Page, Ariz. –The National Park Service
has prohibited "kite tubing" at Glen Canyon National
Recreation Area, after careful evaluation of recent
accidents involving this new activity. The restriction
is effective immediately and applies to the entire park,
including Lake Powell. "Kite tubing has proven itself
to be extremely dangerous," said Glen Canyon National
Recreation Area Superintendent Kitty Roberts. "Ensuring
the safety of our visitors is always the top priority of
the National Park Service.
"There are many other, far safer ways to enjoy Glen
Canyon – from waterskiing, to fishing, to exploring
narrow side canyons"
Kite tubes are large, round inflated tubes towed by a
boat at 20-40 mph. The user holds onto the kite tube as
it rises into the air, 15-60 feet from the surface of
the water.
Controlling a kite tube is extremely challenging, and
the slightest upset in its balance causes the kite tube
to violently fall into the water. The fall can be
particularly traumatic, due to the height (often 30 feet
or higher), forward speed (35-40 mph), and the unusual
position at which victims may hit the water.
Park rangers first observed kite tubes at Glen Canyon
in April of this year. Since that time, four individuals
have been airlifted from the park with serious injuries,
and there have been reports of additional minor
injuries.
The restriction applies to any device that is towed
by a boat and allows the user to take flight. This
includes the Wego Kite Tube, manufactured by SportsStuff,
Inc., and the Manta, manufactured by Sevylor.
The restriction also applies to parasailing and kite
boarding.
The kite tubing restriction was instituted using the
Superintendent’s Compendium, which allows the park
superintendent to establish regulations to provide for
public health and safety, protect park resources, and to
avoid conflicts among visitor uses. The Superintendent’s
Compendium is updated on an annual basis or more
frequently when necessary.
The complete 2006 Superintendent’s Compendium is
located on Glen Canyon National Recreation Area’s
website at:
www.nps.gov/glca by clicking "Management Docs."
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