Director, Chris Peterson, and Board President, Rich Ingebretsen, took New York Times reporter Sandra Blakeslee into Glen Canyon to show them the rapidly recovering side canyons. The story appeared on the front page of the New York Times on November 2nd. This story has greatly helped us to reach nationwide audiences and share the exciting story about what’s going on in Glen Canyon. Now we are asking you to help us spread that message even further. If you haven’t already read this great article, check it out now http://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/02/science/earth/02cany.html?8dpc and then please pass along a copy to all your friends and family. It’s an easy way to help spread the word about this exciting issue.

We have also begun putting together our spring trips to visit Cathedral in the Desert and other awesome restoring canyons throughout Glen Canyon. There has already been considerable interest in our boat-access trips scheduled next spring for visiting the canyons. Visit our GCIFT page today so you can be sure to reserve your spot one of these once-in-a-lifetime opportunities to see the Colorado’s restoring side canyons. http://www.glencanyon.org/gcift/index.php#coyote

With hundreds of miles of canyons returning, GCI recently sent a letter of recommendations to Glen Canyon National Recreation Area for managing the emerging features and habitat for increased visitation and endangered species recovery. We plan to work closely with the Park Service to help identify fragile and threatened areas and implement adequate protection measures. You can read this letter online now at http://www.glencanyon.org/library/libhome.php

We are gearing up to do our winter membership drive, so expect to see some mail from us in the coming month. Speaking of membership, we have a bunch of new membership options for you to support Glen Canyon Institute and our efforts to save Glen Canyon. You’ll also find the GCI Wishlist below, which will be a regular feature of the Lowdown and a great way for your support to go directly to items that will help us get ‘er done. There are also several links to other great recent articles at the end of this letter.

And finally, we have several GCI sponsored events coming up in the next few months which we hope those of you in the area will come out to attend. On November 11th, Chris Peterson and Katie Lee will do a combined presentation at the University of Utah to talk about Glen Canyon, past and present, and the latest details about Mother Nature’s current success in restoring Glen Canyon. Then, on November 16th, Chris will be traveling to Springdale, Utah for a slideshow presentation at the Bit & Spur, just outside Zion Nat’l Park. In early December, we will also be sponsoring several Utah screenings of the new film, Monumental, about David Brower, including his fight to save Glen Canyon. Complete event details are listed on our website http://www.glencanyon.org/events/events.php Hope to see you all soon!

Free the Colorado!

Ericka Wells
Outreach and Development Director

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Gift Memberships

Avoid holiday shopping crowds and the madness of parking lots. Give your loved ones a gift membership to Glen Canyon Institute. For just $30, your lucky gift recipient will receive a 1-year subscription to our quarterly magazine, Hidden Passage, our monthly e-newsletter, the Lowdown, and the satisfaction of knowing help is being given to restore a healthy Colorado River through Glen Canyon.
Give a gift membership now link: http://www.glencanyon.org/join/gift.php
 
Monthly memberships

Be among the first to contribute to the restoration of Glen Canyon year-round AND eliminate expensive, resource intensive renewal notices. Glen Canyon Institute is excited to announce our monthly membership giving program link: http://www.glencanyon.org/join/monthly.php
By making a monthly contribution of $5 or more, you will be helping to guarantee GCI can continue the important work necessary to restore a healthy Colorado River through Glen Canyon throughout the year. It's easy to sign up and then GCI will just charge the amount you specify to your credit card on the 1st of each month.
Record of your contributions will appear on your monthly credit card statements. If you ever have any questions about your monthly contributions, please contact Jason Shumaker at 801-363-4450 or email.

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GCI Wish List

We are so pleased with the recent donation of a boat for our GCIFT boat trips. The generous contribution led us to thinking that there are several other ways some of you may be able to help us with in-kind contributions to our organization, so we have begun putting together a wishlist link: http://www.glencanyon.org/join/wishlist.php
Some of the items we are currently seeking include a 4 stroke motor for the boat and an HP 4600 Laser Printer. There are several other items that will help us out in the office and with our programs significantly, so please check out our list often.

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Newslinks

Drought Unearths a Buried Treasure
New York Times- By Sandra Blakeslee
Sandra Blakeslee writes about the return of Glen Canyon. It is open and viewable in much of its former glory and the change may be permanent.
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/02/science/earth/02cany.html

Newly exposed areas in Lake Powell require management plan, enviros say
Land Letter- Southwest reporter April Reese
About 40 miles of the San Juan River and 15 miles of the Escalante River, which merge with the Colorado River above Glen Canyon Dam, are now exposed, as well as roughly 40 miles of the Colorado itself.
http://www.glencanyon.org/library/letters/landletter.htm

Arizona's shrinking lake provides a stark warning
The Guardian- UK By Dan Gleister
"If the drought continues it will force the states to sit down and take some truly tough decisions," says Ken Rice, the manager of the dam
http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,12271,1324367,00.html

Out There: Glen Canyon
The Gazette- Colorado Springs By Dave Phillips
Includes a link to a slideshow of Glen Canyon by photographer Mark Reis
The only way down to the Escalante River from the cliffs above Coyote Gulch is to slip through a hidden passage called Crack in the Wall.
http://outdoors.coloradosprings.com/fullStory.jsp?id=2477