Ruby and Serpentine Canyon Tamarisk Control: March 10-17, 2010
Overview
The Grand Canyon Backcountry Vegetation Crew has been completing tamarisk and other non-native plant control work as part of the Tamarisk Management and Tributary Restoration Project. As we enter the cyclic maintenance phase of tamarisk control in Grand Canyon 's tributaries, we have fewer trees to kill yet lots of ground to cover. Tamarisk is an exotic tree that aggressively invades native riparian habitat and undermines the integrity and function of ecosystems. Preventing the spread of exotic plant species is now considered to be one of the most important issues facing natural resource managers across the nation.
Help Grand Canyon protect its natural resources and fight tamarisk invasion within inner canyon tributaries! Come along on a hardy backpack trip into a remote area of Grand Canyon down the South Bass Trail to control tamarisk. We will use handsaws and a dose of grit to rid these invaders from Grand Canyon 's remote side canyons.
Click here for more information.
Itinerary
| Day 1 | Meet at South Rim Backcountry Office at 8:30 am, distribute food and group gear, drive to trailhead and hike down South Bass Trail (14 miles, 5,300 ft elevation loss) Camp in South Bass use area. |
|---|---|
| Day 2 | Tamarisk control Ruby Canyon (3-5 Miles) |
| Day 3 | Tamarisk control Ruby Canyon (3-5 Miles) |
| Day 4 | Hike to Serpentine (5 Miles) |
| Day 5 | Tamarisk control Serpentine Canyon (3-5 Miles) |
| Day 6 | Tamarisk control Serpentine Canyon (3-5 Miles) |
| Day 7 | Hike to South Bass trail junction (3-5 Miles) |
| Day 8 | Hike out South Bass Trail, drive back to South Rim and Flagstaff (14 miles, ~ 5,300 ft elevation gain) |


