Man banned from Grand Canyon after posing as backcountry guide
GRAND CANYON, Ariz. — A man has pled guilty for conducting business operations without permits within the remote backcountry of Grand Canyon National Park, following an investigation by the National Park Service (NPS).
William “Billy” Chandler Woods of Flagstaff, Arizona, pled guilty April 8 and was ordered to serve two years of supervised probation and is banned from Grand Canyon National Park and Glen Canyon National Recreation Area for the next two years.
Court documents show that in November 2020, the NPS investigated an initial allegation that Woods organized a commercially-guided backpacking trip on the Colorado Plateau without a permit. Further investigation revealed Woods illegally advertised guided trips in the park’s backcountry under the company names of Blue Marble Guides, Canyons and Chefs, Blue Marble Adventure Geotourism, LLC, and Red Rock Culinary. Woods had been previously contacted and warned by park staff regarding his illegal operation but continued his activities.
The case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona.
Commercial Use Authorizations (CUAs) are required for all commercially-guided activities, including backcountry hiking, that results in compensation, monetary gain, benefit or profit within Grand Canyon National Park and Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. A CUA must be obtained prior to any commercial backcountry use. CUAs do not include activities related to guided packrafting, climbing, canyoneering, or other off-trail use.
To obtain a commercial permit or for more information about commercial regulations in Grand Canyon National Park email grca_permits_mail@nps.gov or visit www.nps.gov/grca/learn/management/cua.htm.
For more information on CUAs within Glen Canyon National Recreation area, please contact the Commercial Use Authorizations Coordinator at (928) 608-6325.
Information provided by NPS
- Driver identified in fatal accident on Perkinsville Road Sept. 19
- Latest Tik Tok challenges causing problems for Williams Unified School District
- Search at Grand Canyon turns up remains of person missing since 2015
- Plane wreckage and human remains found in Grand Canyon National Park
- Pumpkin Patch Train departs Williams starting Oct. 5
- Update: Man missing in Grand Canyon National Park hike found alive
- Receding water levels at Lake Powell reveal missing car and driver
- Man sentenced for attack on camper at Perkinsville
- Column: Lumber prices expected to stay high through 2022
- Elk rut season in Grand Canyon: What you need to know
- Grand Canyon warns of gastrointestinal illness among river trips and backcountry campers
- Tunnel Fire more than doubles in size overnight in Flagstaff
- Lake Mead reveals resting place of B-29 that crashed while testing SunTracker in 1948
- Obituary: Karlee Jeanne Schulte
- Windy conditions challenge firefighters as Tunnel Fire grows to more than 19,000 acres
- Evacuations ordered for fire northeast of Flagstaff- Lennox Road, Wupatki Trails
- Receding water levels at Lake Powell reveal missing car and driver
- Obregon City Tacos opens in downtown Williams
- Man dies in rollover on Perkinsville Road
- Ranger’s Log: Grand Canyon rangers respond to gunshot victim, disorderly conduct, theft, DUI
SUBMIT FEEDBACK
Click Below to: