The following has just been posted on the Grand Canyon Hikers Yahoo Group about packrafting on a Backcountry hiking permit
" I have gotten many permits with packrafting included on my itinerary. The original rule was a 5 mile limit, but there has been a revision a little over a year ago by the superintendent in the compendium that states you are allowed up to 5 miles only if you are not able to walk the bank on either side of the river. This was brought to my attention by the ranger at the BIC when he stated that i should be able to walk a stretch that i intended to float. "
Later entry: “In reading the Compendium again, there is mention that:”
"River crossings incidental to a backcountry hiking permit are allowed under the following conditions:
- Only the minimal amount of river travel necessary to gain the hiking terrain of the opposite shore is permitted.
- Multiple crossings are approved if the permitted itinerary requires them
- Backcountry permits involving such crossings will only be issued for backcountry use areas that are immediately adjacent (across the river) from one another.
- If proposed crossing for a given itinerary results in five or more miles of travel upon the water a private river trip permit is required.
- The five mile limit applies to the same side, river-level hikes for which entry into the river is necessary in order to navigate around terrain that prohibits travel by foot."