Loven Contracting partnered with the National Park Service and the Grand Canyon National Park Historical Architect to develop, construct, and install a backcountry shade ramada with integrated search and rescue features at the very remote Tipoff location on the South Kaibab Trail in Grand Canyon National Park. As the only shelter on the essentially treeless trail, this shelter will benefit all hikers seeking a place to rest during their hike, and will be of particular help to those experiencing fatigue or overheating issues.

The structure is 12 feet by 24 feet with 4-foot overhangs to provide shade around the exterior. It features shade screens to provide air flow, six benches inside, and a lightning protection system to protect the structure and occupants from lightning strikes. There are also two 125-gallon cisterns to provide non-potable water for visitors to use to cool down. Benches are sized to provide workspace for search and rescue/EMT personnel and the shade screens can be utilized as a place to hang IV bags in case of medical emergencies.

“The building site location was selected based off a shade study conducted on a computer program based off the longitude and latitude of longest day of the year to optimize shade,” said Grand Canyon’s Historical Architect Craig Chenevert.

This shelter was partially assembled on the South Rim of the Canyon and flown in via Chinook helicopter at the Tipoff location, which is 4 miles from the South Kaibab trailhead and 2 miles from the Colorado River.

Funding for the shelter was provided by the Grand Canyon Conservancy (GCC), the official nonprofit partner of Grand Canyon National Park.

This project was awarded “Honorable Mention” in the Architectural Design category by Engineering News Record (ENR) Southwest Contractor magazine in their Best of 2010 competition.

The Flagstaff Family YMCA is an example of project success, beginning with a diligent preconstruction process. Working hand in hand with the YMCA and community stakeholders, our team maximized programming while adhering to a strict budget despite the challenging project site. 

This 20,000SF community center is located on a heavily forested, significantly sloped site containing substantial amounts of volcanic bedrock and is a key drainage point for the San Francisco Peaks. The project’s initial phases required significant site work, rock removal, and utility connections through thousands of basalt feet. An extension of the nearby Flagstaff Urban Trail System helped connect the new facility to the community via bicycle. The diligent preservation of the site’s ponderosa pines maintained the facility’s forested atmosphere. 

The completed YMCA includes a Member Child Care Center, Early Childhood Center, multi-purpose gymnasium, climbing wall, aerobics and spinning studios, wellness/fitness area, technology learning center, and locker rooms, enabling the facility to offer a wide range of services to the Flagstaff, Arizona community.