The Ol’ Pioneer The Magazine of the Grand Canyon Historical Society Volume 23 : Number 2 www.GrandCanyonHistory.org Spring 2012 In This Issue That’s One Small Step…in the Grand Canyon ....... 3 Louis Schellbach Logs: 5 ....... 12 President’s Letter The Ol’ Pioneer The Magazine of the It was great seeing everybody at the rim in January for the third Grand Can- Grand Canyon Historical Society yon History Symposium! It was a truly wonderful event. Each day, the program Volume 23 : Number 2 (and the auditorium) was packed with interesting presentations that covered Spring 2012 everything from rim to river and the ancient past to fairly recent events. And when the presentations were not in session, there was a constant swirling of u shared ideas, passionate debate, story swapping, the renewal of old friendships The Historical Society was established and the formation of new ones. As a long-time reader and researcher of canyon in July 1984 as a non-profit corporation history, it was amazing to see so many well-known and respected writers, his- to develop and promote appreciation, torians, and canyon residents all gathered together under one roof – a historic understanding and education of the event in its own right. earlier history of the inhabitants and important events of the Grand Canyon. I have said it before, but I want to say it one last time… this symposium could not have been done without a tremendous amount of passion, enthusi- The Ol’ Pioneer is published by the asm, resources, brain power and elbow grease from the numerous volunteers. GRAND CANYON HISTORICAL The symposium was planned, coordinated, and operated entirely by volunteers SOCIETY in conjunction with The many of whom probably put in well over a hundred hours apiece over the last Bulletin, an informational newsletter. Both publications are a benefit of year. Even now with the symposium completed, work is still continuing on a membership. Membership in the Society symposium proceedings publication which should be out by the end of the year. is open to any person interested in the The symposium also could not have been done without the excellent coopera- historical, educational, and charitable tion of the society’s partners who contributed people, expertise and resources – purposes of the Society. Membership is notably the Grand Canyon Association, Grand Canyon National Park, Xanterra on an annual basis using the standard calendar; and dues of $25 are payable on South Rim, Xanterra Grand Canyon Railway and Northern Arizona University the 1st of January each year, and mailed Cline Library Special Collections. And lastly, I would like to thank those people to the GCHS Treasurer, PO Box 31405 whose generous donations to the symposium helped fund the numerous start- Flagstaff, AZ 86003-1405. The Ol’ Pioneer ing and material expenses that would have proven very challenging otherwise. magazine is copyrighted by the Grand To all of you, I would like to say a big THANK YOU. Canyon Historical Society, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication I would also like to extend a warm welcome to our new members (we picked may be reproduced or used in any form up quite a few during and after the symposium). I think you will find that the without permission of the publisher. society embodies much of the same passion for canyon history, opportunities for learning and sharing, and informal camaraderie that marked the sympo- Editor: Mary Williams sium. I would strongly recommend that you check out our society website Submit photos and stories to the editor of The Ol’ Pioneer at: info@ (http://www.grandcanyonhistory.org/index.html) where you will find useful marywilliamsdesign.com or 4880 N information about the society, events and outings, and back issues of the Ol Weatherford Road, Flagstaff, AZ 86001. Pioneer. Be sure to mark the annual Shoshone Point picnic on your calendars for (928) 779-3377. Please submit written July and browse the awesome new official society t-shirts and other GCHS gear articles and photos electronically on CD featuring the logos designed by James Hayford (you can reach the society store or via email if possible. You may mail photos or slides for scanning if needed. through the ‘Shop’ link on the website). As always, I welcome suggestions and comments from old and new members alike. Submissions to The Bulletin should be sent to Karen Greig, [email protected] Erik Berg GCHS President GCHS Officers Erik Berg, President John Azar, Vice President Keith Green, Treasurer Tom Martin, Secretary Amy Horn, Pioneer Award Al Richmond, Awards Chair Paul Schnur, Membership Committee COVER: Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong during geological training in West Texas near the John Azar, Outings Coordinator ruins of Fort Quitman, February 24, 1969. Photograph courtesy of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Board of Directors Howard Asaki Amy Horn John Azar Tom Martin The Ol’ Pioneer submission deadlines are going to be roughly January 1, April Erik Berg Mona McCroskey Ellen Brennan 1, July 1, and October 1 and we will publish either three or four issues a year, Tom Martin Kathy Faretta Carol Naille depending on content volume. Keith Green Wayne Ranney Karen Greig Paul Schnur 2 : Grand Canyon Historical Society That’s One Small Step…in the Grand Canyon by Don Lago now had the right to claim that their The military pilots who responded system was superior. Kennedy’s to America’s call for astronauts readily hen Neil Armstrong speech, delivered only six weeks after felt the importance of national pride climbed down the ladder Yuri Gagarin’s flight, placed the moon and technological superiority and of the Eagle and took the goal almost entirely within the context exploring frontiers. They did not feel Wfirst human footsteps on the moon, of proving national superiority: “If we the call of geology. The astronauts his footstep contained thousands of are to win the battle that is going on were the knights of the Right Stuff, the footsteps he had taken into the Grand around the world between freedom daring masters of the most roaring, Canyon. When Armstrong picked up and tyranny, if we are to win the soaring, cutting-edge technology. the first moon rock, he saw it with in- battle for men’s minds, the dramatic Collecting rocks was for nerds. sights he had picked up in the Grand achievements in space which occurred Besides, in the first years of America’s Canyon. in recent weeks should have made space program, the astronauts were Five years previously, in March clear to us all, as did the Sputnik in seriously preoccupied with matters of 1964, the crew of Apollo 11—Neil 1957, the impact of this adventure on life and death. The astronauts needed Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael the minds of men everywhere who are to learn how to fly new, complicated, Collins—had spent two days hiking to attempting to make a determination dangerous spacecraft, how to respond the bottom of the Grand Canyon and of which road they should take.” to a thousand emergencies that could back up. They were part of the first After Kennedy announced the goal ruin a mission or kill them. The of three groups of astronauts to make of “landing a man on the Moon and astronauts had to train for survival this hike. All but one of the twenty- returning him safely to the Earth,” his in case their capsules crashed in four astronauts who journeyed to the next line was “No single space project remote deserts or jungles or seas. The moon hiked into the canyon. in this period will be more impressive astronauts were also assigned duties The March 1964 hike into the to mankind…”1 to help design and test spacecraft Grand Canyon was the first event in Privately, Kennedy had been and other equipment. The astronauts a new NASA program to train the alarmed by the audacity of such a goal, didn’t have enough time for life-or- astronauts in geology. This hike also and he’d asked his advisors if there death training. Knowing about the served a larger purpose: to inspire were some other—and cheaper— origin or mineral composition of the astronauts to take an interest in technological goal at which the United moon rocks wouldn’t help astronauts geology. When the astronauts were States might prove its superiority. No land on moon rocks. first told that they would need to one could assure Kennedy that a moon While the astronauts were study geology, many were openly landing was even possible. But the preoccupied with the piloting hostile to the idea. moon goal did appeal to Kennedy’s challenge, much of the rest of NASA When President John F. Kennedy personal taste for adventure and viewed the Apollo program as stood before a joint session of Congress bravado; five years later this bravado an engineering challenge. Tens of on May 25, 1961 and committed the would lead Kennedy’s brother, thousands of engineers, under high nation to going to the moon, Kennedy Senator Robert Kennedy, to ignore pressure from deadlines and budgets, did not say anything about going to the strong warnings of his raft guide had to come up with new ideas and the moon to study geology. Everyone and jump into the Colorado River in materials and designs, test them, and understood that Americans were the Grand Canyon and swim through redesign them. Hundreds of thousands going to the moon as an assertion of a dangerous rapid. And President of components had to be integrated national pride. American national Kennedy did recognize the importance perfectly, and any one component pride had been deeply wounded by of exploration and the frontier in might trigger the difference between the Soviet launch of Sputnik in 1957, the American psyche.