Earlier this year, the Grand Canyon National Park began implementing their new management plan and river permitting system.  Paddlers wishing to enter the weighted lottery, which replaced the old wait list, may do so until October 21st. 

In the weighted lottery, everyone who enters has a chance to draw a permit for the coming year.  The lottery is weighted in three ways.  First, your chances increase if you have not done the canyon recently.  Second, your chances increase proportionally with the number of years you have been on the wait list.  Lastly, your chances increase if you enter the lottery with other paddlers who have been on the wait list.  The goal of this system is to work towards a more fair system in the future, while favoring those that have endured the wait list. 

It costs $25 to enter the lottery.  A lawsuit is currently challenging the validity of the $25 fee, the equity of the new permitting system, and the NPS decision not to designate the river corridor as Wilderness.  While the lawsuit progresses, the new system remains in place.  If you want to run the Grand Canyon in 2007, you must follow the NPS rules and throw your name in the hat.

For more information or to sign up, visit the NPS weighted lottery website at:  http://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/weightedlottery.htm

We recommend that paddlers review the Frequently Asked Questions section of their website as well, and paddlers may want to learn more about AW's efforts on the Grand Canyon on our new (and growing) Grand Canyon project page at: http://www.americanwhitewater.org/content/Project/view/id/Grand+Canyon/

Good Luck!