02/19/2021
This!!!
RIVER PERMITS!? We didn't win any either. That's just fine.
The boating public's general response to the upcoming 2021 boating season is hyper-focused on the singular service permit processing. To be sure, an important discussion. But it all seems siloed around maintaining the expectations of access while disregarding the exploding popularity of rafting on just a handful of locations.
There's a dichotomous space between the preservation of wilderness and unrestricted use. These narrow strips of sensitive land along the river can only handle so much. It was decades ago when the management criteria of group size and allocated user days were established in places like Dinosaur National Monument and Desolation Canyon. While dated now, we can look back and say the management planning was done quite well, as these places are maintaining integrity even after years of increasing demand. We still define our idea of wilderness by imaging Yampa Canyon and Deso's beauty and isolation.
Maintaining the current experience inherently means limiting permits to the carrying capacity of a given river section, limits developed by land management agencies. However, the current system, rec(.)gov, is a third-party entity and a nominal application fee does go to the company. However, our public land management agencies need much more revenue than they currently receive.
There are important conversations happening about the merit of this system, but in concert, we also should discuss how we approach the issue as a collective group rather than individuals: infighting between seasoned private boaters and commercial rafting companies; fresh boaters against old ones, or against the land management agencies isn't going to help us.
The boating public gains a lot from contacting Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service and other agencies out on the river. That contact enhances our understanding of local conditions/events and safety. River management programs protect our resources and quality of experience. They provide river patrols, law enforcement and clean up services. They maintain facilities like the drop toilets, roads, boat ramps, clean up trash, provide day use structures and parking lots - we enjoy all these benefits directly while paying only a fraction of the cost.
Nearly 70 years ago, David Brower and Howard Zahniser hired river running legend, Bus Hatch to organize float trips through the Monument. The trips were part of a campaign with books and films directed at persuading Congress to not authorize the Echo Park Dam. The fledgling river-running industry had little to no influence at the time, and found it difficult to counter the assertion from proponents of the dam that running the rapids was dangerous. Not only did they succeed in demonstrating to the public that river running was safe, sexy and adventurous, but they planted the seeds of what would become known as the modern conservation movement.
As boaters, we recognize our profound privilege to have seen and experienced the canyons of the Colorado River Basin. We recognize that you may yet to get that opportunity. That includes more than just those who can afford a raft and all the gear and those who can afford to purchase a spot on a commercial trip - rafting can, and should, be equitable.
Given that rafting is rooted in a love of place, a love of river, we need to collectively continue the conversation about balancing visitation and preservation. As numbers of new boaters sky-rocket each year, we need to remember this history and try and not place our desire to get out there above others - some of us are not more entitled than the rest.
Rig To Flip
