boatman’s quarterly review Tad Nichols Dugald Bremner spring 2000 the journal of volume 13 number 2 Grand Canyon River Guides, Inc Tad Nichols Health Insurance COR Changes Arnberger Drops CRMP Lava Falls Rapid GCMRC Go Humpies! In 1950, I had met a woman in Cali- GTS 2000 fornia who was making film for television. Food and Medicine It was relatively new then, and she had River Access heard about the San Juan River and wanted Wesley a cameraman to go with her to help her film the San Adopt-A-Beach Juan adventure, and through Glen Canyon, so I went. Bessie’s Best Friend We were with Frank Wright, Jim Rigg, Bob Rigg— Whale Foundation the Rigg brothers, in San Juan boats. Once they got down Snakes 2000 into Glen Canyon and those canyons of the San Juan River, boy, First Things First I saw scenery that I just couldn’t believe, it was so beautiful— Lost and Found particularly Glen Canyon. I got to know the Mexican Hat Expe- Dock’s Writings ditions crew very well. Millennium Reunion They said, “Well, why don’t you come with us next spring in Pediocactus the Grand Canyon?” I said, “Sounds interesting (chuckles) maybe I will.” Condor #50 The next spring came around, they called me up and said, “We’re leaving GCY Update July 1, with four cataract boats. This is our trip of the year, come along.” Let Camelthorn Grow! And so I did. That’s how I got started in the Grand Canyon. continued on page 36 boatman’s quarterly review River Rage …is published more or less quarterly by and for Grand Canyon River Guides. rom the days of John Wesley Powell to the Grand Canyon River Guides present, river controversies have run rampant in is a nonprofit organization dedicated to FGrand Canyon. If it isn’t those of us who want to stay versus those of us who want to hike out, then it Protecting Grand Canyon would be wooden boats versus rubber boats, or Norm Setting the highest standards for the river profession versus Georgie. Sometimes it has been those who Celebrating the unique spirit of the river community want to swim versus those who want to raft. Oh, of Providing the best possible river experience course, the motors versus oars controversy continues into private versus commercial, and now keeping up General Meetings are held each Spring and Fall. with the tradition, private boaters versus National Park Our Board of Directors Meetings are held the first Service. Monday of each month. All innocent bystanders Currently the Park Service is under a great deal of are urged to attend. Call for details. pressure over their decision to halt any further work Officers to merge the planning process for the Colorado River President Bob Grusy Management Plan and draft Wilderness Manage- Vice President Kenton Grua ment Plan. Residents of New Mexico, Maryland and Secretary/Treasurer Lynn Hamilton Colorado have recently filed a lawsuit over the private Directors Nicole Corbo rafting permit waiting list. It’s tragic to think that Chris Geanious someone had to come to the conclusion that a lawsuit John O’Brien is the best course of action. Jeff Pomeroy You know, it is sad that in a place that exemplifies Richard Quartaroli in contrasting light the peaceful harmony of nature, we Lynn Roeder are able to bring so much bitterness and hatred towards Gcrg’s amwg one another. Is that human nature? Or humans versus Representative Andre Potochnik nature? Sadly, at least we are keeping up the tradition. Gcrg’s twg How long will it take all of us to realize that this is not Representative Matt Kaplinski the way to get along? Where is the understanding? Bqr Editors Katherine In looking at the Park’s decision, ask yourself two MacDonald questions: Mary Williams 1. Is the resource being damaged? The answer to this is, no not at all. It is, after all, a National Park and also Our editorial policy, such as it is: provide an protected by the Grand Canyon Protection Act. open forum. We need articles, poetry, stories, draw- 2. Has progress in managing the Park been ings, photos, opinions, suggestions, gripes, comics, stopped? Of course not. The Park Service is doing an etc. Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of outstanding job of managing the Park and will continue Grand Canyon River Guides, Inc. to do so. Written submissions should be less than 1500 The simple fact is, we all love this Canyon. We all words and, if possible, be sent on a computer disk, want to protect this place of beauty. But to do so, each pc or mac format; Microsoft Word files are best but and every one of us must be big enough and strong we can translate most programs. Include postpaid enough to share. Remember that in the heat of summer return envelope if you want your disk or submission the guy with ice has no trouble finding a friend. At the returned. end of a long, hot day there is no reason to compete Deadlines for submissions are the 1st of if only we can learn to share and take care of one February, May, August and November. Thanks. another. Our real strength is in our diversity and our Our office location: 515 West Birch, Flagstaff, AZ ability to help one another. Think not only of what’s in Office Hours: 10:30–4:30 Monday through Friday it for you. Understand this one fact: we are all on the same team and on the same trip. History has proven Phone 520/773-1075 that it is better to work together than to die trying to Fax 520/773-8523 walk away from the reality of a rapid you may not want E-mail [email protected] to run. Website www.gcrg.org Bob Grusy page 2 grand canyon river guides Health Insurance Alternative— High Deductible Major Medical dmitting vulnerability to accident and/or For more information about health insurance try illness is something most of us would rather this web site: www.ahcpr.gov/consumer/insuranc. Aignore. You have undoubtedly heard of guides htm#head2. requiring surgery for repetitive stress injury with costs For rates and detailed information about the various exceeding $20,000. Since the injury occurred on the plans available, contact a life and health agent, or job it is covered by workmen’s compensation insurance. companies such as Blue Cross–Blue Shield directly. This insurance is paid by your outfitter-employer. Health insurance quotes are also available on the Health insurance is necessary to protect your finan- web. Searching only through www.google.com I quickly cial well being, whether you or your employer pay for located the three listed here: it. Employer paid plans are not without their failings and may simply not be available to the employer. If an www.quickquote.com employer has a high turn-over of employees, if employ- www.quotesmith.com ment is seasonal, or if employees reside over a large www.ehealth.com geographic area, the availability and/or costs of group www.ehealth.com has a very large selection of high health insurance will be affected. deductible plans. Within the past year, two of my personal acquain- I was a Life and Health Insurance agent for ten years. tances incurred very large medical expenses that were If you have any questions or comments, email me at in no way related to their employment. One individual [email protected]. suffered a broken leg ($17,000+) and the other was hospitalized for lower abdominal pain for eight days Don Norris ($28,000+). Health expenditures such as these can and do force people into bankruptcy. A bankruptcy can stay on your credit report for ten years and impair your ability to obtain financing at reasonable interest rates. My friend’s business failed. To obtain a mortgage on a house, he had to meet a larger down payment requirement and pay a higher interest rate due to his bankruptcy. Health insurance is very expensive if it has very low or no co-payments (payments each time you visit the doctor), or if it provides other benefits such as routine examinations and prescriptions. These bene- fits include physician and insurance company clerical staff and other overhead that all cost money. These costs are built into the monthly premium. There is a solution for those individuals who can manage their finances so that they have a reserve or emergency fund. When a medical expenditure is incurred, they are able to pay for it out of these funds. This includes the occasional physical exam, and possibly prescriptions. These individuals can take advantage of the significantly lower premiums offered by plans that have a higher deductible. (The deductible is the amount you have to pay before the insurance benefits begin.) How much lower are premiums for a high deductible plan? A male age 25 who will have to pay $100 to $120 per month for an hmo, can find a $1,000 deductible health insurance plan in the range of $40 to $60 per month. The savings in premium in John Running this case can be $500 to $700 per year. boatman’s quarterly review page 3 Changes in the COR’s n mid-December, the Park published the draft copy medical certifications above wfr would also qualify of the Commercial Operating Requirements (cor’s) (emt, wemt, or Emergency Medical Doctor). Over the Ifor the year 2000. Over the past few months, both next three years each guide would need to renew his or Grand Canyon River Guides (gcrg) the Grand Canyon her first aid by taking the 72-hour, nine-day wfr course, River Outfitters Association (gcroa) have been going take an emt class, or become an Emergency Room over the changes in the cor’s that we feel are important Doctor.