An analysis of non-commercial river trip records
reveals a substantial rate of repetitive use. Some individuals
go often while others are denied access for very long periods.

In the fall of 2000, the Grand Canyon River Outfitters Association conducted an analysis of Grand Canyon National Park’s official non-commercial river trip participant records for the period April 16, 1995 through September 6, 2000.

This analysis demonstrates that a substantial rate of repetitive use of the river by a select group significantly reduces the overall number of opportunities for participation in self-outfitted, or private, Grand Canyon river trips by others.

In the last five years, 1,897 or 11.5% of all individuals on non-commercial river trips participated in at least two and as many as ten such trips. These repetitive users occupied 24% of the total passenger slots available. Without such repetitive use, 2,703 more individuals, or 501 per year, could have taken a trip during the period but were instead denied access.

In short, while a small select group enjoys multiple opportunities for private river trips within Grand Canyon National Park, many more are excluded from participating even in their initial non-commercial river trip opportunity at the same time.

Repetitive Use on Non-commercial Grand Canyon River Trips

Approximately one tenth of all non-commercial river trip participants used one quarter of
the available non-commercial river trip participant slots in the last five years.
Study period:

4/16/95 through 9/6/00
Total number of non-commercial river trip
participant slots available during the study period:
19,165
Total number of individual participants completing
a non-commercial river trip during the study period:
 16,467
Total number of individual repeat users on
non-commercial river trips during the study period:
 1,897
Total number of non-commercial river trip
participant slots used by the individual repeat users:
4,600
Total number of non-commercial river trips
taking place during study period:
1,411
Gender of Participants:
66% male - 34% female


Number of non-commercial river trips annually during study period (years for which a complete calendar year data set was available):
Year
 Number of Non-commercial River Trips
1996
252
1997
246
1998
214
1999
264
Without repetitive use, during the study period 2,703 more participants (or 501 per year) could have enjoyed the opportunity to participate in a non-commercial river trip.

The number of individuals who completed two or more non-commercial river trips during the study period was 1,897 or 11.5% of the total of individual participants: 16,467.

These repetitive users occupied 4,600 or 24% of the 19,165 available non-commercial participant slots during the study period.

Repetitive Use and the Non-commercial Waiting List

Twenty-eight percent of the current members of the non-commercial river trip
waiting list have completed at least one private trip in the last five years.
Total number of individuals on the non-commercial
waiting list as of January, 2001 waiting for a permit:
 6,582
Number of individuals on the waiting list
who have participated in a non-commercial river trip
in the last five years (since 4/16/95):
1,861 or 28% of total
Gender of people on the waiting list:
77% male - 23% female