OCR Text |
Show The National Enterprise, May 4, 1977 Page four River runners fear rumors Continued from page one says the firm is getting many inquiries from people holding reservations, and many have ended up cancelling trips. . .so many that WRE has cancelled all trips through the Grand when wrater levels are Canyon until mid-Maexpected to be higher due to increased water release from Lake Powell, upstream. Keller estimates the firms gross revenue loss from Grand Canyon cancellations alone at $135,000. y, g washout is even Fear of a touching other travel industries serving Utah. Vem Huser of the American River Touring Association recently undertook an extensive study of the problem in order to convince Western Airlines to promote Utah river running this summer. Its far better to book the river trips, says Huser, and then let the operators cancel if worse comes to worse. No river guide is going to go ahead with an inferior trip, because theres too much to lose that river-runnin- way. Water will be adequate Husers analysis, along with river forecasts from the Bureau of Reclamation and the National Weather Service, predicts adequate water for all but a few streams. The Green River will, oddly enough, be better than normal e water release from due to a Flaming Gorge Reservoir, due in turn to Bureau of Reclamation power contract required of normal are ments. Running about the Colorado, Selway, lower Snake, and Middle Fork of the Salmon. River guides say even at this volume, most popular river routes will still be challenging, exciting rides, and occasional stretches are at their best at low water. On the critical list are the Yampa, Dolores, and San Juan Rivers, none of them among the most popular waters. In all cases, spring runoff is expected to bring high water earlier than usual, and river guides are booking their trips accordingly. The adverse rumors are affecting more than commercial operations. Organizers of the Friendship Cruise, a gaggle of powerboaters who zoom down the Green and up the Colorado every Memorial Day, have had to fight Cruise persistent rumors of cancellation. secretary Marshall Thompson of Price says the popular event is still on, with no cancellation plans in sight. Fouled up Information Neither has the drought publicity problem been a boon to government water managers. The Bureau of Reclamation found itself in hot water in March, when minimum water release left two Hatch River Expedition groups high and dry in the Grand Canyon for several days, due to a misunderstanding in water release plans. Don Hatch from Lake Powell accuses the bureau of dispensing inaccurate information, no planning, and a lot of buck passing. Bureau water manager Don Barnett says his office has tried to maintain an open and cooperative dialogue with river guides, but in this case average water release figures were apparently misleading, and the operators needed more specific information. high-volum- one-thir- Meanwhile, the Utah Travel Councils publicity machine has been cranked into high gear in an effort to dispel rumors that could leave the river running industry flopping like a fish out of water. Some officials liken the situation to that faced by the ski industry, when faced with n snow and a disbelieving market. A publicity turnaround apparently did not persuade many skiers to come to Utah, according to resort figures, and river guides are worried that they may become victims of the same kind of phenomenon. Wmndhi (randhi) n. late-seaso- last-minu- te 1. An instrument used by Morris Told Plumbing to fix or repiir boilers. 2. An instrument used by Morris Told Plumbing to fix or repair water cooled refrigeration units. 3. An instrument sometimes used by Morris Told Plumbing in the installation of industrial lawn sprinkler timers. 4. An instrument used by Morris Told Plumbing to fix or repair equipment and other medical facility units. See also Business Plumbers, Speciality Plumbing. Good Prices or call Tunex plans to open 40 franchises Tunex, Inc., automotive tune-u- p specialists, is tuning up its organization for the coming fiscal year. has elected Rondo E. Whiting of Salt Lake City its president and chief operating officer. The board has also voted to accept Wayne Evans, of David W. Evans, Inc. advertising agency as a member. He joins Weber State College Business School dean Sterling Sessions, and Ken Madsen, general counsel for Mountain Bell Telephone. Del Freeze continues as chairman. The growing company hopes to open 40 new franchises in the coming year in Utah, Idaho, Colorado, Nevada, Montana, and Arizona. The company now operates 11 centers in Utah, including a new facility in Holladay which opened last week. The corporation has also The Tunex board of directors INTEREST RATE ON SBA LOANS NOW REDUCED TO 9 583-057- HjV ai o) J 0 A Ini WTRODUC as- NEW STANDARDS a in the Audio Visual Field ELM0 16 Ik 16mm SOUND PROJECTOR RONEO-VICKER- S L-2-00 SPIRIT DUPLICATOR it 4 -- for more information 7 1665 Laird Avenue responsibility for site development and franchise sales. signed Gerald Macfarlane TODAYS TIP: nSSr . ff contact your banker or call SHELDONHANSEN specialist in SBA loan applications 328-885- 6 BEEHIVE AUDIO VISUAL PHOTOGRAPHIC CORP. Supplying Your Audio Visual ond Photographic Needs 60 EAST SO. TEMPLE SALT LAKE CITY. UTAH 84110 PHONE 531-147- 4 |