Context

Overnight camping at Grand Canyon National Park outside of the three developed campgrounds (Mather Campground and Desert View on the South Rim, and the North Rim Campground on the other side of the canyon) is controlled by a permit system. Backpackers apply months in advance for a particular itinerary on a specific date, hoping that the lottery puts their request close enough to the head of the line that they are granted a permit before the backcountry areas they want to visit are full on those dates.

The process is described in detail on the Backcountry Information Center web page:

https://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/backcountry-permit.htm

Data

This data is pulled from the tables inside the annual PDF “2019 Backcountry and River Use Statistics”:

https://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/upload/Backcountry_and_River_Use_Statistics_2019.pdf

The “itineraries” file lists the 99 most popular itineraries granted in 2019, which make account for about two-thirds of all permits granted. The “codes” file includes the PDF’s definitions for the codes used to describe each itinerary.

Acknowledgements

Thanks to the National Park Service, Grand Canyon National Park, and the Backcountry Information Center for the work of compiling this information and making it public!

1. Description of methods used for collection/generation of data: The data were obtained using a ThermoFisher MAT 253 dual inlet mass spectrometer and are the output data from the mass spectrometry software. The software calculates isotopic data and reports them in the delta notation from ion beam intensity ratios using standard sample standard bracketing. The extracts were prepared using protocols described in Labidi et al 2017 (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gca.2016.09.036).

2. Methods for processing the data: The raw data are processed in the file by first renormalizing the data to sample gas from the international standard reference material IAEA S-1 and then converting this normalization to the Canyon Diablo Troilite Reference scale of Dottin et al 2023 (https://doi.org/10.1029/2022JE007597) using values reported in that paper.

3. Instrument- or software-specific information needed to interpret the data: MS Excel, or other software able to read .xlsx format

4. Standards and calibration information, if appropriate: See 2.

5. Environmental/experimental conditions:

6. Describe any quality-assurance procedures performed on the data: The mass spectrometry uncertainties are reported for each value. All values standardized against international standard reference material IAEA S-1 Canyon Diablo Troilite (CDT).

7. People involved with sample collection, processing, analysis and/or submission:

James Farquhar Amaury Bouyon