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January 1, 2004 "Those were the days, my friend - Mary Hopkins
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GRCA Backcounty Permit Office
Moves !
Now in track-side trailers - just
north of the recent Maswik Depot location
The reason? The park is starting a remodel of the
1994 Maswik Transportation Center. The facility never became the railroad depot it was designed to be, so now,
the space is going to be remodeled in order to create a new, more effective Backcounty Permit Office.
During much of 2004, the Permit Office will be located in these two trailers. The brown trailer, shown in the foreground,
will be where walk-in backpackers pickup their permits.
There was a cheery group of around 25 people waiting outside for the opening of the Permit Office at 8:00 AM on
New Years Day 2004.
(January 1, 2004 is when May 2004 backcountry
permits first become available.)
B.P.O. Ranger addresses the 8:00 AM crowd.
3B smiles as his itinerary is approved.
So, the Backcountry Permit Office has returned to a trailer.
You may remember a few years ago when the office was located in a trailer by the Camper Services Building at
Mather Campground. That was between 1983 - 1995.
We thought they'd never end..."
In the 1980's, there was enough space to have a "Trip
Planning Center" with interpretive displays and conference tables for backpackers to use. Hopefully the new
2004 facility will provide a similar environment.
The Grand Canyon Backcountry Permit Office and Trip
Planning Center - Circa 1984
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Inner-Canyon backpacking displays of the 1980's.
In the days just before the PC, permits were written by hand and tracked with a card file system.
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Back to the Future ?.......The Interim Permit Office - Circa 2004 |
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Backcountry Permit Procedures and Information |
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. Before 1983, The Backcountry Permit Window was located in the Visitor Center's patio. (The photo shown at right was taken in 1980.) Some people think that the 2004 Permit Office should be moved to the current Visitor Center, Canyon View Plaza. They believe that will enable "one stop shopping." What do you think? Others feel that the office should stay at Maswik so they may continue to drive their cars over to obtain their permits. Return to Photographic Exploration
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