Supai Village Closed Through Early Spring of 2009

http://www.azdailysun.com/articles/2008/08/26/news/20080826_front_180118.txt

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

The village of Supai on the Havasupai Reservation will remain closed to visitors through early spring 2009, the tribe has told backpackers via e-mail.

An update for visitors to Supai was issued Monday saying the tribe had decided to keep the village closed until extensive reconstruction on campgrounds, trails and bridges had been made. That decision was confirmed by an employee at the village's lodge who said there had been a lot of destruction to the rock formations at the waterfalls and to the campground for tourists.

That campground sat right along a creek that fed four often- photographed waterfalls, one about 200 feet tall.

The rock face of the waterfalls and photogenic pools below is made by mineral deposits in the water that form travertine, a type of rock. It is prone to breaking away during large floods.

Tribal members who evacuated the village Aug. 17 by helicopter began returning last week.

Supai, located 8 miles from the nearest road by mule, foot or helicopter, is home to about 450 Havasupai and sometimes 30,000 tourists per year.

The Havasupai have seen floods in 1910, 1990, 1993 and 1997.

The tribe once inhabited an area from Seligman to Flagstaff and what is now Grand Canyon National Park, and have lived in the canyon for centuries, according to the tribe.

Some of the simple log bridges used to cross the stream are typically tied at one end, so they can float free in floods.